Study of Desiccant Rice Husk Ash for Air Conditioning System

Abstract

Indonesia is one of the producers and consumers of paddy or rice due to more than 95% of the Indonesian population consume rice as staple food. The by-product of paddy processing as to rice is also hush or rice hush. Up until now, in Indonesia, it is widely used as animal feed, fertilizer, mushroom planting media and fuel for making bricks, tiles and others. To increase the benefits of rice husk, the study of the usage of rice husk as an active ingredient in the SDC cooling system was conducted. The research method begins with the making of rice husk test samples and silica gel as a comparison. Rice husk was burned and heated using an oven until all carbons became ash. Then, the rice husk ash was blended and filtered, these applies to silica gel as well. Then these two samples are tested for characteristics with GSA and XRF instruments. From this test it can be concluded that the adsorption/desorption ability of ash is 1/6 time silica gel. If rice husk ash is used as an alternative for desiccant materials, it is necessary to modify the material.