Capillary inlet flow estimation method and its verification
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DOI:10.7606/j.issn.1000-7601.2019.03.11
Key Words: drip irrigation  hydraulic analysis  capillary  pressure  inlet flow
Author NameAffiliation
DUAN Xiao-hui Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China 
NIU Wen-quan Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China 
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Abstract:
      In order to conveniently estimate the capillary inlet flow rate at a given pressure, we selected six factors including capillary length, capillary slope, capillary diameter, dripper spacing, flow coefficient, and flow index to determine the capillary inlet flow estimation model and parameter estimation method by using computer simulation and experimental verification. The results showed that the capillary length, capillary slope, dripper spacing, and flow coefficient significantly affected the capillary flow coefficient a; the capillary slope and flow index significantly affected the capillary flow coefficient b. Thus, the calculation equations of coefficients a and b were determined. Comparing the results of the regression method, the average relative errors were 2.30% and 0.70%, respectively. When the capillary inlet working head were 4, 6, and 8m, the average relative error between the calculated and measured values of the capillary inlet flow estimation model was 3.79% and the precision was high. In the design of the micro-irrigation system, the capillary inlet flow estimation model in this study can be used to estimate the capillary inlet flow.