Effect of Sprinkler Head Inclination on Water Flux Distribution

The installation inclination of a sprinkler head can affect the water flux distribution, thereby directly influencing the fire suppression performance . However, owing to the lack of specific regulations, in some cases, sprinkler heads are installed in a tilted position. In this study, we experimentally investigated the effects of sprinkler head inclination on water flux distribution. The inclination angles were set to 0°, 5°, 15°, and 25°, and the volume of water accumulated per unit area over a fixed period was measured at the floor level. A maximum measurement error of 5.24% was observed, which was within an acceptable range for data interpretation. The spray patterns and volume fraction distributions showed significant changes between 5° and 15° inclinations, resulting in notable nonuniformity in the water flux. Although the spray area showed minimal variation across the inclination angles, the degree of asymmetry in the spray area increased. Furthermore, as the inclination angle increased, the spray reach decreased in certain regions, with some areas falling short of the effective spray radius.