Evaluating the viability and performance enhancement of Ensete ventricosum fibre pads in evaporative cooling system

Abstract

This study mainly focused on enhancing the water absorption capacity of organic fibres to improve the performance of evaporative cooling pads. The enhancement involved immersing 10 g of Ensete fibre in different volumes of NaOH–water solution (for the cases of 0, 5, 10, and 20% NaOH and the remaining water). Saturation efficiency and predictive mean vote (PMV) were used to quantify performance assessment. The maximum saturation efficiency is 75.66%. The computed PMV for the hourly of 8:00 am through 5:00 pm ranges from –3.17 to –0.70 with much too cool in the early morning at 8:00 am comfortably cool at 9:00 am and 11:00 am and comfortable at 10:00 am, 12:00 am, 1:00 am, 2:00 am, 3:00 pm, 4:00 pm and 5:00 pm. Moreover, from 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm, they remained on the ASHRAE scale of thermal sensations, providing the best alternative to an evaporative cooling pad in the study area and similar air conditions for comfort applications.

KEYWORDS:

• Thermal comfort
• NaOH–water solution
• evaporative cooling
• Ensete ventricosum fibre
• predictive mean vote

Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful for the financial support provided by the Renewable Technology Research Centre. The authors would also like to thank the laboratory materials and the Arba Minch Institute of Technology-Arba Minch University.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).