Evaporative Cooler

An evaporative cooler (also swamp cooler, desert cooler, and wet air cooler) is a device that cools air through the evaporation of water. Evaporative cooling differs from typical air conditioning systems which use vapor-compression or absorption refrigeration cycles. Evaporative cooling works by employing water's large enthalpy of vaporization. The temperature of dry air can be dropped significantly through the phase transition of liquid water to water vapor (evaporation), which can cool air using much less energy than refrigeration. In extremely dry climates, evaporative cooling of air has the added benefit of conditioning the air with more moisture for the comfort of building occupants. Unlike closed-cycle refrigeration, evaporative cooling requires a water source, and must continually consume water to operate.

Air washers and wet cooling towers use the same principles as evaporative coolers but are designed for purposes other than directly cooling the air inside a building. For example, an evaporative cooler may be designed to cool the coils of a large air conditioning or refrigeration system to increase its efficiency.