About Evaporative Cooling

Where is the cooler installed; doesn’t it need a lot of ductwork?

There are several options, the most common being on the roof with simple “drop ducts” to deliver the air where you need it, or top outlet coolers positioned low down if roof access is an issue. Because evaporative cooling moves more air than air conditioning does, it’s usually easier to get the cooling to where you need it without extensive ductwork.

If you’d like a free no obligation survey to find out how a system could be designed for your building, please contact us, or get in touch with one of our approved installers.

How much will it reduce the temperature?

This is depends on the ambient conditions but, in hot weather in the UK, there is typically a 10 to 12°C drop in the temperature of the air through the evaporative cooler.

Remember too that the cooler uses fresh air, not room air, so if it’s already cooler outside than in, you’ll get the benefit of that in addition to the cooling effect. We can undertake studies of the existing conditions if required, and from those can predict the benefits you’ll get from having a system installed.

I’ve heard that evaporative coolers don’t work in humid climates like ours?

High humidity and high temperatures hardly ever coincide in the UK, despite our perception of “hot and sticky” summer days. When it’s hot it will be dry, and the cooler will work at maximum efficiency. When it’s not so hot it may be more humid, but the lower temperature means that we don’t need the full effect from the cooler.

If I have to close all the doors and windows so that the air conditioning will work, how do I continue to operate my factory?

While it would be necessary to seal the building for conventional air conditioning to work, it is NOT required for evaporative coolers, which rely on and provide balanced ventilation.

What about those exceptionally hot days when I need the system the most; will the coolers be able to cope?

Conventional air conditioners give less cooling the hotter it gets, and eventually fail altogether when the temperature is higher than expected. Evaporative coolers give more cooling the hotter it gets, and there is no upper limit – the coolers will not stop working just when you need them most.

How will installing an evaporative cooling system benefit my business?

In a typical year in the UK, the outside temperature will get above 20 deg C in 7 out of 12 months, and the inside temperature is likely to be 5 to 10 deg C higher than that. Evaporative cooling takes advantage of the cooler outdoor temperatures to offset the heat inside the building.

Given that studies show that productivity falls by 10% when working temperatures are over 24 deg C (falling more still as it gets even hotter), and that a worker is 23% more likely to make a mistake or have an accident at these temperatures, heat is a bigger problem for businesses in the UK than most people imagine.

The HSE requires businesses to consider working temperatures when carrying out risk assessments, and our approved installers can help you with that.

If this system uses water, can’t you catch Legionnaires’ disease from it?

No, because the way the system works is fundamentally different to a cooling tower, and that means that the conditions required for legionella cannot exist. There are also control safeguards built into the system to prevent the unexpected.

However, because it is a wet system, a risk assessment is required, and any of our approved installers can help you prepare one.

How much does it cost to run?

On a hot summer day, a single unit costs about 10p per hour to run, using typical industrial utility costs.

A conventional air conditioner of the same capacity would typically cost 45p per hour to run.

Do the coolers clean the air?

Yes, the pad will filter out larger particles such as dust or pollen, and additional filters can be added if required.

Will I get condensation in my building?

No, provided that the design is based on a balanced ventilation scheme. All of our approved installers are trained to design evaporative cooling systems to the highest standards.