Effects of pressure and nozzle size on the spray characteristics of low-pressure rotating sprinklers

Abstract

Using low-pressure sprinklers in agricultural irrigation has become an alternative way of reducing water and energy stress. To determine the applicability of the low-pressure rotating sprinkler, an experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of working pressure and nozzle size on sprinkler rotation speed, application rate, droplet size, droplet velocity, droplet trajectory angle, and kinetic energy distribution. The results showed that the mean droplet diameter increased exponentially along with the increase in distance from the sprinkler, and a logarithmic relation was derived between droplet diameter and droplet velocity. Due to the low breakup degree of the jet under the lowest working pressure of 100 kPa, the peak values of specific power and application rate were high, which reached 0.09 W m−2 and 11.35 mm h−1, and were 3.1–5.4 times and 2.5–3.1 times those of other working conditions. Meanwhile, the peak specific power of the biggest nozzle (diameter = 5.2 mm) was 2.4–2.8 times that of smaller nozzles. With an increase in working pressure, the sprinkler time per rotation decreased and the distributions of kinetic energy and water became more uniform. Thus, it is not recommended to equip the sprinkler with a large nozzle under low working pressure.