Choosing The Perfect Misting System Pump For Your Outdoor Living Space

Choosing The Perfect Misting System Pump For Your Outdoor Living Space

As we dive into the summer heat, Australian homeowners are looking to upgrade their outdoor living spaces with high pressure misting systems. These ingenious systems use specialised pumps to deliver a fine, cooling mist that can transform even the hottest patio or deck into a comfortable oasis. 

Understanding Misting System Pump Requirements

The key factors that determine the right pump size for your high pressure misting system are:

  1. Total Area To Be Cooled: This includes the square metres of your patio, deck, pergola or other outdoor living zone. Larger areas require more misting power, as you’d expect.
  2. Nozzle Installation Considerations: Many AirMist installations opt for the easy approach of perimeter cooling. Rather than attempt to create a grid of nozzles, it’s common to place nozzles in a line to take advantage of the prevailing wind.
  3. Number of Nozzles: More nozzles mean more water flow, which translates to a bigger pump. Our general guideline is 1 nozzle per 2m² of space or, for perimeter installations, 1 nozzle every 75 cm.
  4. Pump Installation Considerations: AirMist pumps are not weatherproof, so they need to be located under cover. You may also want to keep them away from your outdoor entertaining area to eliminate noise, even though they are ridiculously quiet. You will need a tap (to supply water), and 240 VAC power, too.

How To Calculate The Right Pump Size

To determine the perfect pump for your outdoor misting system, start by determining the number of nozzles you need. The article “How To Calculate The Number Of Misting Nozzles For Your Space” covers this topic.

AirMist misting nozzles feature a 150μm (0.15 mm) orifice. The flow rate per nozzle is 34 ml per minute at 50 Bar and 48 ml per minute at 70 Bar. 

AirMist pumps are positive displacement designs, which have maximum and minimum flowrates:

  • P025: 65-250 ml per minute, supports 2-7 nozzles
  • P050: 125-500 ml per minute, supports 4-15 nozzles
  • P100: 250-1,000 ml per minute, supports 6-20 nozzles
  • P150: 375-1,500 ml per minute, supports 7-31 nozzles
  • P200: 500-2,000 ml per minute, supports 11-41 nozzles
  • P300: 750-3,000 ml per minute, supports 16-62 nozzles

You can see each pump exhibits overlap with smaller and larger misting pumps. If you are considering future expansion, you may wish to choose a larger pump to cover the extended area planned.

Don’t be tempted to go below the supported number of nozzles. The pumps have an internal pressure bypass system that may wear prematurely if the delivered flow rates are too low. 

The Payoff Is An Outdoor Oasis With The Perfect Cooling Effect

Getting the misting system pump right is key to creating a comfortable, energy efficient outdoor living space. Choosing the wrong size leads to inconsistent cooling, sputtering nozzles, wasted water, higher operating costs, and the risk of premature pump failure. 

Follow these tips, and you'll end up with a high pressure misting system that delivers the perfect cooling effect, exactly where you need it.

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