In the current work, two different types of evaporative systems are shown. A returning air recovery system is used. The indirect systems have two independent airflows, the primary airstream is used to refrigerate and the secondary flow is in direct contact with water in order to improve heat and mass transfer. The first equipment (the indirect evaporative refrigerator) works like a flat interchanger made of aluminium and there is only heat transfer in the primary airflow. The second equipment (the semi-indirect evaporative refrigerator) is made of solid porous ceramic pipes which separate the two airstreams, thus allowing that, in the primary airflow (apart from the heat transfer), there is also a mass transfer. It should also be mentioned that this system is free of legionella, because the pipes perform the role of a filter material, making it impossible for the bacterium to enter premises. This system has been named a semi-indirect evaporative system due to the permeability of the porous pipes which allow a higher or lower water diffusion and therefore a mass transfer depending on the specific humidity of the primary airstream. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.