With the implementation of the European Green Deal, companies must rethink production processes to increasingly reduce CO2 emissions into the atmosphere. This aspect also includes the way in which factories and large environments are cooled and ventilated.
In this case, adiabatic cooling represents the ideal solution for consciously cooling workspaces without further impacting the environment.
Nevertheless, many entrepreneurs and production managers remain skeptical of this alternative to classic air conditioning systems. Their main concerns stem from a lack of knowledge on the subject and the difficulty of considering solutions different from those they are used to seeing daily.
In this article, we address the main doubts about evaporative cooling that are very often presented to us, providing a clear and detailed response to dissolve every uncertainty.
Table of contents
Adiabatic cooling creates humidity
One of the misconceptions about adiabatic cooling is that it creates humidity within workspaces, turning the indoor climate into a “subtropical” one, harmful to workers' health.
Adiabatic cooling, basing its operation on the natural principle of water evaporation, enriches the air with the right percentage of humidity, making it breathable, healthy, and not too dry. The air produced by classic air conditioning systems is excessively dry and therefore harmful to health, as it causes an annoying sensation of dry eyes, which in the long run can cause sore throats, colds, and a consequent reduction in productivity.
Furthermore, please remember that cooling systems work optimally with doors and windows open, which allow for continuous air exchange.
Focus on mechanical workshops
In mechanical workshops where metal processing, including precision work, is carried out, it is often believed that coolers cannot be installed because they create humidity and a “subtropical” climate within the work environment. It is also believed that condensation can form on metal components, damaging them and causing them to rust over time.
It is important to emphasize that the percentage of humidity exiting the diffuser into the environment, directly connected to the external cooler, is not what actually reaches the ground. In fact, it mixes with the lower humidity present in the environment at that moment, resulting in an intermediate value at ground level that is entirely negligible for both machinery and metal components.
In addition, it should be specified that, under normal conditions, condensation forms when a cold component is moved into a hot and humid environment. In the case of the metal components in question, they are already inside a warm environment, so there is no change of state, simply a reduction in temperature with a slight increase in humidity.
Evaporative cooling is not sustainable
Evaporative cooling uses the natural principle of water evaporation to cool the air. In fact, it does not use any refrigerant gas, which are among the main contributors to the greenhouse effect.
Furthermore, adiabatic cooling requires a significantly lower amount of electricity for its operation compared to traditional air conditioning systems, equal to a 75–85% reduction in electricity demand compared to a refrigeration system. Electricity is used only for the operation of the fan. This results in significant energy savings and, consequently, economic savings!
Many may think that adiabatic cooling wastes a lot of water, without considering that during the evaporation process, the water is not wasted but evaporates, returning to the environment through natural processes, such as precipitation, fog, and other similar phenomena. Once returned to the environment, it will again be part of the hydrological cycle.
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Adiabatic cooling is not effective in a humid climate
The performance of adiabatic cooling systems depends strictly on external air conditions and, in particular, on the relative humidity of the air.
In fact, a high humidity rate limits the “amount of heat” that can be removed through the air-water exchange. Although one might think that air humidity values during summer days are high, this is not always true; on the contrary: an increase in air temperature always corresponds to a decrease in the humidity rate. The cooling system therefore operates in favorable conditions.
On the rare days when external humidity values remain high even during daylight hours, the cooler's performance is slightly limited, and the thermal drop to which the “treated” air is subject is only a few degrees. However, the contribution provided by the system in terms of perceived heat remains significant. In such extreme conditions, lowering the ambient temperature by a few degrees still provides evident benefits in terms of comfort, psychophysical well-being of workers, and safety.
Another fundamental aspect to consider is that, as the external temperature varies, the energy consumption for effective operation remains unchanged. This does not happen with classic air conditioning systems, where as the external temperature rises, the consumption of electricity used for their operation increases.
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Evaporative cooling lowers the temperature by only a few degrees
As mentioned in the previous lines, the efficiency of an evaporative cooling system depends on external climatic conditions, primarily the percentage of humidity present in the air.
Based on this concept, we can understand how an incoming flow of dry and hot air (therefore devoid of humidity) is much easier to cool than hot and humid air.
With this premise, we can state that, by passing through an evaporative cooler, external air at 32°C with a humidity level of 45% can be cooled by as much as 8–10°C, entering the work environment at a temperature of approximately 24°C.
A considerable reduction that increases comfort and well-being within work environments, consequently also increasing employee productivity and safety.
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Cooling is not healthy
Adiabatic cooling mainly uses fresh outdoor air and water to cool. Many people think that the cooling process is not healthy, as the air collected from outside can potentially be rich in bacteria. Adding to their skepticism is the presence of water, which passes through the evaporative panels. It is believed that these panels, by remaining wet, represent the ideal place for the proliferation of mold and bacteria.
While these concerns may be founded in some cases, it is essential to know that evaporative coolers are equipped with dust filters, useful for blocking the entry of pollen and other potentially harmful substances present in the air.
Cooling systems are also equipped with a water ozonation system, an indispensable device for keeping the water healthy and preventing the proliferation of viruses and bacteria within the water tank.
Finally, the coolers perform an auto-wash cycle at regular intervals with programmable frequency to ensure the cleanliness of the evaporating panels and the cooling circuit.
When the cooler is turned off, an additional wash and drain cycle is performed to prevent water stagnation. This repetitive process prevents the crystallization of minerals and eliminates the proliferation of mold and bacteria within the system, ensuring the emission of fresh and healthy air.
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Adiabatic cooling can cause Legionella
Legionella is a bacterium capable of surviving in water, especially if stagnant; it causes a disease transmitted through the air that mainly affects the respiratory system with various forms of pneumonia.
The spread of this bacterium occurs through the atomization of potentially “contaminated” water: the droplets transported into the environment become the vector for transporting spores.
The objective of ozonation is therefore to prevent the proliferation of bacterial colonies, ensuring that the contents of the tank remain constantly sanitized and that no pathogenic components are spread into the cooled environment.
This means that in environments where a correctly maintained evaporative cooling system is present, personnel run no risk of Legionellosis.
Furthermore, please remember that performing correct pre- and post-seasonal maintenance of the coolers, in addition to verifying their integrity, serves precisely to prevent the proliferation of these bacteria.
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Conclusion
In conclusion, evaporative cooling represents a sustainable, efficient, and safe solution for cooling work environments. Thanks to its ability to reduce temperatures without negatively impacting the environment and workers' health, this system offers numerous advantages over traditional air conditioning systems. Dispelling the false myths associated with this type of system is essential to allow companies to make more informed choices in line with the objectives of the European Green Deal.
If you are interested in discovering how evaporative cooling can improve the comfort and efficiency of your work environment, protecting the health and safety of workers while simultaneously increasing their productivity, please do not hesitate to contact us.
