stickboy1375
Senior Member
- Location
- Litchfield, CT
Bob, I intentionally didn't put a smiley face after my comment to see what your reply would be... but heres a smiley for you now...:grin:
210.63 questions
- Thread starter celtic
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LarryFine
Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
- Location
- Henrico County, VA
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor
Of course, the water becomes vapor and enters the air, guys. 
The point is that it's not dampening the air that cools it, it's the energy absorbed by the process of converting water into water vapor. This is similar to the mistaken belief that rain cools the air; on the contrary, cooling the air causes rain.
If you boil water in a pan on the stove, the water (relatively) slowly absorbs heat ebergy as it apporoaches 212F or 100C. Once reaching that temperature, a (again, relatively) tremendous amount of energy is absorbed in the conversion process while the water temperature remains constant.
Only once the water has all evaporated will the pan temperature now begin heating above the boiling point. This is also why you can boil water in a paper cup even over an open flame. By the way, the conversion of ice to water has the same properties. Ice cools more by melting than simply being a cold object.
Oh, and thanks for the kudos.
The point is that it's not dampening the air that cools it, it's the energy absorbed by the process of converting water into water vapor. This is similar to the mistaken belief that rain cools the air; on the contrary, cooling the air causes rain.If you boil water in a pan on the stove, the water (relatively) slowly absorbs heat ebergy as it apporoaches 212F or 100C. Once reaching that temperature, a (again, relatively) tremendous amount of energy is absorbed in the conversion process while the water temperature remains constant.
Only once the water has all evaporated will the pan temperature now begin heating above the boiling point. This is also why you can boil water in a paper cup even over an open flame. By the way, the conversion of ice to water has the same properties. Ice cools more by melting than simply being a cold object.
Oh, and thanks for the kudos.
- Location
- Massachusetts
Larry I also think you bring a lot to the forum.
Would the air be cooled without the addition of water into the air?
No.
It certainly is the process of evaporation that cools the air but the air can not be cooled without raising the humidity at the same time.
So when jmd445 said "a swamp cooler adds moisture to the air to cool the space" it is essentially correct.
No different than saying that gasoline makes an engine run when it is actually the combustion of the fuel and the expansion of the gases that move the piston.
LarryFine said:Of course, the water becomes vapor and enters the air, guys.
Would the air be cooled without the addition of water into the air?
No.
It certainly is the process of evaporation that cools the air but the air can not be cooled without raising the humidity at the same time.
So when jmd445 said "a swamp cooler adds moisture to the air to cool the space" it is essentially correct.
No different than saying that gasoline makes an engine run when it is actually the combustion of the fuel and the expansion of the gases that move the piston.
LarryFine
Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
- Location
- Henrico County, VA
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor
Okay, everyone, who's being pickier, me or Bob?
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