Fertigation in Furrows and Level Furrow Systems. I: Model Description and Numerical Tests

Abstract

The simulation of fertigation in furrows and level furrow systems faces a number of problems resulting in relevant restrictions to its widespread application. In this paper, a simulation model is proposed that addresses some of these problems by: (1) implementing an infiltration model that adjusts to the variations in wetted perimeter; (2) using a friction model that adjusts to different flows and which uses an absolute roughness parameter; (3) adopting an equation for the estimation of the longitudinal diffusion coefficient; and (4) implementing a second-order TVD numerical scheme and specific treatments for the boundary conditions and the junctions. The properties of the proposed model were demonstrated using three numerical tests focusing on the numerical scheme and the treatments. The application of the model to the simulation of furrows and furrow systems is presented in a companion paper, in which the usefulness of the innovative aspects of the proposed model is demonstrated.