Chapter 3 - Drip Irrigation

Drip irrigation
Example: A typical orchard is to be developed on a field with dimensions of 253m by

439m. The orchard will be irrigated using a trickle system laid out so that each tree is served
by four emitters based on peak period requirements at full tree maturity. The following
additional information is provided.
a) operation pressure head at the emitter = 10m
b) peak period crop water requirement = 5mm/d
c) distribution pattern efficiency = 92%
d) operating time = 18h/d
Estimate the following design parameters.

a) Number of emitters required
b) Required emitter discharge, L/h
c) Length of lateral, m
Soln
From table 1 for ordinary orchard, plant density is 250 trees per hectare. Thus,
number of emitters required.
1ha 250trees
N = 253m * 439m * 2
* * 4 emitters/tree
10,000m ha
N = 11,108 emitters
- the equivalent application rate,
5mm / d
Gross application rate 0.92  0.302mm / h
da  
application time 18h / d
- Required emitter discharge, in l/h
0.302m / h 1
q *  253m * 439m  * 10 3 L 3 *
10 3
m 11,108emitters
q  3 .0 L
h …………For single emitter
From table 1, Lateral Length = 1900 m
ha
253m * 439m / ha
L=1900 m ha *
104
L = 21,103 m
Example problem 2
Determine the required diameter for an orifice emitter in a turbulent flow regime with a design
discharge of 10 l/h and operating pressure head of 10.0 m. Assume a value of 0.6 for the orifice
coefficient.
Solution: Applying Eqn : (5),
Q = 3.6 (A) (0.6) 2 * 9.807 *10 = 30.26A
Substituting the design discharge and solving for the cross- sectional area and hence the diameter,
Lecture Supporting Materials By Negash Wagesho 2009 1

Drip irrigation
Q 10.0 L / h D 2
A= = 0.3305 mm2 =
30.26 30.26 4
D = 0.65 mm
Example problem 3
Compute the required length of a long-path emitter for a system with a design discharge of 4.0
L/h and operating pressure head of 10.0m using smooth plastic micro-tubing with an inside
diameter of 1.0mm. Assume the standard value of 1.0 x 10-6 m2/s for the kinematic viscosity of
water.
Solutions: Compute the Reynold’s number using equation…... to determine the flow
regime.
4 *10 3
q
V= = 3600 sec = 1.4147m/s
A  * (0.001m) 2
4
1.414 m (1.0)m
RN = s
10 (1.0 x10 6 m 2 / s )
3
RN = 1415 < 2000

Therefore the flow is laminar. Compute the friction factor using Eq, (4)
64
f= = 0.0452
1415
Substituting into Eq. (2), the only unknown is the length of micro-tubing.
0.5
 HD 
Q = 0.11384(A)  2 g ( )
 fL 
0 .5
  (1.0mm) 2  
4.0L/h = 0.11384   2(9.807 m / s 2 10.0m(1.0mm  
 4    0.0452 L  

L = 1.472
L = 2.167m
Example problem 4.
Compute the required length of a long-path emitter for the same system as that given in example
problem 3,except that the design discharge is 28 L/h
Solution:
Compute the Reynolds number for this flow regime. Since the Reynolds number is a linear
function of flow velocity and the velocity is directly proportional to the discharge, we can set up
the Reynolds number as a function of that computed in example problem 3
 28 L / h 
RN = 1415   = 9905
 4 .0 L / h 
Assume a flow regime will be fully turbulent at this high Reynolds number. Apply Eq. (5) for the
friction factor. Use the value of  from table 2 for plastic equal to 0.003 mm for the absolute
roughness.
1 D
= 2 log  1.14
f 

Drip irrigation
1
f
= 2 log (1.0mm/0.003mm) +1.14
f = 0.0261
Substituting into e.q. (3) and solving for emitter length,
0.5
  H D 
 A 2 g  
  fL  
Q = 0.1138
0.5
2(9.807m / s  2
10.0m (1.0mm) 
28.0 L/h = 0.11384(0.7854mm2)  

 0.0261L 
L= 0.0242 m
Fig.2 : Discharge rates for various emitter designs as a function of operating head.
Example Problem 5
A trickle system is to be designed for an established orchard in which the field slope is greater
than 2 percent and spacing between trees is greater than 4 m. Four point source emitters
corresponding to long-path-type C ….are to be used per tree. Design emitter discharge is 8.0 L/h
and the manufacturer’s coefficient of variation is 0.08.
Compute the minimum emitter discharge and corresponding minimum emitter pressure.
Solution:
From ASAE Standards in Table 5 the minimum design emission uniformity is
Uc-min = 85 percent
Substituting problem variables into eqn. (6) for emission uniformity.
85 = 100 [1.0 – (1.27/4)0.08] [qmin/( 8.0L/h] ,Solving for qmin,
qmin = 8.0 L/h(0.85)/0.9746
qmin = 6.977 = 7 L/h
Referring figure 2, for long path Type – C emitter for q = 7 l/h , H min = 5m. This is the minimum
pressure head required on the lateral to maintain the design standards for emission uniformity.
If measured value of Cv , qmin and qavg are substituted in to eqn. 6 , the result is the field emission
uniformity. Specific procedures have been established so results from different fields are
comparable.

Drip irrigation
Example Problem 6
A lateral is to be designed for a vineyard with 30 single orifice emitters along the line . The
lateral is 10 mm in diameter. The emitters are spaced 1.0 m apart with the first emitter at one full
space from the lateral entrance from the sub main. The field surface is level; A secondary
pressure regulator maintains a pressure head of 10.0m at the entrance to the lateral which
corresponds to a design emitter discharge of 12 l/h. Calculate the discharge of the final emitter on
the lateral using Fig.2 for the discharge to pressure relationship.
Solution:
Compute the total discharge on the lateral.
l l
Q = N(q) = 30(12.0 ) = 360
h h
Compute the flow velocity and Reynolds number to verify the flow regime assuming the standard
value of dynamic viscosity.
360 * 10 3 m 3
Q
= 3600 sec = 1.2732 m
V=
A 
 * 10 * 10 3
2
 s
4
Substituting into eqn. ** for the Reynolds number,

1.2732 m * 10 * 10 3 m
VD s
RN = = m2 = 12,372
 1.0 * 10 6
s
Flow is therefore fully turbulent. Compute the friction factor for smooth
n
plastic using eq .5
1
f
= 2 log (10mm/0.003mm) + 1.14
f = 0.0149
Compute the friction head loss in the lateral for all flow passing through the lateral using eqn.10.
hf = 6.377(0.0149) (30 m) (360 L/h)2/ (10 mm)5
hf = 3.70 m
Compute the actual friction head loss accounting for discharge through the emitters. Apply the
Christiansen friction factor from Table 7-12 (or using equations) for first discharge point one full
spacing from the entrance with m = 2 and N = 30
F = 0.350
hac = 0.350(3.700 m) = 1.30 m
Since the field is level, the actual friction head loss equals the total head loss on the lateral.
Calculate the operating pressure head at the last emitter in the lateral.
Hfinal = 10.0 m -1.30m = 8.7 m
Referring to Fig. 2 ( type – A) for an orifice emitter and pressure head of 8.7 m.
q = 11 L/h
The total variation of discharge in percent along the lateral as a ratio of the design discharge is
therefore ,
 12 L / h  11L / h 
q=  
 12 L / h 
 q = 8.3 % ……… acceptable !!!!

Drip irrigation

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Drip irrigation

Example: A typical orchard is to be developed on a field with dimensions of 253m by

Estimate the following design parameters.

Lecture Supporting Materials By Negash Wagesho 2009 1

RN = 1415 < 2000

Lecture Supporting Materials By Negash Wagesho 2009 2

Lecture Supporting Materials By Negash Wagesho 2009 3

Substituting into eqn. ** for the Reynolds number,

Lecture Supporting Materials By Negash Wagesho 2009 4

Lecture Supporting Materials By Negash Wagesho 2009 5

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