Misting - Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Will misting wet the surrounding area?
If the system is a) high pressure b) designed properly and c) installed correctly it will NOT wet the surrounding area. The higher the ambient temperature the more efficient mist is at cooling surrounding air. If the system is low pressure, in most circumstances, it will wet the surrounding area.
By how much will mist cooling reduce the temperature?
Up to 120C in the right conditions. On a warm day (300+) we regularly measure temperature drops of 6-100 That means a 340 day will feel like 24-270. The warmer the day the larger the potential drop in temperature from the misting.
Are misting pumps noisy?
Mistify has quiet pumps producing about 50dB for our small pumps and about 55dB for our larger pumps. This about 20dB less that most misting system pumps used in residential environments. You should always ask to hear the pump you are going to purchase before commiting.
Will it work in high humidity?
Yes. Misting will work up to about 90% relative humidity. One interesting fact is that as temperature increases during the day, the relative humidity falls. The morning of a warm day you may observe a temperature of 220 and a relative humidity of 70%, a few hours later the temperature may increase to 320, but relative humidity may have fallen to 40%
What is the cost of a high-pressure misting system from Mistify.com.au?
The cost of a misting systems depends on a) the number of nozzles b) the lengths of the runs and the number of runs containing nozzles c) if fan units are included in the design. Additionally, the area to be misted is relevant, but the perimeter distance where the nozzles are located is more important. A balcony measuring 4 mtrs x 8 mtrs x 4 mtrs will have about 20 nozzles. The kit for this will cost $1750 (incl GST). If Mistify.com.au install the system, it will cost and additional $440 (incl GST)
Why is water droplet size so important?
Droplet size is vital in misting systems. The smaller the droplet size the faster it evaporates, the faster it evaporates the more heat it 'draws' from surrounding air and the less chance of landing on a table and wetting it. It is all dependent on surface area. For example, the surface area of a 4cm cube of jelly is 96mm2 (six faces times 16cm2 per face), if the 4 cm cube of jelly is split up into 1 cm cubes of jelly there are 64 of them and each 1 cm cube has a surface area of 6cm2. Total of 384cm2 or four times the surface area but the same total volume of jelly. When the water droplet size is reduced from 40-50 microns down to 3-7 microns the surface area increases substantially therefore is far superiour for efficient evaportive cooling, without wetting the surroundings. In summary, high pressure misting systems are far superior to low pressure misting systems for cooling outdoors, creating a pleasent environment and for water efficiency.
What is included in the cost of a misting systems from Mistify.com.au
The Pump
All hose and connections from the garden tap to the pump and to the misting line
Stainless mesh inlet water filter
All connecting tube (stainless steel or nylon depending on the kit and/or the order request), connectors, nozzles, elbows and tees (all fittings are push-on, so very easily installed)
Pipe hangers
(fan Units if ordered)
Design service (over the phone/email) to help with layout and choice of all fittings required
User manual / Installation Guide
Can I install a misting system myself?
Yes. Mistify systems are designed for DIY installation if you are a little handy. We offer help to design the system and as part of this service we custom cut the tube to your nominated length (included in the purchase price of the misting kit). The installation is about attaching the pipe and fittings to your building or structure and attaching power and water to the pump
Who should install the misting system if I choose not to DIY.
Any handy man, tradie, ex tradie, or someone who does good quality maintenance around the house. There are three parts to the install; installing the nozzles and 6.4mm tube that carries water to the nozzles, attaching the water line to the pump and finally attach the water supply from a standard tap to the pump. Plug it into a standard 230V outlet and you are ready to go.
Do I need misting fans or misting nozzles?
A Misting system can consist of nozzles only, fans only or a combination.
Nozzles or linear systems normally involve several nozzles inserted in a run of tube with special fittings. The nozzles are virtually silent and deliver a large quantity of mist. The nozzle is capably of projecting mist about 2+ metres in still conditions. Often fans are added behind the nozzles and this blows the mist to where the fan is directed. Fans direct and project mist to about 4-6 metres (or further for stronger fans, but the fans tend to be noisy). Mistify has developed a cross flow fan (like the type used in air conditioners) that is adjustable in speed. This gives control over where the mist is directed. Our fans can be used in conjunction with linear misting to direct the mist to where it is required and creates the greatest cooling effect. Mistify fans can be used outdoors or in enclosed spaces. The reason we use crossflow fans is they are almost silen
What is the difference between a low pressure and high pressure system?
A low-pressure system relies on water from your tap (in Australian state capitals that is normally between 2-6 BAR or 20psi and 60psi). A Low pressure system create larger water droplet size (>40u) that do not readily “flash” evaporate which is what creates the cooling effect. These low pressure devices typically spray hydration without having the ability to generate fine mist for increased cooling benefits. They often wet the surrounding area.
A high-pressure system as supplied by Mistify.com.au, operates at about 70-80 BAR. This pressure creates very small droplets (less than 10 microns) which flash evaporate before the droplet has descended onto horizontal surfaces or he ground. Mistify.com.com nozzles do not operate at all below 35 BAR – water simply does not come out of the nozzles. High pressure misting systems are vastly superior to low pressure systems when it comes to cooling.
How do misting systems work?
This is a large subject and warrants its own article. See “How misting systems work” at Mistify.com.au
What type of tube is used to connect the nozzles to the pump?
Mistify.com.au normally uses one of two systems; 316 stainless steel seamless tube 9.52mm diameter with a wall thickness of 0.91mm or copper tube 9.52mm diameter with 0.91mm wall thickness. Both the stainless steel and copper tube is annealed.
What material are the fittings made from?
Our fittings are made from brass and in most cases are nickel plated. The nickel plating gives an appearance which is indistinguishable from stainless steel
What is a recycle timer and what us is it.
A recycle timer allows for the pump to be turned on for a period of time and then turned off for a short period after which it turns on again and so on. Recycle timers are used to a) rest the pump and b) pause the mist to avoid humidity build up. This pausing has only a marginal affect on temperature while helping to reduce humidity levels. A cycle may be 15 minutes on and 3-4 minutes off.
How fine are the nozzles?
The nozzles that Mistify uses are 0.15mm in diameter. The finer the nozzle the finer the mist, the more efficient the cooling effect. Our nozzles produce a droplet size of around 3-7 microns (1 micron = 1 millionth of a metre), a human hair on average is about 50 microns.
Is the nozzle just a small hole in a piece of metal?
Far from it. Mistify nozzles are about 40mm long and each nozzle has 11 components as follows (starting from where it screws into the fitting in the misting line)
A clever little seal that prevents leaking
A brass body that is nickel plated (or Stainless Steel)
A very small filter with a tiny thread one end
A threaded intermediate body that hold the filter and anti-drip device
The anti-drip device consisting of a plug and spring
A holder for the anti-drip device
A ceramic nozzle with the 0.15mm orifice
A screw cap that hold the nozzle to the body.
What if the nozzle stops working (pumping mist)?
It will almost certainly be a blocked filter either the primary inlet filter or a nozzle filter. You can try flushing the filter but if it is too clogged, replace it. Mistify keeps spare nozzle filters in stock and they are only about $2 each. To get to the filter simply unscrew the top half of the nozzle and you will see the small black filter.
How much water does a nozzle eject?
A 0.15mm nozzle puts out about 30mls of water per minute at 800 psi. This means it takes about 12 minutes to fill a standard soft drink can of 375mls.
What spacing are the nozzles?
The normal spacing of nozzles is 750mm. Closer spacing than this is possible but creates a lot of mist and increases the propensity for moisture on horizontal surrounding surfaces. Spacing much greater than 750 mm results in lesser of a cooling effect. When Fan modules are introduced, they are normally used to project mist to a specific area thus tend to be on a case by case basis.
Are replacement nozzles available
Mistify sells a full range of misting systems parts, including nozzles. See the website for prices.
Can a run or line of misters be taken offline from misting?
Yes, with the addition of a ball valve in the line. As an example having a line that runs off the main system and into a pool area where several nozzles face upwards to create cooling stations. The swimming pool line is isolated with a ball valve.
Can an installed system be added on to?
In most cases the answer is yes. The dependency is the pump. If the pump will handle the additional nozzles, it is easily done. Mistify carries a full range of “T” elbows, gate valves, joiners, end stops and fan modules.
How useful are Misting Fan Modules
The short answer is very useful. Fan modules provide better directional control over where the mist is projected. A cautionary note on fan modules (and misting nozzles): having a stream of mist directly impact a wall or object will cause moisture. The objective of a misting system is to have mist evaporate before it strikes anything. It is the process of evaporation that creates the cooling effect.
Mistify fan modules have infinitely variable air flow adjustment from 0 to full speed.
This is a big deal as it allows mist projection without over projection.
Can fan modules be added to an existing installed system?
Yes, provided the pump has the capacity. As fan modules are very efficient two or three fan modules may be all that is required. Mistify normally designs systems (withy the help of clients) that have headroom for additional nozzles.
How many nozzles in a fan module?
Two. Connection to the misting line is via a tee piece to the fan module.
Misting Fans Vs Misting Lines
The two most accepted mist applications are the misting line and the misting fan. The mist line is comprised of a series of misting nozzles in-line with one-another. This creates a curtain of mist which will cool the air. A mist line relies on nature’s movement of air to cool the surrounding areas. A mist line is usually installed around a perimeter of a building or in an open (non-covered area). Mist lines will produce an ambient temperature drop of about 5-10 degrees. A Misting Fan directs the misting in a planned direction. By introducing a directed stream of mist laden air the cooling effect is being “turbo charged” it aids in additional evaporative cooling. Fans add a few additional degrees of cooling additional to a misting line. Often the best solution is a combination of linear misting combined with appropriately placed fan modules.
What size area will the mist cooling system cover?
This is a very difficult question to answer because of the number of variable. Perimeter measurements are a better guide. An 8mtr x 4mtr balcony is 32m2 and this is handled by 20 nozzles around the perimeter (4mts – 8mtrs – 4mtrs) spaced between around 750mm between nozzles. For additional cooling effect fan modules may be added facing inwards.
Does the pump require power?
Yes, the pump uses standard 230V/50Hz power. The pump to drive 40 nozzles uses 180 watts. Mistify does have more powerful and less powerful pumps ranging from 8 nozzles to 60 nozzles.
What about the pump?
The pump unit is attached directly to a 230V motor. It is a variable rate, three piston axial pump that can develop a working pressure of 70 BAR (70 times atmospheric pressure) which is approximately 1000 psi or 7000 Kilopascals. The pressure of the pump can be varied, the lower the pressure the less flow of water to the misting nozzles. Our patented nozzles are designed to be most efficient at 800psi which is the pressure that produces the smallest droplet size (3-7um). This level of pressure is required to force the water through the nozzle to atomise water into such small droplet sizes
For an explanation on Axial Pump see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEpQFZ5BG8c
How many nozzles will a pump drive?
It depends on the size of the nozzles, but normally Mistify uses either 0.15 nozzles. Our pumps support nozzle configurations of approximately 8 nozzles, 15 nozzles and 60 nozzles. We can supply pumps that will support up to 200 nozzles.
Does the system have water filters?
Mistify.com.au high pressure misting systems require filters (that are supplied with our kits)
Two types of filters Water inlet filter and nozzle filter. The water inlet filter is 125mm filter that sits between the water supply. It is only subject the normal tap water pressure (2-6 BAR). The filter element is replaceable. Nozzle filters – each nozzle has a tiny filter to stop nozzle clogging. These are replaceable (cost $2.00). Mistify offers a Maintenance kit which contains a 125mm Filter element and 25 nozzle filters and pre-measured oil for gearbox at a cost of $ (44+cost of 125mm Element + oil and squeeze bottle + Allan key)
Does the system require servicing?
Yes, some maintenance is required. The pump has a gearbox that contains oil and this needs to be changed every 250 hours, probably once a year. The oil is easily changed and is 70mls of normal motor oil 15W-30 . See Maintenance kit. The pump will require a major service every 1000-2000 hours of operation (on average every 3-4 years). This consists of a seal overhaul in which all major seals are replaced. This best done by Mistify.com.au The total hours the system has been running is held in a log in the controller App.
Is the unit waterproof?
The misting nozzles can be exposed to the elements as they are made of stainless steel/copper and brass. The pump unit is not waterproof and should be mounted in a protected are out of the weather. It can sit under a covered deck or in a shed or cupboard.
How long is the warranty?
Mistify offers a 12 months, return to base warranty on all parts contained in a kit. This warranty does not cover blocked nozzles, as these are easily cleared and are not a manufacturing fault, but a result of dirty water. The warranty covers DIY installation on the basis that recommendations for installation are followed.
Does a misting System control mosquitoes and flies?
Flying insects do not like atomised environments and therefore will avoid an area where misters are operating. We do not however introduce insecticides into the water of the misting nozzles.
How is a misting system installed?
Most misting lines that contain the misting nozzles are attached to the outer edge of eaves and balconies. This however is not the only way. Other solutions include running a stainless steel wire between post and suspending the misting line from the tensioned wire. Which ever way it is done it is desirable to amount the nozzles higher than 2.4 metres off the ground.
Do nozzles always point vertically (or angled) downwards?
Nozzles can face in any direction desired. One option is to have a “cooling station” mounted on a post about 1200mm high, facing directly up. A refreshing option is to engulf the upper body directly in the mist for a few seconds.
What is the minimum tap pressure, and must it be town water connected?
Minimum water inlet pressure is approximately 1.5 BAR with a flow rate of about 5 litres per minute. Water source does not have to be town water, it can be tank water.