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A comparative study of an outside signal sprinkler (OS), a fluidic sprinkler (FS), and an impact sprinkler (IS) was carried out. The OS, FS, and IS were evaluated individually under indoor experimental conditions. Water distribution evaluations were measured under four operating pressures at a 1.5-m nozzle height (above the ground). Approximately 36 individual trials were performed. The results show that the discharge coefficient of the OS and FS was slightly larger than that of the IS. The water distribution profiles of the OS, FS, and IS were parabola-shaped, ellipse-shaped, and doughnut-shaped, respectively. The wetted radius for the OS was similar to the wetted radius of the FS and was 8.7–12 % less than the IS. An accurate and simple empirical equation for the wetted radius of OS and FS is reported. Additionally, equations of water application rate, with regard to distance from the sprinklers, are given. The average coefficients of determination for the OS, FS, and IS were 91.8, 89.2, and 79.1 %, respectively. Individual spray sprinkler water distributions were mathematically overlapped to calculate the combined uniformity coefficient (CU). Maximal combined CUs of 80.88, 80.92, and 78.12 % were found for the OS, FS, and IS, respectively. Both the OS and FS were found to have greater CU values than the IS, which indicates that the OS and FS provided a better water distribution pattern than the IS at low pressure.

Pags.- 1 Tabl.- 9 Figs. Published online: 7 June 2014. The definitive version is available at: http://link.springer.com/journal/271, A variety of techniques have been proposed in the literature for sprinkler drop characterization. An optical particle tracking velocimetry (PTV) technique is proposed in this paper to determine drop velocity, diameter and angle. The technique has been applied to the drops emitted by an isolated impact sprinkler equipped with two nozzles (diameters 3.20 and 4.37 mm) operating at a pressure of 175 kPa. PTV has been previously used to determine the velocity vector of different types of particles. In this research, PTV was used to photograph sprinkler drops over a region illuminated with laser light. Photographs were taken at four horizontal distances from the sprinkler, which was located at an elevation of 1.65 m over the soil surface. Drop angle and velocity were derived from the displacement of the drop centroid in two images separated by a short time step. Centrality and dispersion parameters were obtained for each drop variable and observation point. Results derive from the analysis of 2,360 images. Only 37.5 % of them (884 images) contained drops which could be processed by the PTV algorithm, resulting in a total of 3,782 drops. A filtering algorithm just validated 1,893 valid drops, which were successfully analyzed. The proposed technique uses expensive equipment requiring continued protection against irrigation water. This methodology has proven valuable to characterize irrigation water drops. Despite its robust measurement procedure, further comparison with other techniques seems necessary before this optical technique can be recommended for practical use in sprinkler drop characterization., Thanks are due to the Centro Interamericano de Recursos del Agua from the Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México and to the Maestría en Ingeniería Aplicada Orientación Recursos Hidráulicos of Universidad Autónoma de Zacatecas. Thanks are also due to CONACYT for providing a scholarship to Cruz Octavio Robles Rovelo to pursue Master Degree studies.

44 Pags., 5 Tabls., 7 Figs. The definitive version is available at: http://www.springerlink.com/content/0342-7188/, Sprinkler kinetic energy has been linked to a number of problems in irrigated fields. This work presents the characterization of sprinkler drop kinetic energy and specific power from low-speed photographic drop data using a commercial impact sprinkler and three operating pressures. The spatial variability of specific power (W m−2) was assessed for different sprinkler spacings, showing different patterns in rectangular and triangular spacings. The specific power uniformity coefficient ranged from 38–77%, depending on sprinkler spacing and operating pressure. An attempt was made to characterize specific power from estimated (measured diameter and estimated velocity) and simulated data (using a ballistic model). While estimated data produced adequate results, simulated data resulted in a large overestimation. Discrepancies in kinetic variables between measured and simulated drop data permit to conclude that it is important to continue experimental drop characterization efforts as well as sprinkler simulation model development., This research was funded by the Agencia Española de Cooperación Internacional para el Desarrollo (AECID). Thanks are also due to the Universidad Autónoma de Zacatecas, México.

Sprinkler irrigation efficiency declines when applied water intercepted by the crop foliage, or gross interception (Igross), as well as airborne droplets and ponded water at the soil surface evaporate before use by the crop. However, evaporation of applied water can also supply some of the atmospheric demands usually met by plant transpiration. Any suppression of crop transpiration from the irrigated area as compared to a non-irrigated area can be subtracted from Igross irrigation application losses for a reduced, or net, interception (Inet) loss. This study was conducted to determine the extent in which transpiration suppression due to microclimatic modification resulting from evaporation of plant-intercepted water and/or of applied water can reduce total sprinkler irrigation application losses of impact sprinkler and low energy precision application (LEPA) irrigation systems. Fully irrigated corn (Zea Mays L.) was grown on 0.75 m wide east-west rows in 1990 at Bushland, TX in two contiguous 5-ha fields, each containing a weighing lysimeter and micrometeorological instrumentation. Transpiration (Tr) was measured using heat balance sap flow gauges. During and following an impact sprinkler irrigation, within-canopy vapor pressure deficit and canopy temperature declined sharply due to canopyintercepted water and microclimatic modification from evaporation. For an average day time impact irrigation application of 21 mm, estimated average Igross loss was 10.7%, but the resulting suppression of measured Tr by 50% or more during the irrigation reduced Igross loss by 3.9%. On days of high solar radiation, continued transpiration suppression following the irrigation reduced Igross loss an additional 1.2%. Further 4–6% reductions in Igross losses were predicted when aerodynamic and canopy resistances were considered. Irrigation water applied only at the soil surface by LEPA irrigation had little effect on the microclimate within the canopy and consequently on Tr or ET, or irrigation application efficiency.

Corn (Zea mays L.) and grain sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) production were compared under impact and spray nozzled center pivot sprinkler systems. The crops were grown under two pairs of sprinkler systems located approximately 110 km apart. One system of each pair was equipped with high pressure (379 or 414 kPa) impact sprinkler heads and the other system was equipped with low pressure (172 or 207 kPa) spray nozzles. Half of each circle was planted to corn and half was planted to sorghum. Additionally, four tillage treatments were included in the experimental design (conventional tillage, conventional tillage + deep ripping, conventional tillage + diking, and minimum tillage). The evaporative losses from the high pressure system with impact sprinkler heads were not significantly different from the low pressure system with spray nozzles. The minimum tillage and deep ripped treatments reduced runoff while diking eliminated it. The two nozzle types did not produce significantly different grain sorghum yields; however, corn yielded significantly more under the high pressure system with impact sprinkler heads than under the low pressure system with spray nozzles. The different tillage treatments did not influence yields of either crop significantly.

Line-source sprinkler irrigation systems have been widely used in plant water relations studies, but lack guidelines for selection of appropriate sprinklers for specific applications. The objective of this study was to systematically evaluate different sprinkler types for potential application in a special line-source sprinkler system for a specific plot size. During its course, a general procedure was developed that can be used to analyze can-catch data from tests on single sprinklers run at different combinations of pressures and nozzle heights. This allows the water application gradient away from the sprinkler to the determined and provides data for selecting the best spacing and sprinkler pattern for maximum uniformity in a line-source application.