Research Project Details

Development of a Solar based Cold Storage Incorporating Water Purifier

Project ID: WUB/2022/P1/029

Project Duration: 2022 - 2023

Project Leader: Rezwan us Saleheen (Department of Mechatronics Engineering)

Project Members:

Post-harvest loss is a serious issue to address the challenge of food security. Due to the lack of cold storage facilities and the absence of on-grid power supply, preserving fish, as soon as they are caught, is the main concern for the fishermen when they fish in the deep-sea areas of Bangladesh. A solar-grid hybrid cold storage system was developed and designed for on-farm preservation of perishables. Such a system emphasizes to energize the refrigeration unit of the system as well as to charge the batteries used for the nighttime or the daytime when sunshine is not available. Cold storage is a critical component in the food supply chain. Without rapid cooling and appropriate storage conditions, produce deteriorates rapidly. Nutritional losses and even spoilage of entire crops can occur. Proposed cold storage units control the temperature and humidity using a variety of technologies. Initial rapid cooling to extract latent field heat extends shelf life and maintains quality produce. Moreover a water purification system capable of being rendered drinkable utilizing solar energy is included. The purifiers imply UV treatment considering strong germicidal (inactivating) ability