Interchangeable and Simultaneous Utilization of Peltier Module for Portable Heating and

Cooling of Drinking Water

Chapter 1: The Problem and its Background

Dacullo, Mark Anthony V.

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

BSME-5C
October 26, 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 application 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 necessity on hot and cold water is to be provided with 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. Refrigerators use compressor, evaporator, refrigerants etc. to make the
process of cooling. While water dispenser can do both cooling and heating separately by

using refrigeration for cooling and heating coils for heating water or it can do both
processes simultaneously by using device a called Peltier Module.

Peltier Module is a semiconductor with two sides which one side produces a
cooling effect and other produces a heating effect simultaneously by passing electricity
on it. Though Peltier Module is utilized in water dispensers to produce hot and cold water
simultaneously, the researchers want to study the portability of such appliances and
develop a design of a PM operated water bottle cooler and heater or PMCH that can
interchangeably or simultaneously heat or cool drinking water.

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.
2.
3.
4.
5.

What is the appropriate PM location to maximize its efficiency?

What is the power source the PMCH will be used to make it portable?
How to utilize PMs heating and cooling effect simultaneously?
Is the PM utilization for heating and drinking water safe for the users?
Will the PMCH be better than existing appliances in terms of the following:
a) Portability
b) Efficiency
c) Production Cost
6. 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.
b) Researchers - This study will increase their knowledge in using PM and
will be beneficial for their future projects. 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, also the study is not after on how PMs efficiency to be increased in numbers.
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/