If you’ve ever tried to test the wind by putting your finger wet up in air. You’ve experienced the concept of evaporative cooling. Similar principles help cool the body after a swim and powers one of the oldest and most basic types of air cooling. In the U.S. as swamp coolers, the modern evaporative coolers have a origins back to the ancient times of Egypt. They’re affordable, efficient, and green however, they have certain limitations, so do not throw your regular air conditioning away at this point.
The early Egyptians had a huge demand for air cooling. They achieved this by putting wet blankets on the exterior of their houses or when they happened to be the king, having servants fan the blankets across jugs of water. If hot dry air is passed through the water (or better over it) the air is cooled. Today, we utilize electronic fans rather than servants however, the concept of cooling air through transpiration is the same.
Install Swamp Coolers
Unfortunately, evaporative coolers aren’t able to perform in every place. Swamps for instance aren’t the best places to install swamp coolers. It’s not clear exactly where they came up with the name however, it could be due to the amount of humidity they bring to the air, or to the swampy smell that may develop if they’re not cleaned regularly enough.
Swamp coolers are in use across the globe. To work, swamp coolers need an extremely dry and hot climate. Within the U.S., they work well in the desert western and southwestern areas of the nation. The global market for evaporative coolers was estimated at $7.6 billion in the year that it was launched and is projected to grow to $19.8 billion by 2026’s end.
Swamp coolers are made up of an efficient, simple technology that has been around for since. Evaporative cooling’s principles have been used by the pharaohs and they’re still working for you.
Evaporative Cooling Basics:
July 1758 was scorching hot the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with temperatures of 100°F (37 Celsius). According to what he wrote later in an email, Benjamin Franklin was in his bedroom, reading and writing, with “no other clothes on but one shirt and an armful of linen drawers, with the windows were all open, and a gusty breeze running throughout the home.” The founding fathers also sweat, and as he changed into dry clothing and walked out, he noticed something it was warm, as if it was in the vicinity of an open flame, in contrast with the wet shirt that he removed.
Franklin believed that he was not getting cooled by the heat of the air. That was moving through his home rather than the sweat evaporated from the skin. Then, he tried some experiments by soaking with a temperature probe’s bulb, and observed as the temperature fell. He realized that the evaporation of liquids causes loss of heat. The concept he outlined in his letter was an evaporative cooling.
Liquid Evaporates
Liquid evaporates through the release of particles into air and transforming from a liquid state into the gas state. When they are suspended within the air they draw some heat of more hot air, and cool it down until the air and the water come to equilibrium. The process also cools down the remaining liquid since the molecules that are hotter and faster moving tend to escape into the air.
Swamp coolers operate by harnessing that cooling response. You just need an effective way to circulate that cooler, humid air throughout the home.
Imagine the inside of an air conditioning unit. That is an aluminum sheet located on the exterior of a window, in reality. In an ordinary air conditioner, you’ll find several complex refrigerants in the however, with the swamp cooler, it’s simpler. The most important thing inside is a fan that is, a fan on one side of the box that draws air from the outside , and then is pushed into the home at the opposite end. Before the air enters the home, it goes through the damp pads and this is which is where the evaporation process takes place.
The cooler air is pushed into the home, and the warm air is forced out. A small pump helps keep the pads moist to ensure that the water doesn’t disappear completely. It’s just like Egyptians woolen blankets, and Ben Franklin’s sweaty sweatshirt.
Swamp Coolers vs. Air Conditioners
Standard AC units operate on the same operating principles that you use in the refrigerator in your home. The air is chilled by the coils before being pumped to your home, it is then re-circulated through the unit, releasing hot air produced during the process to outside. (For more information about conventional air conditioners, refer to the How Air Conditioners work). It’s a closed system opening the door or window open lets cool air escape, which causes the air conditioner to more difficult to provide cold air.
Swamp coolers are open systems. They depend on the movement of air within the structure to channel the cool air. And because they require dry. Hot liquid to evaporate their water they need to move air that is already inside the house. The two systems could use an enormous central unit or smaller window units, but the air from the cooler in the swamp requires to be able to exit.
Closing and opening the doors and windows. Regulates the flow of air from the cooler in the swamp to various areas of the home. Likewise, central air conditioners make use of ducts to control the flow. Swamp coolers may also make use of the ducts, in certain cases however they must be more extensive than standard air conditioner ducts in order to allow for greater flow of air coming from the cooler in the swamp.
Standard Air Conditioners
The standard air conditioners dry out the air. Condensing water vapor in the room being cooled while it travels across those cold coils. The water then drains out -which is the distinctive drip that you’ll experience if you sit in the window of an air conditioning unit for long enough. It results in a dryer space and in humid climates that is a good thing.
A high level of humidity can hinder sweating, which is how we cool down naturally. Because swamp coolers function by injecting water into humid air they work as humidifiers. This is particularly beneficial in dry conditions because humidity can be too low to feel comfortable. If the conditions are right, the water-laden breeze has the effect in helping to regulate the sweating of the skin which results in a cooler feeling than the swamp cooler could provide by itself.
Because of the various methods they operate. You can’t run an air conditioner and a swamp cooler normal air conditioner in the same space. They’d cancel each other out, similar to operating the humidifier and an humidifier in the same space.
If you had to choose just one, which one is superior? Air conditioner or swamp cooler?
Swamp Cooler Benefits
If the conditions are right they appear like they offer many benefits. They’re inexpensive to construct and set up. The only components needed to construct them are blower fans or pump, and an 8 to 12inch (2030- centimeters) large filter pad (either comprised from treated fiberglass, cellulose, plastic foam or broken aspen fibers) as well as some water and an enclosure (usually constructed from steel sheet). Fans and pumps are readily accessible.
They can be swapped into a local retailer almost anyplace. A swamp cooler must have at least two speeds as well as one that is vent-only. If you choose to purchase one, it can cost between $40 for portable models up to 3500 dollars for the roof-mounted model or a ground unit. For comparison the central AC model would cost between $3000 and $7000 to set up.
Operating Expenses
The operating expenses are significantly less. As the system is less expensive than of the cost to set up and operate than central AC. However, the largest savings are in the power bill the swamp cooler consumes 60-80 percent less energy than a conventional AC. This means reductions on energy bills and also to the ecological impact.
Swamp coolers also have an environmental advantage. As standard air conditioners have depended on chemicals that deplete ozone to provide the power to cool. The use of CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons) has been discontinued in developed nations since 1996 by international treaty. The replacement product, HCFCs (hydrochlorofluorocarbon) like R22 (freon) has some negative effects, and its use in new equipment ended in 2010. Since since then, AC units have used R410A or puron. However, it is now being phased out in favor of R-32. That has one-third the worldwide warming capacity of the R410A. Swamp coolers do not use refrigerants.
Swamp Cooler Downsides
It should be not just hot, but also dry. This is because as the dry bulb’s temperature gets closer to the temperature of the wet bulb. That difference between them becomes smaller and the cooling impact of the water that evaporates will follow. If the wet bulb’s temperature is above 70°F (21 degree Celsius) indicates that the swamp cooler will not be in a position to regulate the temperature sufficiently to maintain it within the comfortable zone. (This is dependent on the your personal preferences, humidity, and level of activity however it generally falls within the 70s to low 70s.).
Moisture Evaporates
If the air is excessively saturated, the moisture evaporates. The humidity of 100 percent within the home means it’s likely to rain. even though a swamp cooler will not result in a torrential downpour at your home, it will not provide any cooling effects either and will only give you the sticky, hot feeling that one might think of when you think of swamps. The sweat you sweat out does not evaporate into the humid air.
The Environmental Protection Agency recommends that you keep the humidity of your indoor space at or below 60 percent. And between 30-50 percent to prevent the growth of mildew and mold. As well as your furniture made of wood isn’t drying up. However, humid air can cause the metal to rust, sometimes even in the cooler that is used to store the water. The issue of humidity excess is solved with Evaporative coolers using an exchanger that heats the air inside the home as the humid air is vented out to the outside, however these systems are much more inefficient than direct Evaporative coolers.
Swamp Coolers Maintenance
Swamp coolers require maintenance. The pads must be regularly cleaned or replaced to prevent that sour smell and related issues with the air quality. Minerals in water are also able to build up when water evaporates, leading to the bleed-off of minerals-rich wastewater as time passes. It is recommended that you inspect the filters, pads and reservoir every month and change the pads at least once in the summer months, or at least once per month during continuous operation. Coolers also require constant supply of water, ranging between 4.4 up to 10.4 Gallons (17 -40 Liters) in an minute dependent on size. It’s a big request in the dry, hot climates in which swamp coolers work best.
Air cooling systems also require maintenance regardless of whether. You’re changing the filter every 3 months, or getting an annual service by an expert to ensure it is running. However, swamp coolers that belong to the HVAC unit require a specialist, as well to shut it down at the close of each season. This involves draining the entire system and flushing the system in order to stop freezing temperatures in winter from damaging the unit. The technician should also connect the unit in summer.
