The Results of the Wetted Area Estimation Under the Stationary Sprinkler Using a Digital Equipment

Abstract

It is noted that the purpose of irrigation systems is to distribute water over the soil surface uniformly in the amount required by plants. The irrigation rate should be less than the soil infiltration rate, and the rain intensities for irrigation should not lead to direct physical damage grown crops to prevent soil problems (mainly erosion and loss of nutrients) and crops caused by runoff and flooding. It is necessary to research the size and shape of the area wetted by artificial rain, depending on the various operating modes of sprinklers and devices. This is especially important when creating irrigation equipment. It is also necessary to assess the distribution of water and determine various technological parameters of irrigation (intensity, rainfall depth, drop size distribution, etc.). The purpose of this research was to analyze wetted area under the stationary sprinkler using a digital equipment. The article describes using the digital equipment, the research design, the method of estimation of the wetted area by jet sprinkler. The device, installed under the sprinkler jet, works on the principle of an acoustic scanner and records the sound signal created by the impact of rain drops. The wetted area covered by rain jet was about 89.1 ± 16.5 square meters, the total irrigation area from one position is 927.5 ± 16.5 square meters. The effectively wetted pattern was less than the measured wetted pattern by 10…15 % approximately. It is shown that with the help of one device it is possible to measure the wetted area, the distribution of raindrops by size and rainfall depth.