Peltier Module for Cooling and Heating of Drinking Water

Chapter 1: The Problem and its Background

Dacullo, Mark Anthony V.

Orosco, Krista Nia P.
Rico, Jeric Carl C.

BSME-5C
November 23, 2016

CHAPTER 1
THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND
Introduction
A new day in a mans life is hard without water, food, and shelter. Water as a
primary need has different uses for everyday living. It is used for drinking, cleaning and
cooking. Those various applications of water involves factors like cleanliness, potability,
and temperature. Cleanliness is an important factor when water is used for cooking,
drinking and cleaning. The potability of water is much considered when water is for
drinking and cooking. While temperature is a factor that can give a wider range of the
waters application. An increase or decrease in temperature may change the phase of
water and can rearrange its molecular structure. High temperature water is used for
cooking, cleaning, and preparing hot beverages like coffee and tea. On the other hand,
low temperature water is used as pain reliever, body refreshment, and for preparing cold
beverages. In this, the temperature of water will play a big role in giving broader
application of it in mans daily needs.

The needed hot and cold water can be available with the use of home appliances
such as gas or electric stove, water dispenser, and refrigerators. Heating water can be
done with stoves that is either operated by liquefied petroleum gas or by electricity using
heating coils. While Mechanical Refrigeration is mainly used in industrial processes and
households to cool and freeze water. This conventional type of refrigeration process uses
compressors, evaporators, and refrigerants to make the process of cooling. It is also used

widely due to its high efficiency in terms of power consumption. Despite of the
advantages mechanical refrigeration offers, this type of refrigeration cannot be operated
on any places at any time due to the weight of its components. Operation of mechanical
refrigeration draw its power from a wall outlet that makes it not portable. Harmful
chemicals used in this process known as refrigerants are also utilized. This disadvantages
can be avoided while producing the effect of cooling with the use of Peltier Module for
refrigeration process.

Though utilization of Peltier Module used for cooling and heating drinking water
is not well known and used widely in doing the process, this device is the possible
solution to portability issues that conventional water heater and cooler show. The
researchers want to study and develop a design of a Peltier Module operated water cooler
and heater or PMCH that can interchangeably and simultaneously heat and cool
drinking water and this research study.

Statement of the Problem

The general problem of the study is: How to make the process of heating and
cooling drinking water portable?

Specifically the study will try to answer the following questions:

1. What will be the Mechanical Design of PMCH for its maximum efficiency?
2. What are the processes in fabricating the PMCH?

3. Will the PMCH be acceptable to the end users considering the following
variables:
a) Functionality
b) Reliability
c) Operational cost
Significance of the Study
The study will be beneficial to the following end- users:
a) Bulacan State University, College of Engineering Students and ProfessorsThis study will provide an alternative portable appliance that they can use
to cool or heat their drinking water whenever and wherever they need it.
Also, to the engineering students who bring their own water for later
utilization, the product of this research portably heat or cool their drinking
water.
b) Travelers, commuters, hikers, athletes This study will produce a gadget
that will be beneficial to travelers, commuters, hikers and alike that will
provide them hot or cold water whenever they need it in their activities. It
can be for refreshment, cleaning, or applying in special cases like doing
first aid. These users will not be included as respondents because these
end-users are too general to have a random selection.
c) Researchers - This study will increase their knowledge in using PM and
will be beneficial for their future projects related in utilization of Peltier
modules. This study can be used as a guide for related projects.
Scopes and Delimitation
PMCH will be designed to be portable, in the sense that it will not draw power
from AC wall outlet, handy that it can be easily carried due to its light weight and

compact design. The study will not cover the longevity of the device compared to home
appliances. The researchers will design and fabricate a PMCH with a cooling and heating
capacity not more than one liter.
Notes:
Article: Peltier vs. Compressors: A chilling Battle by Dr. Jens Thielman
http://www.americanlaboratory.com/Lab-Tips/164277-Peltier-vs-Compressor-a-ChillingBattle/