Abstract:
To address the problems of large flow deviation, poor anti-clogging performance, and limited lateral length in drip irrigation systems operating under low pressure (≤5 m), a novel double-wall dual-chamber emitter was developed. The emitter employs an inner and an outer labyrinth channel for graded energy dissipation: the inner chamber, with large channel dimensions (width ≥1.0 mm, depth ≥1.0 mm), dissipates 30~40% of the total energy to prevent clogging, while the outer chamber dissipates the remainder and utilizes a variable tooth-count design (20 teeth for Class I, 16 teeth for Class II) to actively compensate for frictional pressure loss along the lateral. An annular settling groove in the outer chamber traps large sediment particles, and the outer chamber is detachable for easy flushing. Orthogonal experiments and numerical simulations (standard k-ε model, validated with 3D-printed prototypes, nRMSE = 4.04%) were used to screen key structural parameters and to optimize the inner and outer channel geometries. The inner channel was set to width 1.2 mm, depth 1.0 mm, tooth height 1.5 mm, tooth width 1.4 mm, and 20 teeth, achieving 36% energy dissipation. The outer channel was optimized to width 0.8 mm, depth 0.8 mm, tooth height 0.9 mm, tooth width 1.0 mm, with tooth numbers of 20 (Class I) and 16 (Class II) to meet the target flow of 1.5±0.1 L/h and to provide effective compensation. Short-term anti-clogging tests with six sand size fractions (0.031~0.15 mm) at a concentration of 3 g/L and two-phase flow simulations (Eulerian–Lagrangian framework with bidirectional coupling) were performed to investigate sediment transport and deposition. Based on the observed sediment distribution, the right-angle corners of the inner channel were rounded to a radius of 1.0 mm, and the inner and outer chambers were rearranged in opposite orientation to enhance particle settling in the groove. The results showed that the emitter achieved a low flow index of 0.436 (before corner rounding) and maintained a value around 0.44 after optimization, indicating weak sensitivity to pressure changes. Under a 130 m lateral length with combined Class I and II emitters, the flow deviation rate was only 7.43%, far below the standard 20% limit. The active compensation gave a flow increase of 9.7% at 4 m head. In long-lateral tests at 3~4 m inlet pressure, the uniformity coefficient Cu exceeded 93% and the flow coefficient of variation Cv remained below 0.055. Anti-clogging tests revealed that, compared with a conventional patch-type emitter, the dual-chamber emitter required 16.7%~50% more irrigation cycles before reaching 75% relative flow, with the benefit being more pronounced for particles larger than 0.045 mm. After the structural optimization, the turbulent kinetic energy in the inner channel increased by 13.6%~30.6%, and the probability of large particles (0.10~0.15 mm) entering vortex zones dropped by 50%~71.4%. The transport path lengths for 0.05, 0.10, and 0.15 mm sand particles decreased by 13.6%, 21.3%, and 30.6%, respectively, and the residence times were shortened accordingly. Furthermore, the inner chamber energy dissipation remained within the design target (30% and 37% for the two stages), validating the dual-chamber synergy. The design approach successfully reconciles energy dissipation and anti-clogging requirements under low pressure, providing a practical solution and theoretical guidance for low-pressure drip irrigation equipment, and holds promise for reducing system energy consumption and investment while maintaining high irrigation uniformity.