Modelling of Water Drop Movement and Distribution in No Wind and Windy Conditions for Different Nozzle Sizes

Abstract

A numerical model was developed to determine the water drop movement and mean droplet size diameter at any distance from a sprinkler as a function of nozzle size and pressure. Droplet size data from 4, 5, 6, and 7 mm nozzle sizes verified the model. Data for model prediction were generated throughout lab experiments. The results demonstrated that the correlation between the observed and predicted droplet size diameter values for all the nozzle sizes and pressures is quite good. Nozzle size and pressure had a major influence on droplet size. Higher pressure produced smaller droplets over the entire application profile. The wetted distance downwind from the sprinkler increased as wind velocity increased, for example at a constant working pressure of 300 kPa, at wind speeds of 3.5 m/s and 4.5 m/s, 20% and 32% of the total volume exceeded the wet radius respectively. Larger droplets (3.9–4.5 mm), accounting for 3.6% and 6.3% of the total number of distributed droplets, respectively. The model can also predict the droplet size distribution at any wind direction overall the irrigated pattern.