He Hasn’t Been To College But He Invented A Water Cooler That Runs Without Electricity!

Arvind Bhai Patel (57), born in 1955 in the village of Vanch, 10 kms from Ahmedabad, always wanted to do something innovative. And that is what he did. Patel now has numerable technology licenses to his name, the most prominent among them are Natural Water Cooler, Auto Air Kick Pump and Auto Compression Sprayer.

The youngest among six siblings, Patel could only study till class 10 and then had to drop out of school due to financial constraints. Patel’s  innovations are in diverse fields. However, the ones that use non-conventional energy have been more widely appreciated.

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‘Natural’ Water Cooler

Once when Patel had high fever, his wife repeatedly applied cold packs to his forehead to keep the body temperature in check. From this, (and while in the throes of the fever!), Patel got the idea to develop a water cooler that uses the same principle to lower the temperature of water.

In his natural water cooler, water is passed through copper coils covered with a cotton cloth, which is continuously being moistened by a dripper. As the moist cotton cloth dries, it takes the latent heat from the dripping water and cools the water inside the coils.

Arvindbhai has obtained a patent for this innovation which was facilitated by GIAN under the Micro Venture Innovation Fund (MVIF) of NIF-India for commercialization of innovative technologies.

The cooler is great for summers, especially for regions that do not have electricity. Initially he manufactured the cooler in 3 different capacities – 5, 10 and 15 liters. But now he is only manufacturing 100 and 150 liters capacity coolers. About 600 units of different capacities have been sold so far. His list of clients include Gujarat Vidyapeeth (Ahmedabad), Science Park (Jaipur) and many more. Using the same concept, he is trying to develop a cold storage unit for vegetables.

Auto Air Kick Pump

Auto air kick pump is a low cost, portable and compact aid to inflate tyre tubes/repair puncture of any vehicle, particularly two-wheelers, having a kick start or auto start mechanism. The pump can fix the puncture on-the-spot so as to enable the vehicle to reach the nearby gas station for further assistance.

This device converts the compressor of a two-wheeler vehicle into an air pump. A pinch of polymer granules is inserted to seal the linkage. The ‘jugaad’ may last for a few kilometers to reach a puncture repairing shop. An entrepreneur from Mumbai has taken non-exclusive license for this technology and has sold more than 2,500 pieces, mainly in North-East India. Patel has adapted this technology for four-wheelers as well.

Suraksha Tong

Tongs are the most commonly used devices for holding heavy, hot objects in the laboratory, home or mechanical workshop. But those available in the market are clunky, unreliable and accident-prone.

Patel analyzed the working of Tongs and discussed operational issues with users. Paying heed to the feedback obtained, he designed a stainless steel pipe that has length adjustment facility to lift vessels of different radii. The ends of the rod are connected with a semi-circular arc type plate and handle grip to hold the edge of the utensil, ensuring safety and better usability.

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Other Efforts

Patel is fascinated with renewable sources of energy and has made several experimental attempts for harnessing wind power with his ‘Low Air Thrust Multi-curtain System’ which uses a curtain, a rod and an air pump to imitate the functioning of a wind tunnel.

Patel is a man driven by passion, who continues to strive relentlessly to deliver something new and innovative for the society. Despite several setbacks, resistance from family and financial constraints, he is always on the look-out for new ideas. An inspiring innovator indeed!!

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