Probably, one day air conditioning in a car will become the absolute norm, regardless of cost and configuration. However, there are still millions of cars “running” on our roads that do not have this useful option, and new ones, also without air conditioning, are still being produced. And, therefore, every summer, the heads of drivers of cars without an air conditioner, hot from the sun, are visited by nervous thoughts about ways to cool the “gas chamber” of a sun-heated cabin using alternative and “asymmetrical” methods.
The first thing a sufferer finds on the Internet is the search for “cool the inside of a car without air conditioning,” “escape the heat without air conditioning,” etc. is a proposal to use PET bottles with ice. This idea has been wandering from site to site for years and offhand it even looks workable.
Confidence is added by numerous descriptions of garage designs of automobile surrogate “air conditioners” made on the knee and using the same frozen water in soda or beer bottles as a “coolant”. They are a variety of boxes and crates, lined inside with foil to prevent loss of cold, and with installed fans to blow air through the ice. In principle, this is a logical direction of development, aimed at increasing the efficiency of the technology, although engineering loses the main thing - attractive simplicity. In any design, the factor of human laziness must be taken into account - no matter how effective the development is, sooner or later it will be thrown onto a dusty shelf even by the developer himself, if it requires a complex sequence of actions or difficult preparatory work... Freeze, and then take a couple of bottles with you before the trip – anyone can do it, but fencing boxes with fans is already, in the opinion of the majority, overkill...
One way or another, the idea is floating among the masses, but there are very few who have tried the technology in practice. Therefore, our task is to destroy or confirm the myth with a thermometer in hand. To check, having received conclusions in dry numbers, and not in subjective sensations, the simplest basic option - can a “one and a half” with ice, placed on the dashboard under a stream of air from a fan, make staying in a car without an air conditioner at least somewhat more comfortable? And thereby understand whether it is, in principle, advisable to apply further creativity, hands and strength in this direction?
The experiment will look like this. We take two identical cars of the same color, put them side by side in the sun for several hours. After warming up the interiors with the sun's rays in one car, we simply turn on the cabin fan to blow outside air, and in the other, we start recirculation and let the air flow onto the glass, blowing it over several liters of ice frozen in PET bottles lying on the dashboard. After 15 minutes, we look at the result - how much can we lower the temperature? So, let's go!
The temperature inside the car after three hours spent in the sun is 38 degrees Celsius:
We put ice bottles in one machine, turn on the fans in both, time the time - 15 minutes...
The result is depressing... In a car in which the fan was working to blow outside air into the cabin, the temperature dropped to 33 degrees, and in a car in which recirculation was turned on and the air was racing in a circle, blowing bottles of ice - only to 35.5 degrees... Banal blowing, even without open windows, turned out to be more effective than blowing ice in a confined space!
The myth about bottle cooling persists, and although the result was predictable, it was still worth checking. However, it is still worth noting that six liters of ice are capable of more, just not in this form!
For any device that works on heat transfer, be it an air conditioner or a heater, the most important characteristic is the working surface area. For bottles on the dashboard it is extremely small, plus their airflow is organized ineffectively. If we had placed the same six liters of ice in a flat ribbed container, similar to a car radiator, placed it in the car interior and started blowing air through it, the effect would have been much more noticeable. It’s just that the accompanying difficulties make such an event a little more than completely meaningless...
Other dead-end ideas for “alternative air conditioners”
What other ideas come to mind for car owners without air conditioning with enviable regularity as summer approaches? You can, of course, install a non-standard universal air conditioner - in principle, it will not differ in any way from the standard one - except that the controls on the panel will stand out a little in the overall style of the interior. But the cost of installing a condo on a budget passenger car with components and turnkey work today is approximately 60,000 rubles. A little expensive, in general...
Therefore, such a decision is quickly discarded and the “creative hacking” begins. And here, of course, in second place after frozen PET bottles comes the thought of using a mobile or window air conditioner in the car, the cost of which starts from a more or less affordable 10,000 rubles even now, during the hot season.
It seems to many that if you put a household monoblock air conditioner in the back seat, power it with 12-220 volts through an inverter and stick the hot air hose out the window, you can enjoy the coolness! However, none of these dreamers have yet achieved real success... Why is the idea unviable?
The fact is that even the weakest window air conditioner consumes about one and a half kilowatts of power in cooling mode from a 220-volt network. The inverter efficiency of 12/220 is clearly not 100%, but for ease of demonstration on the fingers, we will take it as one hundred. Accordingly, from the 14-volt on-board network, such an air conditioner through an inverter will consume 1,500 watts/14 volts = 107 amperes. The current is crazy, the wiring will be as thick as a finger + many generators even have a lower maximum current output limit. We're not even talking about the fact that the inverter must be designed for long-term operation with a power of at least a couple of kilowatts - such inverters, as a rule, belong to expensive and specific professional equipment, are extremely rare on sale and cost a lot of money...
The idea in third place is the use of Peltier elements. When a current is applied to a semiconductor wafer, it heats up on one side and cools down on the other. It is not difficult to buy the elements, they are not that expensive. Car portable refrigerator boxes work well on such plates, and many people think that an air conditioner can be created using the same principle - inexpensive, silent, without a compressor, refrigerant, pipes and evaporators.
Alas, you will not be able to find a single really working “autocondya” design based on Peltier modules, although there are a lot of projects on various automotive blogs and forums, many even with intermediate reports on the stages of work, demonstrating the considerable efforts of DIY enthusiasts. Why? Yes, for the same reason why bottles with ice don’t work... Too small a “cold release” surface on the cold side and difficulty in organizing effective heat removal from the hot side. To ensure at least some cooling of the interior, a passenger car must have a roof made of Peltier modules...
***
So, whatever one may say, there is no alternative to the traditional automobile compressor air conditioner yet and is not expected in the near future. After all, even in hybrids and electric vehicles that are at the forefront of progress, it has a classic design that has not changed fundamentally since the days of the first air-conditioned cars - Packards and Caddilacs of the early 40s of the twentieth century.
Does your car have air conditioning?
Owners of furry pets know that summer is a scary time, especially for hamsters. If the house has a climate control system, that’s better, but if not, you can put ice cubes on your pet, or install your own air conditioner for the hamster! We will tell you in this article how to assemble such a device from improvised means and a Peltier element.
The Peltier element is a simple device, but a very interesting one. In appearance, it is a small ceramic plate with dissimilar semiconductors inside, but if you pass current through it along two contacts, one side will begin to cool, and the other will begin to heat up. This also works in the opposite direction - if you heat one side and cool the other, the ED will generate current.
To assemble the device you will need:
1. Peltier element.
2. Radiator for the processor.
3. Cooler.
4. Thermal paste.
5. Power supply (in this article a 5V 1A power supply is used, but it is better to choose a power supply for the nominal parameters of the Peletier Element - 12V, then the efficiency of the device will increase).
Where to find and how to select components:
Peltier elements are not difficult to find; they are sold in many “ham radio” stores and radio markets. You can also order on the Internet - for example, on ebay or Aliexpress using the keyword "Peltier". The second method is more profitable, since pellets from factories in the Middle Kingdom will cost you much less (the elements for this article were ordered from China, a batch of 5 pieces cost about $10). In our case, we used TEC1-12706 40x40mm, the optimal current for it is at 12V (although increasing to 15-16V is not critical) from 0 to 6A.
The remaining components were removed from the old computer and found “in the bins,” and if you don’t have them, you can buy them inexpensively on the radio market. Last but not least, the cooling efficiency depends on the radiator - the larger it is, the better. A rule was derived experimentally - it is optimal if the bottom area of the radiator is twice the area of the electronic radiator, and the height is 4-5 cm - such a radiator is not too large, but dissipates heat well (on the radio market this will cost 50 rubles). Cooler - a small one taken from the video card will be enough. The power supply, as already mentioned - better than 12V, but also 5V/1A (old telephone charger) - showed excellent performance.
Build process:
Usually, the name (12706) is printed on the cold side of the ES, and the warm side is empty. You can check the sides by connecting the element to the power supply, observing the polarity.
1. Generously lubricate the warm side of the Peltier Element with thermal paste, and install the radiator on it, pressing firmly.
2. Bare the “+” and “-” contacts of the cooler, lengthen them if necessary - just twist them with two larger wires, and insulate (with heat shrink or electrical tape) the joints. Heat shrink is a tube that shrinks strongly when heated. A very convenient thing.
3. Using wire, ties, or special fasteners, install the cooler on the top of the radiator (air will flow into the radiator and disperse to the sides).
4. Now, connect the contacts of the cooler and the Peltier element together, and do not confuse the polarity - the side not pressed to the radiator should cool, while the cooler should spin.
5. Connect the device to the power supply, insulate all contacts and voila - a homemade air conditioner for a hamster is ready to work, all that remains is to install it.
The installation process falls on your shoulders and depends entirely on the parameters of your pet’s home. It is important that the radiator is placed outside - otherwise the heat will not dissipate well and will remain inside. Installing it on the cage is easier; you can simply thread the radiator through the pins, as in the photo below. If you have a terrarium, you will have to improvise - for example, install an additional cooler “for blowing” and change the power supply circuit - power the coolers from a separate power supply - then the efficiency will increase significantly. The scope for modifications is enormous, and the power consumption of the device from this article is about 5-6W.
After connecting, the temperature of the cold side was noticeably low, and after a couple of minutes condensation formed - in the heat of 30+, your furry pet is guaranteed to like this new thing :)
A Peltier element is usually called a converter that is capable of operating from a temperature difference. This happens by flowing electric current through conductors through contacts. For this purpose, special plates are provided in the elements. Heat passes from one side to the other.
Today, this technology is in demand primarily due to its significant heat transfer power. Additionally, the devices can boast of compactness. The radiators installed on many models are weak. This is due to the fact that the heat flow cools quite quickly. As a result, the desired temperature is constantly maintained.
This element has no moving parts. The devices operate absolutely silently, and this is a definite advantage. It should also be said that they can be used for a very long time, and breakdowns occur extremely rarely. The simplest type consists of copper conductors with contacts and connecting wires. Additionally, there is an insulator on the cooling side. It is usually made from ceramic or
Why are Peltier elements needed?
Peltier elements are most often used to make refrigerators. Usually we are talking about compact models that can be used, for example, by motorists on the road. However, this is not the end of the range of applications of the devices. Recently, Peltier elements have been actively installed in sound and acoustic equipment. There they are able to perform the functions of a cooler.
As a result, the device amplifier is cooled without any noise. For portable compressors, Peltier elements are indispensable. If we talk about the scientific industry, scientists use these devices to cool the laser. In this case, it is possible to achieve significant stabilization of the study wave of LEDs.
Disadvantages of Peltier models
It would seem that such a simple and effective device has no drawbacks, but there are some. First of all, experts immediately noted the low penetration capacity of the module. This suggests that a person will have certain problems if he wants to cool a device that operates from a network with a voltage of 400 V. In this case, a special dielectric paste will partially help solve this problem. However, the current breakdown will still be high and the winding of the Peltier element may not withstand it.
Additionally, these models are not recommended for use in precision electronics. Since the design of the element contains metal plates, the sensitivity of the transistors may be impaired. The last disadvantage of the Peltier element is the low efficiency. These devices are not capable of achieving a significant temperature difference.
Module for regulator
Making a Peltier element for a regulator with your own hands is quite simple. To do this, you should prepare two metal plates in advance, as well as wiring with contacts. First of all, conductors are prepared for installation, which will be located at the base. They are usually purchased with the "PP" marking.
Additionally, for normal temperature control, semiconductors should be provided at the output. They are necessary in order to quickly transfer heat to the top plate. To install all elements, you should use a soldering iron. To complete the Peltier element with your own hands, last of all, connect two wires. The first is mounted at the lower base and fixed at the outermost conductor. Contact with the plate should be avoided.
Next, attach the second wire at the top part. Fixation is also carried out to the outermost element. In order to check the functionality of the device, a tester is used. To do this, two wires need to be connected to the device. As a result, the voltage deviation should be approximately 23 V. In this situation, much depends on the power of the regulator.
Refrigerators with thermistor
How to make a Peltier element with your own hands for a refrigerator with a thermistor? Answering this question, it is important to note that the plates for it are selected exclusively from ceramics. In this case, about 20 conductors are used. This is necessary so that the temperature difference is higher. You can increase it up to 70%. In this case, it is important to calculate
This can be done based on the power of the equipment. A refrigerator using liquid freon is ideal in this case. The Peltier element itself is installed near the evaporator, which is located next to the motor. To install it, you will need a standard set of tools, as well as gaskets. They are necessary in order to protect the model from the starting relay. Thus, the cooling of the lower part of the device will occur much faster.
To achieve a temperature difference (Peltier effect) with your own hands, you may need at least 16 conductors. The main thing is to reliably insulate the wires that will be connected to the compressor. In order to do everything correctly, you must first disconnect the refrigerator dryer. Only after this is it possible to connect all contacts. Once installation is complete, the voltage limit should be checked using a tester. If the element malfunctions, the thermostat is the first to suffer. In some cases it occurs
Model for refrigerator 15 V
You can make a Peltier refrigerator with your own hands with small modules. The modules are attached mainly near the radiators. In order to securely fasten them, experts use corners. The element should not lean against the filter, and this should be taken into account.
To complete a Peltier thermoelectric module with your own hands, the bottom plate is mainly chosen from stainless steel. Conductors, as a rule, are used with the marking "PR20". They can withstand a maximum load of 3 A. The maximum temperature deviation can reach 10 degrees. In this case, the efficiency can be 75%.
Peltier elements in 24 V refrigerators
Using a Peltier element, you can make a refrigerator with your own hands only from conductors with good sealing. At the same time, they must be stacked in three rows for cooling. The operating current in the system must be maintained at 4 A. You can check it using a conventional tester.
If you use ceramic plates for the element, the maximum temperature deviation can be achieved at 15 degrees. The wires to the capacitor are installed only after the gasket has been placed. You can attach it to the wall of the device in different ways. The main thing in this situation is not to use glue, which is sensitive to temperatures above 30 degrees.
Peltier element for car cooler
To make a high-quality auto-refrigerator with your own hands, a Peltier module (module) is selected with a plate whose thickness is no more than 1.1 mm. It is best to use non-modular wires. Copper conductors will also be required for operation. Their capacity must be at least 4A.
Thus, the maximum temperature deviation will reach 10 degrees, this is considered normal. Conductors are most often used with the marking "PR20". They have recently shown themselves to be more stable. They are also suitable for various contacts. A soldering iron is used to connect the device to the capacitor. High-quality installation is only possible on the relay block gasket. The differences in this case will be minimal.
How to make an element for a drinking water cooler?
A DIY Peltier module (element) for a cooler is quite simple. It is important to select only ceramic plates for it. At least 12 conductors are used in the device. Thus, the resistance will be maintained high. The connection of elements is usually carried out using soldering. There should be two wires for connecting to the device. The element must be attached to the bottom of the cooler. In this case, it may come into contact with the cover of the device. In order to eliminate cases of short circuits, it is important to fix all wiring on the grid or housing.
Air conditioners
The Peltier module (element) is made with your own hands for an air conditioner only with class “PR12” conductors. They are chosen for this task mainly because they cope well with low temperatures. At most, the model is capable of producing a voltage of 23 V. The resistance indicator will be at the level of 3 ohms. The temperature difference reaches a maximum of 10 degrees, and the efficiency is 65%. Conductors can only be laid in one row between sheets.
Manufacturing of generators
You can make a generator using a Peltier module (element) with your own hands. Device performance will increase by a total of 10%. This is achieved due to greater cooling of the motor. The device can withstand a maximum load of 30 A. Due to the large number of conductors, the resistance can be 4 ohms. The temperature deviation in the system is approximately 13 degrees. The module is attached directly to the rotor. To do this, you must first disconnect the central shaft. In many cases the stator does not interfere. To prevent the rotor winding from heating up from the inductor, ceramic plates are used.
Cooling a video card on a computer
To cool the video card, you should prepare at least 14 conductors. It is best to select copper models. Their heat conductivity coefficient is quite high. To connect the device to the board, non-modular type wires are used. The model is mounted near the video card cooler. To secure it, small ones are usually used.
To fix them, you can use regular nuts. The appearance of excessive noise during operation indicates that the device is not working properly. In this case, it is necessary to check the integrity of the wiring. You also need to inspect the conductors.
Peltier element for air conditioner
To make a high-quality Peltier element with your own hands for an air conditioner, double plates are used. Their minimum thickness should be at least 1 mm. In this case, you can hope for a temperature deviation of 15 degrees. After equipping the modules, the performance of air conditioners increases on average by 20%. Much in this situation depends on the ambient temperature. The stability of the mains voltage should also be taken into account. With minor interference, the device can withstand a load of approximately 4 A.
When soldering conductors, they should not be placed too close to each other. To properly complete Peltier modules with your own hands, the input and output contacts must be installed only on one of the two plates. In this case, the device will be more compact. A serious mistake in this situation would be to connect the module directly to the unit. This will lead to inevitable damage to the element.
Installing the module on a capacitor
To install it yourself, it is important to evaluate the power of the capacitor. If it does not exceed 20 V, then the element should be mounted with conductors marked “PR30” or “PR26”. In order to fix the Peltier module (element) on the capacitor with your own hands, use small metal corners.
It is best to install them four on each side. In terms of performance, the capacitor can ultimately add plus 10%. If we talk about heat losses, they will be insignificant. The efficiency of the device is on average 80%. The modules are not designed for high-voltage capacitors. In this case, even a large number of conductors will not help.
In this instruction we will show you how to make a simple air conditioner from scrap materials. This air conditioner does not have any compressors or other similar parts; we will receive cold from electricity, or rather, using . They are not particularly expensive these days, and finding them shouldn’t be too difficult.
As for other components, we will need fans and coolers from the computer; they will serve to cool one side of the elements and heat the other. That is, some fans will blow cold air to us, while others will cool the elements so that they do not overheat.
Of course, if you simply install such an air conditioner indoors, it will be of little use, since they heat the air more than they cool it. But if you take the hot side outside and turn the cold side inside the room, you will end up with a pretty good air conditioner, but its effectiveness will greatly depend on the thermal insulation of the room. One way or another, you will be pleased to be near such an air conditioner in hot weather, since a flow of cold air will emanate from it. The device is assembled quite simply. So, let's take a closer look at how to assemble such an air conditioner!
Materials and tools used
List of materials:
- Peltier elements ();
- 4 computer coolers (fans with radiators);
- 4 fans from the computer;
- power supply 12V/30A;
- wires;
- thermal paste;
- switch;
- large aluminum radiator;
- plywood, sheet plastic or something similar for the body.
List of tools:
- stationery knife;
- glue gun;
- drill;
- soldering iron;
- screwdriver.
Air conditioner manufacturing process:
Step one. Preparing the basis
We will need a base on which we will attach all the important parts of the air conditioner. You can use plastic, plywood or other similar material. First, we take measurements and cut out four windows for Peltier elements. Don't forget to make grooves for the wires. The author cuts out these windows with a stationery knife, since the material used is soft.
Step two. Installation of Peltier elements
Now you can install Peltier elements. To do this, we first screw on the radiator, which will be cooled in the process. The author simply screws it on with self-tapping screws. Well, then we can install Peltier elements, for this we will need thermal paste. Thanks to this paste there will be a good thermal connection between the radiators. We install all the elements with the cold side facing the large radiator; for the author, these are the sides with inscriptions.
Step three. Coolers
For Peltier elements to work effectively, heat must be removed from them. For this we need four coolers from the computer. Again, thoroughly lubricate the elements with thermal paste and screw on the coolers. Finally, all you have to do is connect all the coolers in parallel and you can try turning them on.
Step four. Assembling the body
To make the body, the walls are cut out of a similar material. Next, we fasten these walls using corners and a rivet gun. All joints are thoroughly sealed using a glue gun. In addition to sealing, the glue will also strengthen the structure.
Step five. Cover with fans
A cover is installed above the large radiator, in which 4 fans are installed. They are designed to blow on the radiator and, as a result, we will have cold air at the outlet. The fans are set to blow out. Using a bat, we drill holes for the fans and screw them into place. The author drills rows of holes in the case on both sides, through which air from the room will enter. Glue the stops onto hot glue and fasten the lid with screws.
Step six. The final stage of assembly
To finish, solder all the necessary wires and install the switch. The author uses a fairly powerful power supply, as much as 30A at a voltage of 12V. As for the other, hot side, it is also recommended to install a protective mesh. That's all, our air conditioner is ready, you can test it! Unfortunately, the author did not provide an overview of the tests of his device.
The Peltier element is a thermoelectric type converter. It uses the Peltier effect, which means that passing current leads to different temperatures on different sides of the element.
The Peltier element uses two plates of semiconductor materials, the difference being the energy levels of the electrons. The passage of current causes one of them to become colder, and the second to heat up.
Among the advantages of Peltier elements are their quiet operation (there are moving parts in them) and the absence of liquids and gases in the design. But they have low efficiency, which limits their use.
Based on Peltier elements, mini-refrigerators are made for, for example, cars that have little space to accommodate conventional appliances. They are found in the designs of digital cameras, infrared spectra, and diode lasers.
Using Peltier elements, it is easy to make your own air conditioner. True, their use for these purposes is quite controversial due to their high energy consumption, which is incomparable with the amount of cold that is generated.
But if the question is not about energy saving, but about the desire to get acquainted with the design and operating principle of the element, the ability to make a useful craft, then you can get started. They go to a radio store and buy 4…8 Peltier elements.
Having returned home, they determine their “hot” sides and attach them to a radiator that will remove heat. It is better if it is aluminum and has a large number of fins that increase heat transfer. The landing is done using hot melt adhesive, which improves heat transfer.
The resulting device is placed in the window pane with the radiator installed facing outwards. In this position, it will be cooled by colder outside air.
The “cold” side of the Peltier elements is placed towards the room in which they want to cool the air. A fan is attached to it, for example, taken from a computer, where it cools the processor. Place it so that the room air is directed by the compressor to the converter plate.
Peltier elements can cool the air in a room, but this will consume a lot of electricity. The fact is that in devices almost half of it is wasted, converted into heat dissipated in the atmosphere.
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