Click on “Download PDF” for the PDF version or on the title for the HTML version.

If you are not an ASABE member or if your employer has not arranged for access to the full-text, Click here for options.

Procedures for detecting drop sizes and associated kinetic energies for irrigation sprinklers are timeconsuming and/or capital intensive. A quick, inexpensive, and reasonably accurate procedure was developed for the estimation of d50 drop size and energy flux density (specific power) changes with distance for two rotating sprayplate irrigation sprinklers. Results from a singleleg irrigation sprinkler test and a ballistic computer simulation program were used for the estimation procedure that is applicable for both fast and slow rotating sprayplate sprinklers. Energy flux density patterns with maximum to average ratios of 6.0 or less can be expected to produce satisfactory irrigation water energy uniformity with a sprinkler spacing of 2 to 3 m. Unsatisfactory energy uniformity can be expected with sprinkler spacings of 5 to 6 m. The proposed estimation procedure provides results that are adequate for practical field application.