Should I use mist fans or fixed mist lines to cool my outdoor area?

Often the hardest part of selecting an outdoor cooling solution is how to structure the system to achieve optimum results for your alfresco customers.

Mistafog has the expertise to design systems that make the best use of both types of cooling elements to attack the heat at its source as well as cool the air inside your alfresco area. The final solution will depend on the layout and structure of your outdoor area.

Often Mistafog will use both types of systems and Alfrescool fans to combat the heat in different parts of your outdoor area. Our low velocity Alfrescool fans are ideal for the more enclosed parts of your premises as they provide both cooling and quicker evaporation of the atomised water particles, and a gentle cooling breeze through the area.

If needed, a fixed line will be used around the perimeter to attack the heat at its source and prevent it from entering the alfresco area. Regardless of which system or combinations of components are used, they are always connected to our high pressure low flow pump, which is used to get the finest possible atomisation of water particles to provide the fastest possible flash evaporation.

How does the system work?

Evaporative cooling, also known as adiabatic cooling, mist cooling or fogging is a well-established method of cooling air. For the atomised water particles to evaporate it needs to use heat energy from the air. As this energy is taken from the surrounding air, the air temperature is reduced. Evaporation is aided by making the mist particles or fog as small as possible, allowing them to evaporate quickly and leaving just cool air.

Mistafog outdoor cooling systems atomise the water down to around 10 microns, requiring very little heat to evaporate the particles; however, with millions of particles, it takes a significant amount of heat from the air.

How do you control the system?

The outdoor cooling system is automatically controlled by the computerised control box, which will adjust the runtime and stop times according to the temperature and amount of mist that can be evaporated in the air at that temperature.

For example, far more mist could be evaporated into the air and more heat extracted from the air at 36°C than it could at 26°C, so the system could run much longer in each cycle and will need a shorter off time. Also, at higher temperatures, the water particles will evaporate quicker. It can also be programmed to run only during certain hours and certain days of the week according to your requirements.

Will the nozzles block up over time?

All Mistafog outdoor cooling systems come with filtration to remove any impurities from the water, which means only clean water will be atomised through the nozzles. Even with filtered water, over time there will be some amount of calcium build-up within the nozzles; therefore, it is necessary to get the system serviced once a year, usually in the off season, which includes replacing the nozzles so the system will be ready for activation on the first hot day in spring or summer.

Where does Mistafog operate?

We have installed systems in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Adelaide, Perth, Canberra and Hobart, but we can supply and install anywhere in Australia.

Architecture & Design Team

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