The influence of Y-shaped emitter structural parameters on its hydraulic performance

Abstract

Abstract A In this paper, a Y-shaped labyrinth channel emitter is proposed to explore the influence of the waist arc’s angle(α) and crown-to-chord ratio(a:b) on the hydraulic performance of its was investigated. Numerical simulation using CFD software for fluid dynamics to obtain the pressure ~ flow relationship’s curve and slope and flow field diagram, compare and analyze the slope of pressure ~ flow curve, design flow and flow field diagram of the emitter with different waist arc’s angle and crown-to-chord ratio.Research shows that, (1) When the waist arc’s angle of Y-shaped emitter is 90°, and the crown-to-chord ratio is 6:30, the slope of curve is close to the triangular channel emitter currently commonly used, which has same cross-sectional size and runner length. (2) Keep the crown-to-chord ratio unchanged, with the increase of waist arc’s angle, the slope of curve and the design flow are reduced, the pressure drop ratio before and after the water flow through the low-speed vortex area increases, and the hydraulic performance of emitter is improved. (3) The smaller the crown-to-chord ratio, the weaker the influence of waist arc’s angle on the design flow and hydraulic performance. (4) Keep the waist arc’s angle unchanged, with the decrease of crown-to-chord ratio,the slope of curve and the design flow are reduced, the vortex strength inside the emitter channel increases, and the hydraulic performance is improved; (5) The bigger the waist arc’s angle, the weaker the influence of crown-to-chord ratio on the design flow and hydraulic performance, even no effect. (6) When the Y-shaped emitter is close to the pressure ~ flow curve’s slope of the commonly used triangular channel emitter, the hydraulic performance of the two is similar, the former can increase the runner width by 25% compared to the latter, or shorten the runner length by 44.3%.