GEEN1128 - Engineering Professional Skills

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ECO-COOLER ENERGY SYSTEM
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................................2
PROBLEM STATEMENT................................................................................................................................2
DESIGN CRITERIA.........................................................................................................................................3
ALTERNATIVE DESIGN OPTIONS..................................................................................................................6
RECOMMENDED DESIGN.............................................................................................................................6
DESIGN JUSTIFICATION................................................................................................................................6
Economic.................................................................................................................................................7
Social.......................................................................................................................................................7
Environmental.........................................................................................................................................7
Cultural....................................................................................................................................................7
LONG TERM SUSTAINABILITY......................................................................................................................8
Energy Usage...........................................................................................................................................8
Recycling of Waste..................................................................................................................................8
Reduce Material Usage............................................................................................................................8
DESIGN IMPLEMENTATION.........................................................................................................................9
Distribution..............................................................................................................................................9
Construction............................................................................................................................................9
Operation..............................................................................................................................................10
Maintenance.........................................................................................................................................10
EXTERNAL SUPPORT..................................................................................................................................10
REFLECTION AND CONCLUSION................................................................................................................11
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................................12

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INTRODUCTION
With the rise in overall temperature across the world and the sweltering heat during summers, it
can be assumed that households are expected to encounter high electricity bills. While the
majority of people in urban areas resort to air-conditioning to escape the heat waves, the people
who cannot afford air-conditioning systems resort to using shades. Air conditioning systems are
expensive devices to operate and purchase and also pose serious challenges when they stop
working hence cannot be afforded by most people of Makers Valley in South Africa (Kochenkov
& Motrev, 2016). This research paper proposes the use of Eco-cooler design as an air conditioner
that needs no electrical energy to operate and it is made by the use of waste products.
PROBLEM STATEMENT
Currently, the major environmental problem faced by the earth is global warming which has led
to an increase in the overall temperature of the atmosphere of the earth due to the greenhouse
effects. Some of the effects of high atmospheric temperatures have been witnessed in various
parts of the world include wildfires, sea-level rise, glacier retreat, extreme weather events, and
health effects in humans (Patil, 2019). The human response to high temperatures includes
heatstroke, hyperthermia, and heat illness. The human body requires evaporative cooling to
prevent overheating which can be attained through air conditioning systems in households.
However, the majority of households cannot afford the cost of purchase, operation, and repair of
air conditioning systems to assist in the cooling of their houses (Rusakov, 2017). Therefore, there
is a need for developing an alternative air conditioning system known as an Eco cooler energy
system which is affordable and requires no electrical energy to operate. This context presents the
design and implementation of the eco cooler system made from waste plastics and uses no
electricity to operate.

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DESIGN CRITERIA
The design criteria for this project are based on the description above and have been illustrated
below.
(i) The resources available locally were used for the manufacture of the eco cooler device.
These resources were selected in the criteria since in case the resources are not available
locally, the only option would be to physically search for the resources or organize for the
resources to be delivered to them (Mandaliya, 2020). All these are costly and may
discourage people from living in poverty-stricken areas or insecure regions from
manufacturing this device and transforming their livelihood.
(ii) Recycled or waste materials are used preferably in the manufacture of the system since
this criterion ensures that the carbon footing of the device remains as minimal as possible
hence assisting in combating climate change.
(iii) The eco cooler is structurally simple and can be replicated easily even by those who do
not have hands-on experience. In poor regions such as Makers Valley, there is lack of
proper education hence the device must be made in such a manner that the people who
require it most have the capability of understanding the operation of the device and its
manufacture without a need of formal education (Nowshin, 2020). The design is
relatively simple to understand since it is made of holes in cardboards, then placing bottle
halves in the holes, and using the window frame for support.

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Figure 1: Cutting bottle into half (Deziel, 2020)
The use of plastic bottles, cardboard and window frame ensures that criteria (i) and (ii) are
reached due to lack of recycling and excessive wastage are some of the problems faced by people
living in Maker Valley. Therefore, these items are available locally in such areas and the items
could be recycled to prevent them from going to the landfills.
(iv) The overall cost of the project is meager. Many inhabitants in Maker Valley are
struggling to make ends meet. They may not have the ability to afford the manufacture of
the eco cooler if the cost is not accounted for and maintained as low as possible. The cost
of the project is relatively low since the plastic bottles and cardboard would easily found
in most homes and the window-frames could be found in the landfill.
Figure 2: Fixing of bottles in cardboard (Nowshin, 2020)

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(v) Lastly, the eco cooler cools the air around it.
The eco cooler is composed of bottle grids cut halfway and inserted into a cardboard frame. The
design is however vulnerable to rain unless the material used for the board is waterproof.
However, since this device is used for air conditioning, it can be installed specifically when
required and then removed during rainy periods. In case the board is made of wood, it increases
the resilience of the device to rainy conditions (Hossain, et al., 2019). The major material used in
the device is plastic bottles. Research demonstrates that this material is preferred to others such
as metals due to its low thermal conductivity. With the presence of air currents, the plastic bottles
are expected to cool faster and maintain the structural integrity to ensure free airflow within the
house especially during hot weather.
Figure 3: Flow of air in Eco-cooler design (Bhanuprakash, et al., 2018)
For instance, in Bangladesh, about 70% of the population resides in corrugates tin houses which
further escalate the heat surrounding. The temperature can go up to 45oC during summer. The
residents have implemented this technology and have proved to be successful. Therefore, the eco
cooler is suitable for hot temperatures and provide structural resilience to rain in case a
waterproof material is used during construction.

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ALTERNATIVE DESIGN OPTIONS
Other than the specific design approach applied in this work, various alternative design options
can also be considered. These design options are discussed below:
Additional ventilation: This design option involves creating extra openings to enable more
airflow into the room. However, there is a disadvantage in this design option since it exposes the
room to contamination from external agents like dust and bad smell from the surrounding.
The use of fans: This alternative design option proposes the installation of a fan at the point
where the window frame encloses the eco cooler. The rotation of the fan draws air out and into
the room. Nevertheless, the major disadvantage of this design option is that it needs electricity to
operate the fan hence rendering it ineffective in homes that have no access to electrical energy.
RECOMMENDED DESIGN
Out of the three eco cooler designs, namely additional ventilation, the use of fans, and design
without ventilation and fans, the recommended design is the eco cooler without additional
ventilation and fans. The recommended eco cooler design does not consume electrical energy
and the least amount of expenses since no cost of fans will be incurred during the manufacture
(Mandaliya, 2020). The major materials required during the manufacture of this eco cooler
design include locally available plastic bottles, cardboard, and window frame.
DESIGN JUSTIFICATION
The recommended eco cooler design is one of the most environmentally friendly and cost-
effective solutions that have the capability of reducing the temperature of the room by about 5oC
and is suitable due to the following reasons:

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Economic
The recommended eco cooker design is economically cheaper than other designs since fans and
additional ventilation requires a source of electrical energy to operate the fans and requires
additional resources which may not be readily available. The resources required in making the
eco cooler are available by most households in Makers Valley (Bhanuprakash, et al., 2018). The
easy access of cardboard and abundance of plastic bottles especially during the household waste
collection process in the Makers Valley residents.
Social
The recommended eco cooler design is socially suitable since it can be installed and operated by
anyone without any serious educational background. The people of Makers Valley can easily
install this design as opposed to the design which requires knowledge in operation and
installation of electric fans into the system.
Environmental
The recommended eco cooler design is environmentally suitable since it does not expose the
room at dust and bad odor around the region which are caused by landfills and household waste
collection points as in the case of eco cooler design with ventilation fans (Hossain, et al., 2019).
Recycled or waste materials are used in this eco cooler design hence prevent environmental
pollution by plastic wastes.
Cultural
The recommended Eco-cooler design is culturally suitable to the rural areas of Makers Valley
who are known to use shades of trees or stay inside their houses to shelter against hot
environmental conditions. The culture of staying indoors can still be maintained by the use of the
Eco-cooler design which controls the humidity and air temperature simultaneously to provide
thermal conditions that are comfortable to humans.

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LONG TERM SUSTAINABILITY
The use of the Eco-cooler system ensures long-term environmental sustainability in various
ways. The system ensures environmental sustainability through recycling of waste, reduce
energy usage, and reduce material usage.
Energy Usage
The Eco-cooler design does not need a supply of electrical energy to operate the system like in
the conventional air conditioning systems used in controlling humidity and temperature of
buildings in urban areas. The Eco-cooler system operates on airflow pressure and air direction
and has the capability of reducing the room temperature by about 5oC (Ram, et al., 2019).
Recycling of Waste
The use of Eco-cooler design assists in plastic bottle waste which is generally disposed of
resulting in pollution. The chemical structure of these plastic bottles renders them resistant to
many natural degradation processes resulting in pollution on oceans, waterways, and land.
During the construction of Eco-cooler design, these plastic wastes are collected from disposal
sites and landfills and then recycled to produce cool air. The use of waste materials in this design
makes it eco-friendly since the waste bottles could have otherwise polluted the environment if
disposed of. Plastic bottles remain intact for about 500 years before starting to decompose
(Faraca & Astrup, 2019). This means that after the construction of the eco cooler system, the
device will be operational with high durability.
Reduce Material Usage
The use of Eco-cooler design is environmentally sustainable since it reduces the use of resources
required in the manufacture of conventional air conditioning systems. The Eco-cooler design
only need resources such as plastic bottles, cardboard and window frame which are easily
accessible from the household waste disposal without any mining and processing of metals as in

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the case of conventional air conditioning systems (Nowshin, 2020). The utilization of window
frame and wooded frame ensures that all the materials required are accessible readily hence no
need of purchasing other materials which may result in the cutting of trees.
DESIGN IMPLEMENTATION
Distribution
The plastic bottles are first collected from various waste disposal points. The number of plastic
bottles collected depends on the size of the Eco-cooler design and the size of the window. The
waste collection company can also assist in the material collected through the distribution of the
disposed of plastic bottles to the communities.
Construction
The collected plastic bottles are cut horizontally into half by the use of a serrated knife. The
bottom halves are then disposed of carefully while the top part cleaned. Holes of the size of the
narrow ends are then created and then the bottles inserted into them and glued in position. The
structure is then fixed onto the wooded frame to provide rigidity (Hossain, et al., 2019). The
entire structure is then positioned on the window, with the bottle halves facing outside. Another
Eco-cooler can be installed at the opposite end of the room for maximum efficiency.

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Figure 4: Modern Eco-cooler (Mandaliya, 2020)
Operation
The Eco-cooler design is an environmentally friendly and cost-effective solution that works on
the airflow pressure and air direction and has the capability of reducing the temperature of the
room by about 5oC. This system not only gives hope to people suffering from the scorching heat
but also a perfect example of recycling old plastic materials.
Maintenance
Plastic bottles remain intact for about 500 years before starting to decompose hence there is no
need for any form of their replacement for a very long duration (Bhanuprakash, et al., 2018). The
only maintenance that can be done is the cleaning of the plastic bottle by washing them to ensure
cleanliness.
EXTERNAL SUPPORT
The external support provided to the design team during the process of Eco-cooler design
includes information regarding the state of Makers Valley in terms of their social, financial, and

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electricity connection status. It is through the information from external sources that promoted
the design or eco-friendly system.
REFLECTION AND CONCLUSION
The Eco-cooler is a system aimed at bringing easy management and air conditioning of heat
energy to people who cannot afford fans, conventional air conditioners, and electricity. Some of
the major advantages of the Eco-cooler design is the use of plastic waste which assist in
environmental conservation and the availability of materials required during construction. The
implementation of design ideas is relatively straightforward and simple such that those with no
or little skills can implement it (Ram, et al., 2019). The shrinking cross-sectional area changes
the airflow velocity into the room to ensure the continuous flow of breeze. This flow ensures that
the system maintains a thermal equilibrium in the room by removing any temperature gradient in
the room.
REFERENCES

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Bhanuprakash, C., Mummina, V. & chakravarthi, M., 2018. Performance Evaluation of an Eco-Cooler
analysed by varying the Physical and flow Parameters. IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and
Engineering, Volume 377, p. 120.
Deziel, C., 2020. Does a Drink Stay Colder in a Metal Can or a Plastic Bottle? [online]. Sciencing.com.
Available at: https://sciencing.com/drink-metal-can-plastic-bottle-5518851.html, p. [Accessed 31 Jan.
2020]..
Faraca, G. & Astrup, T., 2019. Plastic waste from recycling centres: Characterisation and evaluation of
plastic recyclability. Waste Management, Volume 95, pp. 388-398.
Hossain, A., Ahmed, Z., Islam, S. & Kumar, A., 2019. Evaluation of cooling capability of an eco-cooler:
experimental and numerical analyses. Energy Procedia, Volume 160, pp. 100-107.
Kochenkov, N. & Motrev, A., 2016. The principle of mutual operation of air conditioning systems and
radiant heating systems for interior zones. Refrigeration and Air Conditioning, pp. 18-27.
Mandaliya, D., 2020. Eco cooler. Skyfi Labs, pp. Available from: <https://www.skyfilabs.com/project-
ideas/eco-cooler> .
Nowshin, N., 2020. Zero electricity air-con made of plastic bottles. [online] The Straits Times, pp.
Available from: https://www.straitstimes.com/world/zero-electricity-air-con-made-of-plastic-bottles
[Accessed 31 January .
Patil, S., 2019. A Study on Global Warming and its Effects. International Journal of Trend in Scientific
Research and Development, Volume 3, pp. 120-123.
Ram, R., Hemanth, B., Kumar, A. & Rao, S., 2019. ROOM TEMPERATURE REDUCING ECO COOLER MADE
FROM WASTE PLASTIC BOTTLES. JP Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, Volume 17, pp. 303-307.
Rusakov, S., 2017. The choice of the scheme of air distribution from ventilation and air-conditioning
systems in the hall of the small indoor ice rink. Refrigeration and Air Conditioning, pp. 26-34.