Volumetric Water Delivery Using Baffle Sluice Modules: New Approach

Abstract

Baffle sluice modules are used as onfarm volumetric water delivery structures. Several methods for module design have been presented so far to limit the discharge variations to the nominal design value for the variation range of a specified water surface. All methods were on the basis of assumptions to analytically determine the baffle dimensions; hence experimental studies are inevitable for choosing the most appropriate one. Initially in this paper, the performances of current theoretical design methods were evaluated experimentally. On the basis of the obtained results, the common fundamental assumptions of the flow controls through the module were revised. Then, new design criteria of using the baffle modules in parallel were proposed. The new design scheme was on the basis of installing a low delivery module in parallel with a high delivery one. The modules’ dimensions then were determined to minimize the discharge variations. Finally, the performance of the new design scheme was verified experimentally, which shows that the discharge deviation from the nominal design discharge was less than that of all design methods available in the literature.