COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING & SCIENCE

Solar power has been a rapidly growing industry as of late. One thing that most people do not know is that solar panels never generate the power they are rated for due to the overheating of the photovoltaic cells. This overheating equates to an efficiency loss of approximately 10-15%. Although there are already some solutions to this problem, none are capable of passively cooling solar panels. In other words, there are no solutions to this problem that do not require additional energy input.

Our goal for this project is to design and develop a passive cooling solution that will reduce the efficiency loss due to the overheating of the photovoltaic cells. In order to complete this, we are proposing the utilization of an oscillating heat pipe (OHP). This is a device consisting of capillary tubing with turns in a serpentine pattern. This device is partially filled with a working fluid that allows for two-phase heat transfer to occur between the solar panel and a semi-infinite medium. Our goal for this device is to reduce the effects of overheating of solar panels by approximately 8%.

Our product, Superior Pressure Applying Tourniquet, or S.P.A.T., is a quick-acting tourniquet. Applied to a bleeding limb, S.P.A.T. can stop blood flow in five seconds. Unlike current tourniquet models, S.P.A.T. requires virtually no training or skill to use, which is paramount to a useful emergency device. Additionally, one may apply this tourniquet to oneself with no issue. S.P.A.T. looks similar to a common blood pressure cuff but is thinner. It can accommodate a wide variety of limb sizes like a pressure cuff can. It is placed on the injured limb and secured using Velcro straps. To deploy S.P.A.T., one must activate the quick release system. The product inflates by itself until the user manually stops inflation. In the event the quick release system does not deploy the tourniquet, S.P.A.T. also contains a hand pump as a manual backup system.

Cooling Unplugged looks to bring “swamp cooling” technology to the modern farmer in an all-in-one display and preserver for their leafy greens. It is an ice-chest-sized display case that also keeps leafy greens at their freshest by regulating both temperature and humidity while also having a clear front to display the product at farmers markets. Cooling Unplugged utilizes “swamp cooling” technology that acts like a produce cooler from the supermarket inside the box. It not only makes it easily portable, but it also allows for the product to be battery powered and therefore eliminates the need for a plugin power source. Cooling Unplugged also comes in a cubic design which allows for multiple products to be stacked and arranged for any variety of produce or transportation method.