Perbandingan Pengaruh Penambahan Sponge dan Coconut Fiber pada Air Cooler Pengganti Air Conditioning di Kapal Papua Jaya Karya

Abstract

This experimental research compares the cooling performance of air coolers with the addition of cooling media in the form of coconut fiber and sponge. The aim of this research was to analyze the efficiency of air temperatur reduction at various air flow speed using bosth types of cooling media. The results showed that the addition of sponge provided better cooling performance compared to the addition of coconut fiber at all tested air flow speed variations. This can be explain by physical characteristic of the sponge, which has finer and more extensive pores, allowing it to absorb more water and increase the contact surface area between water and air. In addition, sponge have a higher capillary action, enabling the even distribution of water throughout the cooling media surface. In contrast, coconut fiber has a coarser structure and lower absorption capacity, making it less effective in absorbing and evaporating water. Thus, the use of sponge as a cooling medium in air coolers has the potential to increase cooling efficiency and provide better thermal comfort.