TIME TO CHILL

It's Las Vegas. It's August, and it's hot. What were you expecting, a pleasant ocean breeze to cool you off after a day in the sun? About the closest anyone can get to an ocean breeze around here is the cocktail ocean breeze; it doesn't necessarily cool you off, but two of them will help you forget you live in the desert.

All is not lost, however, thanks to Rapid Cool Misting Systems -- an alternative technology for cooling both outdoor and indoor spaces.

According to owner Jerry Rike, Rapid Cool can be found misting away at Las Vegas Valley restaurants, The Mirage swimming pool, the Premium Outlet Mall downtown and in backyards throughout Green Valley and Summerlin. The key to the technology is that unlike traditional, low-pressure misting systems that actually wet the body, Rapid Cool relies upon a mist of ultra-fine water that is sprayed into the atmosphere.

"It's referred to as flash evaporation," explained Rike. "The system takes water droplets and flash evaporates them into the air. As the water evaporates, heat is taken out of the air and this in turn lowers the air temperature. I tell people that if the system is properly installed, it can drop the air temperature as much as 25 degrees. So, if you're on your patio at night and it's 92 degrees, once the system goes on, either by remote control or on a timer, the temperature around you will drop to 70 degrees. And the best part is there is no residual moisture left on outdoor furniture, or on your glasses."

J.C. Davis, public information coordinator for Southern Nevada Water Authority, said there are no restrictions on misters for homeowners, and for commercial businesses, restrictions vary within jurisdictions and time of day.

Dennis Blagg operates Sin City Misting. He was a hydraulic engineer in the Navy for 20 years, and for the past 14 years has been installing misting systems in Southern Nevada. He cautions against installing low-pressure misting systems that are basically drip systems.

"To me, it is basic physics in sizing the area for the feed line, flow and distance," he explained. "In it's simplest form, the system incorporates a high-pressure (1,000 psi) pumping module and an impeller driven nozzle to produce water droplets that are 10 microns or smaller and immediately evaporate into the air. I suggest mounting the system 8 to 10 feet off the ground, and if it needs to go higher, I compensate by increasing nozzle density. Remember, cool air drops and warm air rises. So, with the system above you, you'll feel a difference as soon as that cool air drops."

Misting systems work best in low humidity areas such as Nevada, Arizona and New Mexico. Blagg said 85 degrees to 115 degrees Fahrenheit is ideal when combined with a humidity of below 40 percent. Above 90 percent humidity is marginal and 40 percent to 90 percent humidity ranks only as good. The drop in temperature varies depending on climate conditions and the amount of mist evaporated into air.

In higher humidity areas, Blagg installs a misting fan or a fog system.

"I have customers in South Florida, where this works very well," he said. "Fog systems include a length of tubing attached to, or incorporated into, a fan with specially designed fog nozzles and a high-pressure pump that increases water pressure. Fog introduced into an air flow, such as a fan, is much more conducive to evaporation and therefore can continue to cool even in humid environments."

When used in an enclosed environment, the system will initially create cooling. Over time, high levels of humidity can be artificially created and maintained. This is especially useful for greenhouse propagation, removal of static electricity in electronics production facilities, or removal of dust and odors for many industrial and agricultural applications.

Blagg is busy these days installing misting systems at taverns being redesigned to comply with the Nevada Clean Indoor Air Act that prohibits smoking in places that serve food.

"Many of these places are building outdoor patios so their customers can step outside and enjoy a smoke," said Blagg. "They can't afford to install large air filtration systems and misting is efficient. Each nozzle only uses .025 gallons a minute. Every time you flush a toilet, it's like using 100 nozzles."

While the misters come in a variety of materials, the strongest are stainless steel combined with stainless steel fittings that prevent bursting. A variety of filters can be added to eliminate various water solids and contaminants.

Rapid Cool units range in price from $1,100 to $5,000, depending on homeowners' specifications. Other products, such as vinyl misting systems, are available at hardware stores for around $100.

For more information on Rapid Cool Misting Systems, visit www.rapidcool.net; for Sin City Misting, log on to www.sincitymisting.com or call 453-6478.