Cooling effect and heat index (HI) assessment on car cabin cooler powered by solar panel in parked car

Abstract

Damage to the car compartment, thermal discomfort, fuel wastage, health risks, and the death threat of passengers/pets in the cabin due to high temperatures in cars parked under the sun is an interesting discussion. Therefore, this research examines the characteristics of solar cells-based cabin cooler system on car parked under the sun. Four ST32M100W-FLP solar panels installed on the car roof are used to activate the existing evaporator blower with modified wiring lines. The blower is activated in two modes, i.e addition and without addition of external air at blower speed levels 1 (m˙=0.0086 kg/s) and level 2 (m˙=0.0114 kg/s). The results showed that the car cabin cooler able to reduce cabin temperature by 9.8 °C. In addition to temperature reduction, latent and sensible cooling effect, as well as heat index (HI) are also discussed in this paper. It was found that due to increased humidity, the release of sensible heat affects the car cabin cooling while parked under the sun from noon to afternoon. Finally, the car cabin cooler can reduce the heat index (HI) from danger and extreme danger categories to caution and extreme caution category.

Keywords

• Parked car
• Cabin temperature
• Car cabin cooler
• Solar cell
• Cooling effect
• Heat index