Swamp Cooler - How to choose the right size for a really cool piece The swamp cooler is becoming increasingly popular as a cost effective way to cool or an auto shop. They are not based on the standard cooling process to produce cold air. A swamp cooler uses typical good old fashion evaporation to cool the air in a room. This evaporation process is both energy efficient and easy on the environment. swamp coolers have been used for decades in dry, desert areas where they work best, but you can also see these units behind the bench of your favorite team in the warm months in September. auto shops have also started to use them as an inexpensive way to keep their shops and mechanics cooler more productive. However, there may be some confusion about how they work and how to choose the right size swamp cooler.
The temperature of the air leaving a swamp cooler obviously depends on the temperature and humidity of the air goes in. A swamp cooler can provide air at ease in a wide variety of typical summertime temperature and moisture.
In addition to dropping the air temperature, evaporative cooling offers an additional cooling benefit. The constant movement of air created by the blower - the cooling breeze it creates, if you will - makes the occupants of a room feel 4-6 degrees cooler than the actual temperature. The same effect you feel when you turn on a ceiling fan or a simple window fan. For this reason, the "effective temperature" created by an evaporative cooler feel 4-6 degrees cooler than the temperature indicated on the map.
An added benefit of evaporative cooling is that it works better in the heat of the day. As the outside temperature rises as the sun rises, the moisture content normally decreases. In the morning, for example, the temperature can be 70 degrees with a relative humidity of 60 percent. In the afternoon, when temperatures soared to 90 degrees, humidity may well have fallen to 30 percent - conditions that make the swamp cooler to work more efficiently.
For a swamp cooler to cool effectively, it must be the appropriate size for the job. A small portable unit, for example, will not be enough to cool a large room.
Although the production of air conditioners are classified in BTU (British Thermal Units), portable evaporative coolers are ordered by CFM (cubic feet per minute of air cooler can blow into your house).
Whether for a single room or an entire house, there is a simple formula to determine the appropriate size of a swamp cooler you need. Figure cubic feet of space that you want to cool, then divide that number by two. The quotient will give you the CFM rating for the evaporative air cooler right size.
For example, if you have a 1,500 square foot home with 8 foot ceiling height:
1,500 x 8 = 12,000 cubic feet
12.000% 2 = 6,000 CFM required
Now you are armed with the right information to choose the right swamp cooler for you. However, this formula is not always necessary or work for you. A good example is a large machine shop. The actual area is huge, but do not be deterred from buying a swamp cooler. Many auto shops to buy a camera and aim directly on the work of a mechanic. The engineer always gets the benefit of the fresh air of the swamp cooler, even if it is not cooling the whole workshop. Another good example is a football team using one in an open stadium. They are obviously not trying to cool the entire stadium, only gamers.
Posted on March 24, 2010.