https://doi.org/10.4081/jae.2025.1773
Evaluating the hydraulic performance of rotating spray plate sprinklers
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Published: 12 March 2025
The current study was design to evaluate the performance of rotating spray plate sprinklers, R3000 with three nozzle sizes i.e., #16-N1, #24-N2 and #32-N3 corresponding to 3.18, 4.76 and 6.35 mm diameters, respectively using various combinations of operating pressure, OP (P1:100 kPa; P2:150 kPa; P3:200 kPa; P4:250 kPa), sprinkler spacing (4-8 m) and sprinkler mounting height, SMH (H1:100 cm; H2:150 cm). The performance of sprinkler nozzles regarding water distribution pattern was examined using wetted radius, Christiansen's uniformity coefficient (CU) and distribution uniformity (DU). The data collection regarding water distribution from selected nozzles was performed using catch cans, placed at 1 m2 grids. The results revealed that the wetted radius of all selected nozzles increased by increasing the OP and SMH and the maximum values of the wetted radius of N1, N2 and N3 were 7.12, 8.26 and 8.68 m, respectively, under P4 and H2. Moreover, the combined effect of P4 and H2 produced the highest values of CU and DU for each nozzle i.e., CU:86.95%; DU:82.05% for N1 at 6 m spacing, CU:89.21%; DU:83.20% for N2 at 7 m spacing, and CU:86.44%; DU:80.36% for N3 at 7 m spacing. It was found that the wetted radius, CU and DU of R3000 sprinklers for selected nozzles increased by increasing the OP and SMH within the selected range of pressures and heights.
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