This project presents a portable external cooling and lighting system for laptops that integrates a Peltier thermoelectric module with a turbo blower and PWM-controlled fans, governed by an Atmega328P (Arduino UNO) controller and non-contact MLX90614 temperature sensing. The inventive aspects are threefold:


1. Localized thermoelectric cooling paired with directed forced airflow — the Peltier element targets hotspot regions while the turbo blower and fan create a focused airstream across an optimized heat-sink, producing faster heat extraction than fan-only external coolers.
2. Adaptive multi-level control with manual override — the controller evaluates object temperature against two thresholds and adjusts fan PWM and Peltier operation across silent/normal/strong modes; tactile buttons allow immediate manual selection when desired.
3. Compact, modular mounting and safety design — a mechanical interface allows rapid attachment to different laptop geometries; high-current components run on a dedicated 12 V rail with MOSFET switching and common-grounding to protect the controller and ensure safe operation.
Together these elements provide a practical, low-cost solution that improves thermal response for short bursts of high computation (rendering, simulation, gaming) while giving users transparent control and status feedback via an I²C LCD.

Invention Technical Description

System overview
The system is centered on an Atmega328P (Arduino UNO). Temperature is measured by an MLX90614 non-contact IR sensor on the I²C bus (SDA → A4, SCL → A5). Ambient light uses an LDR on an analog input (A0) to control LED lighting. User interaction is via two tactile buttons (LED mode and fan mode) using INPUT_PULLUP and software debounce. Status is displayed on a 16×2 I²C LCD (default address 0x27).
Power and driving
High-current devices (Peltier module and turbo blower) are powered from a dedicated 12 V supply (recommended 12 V / ≥10 A depending on Peltier rating). The Arduino and I²C peripherals receive regulated 5 V from a buck converter. All grounds are common. Peltier and blower are switched or driven by logic-level N-MOSFETs (with appropriate gate resistors, flyback/snubber where needed and thermal monitoring on the hot side). The 4-pin PWM fan uses the PWM input (digital pin D10) for speed control; tachometer output may be left unconnected or read for RPM feedback if needed.
Control algorithm and firmware:

• Sampling: MLX90614 readings are polled at an appropriate interval (e.g., 1 Hz or faster if required). LDR is sampled via analogRead.

• Threshold logic: Two temperature thresholds (T1, T2) define automatic fan levels: if temp < T1 → silent PWM level; if T1 ≤ temp < T2 → medium PWM; if temp ≥ T2 → full PWM. Example prototype PWM levels: 50 / 150 / 255 (out of 255).

• Manual override: Button presses cycle LED mode (auto / manual on / manual off) and fan mode (auto / silent / normal / strong) using a small state machine and debounce timing (e.g., 150 ms).

• Safety: The firmware includes sanity checks (e.g., sensor error handling), and the hardware includes current-rating protections (fuses / polyfuse) and MOSFET thermal considerations to prevent runaway Peltier operation.
Testing and verification points
Key technical validation items: I²C reliability (no bus hang), PWM response latency, Peltier hot-side thermal management, system power stability under simultaneous loads, and end-to-end temperature reduction under controlled heavy-load scenarios. Preliminary prototype testing indicates meaningful hotspot temperature reduction when engaged; full verification is carried out by logging temperature vs. time during stress runs and observing long-term stability.
Reproducibility and components
Core components are standard and widely available (Atmega328P/Arduino UNO, MLX90614 breakout, Peltier modules, 4-pin PWM fans, MOSFET drivers, buck converter). Wiring conventions and example schematics (I²C lines with 4.7 kΩ pull-ups if needed, MOSFET gate wiring, common ground) are provided in the project documentation to enable replication.

Demostration/ Presentation Video

Poster/ Broucher/ Invention Photo