Trickle Lateral Hydraulics. I: Analytical Solution

Abstract

An important objective of any trickle system is a uniform distribution of water delivered through the emitters. Computation of flow distribution requires knowledge of the variables such as pressure, flow rate, length of lateral, characteristics of the orifices, and frictional loss in the system. Several studies have been reported that establish these relationships. In each study, the primary solution is based on a discharge that is uniform, although ramifications of the manufacturer's variability have been modeled based on the derived hydraulic profile. Herein, we present an alternative treatment that includes a spatially variable discharge function as part of the basic solution.