Evaporative Cooling: How They Work

There’s a new breed of swamp cooler available. They’re called "Supercoolers"! They’re sleek and low profile. They have the look of a professional piece of equipment, with no metal pans to rust. In fact, nothing inside these machines that touches water is metal! The case is a tough, 26-gauge metal, and will withstand hailstorms that a fiberglass cooler could never endure. Now you see why they’re called "Supercoolers".

The true beauty of the Supercooler lies in its versatility, indoor air quality, performance, economy and low maintenance!

Why are they so versatile? The Supercooler can be installed on the roof just like a standard cooler. It can also be installed on the ground ducted into a window or wall, or even in an attic or garage where it is virtually out of sight! Air intake on these units is on one side only (as opposed to all 4 sides like old-fashioned swamp coolers), so the only part of the cooler that needs to be outside is the intake side. In a situation where a roof-mounted cooler is either undesirable or unacceptable, the Supercooler comes to the rescue (as long as the attic or garage is tall enough to install the unit inside). A hole is usually cut from the outside and the cooler is installed into the opening. Then it is suspended from the trusses and ducted into the house. Out of sight and out of mind! And you can expect a 20-degree difference in temperature.

Supercoolers were developed by allergists in response to the growing need for evaporative cooling in dry climates, where humidity is a welcome addition, but allergens are not. Supercoolers use a Celdekä media, which is made up of non-organic polymer cellulose that resists mold and mildew. The pattern on the media is such that air is baffled on the way through. The particles that are trapped drop into the water pan (plastic, as you recall) and are flushed out every 5 hours of operation. This means considerably less of the pollutants that irritate allergies and other breathing problems are kept outside where they belong. The result is cleaner air.

As for performance, one of the benefits of the Celdekä media is that the evaporation process is much more complete than with standard coolers. Anyone who has owned a standard cooler knows that not only does the air smell bad (mold and mildew generated by "aspen pads"), but it also has a tendency to get warmer as the pads get older and break down. It takes several years for the polymer cellulose in a Supercooler to break down to the point where there are gaps that allow infiltration of hot air.

This means that Supercoolers deliver 5% cooler air from the start and take several years to lose their efficiency. When they do, all you need to do is replace one pad! It’s that easy. As for other maintenance issues, Pro Series Supercoolers require less cleaning because of the self-cleaning system that is factory installed. They can either be covered in the winter with a canvas cover, or you can simply cover the inlet side with plastic (Remember they’re enclosed except for one side).

Shutting down the Supercooler for the season involves disconnecting the water line, running the cooler for a few minutes to evaporate the water in the pan and shutting off the switch. You don’t have to replace pads twice a year or recoat the cooler pan to keep it from becoming a rust-bucket! Supercoolers also use less water because they use it more efficiently, and the electrical usage is roughly that of a 150-watt bulb.

Here’s the best news—Supercoolers are only slightly more expensive than standard coolers...around $200 more for a base unit. It’s truly a set-it-and-forget-it system.