History Of The Evaporative Cooling Phenomenon
The ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans used wet mats (what we would call cooling pads today) to cool indoor air. They hung the mats over the doors of their tents and other dwellings. When wind blew through the mats, evaporation of the water cooled the air inside. The people of India later used this method to cool the royal palaces.During the 1500’s the first mechanical fan was built to provide ventilation. In 1800, textile manufacturers in New England began using water evaporative systems to condition the air in their mills. The systems consisted of large “cooling towers” with fans that transported the water-cooled air inside buildings.In 1939 “swamp cooler” type devices were produced and presented relief from heat for homes and facilities. They cooled the temperature on certain days, when the relative humidity was low, around 8 degrees.