Design and Fabrication of Evaporative Cooling Air Conditioner in Tractor Cabin

Abstract

The Evolution of automotive air conditioning was a remarkable milestone in the history of mankind. It has played an important role in human comfort and to some extent in human safety during vehicle driving in varied atmospheric conditions. Present work focuses on providing comfort conditioning of a tractor cab which is a key factor in ensuring optimum working performance of the driver. A closed tractor cab acts like a greenhouse and its interior could become unbearable and sometimes even dangerous. Conventionally, vapour compression refrigeration systems are the standard for air conditioning in automobiles and account for up to 25 % of fuel consumption in the cooling season. Apart from conventional vapour compression technology, the work explores applicability of evaporative cooling in comfort conditioning of a tractor cabin which is an economical and eco-friendly alternative. The results procured are positive lower cabin temperature close to acceptable limit with less than 10 % of energy consumption compared to vapour-compression units when tested under similar hot-dry conditions.