Drip irrigation

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Drip irrigation is a type of micro irrigation system that has the potential to conserve water and nutrients by allowing water to drip slowly into plant roots, either from above ground or buried beneath the surface. The goal is to place water directly into the root zone and minimize evaporation. Drip irrigation systems distribute water through a network of valves, pipes, pipes, and emitters. Depending on how well designed, installed, maintained, and operated, drip irrigation systems can be more efficient than other types of irrigation systems, such as surface irrigation or sprinkler irrigation.

Video Drip irrigation

Histori

Primitive drip irrigation has been used since ancient times. Fan Sheng-Chih Shu (????), written in China during the first century BC, describes the use of clay pots that are not buried and filled with water as a means of irrigation. Modern drip irrigation began its development in Germany in 1860 when researchers began experimenting with subsurface irrigation using clay pipes to create a combination of irrigation and drainage systems. The research was then expanded in 1920 to include the application of perforated pipe systems. The use of plastics to hold and distribute water in drip irrigation was later developed in Australia by Hannis Thill.

The use of plastic emitters in drip irrigation was developed in Israel by Polish-born Simcha Blass and his son Yeshayahu. Instead of releasing water through small holes that are easily blocked by small particles, water is released through larger and longer aisles using speed to slow water in the plastic transmitter. The first experimental system of this type was founded in 1959 by later partner Blass (1964) with Kibbutz Hatzerim to create an irrigation company called Netafim. Together they develop and patent the first practical intravenous drip transmitters.

In the United States, the first drop band, called Dew Hose , was developed by Richard Chapin of Chapin Watermatics in the early 1960s. Chapin Watermatics was acquired by Jain Irrigation in 2006 and placed under a US subsidiary, Jain Irrigation Inc, USA.

Modern drip irrigation is arguably the most valued innovation in the world in agriculture since its discovery in the 1930s from impact sprinklers, offering the first practical alternative to surface irrigation. Drip irrigation can also use a device called a micro-spray head, which sprays water in a small area, instead of dripping emiters. It is commonly used in tree and grape plants with broader root zones. Subsystemal drip irrigation (SDI) using dripperline or drip tape that is planted permanently or temporarily located at or below the plant roots. It became popular for crop irrigation lines, especially in areas where limited water supply or recycled water is used for irrigation. Careful study of all relevant factors such as soil topography, soil, water, crops and agro-climatic conditions is needed to determine the most suitable drip irrigation system and the components to be used in a particular installation.

Maps Drip irrigation

Components and operations

Components used in drip irrigation (listed in sequence from water sources) include:

Pressure pump or water source
Water filter (s) or filtration system: sand separator, Fertigation system (Venturi injector) and chemical equipment (optional)
Backwash controller (Flow prevention device)
Pressure Control Valve
Distribution lines (larger diameter pipes, possibly smaller secondary, pipe fittings)
Hand and electronic, or hydraulic safety control valves and control valves
Smaller diameter polyethylene tubes (often called "laterals")
Poly accessory and accessories (to make connections)
Spread the device on the plant (emitter or dripper, micro spray head, inline dripper or drop tube)

In drip irrigation systems, pumps and valves can be operated manually or automatically by the controller.

Most drip irrigation systems use several types of filters to prevent the blockage of small emitter flow paths by small water-borne particles. New technology is now being offered that minimizes plugging. Some housing systems are installed without additional filters, since drinking water is filtered in water treatment plants. Almost all manufacturers of drip irrigation equipment recommend that the filter be used and generally will not honor the guarantee unless this is done. The final channel filter just before the final delivery pipe is strongly recommended other than the filtering system due to the accumulation of fine particles and the accidental particle insertion in the midline.

Drip and subsurface drip irrigation are used almost exclusively when using recycled urban wastewater. Regulations usually do not allow air spraying of air that has not been fully treated with drinking water standards.

Because of the way water is applied in the infusion system, the traditional surface applications of fertilizers released by time are sometimes ineffective, so the drop system often mixes the liquid fertilizer with irrigation water. This is called fertigation; fertigation and chemistation (application of pesticides and other chemicals for periodic cleaning of the system, such as chlorine or sulfuric acid) using chemical injectors such as diaphragm pumps, piston pumps, or aspirators. Chemicals can be added constantly each time the system irrigates or at intervals. Fertilizer savings of up to 95% were reported from recent university field trials using drip fertility and slow water delivery compared to timed release and irrigation by micro spray heads.

Properly designed, installed and managed, drip irrigation can help achieve water conservation by reducing evaporation and deep drainage when compared to other types of irrigation such as flood sprinklers or overheads because water can be more appropriately applied to plant roots. In addition, dripping can eliminate many diseases that spread through water contact with foliage. Finally, in areas where water supply is very limited, there may be no actual water savings, but only an increase in production while using the same amount of water as before. In very dry areas or in sandy soils, the preferred method is to apply irrigation water as slowly as possible.

Pulsed irrigation is sometimes used to reduce the amount of water delivered to the plant at one time, thereby reducing runoff or deep percolation. Pulsed systems are usually expensive and require extensive maintenance. Therefore, recent efforts by emitter manufacturers are focused on developing new technologies that provide irrigation water at ultra-low flow rates of less than 1.0 liters per hour. Slow and uniform delivery increases the efficiency of water use without incurring the cost and complexity of pulsed delivery equipment.

The emitting pipe is a type of drip irrigation hose with pre-installed producer in the factory with distance and specific flow per hour according to spacing.

The emitter limits the flow of water through it, thus creating the required head loss (as far as atmospheric pressure) to emit water in the form of droplets. This loss of head is achieved by attrition/turbulence in the emitter.

How To do Drip Irrigation with Drip Tubing - YouTube

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Advantages and disadvantages

The advantages of drip irrigation are:

Fertilizers and nutrient depletion are minimized due to localized applications and reduction of leaching.
High water application efficiency if managed properly.
No leveling is required.
Fields with irregular shapes are easily accommodated.
Unreachable recycled water can be used safely.
Humidity in the root zone can be maintained at field capacity.
Soil types play a less important role in irrigation frequencies.
Soil erosion is reduced.
Weed growth is reduced.
The water distribution is very uniform, controlled by the output of each nozzle.
Labor costs are less than other irrigation methods.
Supply variations can be set by setting valves and drippers.
Fertigation can be easily incorporated with minimal waste of fertilizer.
The leaves stay dry, reducing the risk of disease.
Usually operated at lower pressures than other types of pressurized irrigation, reducing energy costs.

The disadvantages of drip irrigation are:

Initial costs can be more than overhead.
The sun can affect the pipes used for drip irrigation, shortening their lifespan. (This article does not include a discussion of the effect of lowering plastics on soil content and subsequent effects on crops.) With many types of plastics, when the sun degrades the plastics, causing them to become brittle, estrogenic chemicals (ie chemicals that replicate female hormones) plastic to maintain flexibility has been released into the surrounding environment.)
If water is not filtered properly and equipment is not properly maintained, it may cause blockage or bioclogging.
For underwater droplets, irrigators can not see the water used. This may cause farmers to apply too much water (low efficiency) or insufficient water, which is very common for those with less experience with drip irrigation.
Drip irrigation may be unsatisfactory if herbicides or high-dye fertilizers require sprinkler irrigation for activation.
The drops lead to extra cleaning costs after harvest. Users need to plan rolls of recording, disposal, recycling or reuse.
Dispose of water, time and harvest, if not installed properly. The system requires careful study of all relevant factors such as soil topography, soil, water, crops and agro-climatic conditions, and the suitability of drip irrigation systems and their components.
In lighter soils, subsurface droplets may not be able to moisten the soil surface for germination. Requires an in-depth consideration of the depth of installation.
Most intravenous systems are designed for high efficiency, which means little or no washing fractions. Without adequate washing, the salt applied with irrigation water can accumulate in the root zone, usually at the edge of the wetting pattern. On the other hand, drip irrigation avoids the high capillary potential of irrigation applied on the traditional surface, which may draw salt deposits from the deposits below.
PVC pipes often suffer from rodent damage, requiring replacement of all tubes and increasing costs.
Drip irrigation systems can not be used for damage control by night snow (as in the case of sprinkler irrigation systems)

Drip tape is a thin-walled dripperline type used in drip irrigation. The first drop tape is known as "Dew Hose".

Drip tape duct tape is made of polyethylene and is sold flat on a roll. Wall thickness usually ranges from 4 to 25 mils (0.1-0.6 mm). The thick-walled ribbons are usually used for permanent underground drip irrigation and thin-walled tapes for temporary wasted type systems in high-value plants.

Water comes out of the tape through emitters or drippers. The typical emitter distance ranges from 6 to 24 inches (150-600 mm). In some products, emitters are produced simultaneously with the tape and are actually formed as part of the product itself. In other countries, the producer is produced separately and installed at the time of production.

Some products are not tape, but dripperline is thin-walled, but in popular language, these two types of products are called cassettes. Typical ribbon diameters are 5/8 ", 7/8", and 1-3/8 ", with larger diameters more commonly used on permanent installations with longer runs.

Drip tape is a recyclable material and can be recycled into a viable plastic resin for reuse in the plastic manufacturing industry.

Drip irrigation: An agricultural revolution unfolding | Global ...

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Usage

Drip irrigation is used in agriculture, commercial greenhouses, and residential gardener. Drip irrigation is widely adopted in areas of acute water scarcity and especially for crops and trees such as coconuts, landscape trees, grapes, bananas, ber, eggplants, oranges, strawberries, sugarcane, cotton, corn, and tomatoes.

Drip irrigation for gardens available in the drip kit is increasingly popular for homeowners and consists of timers, hoses and emitters. A 4 mm diameter hose is used to irrigate flower pots.