Direct evaporative cooling from wetted surfaces: Challenges for a clean air conditioning solution

Evaporative cooling has a major role to play in fighting climate change and achieving low-carbon economy. As it helps reduce energy demand for air conditioning, is gaining attention terms of improving efficiency buildings. from wetted media can enhance water–air contact, thereby heat mass transfer further avoiding aerosols. Wetted are commonly called evaporative pads widely used greenhouses, intensive livestock farming, industrial facilities. However, deep understanding pad performance their application indoor occupied spaces such as residential or commercial cooling, hybrid conditioning systems. Most studies analyze mainly pressure drop saturation effectiveness. some propose alternative parameters others provide insights into key aspects power requirements the coefficient performance, water consumption, risk entrainment, material decay, quality, well effect temperature salinity, solar radiation, wind speed. Existing results on these less studied issues reviewed, we identify gaps literature addition highlighting main challenges encountered, an effort guide future researchers field direct cooling. This article categorized under: Energy Efficiency > Systems Infrastructure Analysis