Dry Mist Testing in the Carribean, Camana Bay, Cayman Islands, BOT
On a request of Dart Development on how to improve the outdoor comfort in the streets and courtyards of Camana Bay a lively waterfront town on the Cayman Islands during the hot and humid summer month Transsolar proposed to improve thermal outdoor comfort by Dry Mist Technology. To evaluate the viability of the dry mist cooling technology in the Caribbean climate, Transsolar designed 6 customized and portable Dry Mist fans for testing in Camana Bay. The Fans were optimized for noise, energy efficiency, flow stream and thermal comfort improvement.
Water misting fans are nothing new, but the fans being tested in Camana Bay and the Kimption Seafire Resort and Spa a luxury beachfront resort are different: they’re Dry Mist fans. Combining the words “Dry” and “Mist” might seem like a contradiction in terms, but the technology used creates a mist that feels dry. Water is pushed with high pressure through a nozzle with a very small aperture. The resulting mist is so fine it evaporates very soon after emerging from the fan and from as close as two feet away, it feels dry. The process of evaporation lowers the temperature in front of the fans with much less energy than traditional air-cooling technology.
The Dry Mist System has been implemented in different program areas to familiarize with the technology and design techniques and to observe people’s perception and response. The response from the visitors exposed to the Dry Mist System was very positive. Visitors enjoyed the comfortable conditions provided by the Dry Mist system. The system provided a relief of the hot and humid conditions, especially in wind sheltered areas. Several visitors noted that – in contrast to their experience with other misting systems - they didn’t get wet or sprinkled by water droplets but perceived a cold refreshing breeze comparable to the ‘Christmas breeze’ they get in Winter.
In addition to visitor’s response the performance of the Dry Mist System was measured in terms of the bio climatic comfort parameter Universal Thermal Climatic Index (UTCI) which verified to comfort enhancement.
