Rapid Prediction of Hydraulic Performance for Emitters with Labyrinth Channels

Abstract

Hydraulic performance of emitters with labyrinth channels is a primary factor that designers need to consider, and rapid prediction of hydraulic performance is very helpful for an emitter’s structural design. In this study, a new variable named pressure loss coefficient (PLC) was proposed as the evaluation index of an emitter’s hydraulic performance. By using the dimensionless analysis and orthogonal design method, the PLCs of emitters with the same shape but different geometries were calculated. The results obtained from analysis of range and variance show that the influence sequence on PLC ranks as follows: