TP25-27 Environmental Consequences of Evaporative Cooling Restrictions

In the face of the most severe drought in 1,200 years, local authorities in Las Vegas and Henderson, Nevada have restricted the use of evaporative cooling systems in the name of conservation. Proponents of the moratorium cite the severe drought involving the Colorado River which supplies ninety percent of the water to southern Nevada while urging that businesses should “convert water-guzzling evaporative cooling systems to mechanical air conditioning systems.”1 This technical paper explores the unique situation in Southern Nevada which tends to offset many of the negative consequences of banning energy efficient water-cooled systems. This paper will revisit previous work on the issue, detailing the efficiency arguments in favor of evaporative heat rejection, compare the use of adiabatic air cooling versus cooling towers, and explore how the current legislation, if adopted in other regions without these unique circumstances, would negatively impact the drive towards a more sustainable global environment.