Abstract
A.U. Anonaba, U.S. Mbamara, E.C. Mbamala
For self-cooling building designs, the thermal properties of pineapple (Ananas Comosus) stalk composite were investigated and compared with those of asbestos with a view to establishing its suitability as ceiling material. Sample boards from pineapple leaves were prepared by drying and grinding, then forming them into boards without an external binder. The major parameter, thermal conductivity ?? was determined using Lee’s Disc apparatus. Other parameters determined were specific heat capacity c, density ρ, thermal resistivity ρth, thermal diffusivity λ, and thermal absorptivity α, were determined by using the appropriate experimental methods or calculations. The thermal conductivity of Ananas Comosus was determined to be 0.0719±0.0007Wm-1K-1. Using the same Lee’s Disc apparatus method, the thermal conductivity of the commercial asbestos ceiling sheet was measured to be 0.195Wm-1K-1. This value is about 85% of the value (0.17Wm-1K-1) \) quoted in textbooks. Our pineapple stalk sheet is clearly a poorer heat conductor than the asbestos sheet. Other parameters determined here – the specific heat capacity, the thermal diffusivity, etc, support our findings that the investigated material can serve as a good material for efficient “cool roof” building design
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