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Overview Of Evaporative Air Coolers
If you ask an older relative if they have heard of an
evaporative cooler, they may say no. But chances are they would
recognize the idea behind the technology. Before air
conditioning or other cooler types existed, people would sleep
outside on a screened in porch to try to stay cool at night.
They would often hang damp sheets over the screens in an attempt
to cool the air. As the hot air passed through the sheet, it was
cooled. And then the cool air would slowly circulate, relieving
some of the heat for the sleepers.
The same idea exists today in the form of evaporative coolers.
These machines are wonderful cooling mechanisms for people who
live in hot, dry climates. They are also known by the name swamp
coolers, but that can be misleading because they actually won't
work at all in swampy, humid conditions. The name probably came
from the way that evaporative coolers actually add humidity to
the air. But in fact, evaporative coolers need dry, hot air to
work because in order for the air to be cooled, it has to be
able to pick up (evaporate) some of the water. If the air is
already saturated, it won't pick up any more water and it won't
be cooled.
Here's how evaporative coolers work; the machine is composed of
a fan that pulls the hot dry air inside the cooler, where it is
passed through damp pads. The pads are kept damp by a pump that
circulates water through the machine. As the dry air picks up
some of the water, its temperature drops, sometimes by as much
as 30 degrees Fahrenheit, depending on the climate. The cooler
air is then blown into the room. An added bonus of an
evaporative cooler is that the pads that cool the air also
filter it. As the air passes through the pads, dirt, dust,
allergens and other pollutants are captured in the fibers of the
pads. So you'll be breathing cleaner, cooler air.
If you're wondering why you should choose an evaporative cooler
over a traditional air conditioner, there's one more reason we
haven't covered yet. The cost to run an evaporative cooler can
be as little as 1/10 the amount it costs to run an air
conditioner. In fact, some community power companies in hot, dry
climates will actually offer residents a rebate if they install
an evaporative cooler because they recognize the effective,
efficient cooling capabilities of the technology. Contact your
local power company to see if they offer the rebates and ask if
they have any information on the effectiveness of an evaporative
cooler in your area.
About the author:
A.Caxton adds regularly reviews on air coolers to
http://www.evaporative-air-coolers.com . An online information
magazine about the basics of how evaporative air coolers work
and some of the advantages of the technology for a good home air
conditioning.Find your personal air cooler at
http://www.evaporative-air-coolers.com/personal-air-coolers.html