Emitter discharge characteristics of vertical tube irrigation affected by various factors

To examine the working principle of vertical tube irrigation, variations in vertical tube emitter discharge and their causes were analyzed in the laboratory experiment. The effects of the pressure head, initial soil water content, and tube diameter on the emitter discharge of the vertical tube were studied. The quantitative relationship between the time and cumulative infiltration and emitter discharge of the vertical tube was obtained, and R² was more than 0.98. Emitter discharge exhibits a positive and negative correlation with the pressure head and soil water content, respectively. Tube diameter has a nonsignificant effect on the emitter discharge. Changes in the soil water content around the emitter water outlet are the main causes of emitter discharge variations. In the experiments, the range of vertical tube emitter discharge was 0.056-1.102 L/h. The emitter of vertical tube irrigation automatically adjusts the soil water content and maintains the root zone soil water content within an appropriate range, thus achieving continuous irrigation, in order to achieve the effect of water-saving.