SIMULATION OF WATER FLOW IN A RICE FIELD

Abstract

In this research, we investigated the effects of positions and sizes of entrance on the water flow in a rice field. We proposed mathematical models with three different designs of entrance on the rice field of 2301 square meters. The flow in the models is described by continuity and Navier-Stokes equations. The models are solved by finite element method in a 2D system with three positions of the entrance: left, right and central of the rice field for the entrance of 0.25 meters wide, 0.5 meters wide and 1 meter wide, respectively. The obtained numerical results are simulated and compared to the experimental data with the flow rate of 5.7635 m3/s. The results from both methods show a good agreement that the velocity and the pressure of the flow decrease along the length of the rice field to zero at the end. We found that the flow of central entrance design makes the least damage of soil and rice plant.