Researchers at the Solar Energy Applications Laboratory have carried out evaporation studies on both indoor and outdoor pools. Evaporation in quiescent pools has been correlated with the air flow rate across the top of the pool. Since air velocity measurements are very low in a quiescent indoor environment, balloons were used to measure the speed of the air flow near the surface of the pool.
Correlations between air flow and evaporation rate were one result from Colorado State's studies.
Evaporation rates for covered pools have also been measured.
Our experiments have shown that past correlations for evaporation rate were not correct; new correlations developed at Colorado State have been reported and are expected to be incorporated in ASHRAE handbooks.