An automated disc infiltrometer for infiltration rate measurements using a microflowmeter |
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| Authors: | D Moret‐Fernández C González J Lampurlanés J Vicente |
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| Institution: | 1. Departamento de Suelo y Agua, Estación Experimental de Aula Dei, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), PO Box 202, 50080 Zaragoza, Spain;2. área de Mecánica de Fluidos, Escuela Politécnica Superior de Huesca, Universidad de Zaragoza, Carretera de Cuarte s/n, 22071 Huesca, Spain;3. Departament d'Enginyeria Agroforestal, Escola Tècnica Superior d'Enginyeria Agrària, Universitat de Lleida, Av. Rovira Roure, 191, 25198 Lleida, Spain;4. Departamento de Informática e Ingeniería de Sistemas, Centro Politécnico Superior, Universidad de Zaragoza, C/María de Luna 1, 50018, Zaragoza, Spain |
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| Abstract: | This work presents a new design of disc infiltrometer, which, associated with a microflowmeter (MF) and a solenoid valve set, makes it possible to automate the infiltration rate (Q) measurements at different soil pressure heads (ψ). The MF consists of a 13·8‐cm long and 1·5 mm i.d. pipe, with a pressure transducer connecting the two ends of the MF, inserted in a water‐flow pipe that connects the Mariotte tube and the water‐supply reservoir of the disc infiltrometer. Water flow is calculated from the head losses in the MF. Changes in ψ in the bubble tower, automatically affected when the infiltration rate reaches steady state, are controlled by a datalogger connected to four solenoid valves. The new design was tested in laboratory and field conditions, and the results showed that the MF allows the soil water infiltration rates to be correctly estimated for different soil characteristics. The solenoid valve set plus datalogger system satisfactorily monitored the changes in ψ and allowed the measurement time to be optimized. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. |
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| Keywords: | disc infiltrometer infiltration rate microflowmeter |
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