Experimental Studies on the Roof Pond House under Tropical Climatic Conditions

Abstract

Thermal performance of a model roof pond house was evaluated experimentally. The house model
of 1 m x 1 m x 2.8 m was simply constructed and tested at Chiang Mai University located in Chiang Mai
province (700 km North of Bangkok). The roof pond system, a type of passive cooling method, was designed
for a combination of trickle roof and intermittent water spraying techniques. Three-layer shading devices
made of plastic sheets were also installed above the roof to reduce radiation exposure and enhance heat
convection. The roof pond house was tested for various water flow rates, separation of shading devices and
solar radiation. The roof pond operated with high water flow rate, installed with larger space, could enhance
temperature reduction. It was experimentally demonstrated that it is possible to maintain the indoor
temperature 2-4 oC lower than the outdoor temperature using this roof pond system in a tropical climate.