GLOSSARY
Micron (Droplet Size)
A micron (µm) is one-millionth of a meter. In mist cooling, droplet size is the critical performance metric: professional systems produce droplets under 10 microns that evaporate without wetting surfaces; cheap misters produce 50–200 micron droplets that do wet surfaces.
Also known as: Micrometer · µm
Why droplet size matters
Human skin perceives wetness only when droplets are large enough to land intact. Below ~15 microns, droplets evaporate mid-air before reaching skin or surfaces. At 5–10 microns, evaporation is near-instant even in humid conditions.
Professional mist cooling targets sub-10-micron output consistently. The combination of high pump pressure (70+ bar) and precise nozzle orifice (0.15–0.3 mm) achieves this.
Comparison table
| Droplet size | Pressure range | Application | Wets surfaces? |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50–200 µm | 3–10 bar | Irrigation, industrial spray | Yes |
| 15–50 µm | 10–30 bar | Greenhouse humidification | Partially |
| 5–15 µm | 40–70 bar | Outdoor cooling | No |
| <5 µm | 70–100 bar | Commercial humidification, propagation | No |
MistSystem’s 70-bar installations produce 5–10 micron droplets — dry-cooling range.