It is not easy to dispatch COVID vaccine vials in the remote regions of India as many have no access to all-day electricity to store vaccination at the right temperature. However, a solar-powered refrigerator by Samarjit Singh, a third-year B.Tech student at Kanpur’s Axis College, can be a practical solution to the problem.
The state of Uttar Pradesh has various remote regions that still experience electricity shortages and power outages. The rural healthcare centers in isolated areas of the state can leverage this solar-powered refrigerator by Samarjit.
Since this refrigerator runs on solar energy, it can keep COVID-19 vaccines and other medication at the correct temperature without the need for electricity. According to Samarjit, solar energy helps protect the natural environment; and now it can also help safeguard life-saving medicines.
Image: Ahemdabad Mirror
Samarjit’s refrigerator comes without a compressor. Instead of a compressor, it uses a thermoelectric unit and solar plate on a board to harness the sun’s energy to generate power.
After four hours of solar charging, this refrigerator can run for around 12 hours, efficiently. It also comes with an extra battery to use up the power on cloudy days. Moreover, there is an integrated chip within the refrigerator to monitor the temperature.
According to Samarjit, you can purchase this portable, eco-friendly, and lightweight 5-litres refrigerator for somewhere between INR 3,000 to INR 3,500. Aside from healthcare centres, this prototype refrigerator is also beneficial for military service. It can enable army personnel to get safe food, cold water, and injections in border areas.
Via: Saur Energy