Water Chilling: Effects of using an air stone to agitate water surface?

[Chen]

If air is forced through an air stone submerged in a water reservoir, would the bubbles that rise in the water and pop cool the air above the water and not the water itself?

From my understanding, because the surface of the water is being agitated by the bubbles, it promotes a natural gas exchange where oxygen and CO2 is exchanged from the air and water respectively. Is the following correct?

1. Water is aerated by airstone.
2. Bubbles rise to the surface and pop, agitating the surface of water.
3. Air temperature above the water is slightly cooled due to the bubbles. Natural gas exchange occurs due to surface tension of water being broken. Water takes in oxygen from air, air takes CO2 from water.
4. Water is slightly cooled from the air being slightly cooler.

 

[VarunA]

If air is forced through an air stone submerged in a water reservoir, would the bubbles that rise in the water and pop cool the air above the water and not the water itself?

From my understanding, because the surface of the water is being agitated by the bubbles, it promotes a natural gas exchange where oxygen and CO2 is exchanged from the air and water respectively. Is the following correct?

1. Water is aerated by airstone.
2. Bubbles rise to the surface and pop, agitating the surface of water.
3. Air temperature above the water is slightly cooled due to the bubbles. Natural gas exchange occurs due to surface tension of water being broken. Water takes in oxygen from air, air takes CO2 from water.
4. Water is slightly cooled from the air being slightly cooler.

In my opinion, unless your air is very warm and dry, the cooling effect you might get may not be significant. That is particularly the reason why swamp coolers are particularly effective in warm/dry areas, but the cooling effect significantly decreases if you use it in a cooler and more humid area. Not to mention the cooling effect of evaporation is probably very minimal.

 

[Chen]

So this interaction is just evaporative cooling. As I thought, the cooling effect is likely negligible in terms of maintaining or lowering the water temperature versus just cooling the water by removing the heat using a water chiller or a Peltier cooler probe.

Thank you Varun.

 

[daniella3d]

no, you would need an aquarium chiller to make a difference. The air you would inject would be a room temperature at best.