Experimental Study on Water Distribution and Droplet Kinetic Energy Intensity from Non-Circular Nozzles with Different Aspect Ratios

Zixin Wang, Yue Jiang (), Jialing Liu, Hong Li and Hao Li
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Zixin Wang: Research Centre of Fluid Machinery Engineering and Technology, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
Yue Jiang: Research Centre of Fluid Machinery Engineering and Technology, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
Jialing Liu: Research Centre of Fluid Machinery Engineering and Technology, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
Hong Li: Research Centre of Fluid Machinery Engineering and Technology, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
Hao Li: Institute of Farmland Irrigation, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xinxiang 453002, China

Agriculture, 2022, vol. 12, issue 12, 1-27

Abstract: (1) Background: In sprinkler irrigation systems, the water distribution and droplet kinetic energy are affected by the shape of the nozzle. In this paper, the effects of working pressure and aspect ratio (L/D ) of circular and non-circular nozzles (diamond and ellipse) on water distribution and droplet kinetic energy intensity were investigated; (2) Methods: The hydraulic performance of a PY15 impact sprinkler with circular and non-circular nozzles was assessed under different working pressures, and the droplet diameter, velocity, and kinetic energy intensity were measured by a 2D video disdrometer. Moreover, the coefficient of variation ( CV ) and form factor ( β ) were introduced to represent the water distribution and droplet characteristics; (3) Results: The results revealed that, under the same working pressure, the CV of the diamond nozzle was the smallest compared with that of the circular and elliptical nozzles, reflecting a more uniform water distribution. The uniformity of water distribution was the best when the L/D of the elliptical nozzle was the smallest. In general, the larger the outlet diameter, the larger the wetted radius and water application rate. In addition, the smaller the L/D , the smaller the peak water distribution value and the radial increase of the kinetic energy intensity of a single nozzle. The maximum droplet kinetic energy per unit volume of the elliptical nozzle was the smallest compared with that of the circular and diamond nozzles. The circular nozzle at 200 kPa and the diamond and elliptical nozzles at 100 kPa obtained the highest uniformity coefficients of combined kinetic energy intensity distribution, which were 55.93% (circular), 67.59% (diamond), and 57.78% (elliptical) when the combination spacings were 1.0 R, 1.1 R and 1.2 R, and 1.0 R, respectively. Finally, the fitting function of unit volume droplet kinetic energy, distance from the nozzle, L/D , and working pressure of non-circular nozzles was established, and a fitting coefficient of 0.92 was obtained, indicating that the fitting equation was accurate; (4) Conclusions: At low working pressures, the elliptic and diamond nozzles showed better water distributions than the circular nozzle. The distal average droplet diameters of the sprinkler with non-circular nozzles were found to be smaller than those produced by the circular nozzle.

Keywords: impact sprinkler; non-circular nozzle; water distribution; aspect ratio; 2D video disdrometer; droplet kinetic energy distribution (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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