Optimization of Air Conditioner Adsorption System by NaOH Treated-Natural Zeolite: Preliminary Study

The worldwide use of air conditioners (AC) has been extensively increased, leading to excellent electricity consumption and ozone layer depletion, especially those using hydrofluorocarbons-based refrigerants. Alternative AC based on adsorptionAdsorption technology offers a more environmentally friendly impactImpact but provides poor performance, identified by low adsorptionAdsorption capacity. Their performance is affected by the adsorber bed's heat and mass transfer. As one of Indonesia's most supplied non-metallic minerals, natural zeolite has been expected as an auspicious material for air conditioner adsorbent. Its characteristic was modified by chemical treatment to change the pore diameter and improve the refrigerationRefrigeration system's adsorptionAdsorption capacity. Sodium hydroxide (NaOH) was the chosen salt for the chemical treatment. The Fourier-Transform Infra Red (FTIR) test indicates that natural zeolite treated with NaOH materials could be a promising approach and a possible route for manufacturing an environmentally friendly, low-cost, high coefficient of performance (COP) air conditioner.