DRY MIST SYSTEMS AND ITS IMPACT ON THERMAL COMFORT IN SINGAPORE

Abstract

With increasing Urban Heat Island effect, Singapore must find alternative cooling methods especially for outdoor environments. One solution is the Dry Mist system, that does not cause uncomfortable wet sensations upon contact, due to its small droplet size and strong cohesive forces within the droplet. To identify optimal configurations for the system, experimental studies were conducted in a controlled environment for different variables, and further expanded upon using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) studies. In addition, subjective variables were tested using a Thermal Comfort study to test participants’ perceptions towards the Dry Mist. The results show that cooling is viable in afternoons that are not especially hot nor windy, since mass flow rate is low (1L/hr). Participants also generally found the Dry Mist to be pleasant. This study concludes with a demonstration of how the CFD methods can be used for predictive studies for urban canyons