Misting Systems Provide Efficient Cooling
The best known method to control horrid summer heat and depress the temperature and add moisture to the dry air in open outdoor spaces is through misting systems. The basic principle behind misting is evaporation. Smaller particles of mist are better because they evaporate quicker. Smaller particles are created by increased water pressure.
Evaporative cooling takes place when water molecules evaporate into the air by which water changes from a liquid to a gas state. To facilitate water changing from a liquid to a gaseous state requires a certain amount of energy or heat. This energy or heat is automatically taken from the surrounding air and as a result the air temperature becomes cooler. In effect the more water you evaporate the more cooling can be achieved.
Evaporating cooling is remarkably efficient. Using spraying systems, water is sprayed through nozzles at varying pressures. The water particles get reduced and evaporate as they fall to the ground. Using porous materials with large surface areas, water is run over a surface that facilitates the evaporation process. Often forced air is used to enhance this process. Ultra-sonic evaporation is a method that shatters water into super fine particles through ultra-sonic vibrations.
Compared to air-conditioning, evaporating cooling processes consume little electricity. This is especially useful when looking to cool large spaces that are enclosed or open to the sun. In many industrial processes water based cooling is the only practical method to achieve cooling since water is comparatively cheap and more abundantly available.
A basic mist system will consist of tubing and nozzles. Normally the tubing is quite small since water use is negligible. Always look for metal fittings and nozzles made of brass or stainless steel and not plastic as metal will hold up better in the extreme hot climate.
Some mist cool systems can operate directly off of your household pressure. These are called low pressure systems. They are the least expensive type of system and their effectiveness is limited. If a pump is added to the system, the efficiency of the system can be increased.
Medium pressure systems are favored by many because they are efficient and yet not too costly. These systems typically operate at 100 to 200 pounds of water pressure. To achieve the highest level of performance, a high pressure system is required. These systems, often called fog systems generally operate at 800 pounds of pressure or more. They are also the most expensive since the materials used must endure such high pressure.
Water is cheap and plentifully available and little water is needed to achieve effective cooling. Large scale cooling can be achieved outdoors. Air is humidified during the evaporation process which improves the air quality.
Efficient cooling can be achieved if you take into account the size of the area to be cooled, whether the area open or enclosed, and such other factors. If open area which is windy, suitable wind breakers must be implemented; if the area is enclosed, forced ventilation will be required. You must also find out if the structure is suited to evaporative cooling without building up mold.
Any reputable mist company will offer you all three types of systems, low, medium, and high pressure, and will help you to decide which works best for your particular application.
