In this paper, the results of an experimental investigation on local head losses from uncoaxial in-line emitters inserted into the pipe line are reported. Local losses corresponding to four different pipe-emitter combinations, with ten replications, were measured for a range of discharge values. For each discharge, the amount of local losses was calculated as the difference between the total measured head losses and the corresponding friction losses evaluated by the Darcy-Weisbach equation. Mathematical approaches were tested to calculate hfe based on the kinetic head coefficient (K) and constant equivalent length (Le). For the drip-line models examined, the amount of local losses, expressed as a percentage of the total losses, was found to grow with an increase in the obstruction degree. The percentage increased to 24.5% and 50.8%, respectively, for Ag/At = 0.221 and 0.429. The results of this experimental investigation indicated the practical validity of using a constant equivalent length (Le) to estimate the local head losses in a drip lateral line. The percentage variation between total head loss calculated by a step-by-step procedure and the Le approximation method was 5.5% for non-compensating pressure emitters and less than 1.7% for the pressure compensating emitters.
kinetic head coefficient; equivalent length; drip irrigation; friction factor
