In order to understand the flow characteristics and solve the problem of large water-head loss of the disc filter, we compared the water-head loss of the conventional disc filter and the novel disc filter with a discrete flow channel under different flow conditions through laboratory experiments, and simulated the internal flow distribution of the two filters in clear water using Fluent19.0. The results show that the maximum relative error between the simulation value and the set value of the laboratory experiment was 4.8%. The water loss generated by the conventional disc filter increased more obviously with the increase of the flow. Compared with the conventional disc filter, the water loss generated by the novel disc filter decreased by 20.8% under the maximum flow rate. According to the analysis of internal flow field for various flow channels, it is found that the average flowing section area of the discrete channel is greater than that of the straight channel under the same flow rate. The larger the flowing section area become, the smaller the flow rate is and the lower the water-head loss become. The local water-head loss is the dominant factor in the discrete flow channel, and the discrete arrangement of convexes reduces the frictional water-head loss. Our research can provide some reference for the structural design of disc flow channels.