Design and Performance Evaluation of a Novel Portable Pedestal Fan With Cooling Effects by Peltier Modules

Abstract

An experiment was conducted to explore the impact of cooling air in a portable bladeless pedestal fan using Peltier modules. Traditional cooling methods face challenges of high energy consumption, motivating the need for innovative solutions. This study hypothesized that integrating Peltier modules into a pedestal fan could significantly enhance cooling efficiency while conserving energy. Investigating the shift from traditional to renewable energy systems for air conditioning (A/C) and ventilation is crucial for achieving sustainability and energy conservation. To meet the comfort standards set by ASHRAE, a study was carried out to design, construct, and assess the cooling efficiency of a bladeless pedestal fan employing Peltier modules. This study also examined how Peltier modules influence the efficiency of a conventional pedestal cooling fan. The experimental study was held in a 4 × 4 m room using two, four, six, and eight Peltier modules at external temperatures ranging from 43°C to 45°C, with indoor starting temperatures of 37°C. Each setup was tested three times and each experimental condition was tested for 60 min, with data recorded at 10-min intervals. The Peltier effect was utilized to cool water, which in turn cooled the air. The comfort zone was subsequently created using this cooled air. A regression analysis was employed to validate the results, with the cooling performance evaluated using standard error and confidence intervals. The energy savings were estimated by comparing the power consumption of the Peltier module-based fan to that of conventional pedestal fans and A/C units. The temperature reduction achieved was 4%, 12%, 18%, and 22% with the use of two, four, six, and eight Peltier modules, respectively. The energy analysis indicated significant savings, suggesting that the proposed Peltier-based bladeless pedestal cooling fan could potentially save over 2000 MW of energy nationwide if it replaced traditional pedestal fans.