Arkane Works №02 · Archived Record

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Heat Resilience Challenge

A low-energy cooling study for Arizona's mobile-home residents — among the most heat-exposed housing stock in the country — run through ASU's EPICS program, where I led the thermal-management sub-team. Phase one was a structured comparison of cooling options using the Analytic Hierarchy Process; phase two, an independently designed PC-inspired ventilation system modeled in SolidWorks and verified with ANSYS Fluent under Arizona summer conditions.

Interior ΔT12–18 °C
Ambient Case45 °C
Fans120 mm · 80 CFM
Power Draw15 W
Trade Study.02

The team evaluated air-conditioning units, evaporative coolers, and photovoltaic systems with AHP — weighting cost, energy efficiency, and cooling effectiveness as a multi-criteria optimization rather than a gut call. Portable AC scored best for short-term relief, and presenting the findings to community stakeholders produced the feedback that shaped the independent design phase that followed.

Ventilation Design.03

The unit moves air the way a PC case does: high-efficiency 120 mm fans (80 CFM each) in an intake/exhaust configuration driving a continuous circulation loop sized for a 400 sq ft home, with protective flaps blocking dust ingress. Total draw is 15 W — low enough to run from a small solar panel — with fan placement optimized in CFD before any hardware was cut.

Verification.04

ANSYS Fluent simulations under a 45 °C ambient case predicted a 12–18 °C interior temperature reduction; a scaled prototype with colored-smoke flow visualization confirmed the loop pattern, and flap angles were iterated against the CFD to cut turbulence. ABS construction and aluminum mesh keep projected unit cost near $150 — the constraint that mattered most to the community it was designed for.

References.05