Märkäjäähdytystä

Märkäjäähdytystä, known in English as evaporative cooling, is a process that cools air through the evaporation of water. As water evaporates, it absorbs heat from the surrounding air, thus lowering the air's temperature. This method is often used in arid and semi-arid climates where humidity levels are low.

The principle behind evaporative cooling is simple thermodynamics. When water molecules transition from a liquid to a gaseous state, they require energy, which they draw from the air in the form of heat. This energy absorption leads to a decrease in the air temperature. The effectiveness of evaporative cooling is inversely proportional to the humidity of the air; the drier the air, the more efficient the cooling process.

Evaporative coolers, often referred to as swamp coolers, are devices that implement this principle. They typically consist of a fan that draws warm, dry air through a water-saturated pad. As the air passes through the pad, water evaporates, cooling the air. The fan then circulates this cooler, more humidified air into a space. Compared to traditional air conditioning systems that use refrigerants and compressors, evaporative coolers generally consume less energy and do not contribute to the release of greenhouse gases. They also add moisture to the air, which can be beneficial in dry environments. However, in humid conditions, their cooling capacity is significantly reduced, and they can lead to an undesirable increase in indoor humidity.