Heat, humidity, and stale air can negatively impact productivity and health within work environments. These are places where, in addition to personnel constantly on the move, we find machinery and ovens operating continuously that produce heat themselves. Under these conditions, especially during the summer season, being able to work and maintain constant productivity becomes very difficult.
To recreate an ideal microclimate that protects workers' health, it is possible to choose between two solutions: an air conditioning system or fixed evaporative coolers.
Industrial evaporative coolers are the most effective solution for the summer cooling of large industrial environments, warehouses, storage facilities, commercial and sports environments, laboratories, greenhouses, hangars, and railway workshops.
They represent a valid alternative to traditional air conditioning systems as they have lower costs and do not use any refrigerant gas or f-gas for their operation, which, as we know, are harmful to the environment.
In this article, we will delve into some aspects related to a question often asked by customers and installers: where should the cooler be positioned?
Table of Contents
How evaporative cooling works
Evaporative cooling, also known as adiabatic cooling, utilizes a natural principle of thermodynamics called "adiabatic transformation."
The application of this principle allows for cooling the air through a natural process: water evaporation. The units draw in hot air from the outside, which passes through honeycomb filters soaked in water, gives up part of its heat during the water evaporation process, and lowers its temperature. The cooled air is then introduced into the work environment, managing to lower the perceived temperature inside the facility by up to 10°C.
The absence of refrigeration machines minimizes energy consumption and allows for the treatment of large volumes of air.
Evaporative cooling systems also contribute to:
- improving the psycho-physical well-being of workers;
- increasing productivity;
- increasing safety within work areas by decreasing the probability of accidents;
- renewing the air present in various departments thanks to a continuous intake of fresh air;
Unlike classic air conditioning systems:
- they do not emit CO2 into the environment as they do not use any refrigerant gas or f-gas;
- they operate with doors and windows open: a fundamental aspect in environments where these openings tend to remain open even for considerable periods throughout the day;
Would you like to know more about the differences between a traditional air conditioning system and a cooler? Read more in the dedicated article.
What is the difference between a fan and a cooler?
Discover the main differences between evaporative coolers and traditional air conditioning systems and which solution is best for cooling medium to large industrial facilities.
Factors to consider for the installation of a cooler
Before deciding where to position an evaporative cooler, it is important to take several aspects into consideration. The main ones include:
- what the external temperature is during the summer period and what the internal temperature is;
- the height of the facility and the layout of the air diffusers;
- the number of air changes required based on the type of activity performed;
- what the openings for exhaust air expulsion are;
- the presence of heat sources (machinery, ovens...)
Internal and external temperature
To ensure effective operation of evaporative coolers in industrial warehouses, it is essential to carefully monitor both internal and external temperatures.
The internal temperature represents the climate inside the facility and directly influences worker comfort and the efficiency of production processes.
On the other hand, the external temperature provides the environmental context in which the cooler must operate. An accurate analysis of internal and external temperature variations allows for the proper adjustment of coolers to maintain optimal conditions inside the facility.
Facility height
The height of the facility is another crucial factor to consider in the design of an adiabatic cooling system. Industrial warehouses require evaporative coolers with ventilation capacities that are proportionally high based on the building's height to ensure uniform distribution throughout the space.
An accurate assessment of the facility's height allows for determining the optimal number and arrangement of water coolers to maximize cooling efficiency.
Air change rates
The amount of air changes within the industrial warehouse directly affects air quality and worker comfort. Evaporative coolers contribute to increasing the air change rate through the ventilation process, ensuring a constant intake of fresh air within the work environment. Carefully evaluating the required amount of air changes allows for the correct sizing of the coolers and optimizes the airflow within the warehouse.
Exhaust air outlets
Exhaust air outlets represent a critical aspect in the design of the cooling system. Ensuring that exhaust air can be effectively expelled from the warehouse reduces the risk of moisture buildup and ensures a safe and healthy work environment. The installation of adequate exhaust air outlet points allows for maintaining an optimal balance between the fresh air introduced and the exhaust air expelled by the ventilation system.
Presence of heat sources
Identifying and evaluating heat sources within the work environment is fundamental for determining the position and power of the evaporative coolers. Operating machines, production processes, and other activities can generate heat, increasing the ambient temperature and compromising worker comfort.
Integrating evaporative coolers near heat sources allows for rapidly cooling critical areas and maintaining optimal conditions inside the warehouse. This aspect is important not only for personnel but also for the correct operation of machinery, which could stall due to prolonged overheating at high temperatures.
Where should the cooler be positioned?
The evaporative cooler can be positioned on the roof or on the wall. This choice depends on several factors that we explore below.
Roof-mounted coolers for warehouses
Roof-mounted evaporative coolers are installed on the building's roof: the passage between the exterior and the interior environment occurs mainly through skylights or holes created specifically to allow the passage of the metal duct.
They are ideal in industrial, commercial, sports, and railway environments, as well as livestock farms with a height of less than 6 meters to ensure optimal performance, and they manage to cool a wide area uniformly without dispersion.
Wall-mounted water coolers
Wall-mounted water coolers are the simplest and most efficient solution for cooling industrial and commercial environments with great heights. Often, in fact, such facilities have a height exceeding 6-8 meters and beyond. In these conditions, wall-mounted evaporative coolers can be mounted at the optimal height without creating thermal discomfort within the work environment.
Industrial wall-mounted coolers adapt to different solutions, as it is sufficient to have a window available for the expulsion of exhaust air.
Air distribution systems for evaporative coolers
Another aspect to take into consideration when designing an adiabatic cooling system is the method of air diffusion.
Before deciding on the type of distribution system to use, it is important to consider 3 fundamental aspects:
- Do I want to focus on specific work areas or do I wish to cool the entire facility uniformly?
- What are the geometry and height of the warehouse?
- Are there elements that create interference? (First and foremost, the presence of an overhead crane acting as a barrier)
Answering these 3 questions clearly allows for a precise decision on the most effective solution to use.
Air distribution can occur mainly through three types of elements:
- Multi-outlet overhead diffusers
- Flat wall diffusers
- Micro-perforated fabric ducting
Let's look at the differences in more detail.
Multi-outlet overhead diffusers
- Suitable for coolers installed on the roof or wall
- They are positioned in such a way as to best distribute the intake of large airflows
- Ideal for cooling specific areas of the facility
- They allow for adapting the direction of the airflow by adjusting the positioning of the deflector fins
Flat wall diffusers with double row of adjustable fins
- Suitable for wall-mounted coolers
- Ideal in very high environments where there are significant interferences such as shelving and overhead cranes
- They are positioned in corridors to avoid creating discomfort for personnel
- The fins can be adjusted according to needs
Micro-perforated fabric ducting
- Suitable for wall-mounted coolers
- Ideal in environments with lower heights for uniform airflow distribution
- Custom-designed to ensure correct diffusion
- Optimal in environments where there are many people performing static work
Eucold industrial evaporative cooler
The Eucold evaporative water cooler is the most natural, effective, and economical solution for the summer cooling of medium-to-large industrial facilities, warehouses, hangars, commercial and sports environments, laboratories, and railway workshops.
It ensures fresh and healthy air thanks to the continuous intake of fresh air, saves up to 78% in electricity compared to a traditional air conditioner, and does not use any F-gas for its operation.
Conclusion
Choosing the right positioning for an industrial evaporative cooler is fundamental to achieving maximum temperature reduction, ensuring effective air change, and optimizing system performance throughout the summer season. Correct installation avoids blind spots, unnecessary dispersion, and inefficiencies due to structural obstacles or conflicting airflows.
Evaluating exposure, flow direction, environment volumes, and the distribution of workstations is the key to designing a truly high-performing solution. For this reason, it is always advisable to rely on a technical partner capable of analyzing the warehouse, defining the most strategic intake points, and correctly sizing each machine.
If you are interested in discovering more about Eucold evaporative coolers produced by Carlieuklima and wish to receive a personalized consultation based on your needs, do not hesitate to contact us.
Our team is ready to assist you with a consultation and provide all the necessary information to ensure an optimal work environment. Find out more about our cooling solutions and contact us today!
