Evaluation of Pads and Geometrical Shapes for Constructing Evaporative Cooling System

Investigations were carried out into local materials as cooling pads, and shapes for constructing evaporative coolers. Materials investigated include jute, latex foam, charcoal and wood shavings. Shapes of cooling systems considered were of hexagonal and square cross-sections. Some physical properties of pad materials that could affect the effectiveness of the evaporative coolers were also determined. Results of “No – load†tests carried out on the coolers indicated that the effectiveness of the cooling pads was in the following decreasing order of magnitude - Jute, latex foam, charcoal and wood shavings. The hexagonal shape cooler was found to be more efficient than the square shape. The average cooling or saturation efficiency for hexagonal cooler was 93.5% (jute), 91.4% (latex foam), 91.3% (charcoal) and 91.9% (wood shavings). The maximum temperatures observed were 6.4 (jute pad), 4.9 (latex foam pad), 5.2 (charcoal pad) and 3.6 degree Celsius. The results of this study will assist researchers in their selection of pad materials in the study of evaporative cooling systems.