Introduction to Evaporative Cooling (on-line)

Evaporative Cooling: Technical Briefing

This short guide from the charity Practical Action was recently sent to me by Rhamis Kent of The Permaculture Research Institute. It is a few years old but so clear and useful I thought I'd put it on The Digest. Thanks Rhamis!

Much of the post-harvest loss of fruits and vegetables in developing countries is due to the lack of proper storage facilities. There is therefore an interest in simple low-cost alternatives to powered refrigeration systems. Many of these depend on evaporative cooling. Evaporative cooling occurs when air passes over a wet surface; the faster the rate of evaporation the greater the cooling. This short guide shows you how a range of tried and tested evaporative coolers can be built using simple tools and materials.