Heat Energy from Laptop Compressor as an Alternative Source of Electricity in Charging Mobile Phones

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

In our generation that has been very dependent on electricity and the internet, a laptop is seen as a necessity for homes, schools, and work. The only problem concerning these devices is their limited battery supply and in our country, we mostly use non-renewable forms of energy such as coal and oil. In our study, we tried to use the heat energy from a laptop compressor as a potential renewable source of energy. Electricity was produced using the thermoelectric principle wherein a cool and hot side creates a thermal difference, which in turn will become electricity.

METHODS

Peltier tiles were used as the thermoelectric generator. Liquid nitrogen was also utilized as a coolant while the other is in contact with the laptop compressor. It then creates electricity to charge the batteries that will then charge the mobile phone. It is connected to a setup that is composed of the thermoelectric generator, an improvised circuit, DC booster, and cable wires. Through this, it can draw heat energy from the laptop, convert this energy into electricity to charge the mobile phones. The data is then recorded and tabulated.

RESULTS

The data collected showed that laptop heat is able to charge a mobile phone. Pearson Correlation was used to identify if there is a significant relationship between the variables. The data showed that there is a significant relationship between the voltage output of the setup and the duration of usage of the laptop with r equal to 0.98. The computed value of r, being 0.94, also showed that the voltage output and the different laptop heat temperatures have a strong association with one another. As seen from the results, duration of laptop usage and different laptop temperature are directly proportional to the voltage output garnered from the device. An average of 4.04 volts was also produced from the setups created.

DISCUSSIONS

It is evidently possible to covert the heat energy from the laptops into electricity enough to charge our mobile phones. However, a more sustainable coolant may be used in the device that can also produce a high thermal difference. It may not be enough to replace the present electricity source but through the collective effort of laptop users, dependence on the non-renewable source of energy could be significantly diminished.