HARAMAYA UNIVERSITY

INSTITUTE OF
TECHNOLOGY
DEPARTME
NT OF
AGRICULT
URALB
GROUP
DEVELOPMENT
ENGINEERI
OF SPRINKLER
NG
IRRIGATION
SYSTEM
STUDENT NAME ID NO
POWERED BY
ANDUALEM YITAYEW
SOLAR 3172/08

PHOTOPHILIC
DAWIT BESHADA 1105/09
CELLSABENEZER ASSEFA
AGRICULTURAL
YOHANNES GETACHEW
FIELDS.
DEBELE DARIBE 1113/09
 SUBMITTED TO: - MR. ASHEBIR SHIMELIS
JULY 19, 2021

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
We would like to acknowledgement scholars, institutions and so many individuals who directly
or indirectly contributed to the successful completion of this project. First and for most we would
like to acknowledge our dearest and respected advisor Mr. Wondosen S. for his sight-full
direction and guidance through the project and for delivery important materials for the project.

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Table of Contents
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT...............................................................................................................1

ABSTRACT.....................................................................................................................................4

LIST OF FIGURE...........................................................................................................................5

1. INTRODUCTION...................................................................................................................6

1.1. BACKGROUND..............................................................................................................6

1.2. STATEMENT OF PROBLEM.........................................................................................9

1.3. Objectives........................................................................................................................10

1.3.1. General objective.....................................................................................................10

1.3.2. Specific objectives...................................................................................................10

1.4. Significance of the project..............................................................................................10

2. LITERATURE REVIEW......................................................................................................11

2.1. Overview.............................................................................................................................11

2.2. Overview of irrigation.........................................................................................................11

2.2.1. General types of irrigation...........................................................................................12

2.2.2. Sprinkler Irrigation.......................................................................................................14

2.3. Overview of pumping and centrifugal pump......................................................................22

2.4 Overview of solar generators...............................................................................................23

3. MATERIAL AND METHODS.............................................................................................26

3.1. Description of the study area..........................................................................................26

3.2. Data collection methods..................................................................................................26

3.2.1. Primary data collection............................................................................................26

3.2.2. Secondary data collection........................................................................................26

3.3. Data analysis methods.....................................................................................................27

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 3.3.1. Determining water requirement of maize................................................................27

3.3.2. Layout of the sprinkler system and pump size........................................................27

3.3.3. Number of solar panels............................................................................................28

3.4. Materials used.................................................................................................................28

Conclusions and Recommendations..............................................................................................29

References......................................................................................................................................30

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ABSTRACT

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LIST OF FIGURE
FIGURE 1 SPRINKLER IRRIGATION SYSTEM FROM UNDERGROUND WATER 14
FIGURE 2 TYPICAL EXAMPLE OF SPRINKLER LAYOUT 18
FIGURE 3 EXAMPLE OF IMPACT SPRINKLER HEADS 19
FIGURE 4 CENTRE PIVOT SPRINKLER IRRIGATION SYSTEM, TRAVELLING BIG
GUN IRRIGATION SYSTEM, SIDE ROLL SPRINKLER IRRIGATION, AND LINEAR
IRRIGATION PROJECT 21
FIGURE 5 AN END-SUCTION CENTRIFUGAL PUMP (SINGLE STAGE) MOUNTED
WITH MOTOR 23
FIGURE 6 SOLAR TRACKING SYSTEM 24
FIGURE 7 LAYOUT OF THE SYSTEM 28

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1. INTRODUCTION
1.1. BACKGROUND

Irrigation is basically an attempt by man to locally alter the hydrologic cycle and to promote
increased agricultural productivity. Irrigation in some form has been practiced since before
recorded history. Some scholars define irrigation as the process of artificial application of water
to the soil for the growth of agricultural crops (Richard et al, 1989).

Ethiopia is a landlocked country, with a land area of 1.13 million km 2, found in Eastern Africa
(Awulachew et al., 2007). Geographically, it is located in between the latitudes 5°N and 15°N,
and longitudes 35°E and 45°E (Yazew, 2005). The country is bordered by six countries, Eritrea
in the North, Djibouti and Somalia in the East, Kenya and Somalia in the South, and Sudan and
South Sudan in the west. Ethiopia’s population is estimated at 80 million and is the second most
populous country in Africa next to Nigeria (Awulachew et al., 2007). Most of the population in
Ethiopia lives in highland areas, with 85% being rural and dependent on agriculture with a low
level of productivity (Awulachew et al., 2007; MoA, 2011a; Bekele et al., 2012).Agriculture is a
mainstay of Ethiopian economy (World Bank, 2006; Makombe et al., 2011). The country is
endowed with ample water resources with 12 river basins with an annual runoff volume of 122
billion m3 of water and an estimated 2.6-2.65 billion m3 of groundwater potential (Awulachew et
al., 2007; Makombe et al., 2011; MoA, 2011a). Due to this Ethiopia is considered to be the
water tower of Africa (Makombe et al., 2007).

The land of Ethiopia currently under cultivation is about 12 million ha (MoA, 2011a), which
mainly driven by rain fed agriculture. However,, the potential and actual irrigated area is not
precisely investigated and, estimates of irrigable land in Ethiopia vary between 1.5 and 4.3
million hectares (Mha), averaged about 3.5 Mha (MOWR, 2001; Werfring, 2004; Awulachew
et al., 2005; Makombe et al., 2011). Thus, the country only utilizes less than 5% of available
arable land for irrigation. Currently, (MoA 2011a) reported that about 10- 12% of the total
irrigable potentials are under production using traditional and modern irrigation schemes.
Moreover, differences in irrigation potentials and actually irrigated lands, for example 3.7
Million ha and 197,000 ha according to Awulachew et al. (2007) and 3.5 Million ha and 626,116

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ha as reported by Hagos et al. (2009) respectively, are indicated differences in the same class.
Hence, there is no consistent and reliable inventory and well-studied and documented with
regards to water and irrigations related potentials in the Ethiopian context. This shows that there
is a few study details in these area. This knowledge is important in such a way that the people
and government who are living today become aware of what the people and governments in the
past had done in the sector. This review is therefore important for understanding what was done
in the past and what is going on now and the future in irrigation developments in Ethiopia.

Sulas et al. (2009) in the study conducted to investigate whether irrigation was a key factor in
state formation and urban development in the ancient civilization of Axum, Northern Ethiopia,
found non-sufficient information regardless of water managements of rain-fed agriculture.
However, in Ethiopia, traditional irrigation was practiced before centuries (Bekele et al., 2012).
Moreover, in the highlands of Ethiopia, irrigation practices have been in use since ancient times
for producing subsistence food crops (Awulachew et al., 2007; Bacha et al., 2011; MoA, 2011a).
Different authors such as Awulachew et al. (2007), Makombe et al. (2007), Hagos et al. (2009),
and Bacha et al. (2011) stressed that supplementary irrigation has been practiced by smallholder
farmers of Ethiopia for centuries to solve their livelihood challenges. Spate irrigation has also
been used traditionally in Ethiopia (Mehari et al., 2011) particularly in Southern Tigray and in
some semi-arid areas in Oromia region (MoA, 2011a). This irrigation system has been used for
water harvesting from flush floods flooded from larger catchments at upper streams. These
traditional irrigation systems were developed and managed through forming a water user’s
association for functions of construction, water allocation, operation and maintenance and were
headed by individuals (Belay and Bewket, 2013). The exact date when irrigation was started in
Ethiopia remains uninvestigated regardless of routinely saying “irrigation was started in
Ethiopia during ancient times” (Awulachew et al., 2007; Makombe et al., 2007; Hagos et al.,
2009; Bacha et al., 2011). Modern irrigation was started in the early 1950’s by the bilateral
agreement between the government of Ethiopia and the Dutch company jointly known as HVA-
Ethiopia sugar cane plantation (Bekele et al., 2012). According to the Ministry of Agriculture, In
Ethiopia, there were modern water storage and water management systems for irrigation
purposes. This includes water diversion schemes, water storage dams, micro irrigation systems,
rainwater harvesting and shallow ground water harvesting techniques. These systems make use
of different water drawing irrigation technologies for lifting, conveying and applying irrigation

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water for irrigation uses. Night water storage facilities, Treadle pumps for lifting water, small
hold drip systems and micro- sprinklers for irrigation application are used among others (MoA,
2011a).

The pumping mechanism is also include hand-dug wells by using rope, shallow wells and
boreholes are fitted with hand pumps or diesel and petrol-driven generators. These mechanisms
of manpower water pumping system consume more time; require excess labor, failures of the
system due to the frequent contact of the hand pump by human. Diesel and petrol-based pumps
have many problems, such as fuel consumption, high running, and maintenance cost, and poor
availability of spare parts to maintain it. PV energy systems will have to compete with small
scale generator or set fuels by diesel which has been often used to supply electrical energy for
water pumping. PV water pumping system is the best option of energy source which plays a
major role in fulfilling drinking water demand for remote areas community who far from grid
electricity. (Jan Sass, 2020)

Irrigation system design combines element of soil science, agronomy, social science, hydraulics,
hydrology and economic analysis. The science and art of irrigation system design integrate
numerous disciplines and is afield in which the neglect of any one contributing discipline can
preclude the final project from attaining its goals. An irrigation project cannot be successfully
designed, constructed and operated with in the boarder of a single scientific subject area.
Sprinkler irrigation is a method of providing rainfall-like irrigation to the crops. Water is
distributed through a system of pipes, usually by pumping. Spray heads at the outlets distribute
the water over the entire soil surface (Richard et al, 1989).

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1.2. STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
Agricultural crop production is one of the first basic necessities of human survival. The
agriculture of developing countries like Ethiopia is characterized by subsistence production and
mainly depends on rain. This leads to food insecurity and affect livelihood of a lot of farmer
family. There are different mechanisms of improving traditional trend of agricultural practice
that includes using technology (from simple to advance), irrigation system and promoting local
energy generation for domestic use (cooking, lighting or pump). Applying Irrigation system is
one the most fundamental for increasing production and productivities of agricultural farms. ...
In irrigation system requires pumps to lift water from reservoirs to agricultural fields. And these
pumps operate using electricity and fossil fuels. Providing fossil fuels for pumping purpose is
very difficult because of the cost and availability of fossil fuels. Therefore, the main aim of this
study is to fill gap of energy sources for irrigation by using solar energy which is clean,
affordable and environmentally friendly energy sources.

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1.3. Objectives

1.3.1. General objective

The main objective of this study is to develop solar powered sprinkler irrigation system for small
scale house holders.

1.3.2. Specific objectives

 To measure available solar radiation, wind speed, and other factor that affect sprinkler
irrigation system.
 To estimate crop water requirement of maize in Haramaya district.
 To install PV power generation to pump water at high head.
 To select pump size suitable for sprinkler irrigation system in Haramaya university.
 To calculate overall efficiency of solar powered sprinkler irrigation system.

1.4. Significance of the project

The significance of the project is to use the alternative energy resource of our country for the
purpose of growing different kinds of crops. This project is prepared for places that have high
sunshine hours. And also this project can be done in large agricultural lands in which maximum
crop production can be achieved. If this project is widely used in our country, it will provide
high production of crops that can feed a large number of people and can sustain our food supply
that ensures drought and famine will no longer problems in Ethiopia.

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2. LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1. Overview
A sprinkler irrigation system powered by photovoltaic cells is a technically mature option, even
though it is not yet very widespread. From a technical point of view, photovoltaic water pumping
can be integrated into most irrigation concepts. Water abstraction from ground or surface water
sources is technically feasible even where large pumping heads and large conveyance quantities
must be handled. PV pumps can also be employed to pressurise closed irrigation systems
including Centre pivots. On the side of pump manufacturers, technology development is far
advanced and the market can provide a suitable pumping solution for almost any requirement
and condition. This includes the integration of PV pumps into hybrid systems. [3]

2.2. Overview of irrigation

Water is the most important input for plant growth in agricultural production. Irrigation is the
controlled application of water for agricultural purposes through manmade systems to supply
water requirements not satisfied by rainfall. Crop irrigation is vital throughout the world in order
to provide the world’s ever-growing population with enough food (USGS 2016). Irrigation can
be defined as replenishment of soil water storage in the plant root zone through methods other
than natural precipitation. Irrigation water is brought to cultivated land through artificial means,
such as pipes, hoses or ditches. The irrigated land usually contains crops, grass or vegetation
which would not receive enough water from rainfall or other natural sources. Sometimes the
reason to irrigate a portion of land is that it happens to be a dry season with less-than-average
amounts of rainfall, or it might be necessary to do so because the land would never receive
enough water on its own to be fertile. The water used for irrigation might be taken from nearby
lakes, reservoirs, rivers or wells (Hall n.d.).

Water application for irrigation is confined in time and space, satisfying the water requirements
of a crop at a given time of its vegetative cycle or to bring the soil to the desired moisture level
outside the vegetative cycle. The irrigation of a field includes one watering or more per season
based on the specific water requirements of the cultivated crop (ICID n.d.).

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Sources of irrigation water can be groundwater extracted from springs or by using borings or
wells, flood water spreading, surface water withdrawn from the flow of a stream, lake or
reservoir or non-conventional sources like treated wastewater, desalinated water or drainage
water. With regard to wastewater, it has to be stressed that around 90 % of wastewater/effluents
produced globally remain inadequately treated, causing widespread water pollution, especially in
low-income countries. Agriculture is increasingly using untreated wastewater as a source of
irrigation water, in particular in semi-urban areas of water scarce countries (ICID n.d.; UN Water
2015).

There are several factors that determine the suitability of irrigation methods. The first factor is
natural condition. Natural conditions include soil type, slop, climate, water availability, and
water quality. Sandy soils have a low water storage capacity and a high infiltration rate. They
therefore need frequent but small irrigation applications, in particular when the sandy soil is also
shallow. Under these circumstances, sprinkler or drip irrigation are more suitable than surface
irrigation. Sprinkler or drip irrigation are preferred above surface irrigation on steeper or
unevenly sloping lands as they require little or no land leveling. Strong wind can disturb the
spraying of water from sprinklers. Under very windy conditions, drip or surface irrigation
methods are preferred. Water application efficiency is generally higher with sprinkler and drip
irrigation than surface irrigation and so these methods are preferred when water is in short
supply. Type of crop is the second important factor in irrigation system. Surface irrigation can be
used for all types of crops. Sprinkler and drip irrigation, because of their high capital investment
per ha, are mostly used for high value cash crops, such as vegetables and fruit trees. They are
seldom used for the lower value staple crops. Drip irrigation is suited for irrigating individual
plants, trees or row crops such as vegetables and sugarcane. It is not suitable for close growing
crops (e.g. rice). Other factors that determine the suitability of irrigation methods include: type of
technology, Previous Experience with Irrigation, Required Labor Input, Costs and Benefits,
Capital Requirements and Availability and so on. (Brouwer et al. 1989b)

2.2.1. General types of irrigation

There are various methods that can be used for irrigation (starting from simple watering of
plants), and each method needs an experienced farmer to determine the quantities of water to

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apply and the timing of the irrigation. The three commonly used modern irrigation methods are
surface irrigation, sprinkler irrigation, and drip irrigation.

Worldwide, there are approx. 3.1 million km2of lands available for irrigation purposes, while
only approx. 2.6 million km2 are utilized (Renner 2012). With about 95 % share of total
irrigation worldwide, surface irrigation is by far the most widespread irrigation method. Surface
irrigation is normally used when conditions are favorable: mild and regular slopes, soil type with
medium to low infiltration rate, and a sufficient supply of surface or groundwater (Brouwer et al.
1989b).

In the case of steep or irregular slopes, soils with a very high infiltration rate or scarcity of water,
sprinkler and drip irrigation may be more appropriate (Brouwer et al. 1989b). In 2012, according
to FAO data, approx. 86 % of the world’s irrigated area was under surface irrigation (280 million
ha), 11 % was under sprinkler irrigation (35 million ha) and only 3 % under localized irrigation
(9 million ha) as a primary distribution method. At least 111 million ha equipped for irrigation
use a pump (FAO, AQUASTAT, 2014).

The distribution of sprinkler irrigated area by region in 2006 was:

 Americas 13.3 million ha

 Europe 10.1 million ha
 Asia 6.8 million ha
 Africa 1.9 million ha
 Oceania 0.9 million ha

The top ten sprinkler irrigated countries were USA, Russia, China, India, France, Brazil, Italy,
Spain, Saudi Arabia and Ukraine. These countries together made up 75 % of the total sprinkler-
irrigated area. (Jan Sass, 2020)

The highest coverage of drip irrigation is found in the Americas (1.9 million ha) followed by
Europe and Asia (1.8 million ha each), Africa (0.4 million ha) and Oceania (0.2 million ha). The
top ten countries in 2016 were USA, Spain, India, China, Italy, Brazil, South Africa, Russia,
Mexico and Saudi Arabia. These countries made up 77 % of the total drip-irrigated area of the
world. In five countries – Austria, Israel, Libya, Slovak Republic and United Kingdom –
irrigation is accomplished solely through pressurized systems (Kulkarni et al. 9/13/2006).

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2.2.2. Sprinkler Irrigation
Sprinkler irrigation is a method of providing rainfall-like irrigation to the crops. Water is
distributed through a system of pipes, usually by pumping. Spray heads at the outlets distribute
the water over the entire soil surface. In the sprinkler method of irrigation, water is sprayed into
the air and allowed to fall on the ground surface somewhat resembling rainfall. The spray is
developed by the flow of water under pressure through small orifices or nozzles. The pressure is
usually obtained by pumping. With careful selection of nozzle sizes, operating pressure and
sprinkler spacing the amount of irrigation water required to refill the crop root zone can be
applied nearly uniform at the rate to suit the infiltration rate of soil. (Jan Sass, 2020)

Figure 1 Sprinkler irrigation system from underground water

The relative advantage of sprinklers over surface methods will vary from places to place and
time to time. Some of the advantages of sprinkler method are detailed below.

Water conservation: It is possible to apply water uniformly in all places with sprinkler
irrigation. In this method, water penetrates only to the root zone with no wastage in the form of
deep percolation. Therefore, it is possible to increase the area by one and a half time with same
quantity of water. Higher levels of spatial uniformity and efficiency than gravity irrigation are
achieved by sprinkler systems.

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Soil conservation and effective use of land: There are two situations in which sprinkler systems
could be used advantageously viz., the land which can’t be not irrigated by the gravity methods
because of highly undulating topography, high porosity of soil, steep gradients and shallow top
soil, and the land that can be irrigated but a part of it is with open ditches. It means land need not
be leveled. Soil erosion, compaction of soil during irrigation and land loss for formation of water
course and field channels can be avoided. Further, this method irrigation will control leaching of
salts.

Healthy growth of crops: Healthy crop growth and higher yields with good quality can be
realized as the soil moisture in the crop root zone will be continuously maintained at optimum
levels through sprinkler irrigation method.

Less labor: Sprinkler irrigation is automated. The lateral pipes need to be shifted only once in
six to eight hours; it generally leads to reduced labor requirements. Fertilizer and pesticides can
also be applied through the sprinkler system thus, affecting saving in labor costs. Sprinkler
irrigation is also known to be associated with less infestation of pests and diseases thereby,
cutting down the plant protection costs.

Seed Germination: The uniformity of crop stand and time of maturity is of economic
importance for many crops, particularly for vegetables and flowers. The sprinkler system often
ensures adequate seed germination with only one light application of water after seeding.

Application of fertilizers: Dissolving soluble fertilizer in water and applying the solution
through a sprinkler system is quick, economical, easy and effective. Once the apparatus for
adding the fertilizer to the irrigation water is set up with minimum equipment, the crop being
irrigated can be fertilized with less effort than is required for mechanical application. Penetration
of fertilizer into the soil can be regulated by the duration of application in relation to the total
irrigation period and the soil’s hydro – physical characteristics. The fertilizer can be dissolved in
water in a barrel or a closed container.

There are several advantages in using sprinkler irrigation systems as a means of distributing
fertilizers: i). application of both irrigation and fertilization can be accomplished simultaneously
ii). Close control can usually be maintained over the placement, as well as over lateral

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distribution iii). Uniformity of fertilizer distribution will be as good as the uniformity of water
distribution.

Application of insecticides and weedicides: Insecticides, fungicides and weedicides can also be
injected through the sprinkler systems in a way similar to the fertilizer application.

Soil amendments: Various soluble soil amendments, such as gypsum, sulphuric acid, limes and
soluble resins can be applied through sprinkler systems. The method used is the same as those
used to add soluble fertilizers. Frost protection: The sprinkler system can be suitably modified by
adding more

lateral lines and sprinklers at predetermined spacing so that the entire field can be covered with a
fine mist of water in the event of freezing temperatures during post rainy season, thus crops can
be used from frost protection.

Cooling of crops: Most of the crop yields are seriously depressed due to high air temperature
during flowering to fruiting period. Temperatures above 35°C may cause blossom drop of beans.
Temperatures in excess of 38°C for several days can cause loss of grapes up to 50 %. Sprinkler
system when operated at low application rates will bring down the ambient air temperatures and
leaf temperature by 5°C or more thus crop losses can be minimized and fruit quality maintained.
Cooling of crops by sprinkler requires a full coverage system, but unlike for frost protection,
water has to be applied intermittently (15 minutes off, 15 minutes on) thus, conserving water.
This method, however, requires reasonably good quality water as saline water causes leaf
burning

Water saving: This method of irrigation can be used for wide variety of crops except for paddy
and jute. The saving of water is up to 30-50% as compared to surface methods of irrigation. This
method of irrigation does not require any particular skill. It is well suited for supplemental
irrigation in the event of dry spell at critical stages.

There are numerous other uses for sprinkler irrigation viz.

 By properly adjusting the duration of application, sprinkler irrigation can be used to apply
for both small and large amounts of water efficiently
 Farm pond water also can be used safely through this method and more efficiently than
drip irrigation

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  Cooling livestock and poultry environments
 Farm fire protection
 Settling of dust
 Log curing

Though sprinkler irrigation is promising, there are certain limitations as detailed below.

Wind effect: Wind interference reduces the effectiveness of uniform sprinkling. Wind conditions
should be given due consideration in the original design of the system to minimize this
disadvantage.

Impact on fruits: Ripening soft fruit may be damaged due to spray.

Impact on flowering: Operating sprinkler during flowering period may affect pollination and
fruit set.

Systems cost: The sprinkler method usually requires the higher initial investment as compared to
surface methods, except where extensive land leveling is necessary for gravity irrigation.

Energy needs: Energy requirements are usually high since sprinkler operates with a water
pressure of 1.0 to more than 10 kg/cm² gauge pressure.

Adverse soil condition: Fine textured soil that has a slow infiltration rate cannot be irrigated
efficiently in hot wind areas. It means it is not suitable in soils with low infiltration rates. On fine
textured soils with poor drainage, movement of portable pipes after irrigation may pose a
problem.

Evaporation loss: More water is lost by evaporation through sprinkler irrigation than with
surface flooding method of irrigation and it ranges from 2 to 5 % of the water used.

Uniformity: Irrigation of orchards by sprinkling has unique problems. When sprinklers are used
under a tree, hanging branches may interfere with the uniform distribution of water. Where
sprinklers are located above the trees, losses due to evaporation increase.

A typical sprinkler irrigation system consists of the following components:

 Pump unit;
 Mainline (and sometimes sub-mainlines);
 Lateral lines;

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  Sprinklers

The pump unit is usually a centrifugal pump, which takes water from the source and provides
adequate pressure for delivery into the pipe system (Brouwer et al. 1989b).

Mainline and sub-mainline pipes deliver water from the pump to lateral pipes. In some cases
these pipelines are permanent and are laid on the soil surface or buried below ground. In other
cases they are temporary, and can be moved from field to field. Pipe materials used are mainly
PVC- and corrugated-iron-based today, but asbestos cement or aluminum alloy materials are also
in use. The laterals deliver water from mainlines or sub-mainlines to the sprinklers. They can be
permanent, but more often they are portable and made of aluminum alloy or PVC in order to be
moved easily (ibid.).

Figure 2 Typical example of sprinkler layout

There are different types of sprinkler heads in use, depending on irrigation purpose and plot
size:

Rotor-type sprinklers operate by rotating streams of water over the surface. They include impact
and gear-drive sprinklers producing streams of water and spray nozzles that discharge water on

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the whole wetted pattern at all times. Impact or gear-drive sprinklers can accommodate only full
or part circle application patterns. Since each sprinkler covers a large area (typically 12 m head
to head spacing), they are used on larger plot sizes. (Jan Sass, 2020)

An impact sprinkler is mounted on a bearing that allows the entire sprinkler body to spin in
circles. It is rotated by the impact of a swinging arm repeatedly striking the body of the sprinkler,
causing it to rotate slightly each time. Cam drive or ball drive sprinklers are also impact
sprinklers, but the impact is caused by either a cam or a ball bearing inside the body of the
sprinkler. With ball and cam drive rotors only the nozzle moves. Ball and cam drive sprinklers
are no longer present on the market, but may be still in use. (Jan Sass, 2020)

As impact sprinklers tend not to rotate in a uniform manner, they are replaced by gear-driven
rotors on the market. As with cam and ball drives, only the nozzle on a gear-driven sprinkler
head moves. The water moving through the sprinkler spins a turbine, which turns a set of gears,
which again turn the nozzle. These gear-drive rotors have one or more streams of water rotating.
In agricultural irrigation, these sprinklers are usually in operation on very large plot sizes. They
require a higher input pressure. (Jan Sass, 2020)

Figure 3 Example of impact sprinkler heads

Centre pivot irrigation is a form of overhead sprinkler irrigation consisting of several segments
of pipe mounted on wheeled towers with sprinklers positioned along its length. The usually self-
propelled structure moves in a circular pattern and is fed with water from the pivot point at the
center of the circle. The amount of water applied is controlled by the speed of rotation. Centre

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pivots can be adjusted to any crop height and are particularly suited for lighter soils. With a
computerized control system, the operator is able to program many features for the irrigation
process. Furthermore, it is possible to install a corner attachment system (also called ‘end-gun’)
which allows irrigation of corner areas missed out by conventional center pivot systems. (Jan
Sass, 2020)

A linear move (also called lateral move) irrigation system is built the same way as a center pivot;
the main difference is that all the towers move at the same speed and in the same direction.
Water is pumped into one of the ends or into the center. A travelling big gun system uses a large
capacity nozzle and high pressure to throw water out over the crop as it is pulled through an alley
in the field. Travelling big guns come in two main configurations: hard-hose or flexible-hose
feed. With the hard-hose system, a hard polyethylene hose is wrapped on a reel mounted on a
trailer. The trailer is anchored at the end or center of the field. The gun is connected to the end of
the hose and is pulled towards the trailer. The gun is pulled across the field by the hose winding
up on the reel. With the flexible-hose system, the gun is mounted on a four-wheel cart. Water is
supplied to the gun by a flexible hose from the main line. A cable winch pulls the cart through
the field towards the cart (Stauffer & Spuhler, 2019a).

Due to high capital investment, center pivots, linear moves, travelling big guns and side roll
systems are used in high-value crops such as potatoes and vegetables. A higher level of expert
knowledge is necessary to carry out irrigation with these systems, even though the labor
requirement is relatively low due to automation. Motors, water supply pipes/hoses and all
mechanical components have to be maintained systematically to avoid damage and high repair
costs. Sprinklers provide efficient coverage for small to large areas. Sprinkler irrigation is suited
for most row, field and tree crops and water can be sprayed over or under the crop canopy.
However, large sprinklers are not recommended for irrigation of delicate crops such as lettuce
because the large water drops produced by the sprinklers may damage the crop (Brouwer et al.
1989b).

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Figure 4 centre pivot sprinkler irrigation system, travelling big gun irrigation system, side roll
sprinkler irrigation, and linear irrigation project
Sprinkler irrigation is adaptable to any farmable slope, whether uniform or undulating. Lateral
pipes supplying water to the sprinklers should always be laid out along the land contour
whenever possible to minimize the pressure changes at the sprinklers and provide a uniform
irrigation. A good clean supply of water, free of suspended sediments, is required to avoid
problems of sprinkler nozzle blockage and spoiling the crop by coating it with sediment. The
pump supply system, sprinklers and operating conditions must be designed to enable a uniform
application of water (ibid.).

Sprinkler irrigation can also be adapted to nearly all irrigable soils since sprinklers are available
with a variety of discharge capacities. However, sprinklers are best suited to sandy soils with
high infiltration rates. The average application rate from the sprinklers (in mm/hour) is always
chosen to be less than the basic infiltration rate of the soil so that inundation/flooding and runoff
can be avoided. Sprinklers are not suitable for soils which easily form a crust (ibid.).

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2.3. Overview of pumping and centrifugal pump
Water devices, including pumps, are used for moving or lifting water from one location to
another. Simple water devices have been in existence for thousands of years and were used
for irrigation, domestic water needs, and livestock production. People, animals, or simple
machines that harnessed natural forces, such as the wind or water currents, provided power for
these devices. In the twentieth century, electricity became widely distributed in many countries,
and traditional devices were largely replaced by more modern types, especially electric-powered
ones. Several traditional devices whose origins can be traced back hundreds, or even thousands,
of years were essential to the success of many ancient societies. Some traditional devices remain
in operation today ( Pumps,%20Traditional%20%20river,%20largest,%20types,%20system,
%20source,%20human.mhtml ).

The electric motor provides the rotational energy to drive the pump unit. Generally two types of
pumps can be found in today’s solar pumping systems; centrifugal and helical rotor pumps.

A centrifugal pump is a rotodynamic pump that uses a rotating impeller to increase the pressure
and flow rate of a fluid. Centrifugal pumps are the most common type of pump used to move
liquids through a piping system. The fluid enters the pump impeller along or near to the rotating
axis and is accelerated by the impeller, flowing radially outward or axially into a diffuser or
volute chamber, from where it exits into the downstream piping system. Centrifugal pumps are
typically used for large discharge through smaller heads. Centrifugal pumps are most often
associated with the radial flow type. However, the term centrifugal pump can be used to describe
all impeller type rotodynamic pumps including the radial, axial and mixed flow variations. (Jan
Sass, 2020)

A centrifugal pump creates an increase in pressure by transferring mechanical energy from the
motor to the fluid through the rotating impeller. The fluid flows from the inlet to the impeller
center and out along its blades. The centrifugal force hereby increases the fluid velocity and
consequently also the kinetic energy, which is transformed to pressure. The pressure can be
increased by simply adding several stages in series (Grundfos n.d.).

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Figure 5 an end-suction centrifugal pump (single stage) mounted with motor
A helical rotor pump is a type of progressive cavity pump which works by the rotation of a
helical rotor, when sealed against a helix wall, pushing discrete sections of material through the
device. This corkscrew-like action provides a pulse free flow, and valves are unnecessary as the
helical rotor seals the discrete sections of material. The flow rate is determined by the rotor
speed, and is independent of outlet pressure (Mining & Hydraulic Supplies n.d.).

Centrifugal pumps are generally applied where pumping heads are low and water demand is
high. For this reason centrifugal pumps are the preferred option for use in irrigation systems.
Helical rotor pumps are typically found in applications with high pumping heads and low water
flow rates, such as for drinking water supply. (Jan Sass, 2020)

2.4 Overview of solar generators

A solar generator provides the necessary energy to operate the motor pump unit. It is made of
individual solar cells which employ the photovoltaic effect, which converts solar radiation
directly into electricity. Solar cells are made of specially prepared semiconductor materials such
as silicon, gallium arsenide, cadmium telluride and copper indium di-selenide. When light falls
on the surface of the semiconductor, an electric field develops. By connecting a wire to the back
and front side of the solar cell, the voltage of the electric field causes a current to flow, which
can be used to drive a load. Crystalline silicon solar cells are the most commonly used variety;
they currently dominate the global photovoltaic market. About 90 % of all solar panels are made
of crystalline silicone (DGS 2013).

Utilization of solar energy for pumping water offers immense scope. However, large scale
applications of the same have not so far been reported. Limited success for utilizing solar energy

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for water pumping has been achieved. Solar energy is converted to electrical energy through
photo-voltaic cells and the electrical energy is used in running a motor and pump. The size of
pump to be used depends upon the number of photo-voltaic cells. (List%20of%20Water
%20Lifting%20Devices%20_%20Groundwater%20_%20Geography.mhtml).

The output of a solar panel is not only dependent on the irradiance and cell temperature. The
orientation and tilt angle of the panel surface is also important. To maximize output, the site-
specific optimal orientation has to be chosen. (Jan Sass, 2020)

Figure 6 solar tracking system

A solar cell generates electrical energy directly from solar energy through the solar photovoltaic
module, made up of silicon cells. Each cell outputs relatively low voltage, But by connecting
many cells in series, a solar photovoltaic module is formed. The solar module produces direct
current (DC) power, to convert it to a rated DC chopper is used, to convert this DC PV power to
AC power Inverter is used. At the given temperature and insulation level, PV cells supply
maximum power at one particular operation point called maximum power point (MMP). It is
desirable to operate the PV system at its MPP. The maximum power point locus varies
depending on PV array temperature and insulation radiation. A lifetime of PV cells and shading
conditions can affect the locus of maximum PowerPoint. So, to achieve operation at MPP, a
time-varying matching network is required to interfaces varying sources and varying load in
order to achieve optimum matching of PV array at MPPT. MPPT is a power electronic step up or

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step down dc-dc converter which is inserted between the PV module and its load to achieve the
optimum matching. There are many intelligent algorithms, which ensure the PV module always
to operate at its maximum power point regardless of temperature, isolation and load varying.
There are many algorithms that are used for the Optimization of maximum power point tracking
(MPPT), due to its simplicity perturb and observe (P&O) and an Incremental Conductance
algorithm is commonly used. In this research, an efficient Photovoltaic (PV) water pumping
system installed on shallow wells proved to be promising technological innovation. [2]

Electric motors of solar water pumps are generally powered by direct current (DC) sources, or by
alternating current (AC) sources. DC motors are mainly used for small to medium size irrigation
schemes, while AC motors gain importance in applications where higher output/head
combinations are required. Since DC motors tend to have overall higher efficiency levels than
AC motors of a similar size, they are often the first choice of solar pump manufacturers. In
particular, water filled brushless DC motors are gaining importance because they are
maintenance-free and do not suffer from frequent starts/stops, typical in solar-powered systems.
(Jan Sass, 2020)

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3. MATERIAL AND METHODS

3.1. Description of the study area

The study will conduct in eastern Ethiopia, specifically east Hararge zone around Haramaya
University. Haramaya University is located in the Haramaya woreda. Haramaya is
geographically located between 42°01′E longitude and 90 26'N latitude with its altitude
ranging from 1,400 to 2,340 meters above sea level (masl). It is bordered by KurfaChale in the
south, by Kersa to the west, to the north by Dire Dawa, to the east by Kombolcha, and by the
Harari National Region State to the southeast.
The woreda is part of the Ethiopian highland system, and lies in the semi-arid tropical belt of
eastern Ethiopia. It is therefore, representative of a sub-humid mid-altitude agro-climatic zone.
Rainfall is bimodal, and the mean annual rainfall received ranges from 600 to 1,260 mm. The
short season, rain usually starts in March and ends in May, and the long season rainfall occurs
between June and September. Relative humidity varies between 60 and 80%. Minimum and
maximum annual temperatures range from 6oC to 12oC and 170C to 25oC, respectively. Soil type
in Haramaya University is sandy loam. Wind

3.2. Data collection methods

The data collection for the project will be obtained from both primary and secondary data
sources.

3.2.1. Primary data collection

The primary data mainly related to sprinkler irrigation system powered by photovoltaic cell is
collected from field experimentations and analysis in different Haramaya university farms. All
the necessary quantitative data required for the study will be collected by field and laboratory
survey.

3.2.2. Secondary data collection

During the preparation of our project written documents such as books, reports, research papers,
and procedure are used as secondary data source in order to refer detail information about
sprinkler irrigation, solar generators, water pumps, and other parameters that support our

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requirements in designing sprinkler irrigation system powered by solar photovoltaic cells in
Haramaya university.

3.3. Data analysis methods

Once the investigation of data would complete, expected to collect from the field and the data
obtained from secondary sources and cross-checked, verified, analyzed and interpreted data
theory on basis of the problem and generalizing principles using appropriate theories. The
following designing steps are followed to achieve the project work: first, identifying the place
where high amount of water is found around the site, second, calculating water requirement of
maize over its growing period for one hectare in cubic meter, third, designing layout of the
sprinkler system and calculate total water head needed according to the overall efficiency of the
system, then making decision in the selection of pump needed and power requirement, forth,
determine number of solar panels and selecting solar array size depending upon the power
requirement of the pump.

3.3.1. Determining water requirement of maize

3.3.2. Layout of the sprinkler system and pump size

There are two sets or shifts having a sprinkler spacing (se) of 12 m and lateral spacing (sl) of 18
m. The system will have the following layout

Figure 7 layout of the system

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3.3.3. Number of solar panels

3.4. Materials used

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Conclusions and Recommendations

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References

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