Evaporative cooling

Evaporative cooling (swamp cooling)

Evaporative cooling, also known as swamp cooling, is a method for cooling air that takes advantage of the drop in temperature that occurs when water that's exposed to moving air begins to vaporize and change to gas.

If you've ever changed out of wet clothes and felt chilled then you have experienced the effects of evaporative cooling.

An evaporative cooler is basically a large fan that draws warm air through water-moistened pads. As the water in the pads evaporates, the air is chilled and pushed out to the room. The temperature can be controlled by adjusting the airflow of the cooler. Evaporative coolers are rated by the volume of warm/cool air that can be exchanged in one minute and by the amount of energy they require to run.

Working best in dry climates, the lower the relative humidity, the easier it is for moisture to evaporate from the pads.

Evaporative cooling has been used for years in homes as an environmentally-friendly alternative to traditional air conditioning and is now becoming more popular in data centres.

An evaporative cooler doesn't use refrigerants, like air aconditioners, which can be hazardous to the environment.

Installation costs are significantly lower, electricity usage is significantly lower and the units themselves are simpler to maintain and operate.