GLOSSARY
Cooling Pad
A cooling pad is a corrugated-paper or plastic matrix wetted with water, used in evaporative coolers and greenhouse ventilation. Unlike high-pressure mist, cooling pads run at low pressure and need a large fan to push warm air through the saturated medium.
Also known as: Evaporative pad · Cellulose pad · Swamp cooler pad
How cooling pads work
Warm dry air is pulled by an axial fan through a continuously wetted cellulose or PVC matrix. A fraction of the water evaporates into the airstream, cooling it before it exits into the conditioned space. Typical temperature drop: 6–10 °C, with significant humidity increase (often 80 %+ at outlet).
Cooling pad vs high-pressure mist
| Dimension | Cooling pad | High-pressure mist |
|---|---|---|
| Pressure | 0.5–2 bar | 70 bar |
| Surface | Wets pads + air | Air only |
| Install | Fixed wall, 1 direction | Line-of-nozzle, 360° |
| Outdoor | Poor (needs envelope) | Excellent |
| Humidity | 80 %+ outlet | Ambient + 5–15 % |
Where cooling pads make sense in Indonesia
Industrial warehouses in Jakarta KBN, Bekasi, and Surabaya SIER still use pad-and-fan systems for open factories and greenhouses where humidity is not a constraint. For open-air hospitality (restaurants, villas, beach clubs), high-pressure mist is the correct choice because it does not flood the space with humid air.