Performance Comparison of Silica Gel and Natural Desiccant Material-Based Evaporative Cooling System

Abstract

AbstractThe present study experimentally explores the feasibility of using natural and biodegradable material viz. Cocopeat powder as a desiccant material. The thermal performance of Cocopeat powder has been investigated to see whether it carries the potential to be used as a desiccant to improve the performance of the evaporative cooling system. Its performance has been compared with that of commercially popular chemical desiccant Silica gel. The study also examines the effect of airflow velocity on the moisture absorption and desorption capacity of the Cocopeat and Silica gel. Frictional characteristic of these materials has also been investigated in terms of pressure drop offered by them. The study reveals the relative humidity (RH) of air at the exit of the desiccant chamber having Cocopeat as a natural desiccant is minimum for most of the duration of experimentation. Up to an initial 30–40 min of operation, the RH of air at the exit of the silica gel chamber (SGC) is minimum and the temperature of air at the exit of SGC has been observed to be 1.5–2.0 ℃ higher up to 30–40 min of operation as compared to Silica gel. The study concludes that the Cocopeat powder may potentially be used as a desiccant material in place of costly chemical desiccants like Silica gel and others. KeywordsSilica gelDirect evaporative coolingIndirect evaporative coolingCocopeat powderThermal regeneration