Abstract
Canopy cover influences the water distribution and droplet characteristics of sprinkler irrigation, creating uncertainty in the design optimization of sprinkler irrigation systems. To evaluate the effects of canopy cover on water distribution and droplet characteristics of sprinkler irrigation, the radial distribution of droplet diameters, velocities, impact angles, shear stresses, and kinetic energies were investigated by an indoor experiment using a two-dimensional video disdrometer (2DVD) with Nelson R33LP low-pressure sprinklers at three operating pressures (100, 200, and 300 kPa), three nozzle diameters (4.4, 4.8, and 5.2 mm), and two growing stages of the maize canopy. Additionally, the water application rates were measured by catch-can devices for each treatment. The results show that small droplets passing through the canopy converge into larger-diameter droplets and large droplets passing through the canopy break up into smaller-diameter droplets. The canopy cover significantly affected droplet kinetic energy and velocity and reduced shear stress by 2.48–96.09 %, which could minimize the risk of soil erosion. Meanwhile, an increase in the leaf area index (LAI) reduced the kinetic energy by 0.26–99.00 %. Canopy cover also had an obvious effect on the irrigation uniformity coefficients (CU). The CU without the canopy exhibited a significant linear correlation with the CU with the canopy. When the irrigation CU without the canopy was 62.00 %, the maize canopy at the jointing stage improved it by 16.62 %, and when the CU without the canopy was 88.47 %, the maize canopy cover at the jointing stage reduced it by 4.68 %. An increase in operating pressure improved the uniformity of the sprinkler by 0.57–151.58 % and reduced shear stress by 2.80–95.11 %. An increasing nozzle size increased the application rate and specific power. This study provides technical support for the design of sprinkler irrigation systems.
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