Current Status, Challenges, and Opportunities of Evaporative Cooling for Building Indoor Thermal Comfort Using Water as a Refrigerant: A Review

Abstract

This study presents a review of advances made in evaporative cooling technologies, emphasizing their application in indoor thermal comfort. It highlights that the rising demand for cooling has primarily been met by conventional mechanical vapor compression systems. However, these systems face two significant issues: high electrical energy requirements and the use of refrigerants like chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), which contribute to ozone layer depletion and global warming. The findings indicate that evaporative cooling technology is a promising alternative due to its low energy demand and potential to integrate renewable energy, therefore enhancing its environmental benefits. The study also details various evaporative cooling technologies, recent improvements in their performance, practical applications, challenges, and opportunities for providing indoor thermal comfort.