Modeling liquid distribution in soil after pocket injection.

Information on liquid distribution after injection of liquid manure is important to the evaluation of injection methods and the design of injection tools. A two-dimensional numerical model was developed to predict liquid distribution in the soil around a soil pocket. Model outputs are the lateral spread (L), vertical thickness (T), and cross-sectional area (A) of the liquid infiltration zone. Values of L do not vary with injection depth, whereas T and A increase with the injection depth. These model outputs are sensitive to effective saturated soil content (the difference between saturated and initial water contents). At greater effective saturated water content, values of L, T, and A are lower. Values of L vary from 0.13 to 0.23 m, values ofT vary from 0.09 to 0.19 m for injection depths from 0.05 to 0.15 m, and values of A vary from 0.009 to 0.030 m2. The model results were compared with field measurements taken from six forage fields with sandy loam and clay soils. The model better predicts L than T and A. The relative average error between the predictions and field measurements vary from 10.3 to 101.9%.