Engineering students develop cart to help vendors keep vegetables, fruits fresh during summers

The makers of the cooling cart, Naveen H V, Shubham Sain, Supreeth S, Vivek Chandrashekhar, are third year students of mechanical engineering at the college. They explained that the carts could be used even to keep dairy products since the refrigeration of the cart could be maintained within a temperature range of 0 to 10 degrees Celsius.

The cart could maintain a temperature range of 0 to 10 degrees Celsius, the students said. (Express photo)

Speaking about the innovation, Naveen, who led the research team, said, “Initially we researched about the problems faced by the vendors from all possible sources and wanted to come up with a feasible and convenient solution. We took suggestions from the experts and then came up with an air-cooled chamber and sourced solar energy for the electricity so that the machine remains self-reliant. The present model requires the vendors to charge it once a day at home after which the system depends on solar energy for electricity requirements.”

Speaking about the team’s plans to improvise the cart further, Chandrashekhar said, “We are planning to improvise this further with pressure sensors which will help generate energy from the pressure generated when the vendor peddles the cart. We are also planning to make the cart more energy efficient by making it like an electric two-wheeler wherein more solar panels will be included and the storage capacity of the cart will be increased.”

Speaking about his experience while working on the project, Supreeth said, “We have currently used smaller wheels for the cart which makes it a bit hard for an individual to move it as it requires him to apply more strength. We would want to install 19-inch wheels which will make it easy to pedal the cart. We had to manage to balance between our exams and developing this cart. This gave us a great deal of learning with regards to managing projects under difficult circumstances. We are extremely happy that we managed to do it successfully. We are excited to work on any such projects if we get a chance.”

Prof Sadashivegowda, Principal at Vidyavardhaka College of Engineering, said, “It is a good project by our students. There is always room for improvement and our students are at it. They are improvising the project based on the suggestions they are receiving. This project will help fruits and vegetable vendors particularly during the hot summers. The vendors can supply from the harvest to the customers without losing its freshness. Not only during the summer, this cart can be helpful throughout the year due to tropical conditions in the country.”