Thermoelectric Cell Phone

Charger
Gary Aramini
Ryan Charterina
Lloyd Clave
Mark Glindmeyer
John Rotsides

Advisor Dr. Yong Shi

Problem Statement
Cell Phones are owned by about 91%
Americans
Keeping these phones charged during
emergency situations is critical.
With the power out, a cell phone is one of
the only forms of communication available.

Objective
The goal of this project is to incorporate
existing thermoelectric technology in the
design of a safe, portable and efficient
phone charger for use in emergency
situations.

Feedback from Phase IV

Panel brought up that there were some issues
with our prototype and testing plans
Addressed these by:
Going deeper in to detail with each plan
Thinking of simple and effective methods for
planning

Specifications
Output Power

10W (5V, 1A)

Water Capacity

3.8L

Height

8.25in

Material

Stainless Steel

Weight

13lbs

Compatible

Most USB-chargeable devices

Changes for Prototype

Minor changes made for
prototype
No longer using magnets
unnecessary bulk and
weight
Base component changed

Changes To Base For

Prototype
Split into two identical
parts due to raw
material constraints
Channel added for
thermocouple
Pin holes added

Prototype Building
Base components submitted for fabrication
by machine shop
All necessary parts for prototype building
including camp stove/fuel received

Prototype Building - Plan

Wire the 4 TEGs in series in a square arrangement
Wrap TEG wires with insulating tape
Secure the TEGs within bottom base component
with output wires exiting rear
Place thermocouple within channel of top and
bottom base components (below hot side/above
cold side)

Prototype Building - Plan

Solder output wires of TEG to voltage
regulator
Wire voltage regulator to USB input port
Wire thermocouples to DAQ to be used with
LABView test program
Place top base component on bottom one
and fasten

Prototype Building - Plan

Position base/TEG assembly over heat source
(i.e. camp stove)
Rest pot with water on top of base

Experiment Design
Experimenting will be done by placing prototype on a
metal platform above heat source
Distance from the flame will remain constant at 2 inches
Heat will be adjusted and data points will be taken at
specific locations

Testing Goals
The goal of testing is to find the most
optimal distance between the TEGs and the
heat source.
Another goal of testing is to find which level
of heat will produce the greatest
temperature differential between the hot and
cold sides of the TEGs.

Testing Logistics
The team will be using a very cheap version of the
TEGs for testing in case they are burned.
The cheap TEGs will suffice since they are of a similar
material to the ones the team plans on using.
After testing, the team will compare the voltage,
current and temperature to the specifications for the
TEGs that were purchased to calculate the efficiency of
the system.

Testing Plan
Calibrate thermocouples with a thermocouple thermometer to ensure accuracy
of the program (DAQ)
To determine the height, the team will set-up a range of different heights
starting at 2 inches.
The heights will increase in inch increments from 2 inches until 5 inches.
In terms of heat output, the team can adjust it to 5 different settings that were
chosen and labeled by us: very low, low, medium, high and very high.
With these variables clarified, the team will test each height beginning with the
very low heat setting and ending with the very high setting.
After this, the team will analyze the data to determine which height and setting
produce the highest power output.

LabVIEW User Interface

4 Charts
4 Numerical Outputs
3 LED Indicators
Readings:

Lower Side Temp.

Upper Side Temp.
Voltage Pre-Regulator
Voltage Post-Regulator
Temp. Too Low/High Warning
Temp. In Range Indicator

Website http://tegpc.weebly.com
Home Page

About Page

Website http://tegpc.weebly.com
Team Page

Blog Page

Website http://tegpc.weebly.com
Contact Page

Sponsor Page

Conclusion
Prototype is being refined
Testing plan is completed
Building and testing is in progress

Next Steps
Complete fabrication of prototype
Complete testing
Prove project will be practical and useful
quantitatively through testing
Finish tweaks and finalization of project

Questions?