TRIBHUVAN UNIVERSITY

INSTITUTE OF ENGINEERING
PURWANCHAL CAMPUS, DHARAN

A PROJECT PROPOSAL
DESIGN AND ANALYSIS OF A HYBRID DUAL-AXIS SOLAR-TRACKED
COLD STORAGE SYSTEM IN NEPAL

SUBMITTED BY:

Pragati Adhikari [PUR079BME046]

Pratik Pradhan [PUR079BME050]
Sagarmani Suvedi [PUR079BME062]
Saksham Katuwal [PUR079BME064]

A PROJECT PROPOSAL SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS

FOR THE DEGREE OF BACHELOR IN MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

SUBMITTED TO:

DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

DHARAN, NEPAL

June 19,202
 Date: 19/06/2026
To
The Project Supervisor,
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Purwanchal Campus, Dharan

Subject: Cover Letter for proposal approval

Dear Sir/Madam,
Submitted for your review is our proposal entitled “Design and Analysis of a Hybrid Dual-Axis
Solar-Tracked Cold Storage System in Nepal” The report is submitted as requirement of course
entitled Project. Within this document you will find the basic introductions, objectives,
methodology and expected outcome from the proposed work (Listed in detail in the table of
content section).
We hope for your keen review and future assistance in this work along with the approval.

Sincerely,
Pragati Adhikari [PUR079BME046]
Pratik Pradhan [PUR079BME050]
Sagarmani Suvedi [PUR079BME062]
Saksham Katuwal [PUR079BME064]

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS...............................................................................................................vii
LIST OF SYMBOLS.........................................................................................................................viii
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION.................................................................................................... ix
1.1 Background......................................................................................................................... ix
1.2 Problem Statement.............................................................................................................. x
1.2.1 High Post-Harvest Losses...............................................................................................x
1.2.2 Energy Infrastructure Deficiencies.................................................................................x
1.3 Objectives.............................................................................................................................x
1.3.1 Main Objective.............................................................................................................. x
1.3.2 Specific Objectives.........................................................................................................x
1.4 Significance/Scope............................................................................................................... x
1.4.1 Nepal-Specific Problem Relevance................................................................................x
1.4.2 Technical Innovation.....................................................................................................xi
1.4.3 Limitations....................................................................................................................xi
CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW...........................................................................................xii
2.1 Agricultural Production Saved............................................................................................xii
2.2 Electricity Savings Data.......................................................................................................xii
2.3 Prior studies on Solar Cold Storage Systems.......................................................................xii
2.4 Prior Studies on Hybrid Solar-Grid Cold storage Systems..................................................xiii
2.5 Gap in Literature................................................................................................................xiii
CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY...............................................................................................xiv
3.1 Overview........................................................................................................................... xiv
3.2 System Overview............................................................................................................... xiv
3.3 Building the Dual-Axis Tracker and Hybrid Power Switching System.................................xiv
3.4 Justification of Cooling technology Selection.....................................................................xiv
3.5 Design of Peltier Based Cold Storage Chamber..................................................................xv
3.6 Design Software and Programming Tools...........................................................................xv
3.7 System Flowchart............................................................................................................... xv

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3.8 Data collection and Analysis..............................................................................................xvi
3.8.1 Data Collection........................................................................................................... xvi
3.8.2 Data analysis..............................................................................................................xvii
3.9 Work Schedule..................................................................................................................xvii

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 LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1.1: Causes of fruit and vegetable losses as perceived by wholesalers in Nepal
Figure 3.1: Flowchart of the system workflow

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vi
 LIST OF TABLES
Table 2.1: Shelf-Life Comparison of Common Agricultural Products
Table 2.2: Energy Yield Comparison- Fixed Tilt vs. Dual-Axis Tracker
Table 3.1: Comparison of Peltier vs VCRS unit
Table 3.2: Project Gantt Chart

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 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS
Abbreviation Full Form

DC Direct Current

GDP Gross Domestic Product

LDR Light Dependent Resistor

MOSFET Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor

MPPT Maximum Power Point Tracking

NPR Nepalese Rupee

PV Photovoltaic

PWM Pulse Width Modulation

Rs. Rupees

VCRS Vapor Compression Refrigeration System

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 LIST OF SYMBOLS
Symbol Description

% Percent

° Degree

°N Degrees North (latitude)

~ Approximately

* Multiplication (dimensions)

V Volt

A Ampere

Ah Ampere-hour

I Current

W Watt

cm³ Cubic centimeter

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0
 CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background
Nepal is predominately an agricultural society where it approximately contributes about 25% of
our country’s GDP and employs nearly 60% of the population. Despite such reliance on
agriculture, agricultural trade deficit has exceeded NPR. 250 billion annually. This sector suffers
heavily from inefficiency in post harvesting handling and logistics. Due to shortage of reliable
temperature-controlled storage, significant volume of the produce decays before reaching the
customer.
Cold storage facilities primarily are concentrated near in urban areas which are primarily based
on electrical grids. Rural and semi urban regions suffer from frequent outages, voltage instability,
and high distribution losses leading to unreliable grid power. Since cold storages require stable
electrical energy to maintain effective operating conditions, dependence on grid becomes
challenging in such reason.
This project proposes an innovative, sustainable and environmentally friendly solution: a hybrid
Cold storage Facility Developed by Solar Photovoltaic (PV) modules equipped with an
automated Dual-Axis Solar Tracking System. A dual axis tracker continuously aligns the PV
panels with the sun’s azimuth thought the day, which significantly increases energy yield thought
the solar hours, which in turn has higher efficiency than fixed solar panels (~30-40 % more).
This directly reduces the intensive surge and operational currents required by refrigeration unit.,
ensuring continuous cooling and maximizing post-harvest lifespan.

Figure 1.1: Causes of fruit and vegetable losses as perceived by wholesalers in Nepal (Devkota et al., 2014)

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1.2 Problem Statement
Nepal’s real food crisis isn’t production, it’s preservation. Studies indicate that Nepal
experiences post-harvest losses of approximately 20-40% in fruits and vegetables mainly due to
two intertwined challenges: High post-harvest losses and high operational energy costs.
1.2.1 High Post-Harvest Losses
As horticultural production is perishable, farmers are forced into distress selling during peak
harvest seasons at very low prices, while the country imports billions of rupees worth of onions,
potatoes, and fruits from neighbouring countries during lean periods.
1.2.2 Energy Infrastructure Deficiencies
Storage facilities require significant and uninterrupted electricity. In rural and semi urban areas
where grid extensions are weak, relying solely on the grid is unviable. While solar power is an
ideal alternative, fixed-flat solar suffer from low efficiency especially in the early mornings and
late afternoon requiring massive battery to buffer power gaps.
1.3 Objectives
1.3.1 Main Objective
To design, simulate, and build a prototype model of a hybrid solar powered cold storage
incorporating a dual-axis solar tracking mechanism to optimize energy generation efficiency and
reduce post- harvest agricultural losses in the context of Nepal.
1.3.2 Specific Objectives
1. To design a dual axis solar tracking system for maximizing solar energy collection.
2. To compare energy generation between fixed and dual axis tracking solar panels.
3. To calculate the cooling load and size the cold storage chamber.
4. To analyse the thermal performance and economic feasibility of the proposed system.
5. To assess the potential reduction in post-harvest losses through improved storage
conditions.
6. To compare between Peltier and Vapour Compression Refrigeration System (VCRS).
7. To study the cold storage requirements for common agricultural products in Nepal.
1.4 Significance/Scope
1.4.1 Nepal-Specific Problem Relevance
Nepal loses 25-40% of perishable produce post-harvest due to lack of cold chain infrastructure
which is a major economic and food security issue. Hill and Terai farming zones are mostly
affected as there is unreliable or no grid electricity, which makes conventional cold storage
impractical. Nepal’s agricultural sector contributes to about 25% of national GDP and employs
around 60% of the population. Post harvest losses directly results inn economic loss for farmers
and nation as a whole.

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1.4.2 Technical Innovation
Dual-axis solar tracking can boost solar energy collection by 25-30% over fixed panels.
Integrating tracking with a cold storage system creates a closed loop efficient system. The
proposed model is based on fully off-grid renewable energy. It also aims to reduce dependence
on diesel-powered cold storage, which is currently the alternative in remote areas.
During period of low solar irradiance such as cloudy weather, early morning, late evening, or
nighttime an automatic switching mechanism draws power from the grid to cover the shortfall,
ensuring the refrigeration never experiences a power gap. This hybrid arrangement guarantees
continuous, uninterrupted cooling regardless of variability, maximizing post-harvest lifespan,
while significantly reducing electricity cost and the unit’s carbon footprint when compared to a
fully grid powered system.
This project is highly significant as it bridges renewable energy engineering, agricultural
economics, and rural development, making it relevant and impactful across engineering. Nepal's
heavy dependence on agriculture, challenges in post-harvest and limited grid electricity in rural
areas, creates a compelling case for an integrated, off-grid cold storage solution powered by solar
energy.
1.4.3 Limitations
While we aim to design and analyze a hybrid solar-powered cold storage system with dual-axis
tracking, we acknowledge several limitations ad challenges may occur during our project.
Financial limitations narrow the scope of the project. The absence of dedicated funding for
buying high performance equipment results on reliance on budget friendly alternatives, which
may compromise the overall efficiency and precision of the system. This could affect the
accuracy of the system as the designed system may not fully represent the performance
conditions.
Time is another significant constraint. The project must be completed within a fixed timeline,
which restricts the extent to which iterative design improvements or long-term performance
simulations that can be carried out in adequate depth.
The dual-axis solar tracking system involves moving components, which are subjected to wear,
misalignment, and maintenance requirements. In rural Nepal, where technical expertise and parts
may be limited. The long-term mechanical reliability of the tracker poses a practical challenge
that may be difficult to address.
Since the system relies on simultaneous operation between solar and grid power, challenges may
arise in smooth synchronization between the two sources. The complexity of designing and
implementing hybrid control system may be challenging given our limited knowledge and
experience in this specific area.

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 CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Agricultural Production Saved
Records from the Ministry of Agriculture shows Nepal produces over 4 million Metric tons of
vegetables and 1.2 million metric tons of fruits annually, which due to absence of cold storage
chains in remote areas, a significant portion of it is destroyed. By the use of solar powered cold
storage units in local cooperatives, the shelf life of produce can be increased significantly.
Table 2.1: Shelf-Life Comparison of Common Agricultural Products

Crop Type Ambient Shelf-Life Cold Storage Shelf-Life

Potatoes 2-3 weeks 6-8 months
Tomatoes 4-7 days 3-4 weeks
Apples 3-4 days 5-7 months
Leafy Greens 1-2 days weeks

2.2 Electricity Savings Data

Conventional fixed solar operate at an optimal angle for only a few hours. In Nepal’s geographic
coordinates (latitudes roughly 26°N to 30°N), a dual axis tracker allows the panels to maintain a
perpendicular profile to incoming solar irradiance. This increases total daily energy yield by 30%
to 35% compared to fixed tilt system, as supported by multiple studies conducted in similar
climates.
Table 2.2: Energy Yield Comparison- Fixed Tilt vs. Dual-Axis Tracker

Parameter Fixed Tilt System Dual-Axis Tracker

Daily Energy Yield 4.5 kWh 5.6-5.9 kWh
Peak Tracking Hours 4-5 hrs. 7-9 hrs.
Energy gain (Base Fixed Base +25-30%
tilt)

Source: Adapted by author from Akbar et al (2017) for Nepal’s solar irradiance conditions (GHI 4.5-6.5 kWh/
m²/day; Latitude: 26°N–30°N)

2.3 Prior studies on Solar Cold Storage Systems

Solar PV powered cold storage systems have been a topic of study and research over the years.
This system is now being deployed across developing regions as this is a sustainable solution to
post-harvest losses which is a major concern for farmers. Study is mainly focused on PV- driven
vapor compression refrigeration as it is the most commercially mature configuration. Hussain et
al. designed and tested an on-grid solar PV system with IOT based monitoring and evaluated the
performance. The study showed weight loss under storage conditions reduced by ~3 times and
shelf-life increased by ~4 times. Another study in Bangladesh shows, a solar PV backed system
was designed for seafood preservation in off-grid fishing areas, showed a temperature reduction
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from 28°C to −14.5°C with battery backup sustaining for around 36 hours of operation without
PV connection establishes the feasibility of solar cold storage in remote off grid locations which
is similar to Nepal’s rural locations (Hossain & Talukdar,2020).
2.4 Prior Studies on Hybrid Solar-Grid Cold storage Systems
While solar-only cold storage systems have been proved effective as shown by past researches,
their dependence on sunlight and battery backup has led researches explore hybrid configurations
that integrate grid power as a supplementary source. These systems aim to combine the cost
savings and sustainability of solar energy with the reliability of grid electricity when solar power
is insufficient.
A solar-hybrid cold-storage system was reported, developed by Kumar and Bharj which ran on
grid power at night and during cloudy conditions, while relying on solar power thought the day.
(Amjad et al., 2023)
2.5 Gap in Literature
Most studies were focused either on solar tracking or hybrid solar-grid powered cold storage
systems independently. Studies on solar-powered cold storage systems have mainly focused on
the feasibility of using photovoltaic energy to meet refrigeration loads, the sizing of battery and
optimization of refrigeration cycles under changing solar and grid availability. While valuable,
the existing research often are based on fixed-tilt panel configurations, they tend to overlook the
energy gain achievable through solar-tracking. On the other hand, research on tracking systems
shows that Dual-axis trackers, which simultaneously adjust azimuth and elevation angles, can
increase energy collection by 25-40% compared to fixed-tilt installations. The intersection of
these two technologies is largely unexplored. Very few research have been found to integrate
both technologies and evaluate the impact of dual-axis solar tracking on the energy availability
and increased efficiency of cold storage systems. Therefore, this study aims to bridge the gap by
developing and analyzing a hybrid solar-powered cold storage system equipped with a dual-axis
solar tracking mechanism with performance analyzed in Nepal.

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 CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY
3.1 Overview
This study follows a design and experiment of a small working prototype of a hybrid solar
powered cold storage system with a dual-axis tracker. Due to the limited budget and a fixed
timeline, we decided to use Peltier module for cooling instead of VCRS. VCRS systems uses
refrigerant gas, compressors, and HVAC tools to assemble safely, which is both costly and
difficult to manage at this limited budget and small timeframe. A Peltier module, on other hand
just needs DC power and is much easier and safer to build and test.
3.2 System Overview
The proposed system operates on four parts:
1. Solar PV Panel with Dual-Axis Tracking Mechanism: A tracker adjusts the panels
position according to azimuth angle and elevation angle to capture maximum sunlight.
2. Hybrid Power Unit: Switches to grid power if solar power is in-sufficient. If solar
power<required load, the difference is drawn from the grid.
3. Peltier Cooling Unit: A cooling unit, through which if electricity is passed, heat is
absorbed from one junction and released to another junction. This cools the storage box.
4. Monitoring System: Set of temperature sensors, voltage/current sensors, Arduino/ESP32
that records data for performance analysis.
3.3 Building the Dual-Axis Tracker and Hybrid Power Switching System
A small PV panel is to be mounted on the frame such that it can rotate left-right and up-down
with LDR sensors placed at the corner of panel to sense where sunlight is the strongest. Two
servo motors move the panel accordingly.
For the hybrid switching system, a solar charge controller regulates the power coming from the
PV panel and the relay module connects the system to grid power when solar power is
insufficient. ESP32 continuously monitors the voltage and current coming from the solar panel,
and when output drops it triggers relay to switch the load to grid.
To evaluate tracking, the same panel is used under two conditions: with the servo motors
switched off, the panels remain at a fixed angle; with motors switched on, the panel tracks the
sunlight using dual-axis mechanism.
3.4 Justification of Cooling technology Selection
Since we are working on a prototype using a Peltier module, we can’t test it against a VCRS
ourselves, so we collected data from published papers from existing research to get an idea for
comparison of these two technologies.

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 Table 3.1: Comparison of Peltier vs VCRS unit

Parameter VCRS Peltier

COP range 2.0-4.0 0.16-0.64
Energy use/day (50L) ~110 Wh ~330 Wh
Moving parts Compressor, fan Fan
Ease of building Harder Simpler

While VCRS units achieve higher COP, they are very complex due to compressor and other
moving parts. A Peltier module on other hand operates purely on Peltier effect using DC
electrical input which makes it significantly easier to integrate with ESP32.
Although the Peltier module has low COP, this would be acceptable within the scope of the
project of demonstrating a functional, and sustainable hybrid solar-powered cooling solution.

Based on the findings of past research, it’s evident that VCRS is more energy efficient, but
Peltier modules are far easier and safer to build, and fits within the scope and budget for the
project. Since a real-world version of this project would be switched to VCRS for better
performance, we will consistently reference approximate data from existing literature throughout
our project.
3.5 Design of Peltier Based Cold Storage Chamber
Since the Peltier module require no refrigerant and have no moving parts, are compact,
lightweight and significantly easier to make than a VCRS, it is well suited for the scope of our
project. A small, well insulated chamber (dimensions will be finalized later), with two peltier
modules mounted on the wall with cold side facing downward will be fabricated. Heat sinks and
cooling fans will be on both hot and cold sides to improve thermal transfer efficiency.
3.6 Design Software and Programming Tools
For the mechanical design of the dual-axis tracker frame and cold storage chamber we plan to
use SolidWorks for 3D CAD. This allows us visual verification of component before fabrication.
The microcontroller programming will be done using the Arduino C/C++ for handling servo
motor control, LDR- based sun tracking, relay switching logic. and sensor data collection.
Collected data will be used for analysis of various performance metrics such as COP, efficiency
gain, and grid dependence which will be calculated and visualized using Python.
3.7 System Flowchart
The flowchart below shows the operation of the system from sun tracking and power switching
to cooling of the storage to data collection.

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 Figure 3.1: Flowchart of the system workflow

3.8 Data collection and Analysis

3.8.1 Data Collection
While testing following parameters will be recorded and logged automatically every 5-10
minutes either to an SD card or sent to laptop over WIFI, so we have a continuous data to work
with.
1. Temperature inside the storage box
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 2. Ambient temperature
3. Voltage and current
The system will be tested for No load, Partial load and Full load conditions.
3.8.2 Data analysis
Once the data is collected from different sensors, we will calculate the following to evaluate the
system’s performance:
Dual-axis Tracker Analysis
% efficiency increase = [(E_dual axis tracker-E_fixed)/E_fixed] *100%
Where,
Total energy(E)= V*I*t
This will show us how much benefit the dual-axis tracker actually provides, which will be used
to compare against 25-40% improvement in earlier studies.
Power dependence Analysis
% grid dependence = (Energy drawn from grid/Total energy consumed) *100%
This shows the dependence of hybrid system on grid.
% solar dependence = (Energy drawn from the panel/Total energy consumed) *100%
Cooling Analysis
COP = Q_c/P_in
Where,
Heat absorbed at cold side(Q_c) = (mass of water × specific heat capacity of water × temperature
drop) / time taken
Electric Power Supplied(P_in) = V*I
This shows us how efficiently the cooling system converts electrical input into actual cooling.
The higher the COP more cooling per watt of electricity consumed.
3.9 Work Schedule
The project will be carried out over six months, from September to February. Literature review
would be conducted throughout the project. In November, design calculations and CAD
modeling will be carried out. In December, thermal simulation of the design will be performed
using ANSYS, followed by Arduino programming, while model development will also begin. In
January, model development will be finalized. Finally, in February, testing, analysis, and report
writing will be carried out.

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 Table 3.2: Project Gantt Chart

Septembe
Activity October November December January February
r

Literature
Review

Design
Calculation

CAD Modeling

Simulation

Programming

Model
Development

Testingand
Analysis

Report Writing

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 CHAPTER FOUR: COST ESTIMATION
4.2 Estimated Budget Breakdown
The budget has been estimated for a prototype cold storage model of dimensions (35×25×20)
cm³. Two separate cost estimates are provided depending on the refrigeration technology selected
— a Peltier Module-based system and a VCRS-based system , allowing for a comparative
economic evaluation during the project.
Table 4.2: Cost estimation of a Peltier Module based system.

Components Estimated Cost

[Link] Module (TEC1-12706) Rs. 1,000

[Link] Thermostat Controller Rs. 1,000

[Link] Sensor Probe (Thermocouple) Rs. 750

[Link] Trigger Board Rs. 1,500

[Link] Panel (300-450W) Rs. 20,000

[Link] (12V,200-250 Ah) Rs. 30,000 - Rs.40,000

[Link] Controller (12V,30-40A MPPT controller) Rs. 5,000

[Link] Rs. 1,500

[Link] Sensor (set of 4) Rs. 120

[Link] Modules/Motor Driver(L298N) Rs. 1,100

[Link]-grade Liner Actuator Rs. 7,700 - Rs. 10,500

[Link] Materials for Steel Stand Rs. 5,000

[Link] Rs. 2,000

Total Rs.76,670 - Rs. 89,470

Table 4.3: Cost estimation of a VCRS based system.

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 CHAPTER FIVE: EXPECTED OUTCOMES
This chapter shows the expected results from the proposed hybrid solar-powered cold storage
system highlighting its potential contribution to reduce post-harvest losses and supporting
sustainable agriculture.
 A fully functional, prototype of an automated dual-axis solar tracker coupled with an
efficient Peltier based refrigeration module, integrated with a grid supply
 Data verifying that implementation of dual-axis solar tracking increases daily energy
yield by 30-40% compared to fixed-tilt solar panels.
 Data verifying the impact of cold storage on preserving perishable agricultural produce,
with expected reduction in post-harvest losses from the current 20–40% down to under
10% for farmers with system access.
 A feasibility report demonstrating a favorable payback period and lower long-term
operational costs compared to fully grid-dependent alternatives.

Beyond these topics, the project is expected to produce a scalable blueprint for
design for hybrid cold storage system, which if adopted at the cooperative level,
could contribute to reducing Nepal’s agricultural trade deficit which currently
exceeds NPR. 250 billion annually.

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REFERENCES

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