How does an evaporative air conditioner work?

 A pump circulates water from the reservoir on to a cooling pad, which in turn becomes very wet. A fan draws air from outside the unit and forces it through the moistened pad. As the air passes through the pad it is cooled by evaporation. The key to effective evaporative cooling is ensuring that each of the cooling pads are completely saturated at all times during operation and that the systems fan & motor are sized and designed to deliver the appropriate airflow for the home.