| dc.description.abstract | The efficacy of vaccine storage is significantly impacted by temperature fluc-
tuations within the cooler, often exacerbated by using phase change materials
in existing cooler designs for remote areas. These materials can undergo
uneven melting and phase separation, leading to temperature instability and
vaccine potency loss. In response to this challenge, the present study intro-
duces a novel design of a portable, locally‐made solar‐powered cooler opti-
mized for longer storage periods. The cooler's performance in terms of tem-
perature distribution, airflow dynamics, and the coefficient of performance
(COP) is meticulously examined through computational fluid dynamics (CFD)
simulations. The simulated results were validated using experimental data
from the open literature, ensuring accuracy and reliability. The findings
indicate that the developed cooler achieves significant improvements over
traditional models. For instance, the current model reaches a temperature of
+12°C in just 84 min, compared to 208 min, as reported in the literature
results. Moreover, the current model reaches a temperature of −12°C in
195 min and it has energy efficient with a COP of 4.5. Statistical analysis
further confirms the reliability of the simulation results, with root mean
square and mean absolute percentage errors of 6.587 and 24.2%, respectively.
Additionally, a comparative study of five insulative materials highlights
polyurethane (Po) as the top performer, with a heat transfer performance of
14.3%, followed by feather fiber (Fe) (18.7%), fly ash (Fl) (19.8%), fiberglass (Fi)
(21.9%), and coconut fiber (Co) (25.9%). Notably, net present value (NPV) of
$689.336 and $448.01 was obtained for economic analysis of the current model
over the existing model, showing the feasibility of the study. Hence, the
cooler's effectiveness in storing vaccines in isolated regions exceeds that of
conventional models, providing a hopeful solution to tackle vital challenges in
vaccine distribution and preservation. | en_US |
