Flow rate uncertainty quantification of a microporous ceramic emitter

A new microporous ceramic emitter (MCE) was recently developed to reduce the investment cost of subsurface irrigation systems. Nevertheless, a dynamic mechanism in the flow rate uncertainty of MCE was still unclear, which caused difficulty in making a water usage schedule for farmers. To address this issue, a simplified model was developed based on Darcy's law to quantify the emitter flow rate uncertainty. The model revealed that soil temperature indirectly caused the emitter flow rate uncertainty through its effect on the water viscosity inside the micropores of the ceramic material.