Real Local Losses Estimation for On-Line Emitters Using Empirical and Numerical Procedures
Publication: Journal of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering
Volume 132, Issue 6
Abstract
This paper presents a procedure based on a lateral, where the flow rate of all the emitters and the pressure every were measured. Our goal was to obtain a general formula for directly calculating the local losses of on-line emitters as a function of the number of emitters, the average emitter discharge, and the ratio between the protrusion area and the pipe cross-sectional area. A total friction factor, including the local losses and the Blasius friction factor, was obtained as well. Both approximations accurately predict the local and total losses for the experimental data obtained in an irrigation loop system placed in the Rural Engineering Laboratory. Finally, an estimation of these local losses using a computational fluid dynamics model was carried out by the writers. Our numerical approach accurately predicts the local losses and allows the use of this technique to obtain a better estimation of the local turbulence originated by the emitter’s connection.
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Acknowledgments
The writers would like to thank Professor Frankel and Professor Bralts from Purdue University for their encouraging support and assistance during the summers of 2003 and 2004. They also thank the Linguistic Assistance Office at the Technical University of Valencia for their help in revising this paper.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering
Volume 132 • Issue 6 • December 2006
Pages: 522 - 530
Copyright
© 2006 ASCE.
History
Received: Nov 30, 2004
Accepted: Jan 4, 2006
Published online: Dec 1, 2006
Published in print: Dec 2006
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