Spray Angle on the Performance of Split-Type AC Condenser Installed on Concrete Rooftop in Tropical Climate

Authors

• Kennedy Kennedy, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tadulako University, Jl. Soekarno Hatta Km.9, Palu, 94118, IndonesiaFollow
• I N Frenki Aryana, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tadulako University, Jl. Soekarno Hatta Km.9, Palu, 94118, IndonesiaFollow
• Basri Basri, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tadulako University, Jl. Soekarno Hatta Km.9, Palu, 94118, IndonesiaFollow

Abstract

This study investigated the influence of different water spray angles (0°, 15°, and 30°) on the thermal and energy performance of a split-type air-conditioning (AC) condenser installed on a concrete rooftop in a tropical climate. An experimental setup was designed to replicate actual concrete rooftop conditions, focusing on the condenser inlet temperature, compressor power consumption, and system coefficient of performance (COP). A 6-minute ON and 6-minute OFF intermittent spray cycle was employed to optimise water usage and minimise excessive humidity. Experimental measurements were conducted on a 9,000 Btu/h split-type unit equipped with a nozzle system connected to a 200 L water tank. The results demonstrated that the 0° spray angle achieved the most significant improvement, reducing the condenser inlet air temperature by up to 22.5% and decreasing the compressor power consumption by 7.7% compared with the baseline. This configuration also enhanced the COP from 2.77 to 2.93, representing a 5.8% improvement in performance. Wider spray angles (15° and 30°) yielded moderate improvements but were less effective because of droplet dispersion and reduced surface wetting. Thermal imaging confirmed that the 0° angle produced the most uniform cooling distribution on the condenser surface. These findings underscore that spray cooling with an optimised nozzle orientation is a cost-effective and sustainable retrofit solution for rooftop AC condensers in tropical environments, offering improved energy efficiency and reduced environmental impact.

Publisher

Universitas Negeri Malang

First Page

451

Last Page

463

Recommended Citation

Kennedy, Kennedy; Aryana, I N Frenki; and Basri, Basri (2025) "Spray Angle on the Performance of Split-Type AC Condenser Installed on Concrete Rooftop in Tropical Climate," Journal of Mechanical Engineering Science and Technology (JMEST): Vol. 9: No. 2, Article 12.
DOI: 10.17977/um016v9i22025p451
Available at: https://citeus.um.ac.id/jmest/vol9/iss2/12