Example 2.

1 Design a sprinkler irrigation system for a

square, 10-hectare field to irrigate the entire area within
10 days period. Not more than 16 hours per day are
available for moving the pipe and sprinkling. The required
depth of irrigation is 5 cm and the water application rate
is not to exceed 0.75 cm/hr. A 30 m deep well located in
the centre of the field will provide the following dischargedrawdown
relationship 12.5 lit./sec at 15 m and 15.8 lit.
/sec at 20 m. Design the system for an average pressure
of 3 kg/cm2 at the sprinkler nozzle. The highest point in
the field is 1.25 m above the well site and 1 m risers are
needed for the sprinklers, Assuming a pump efficiency of
60 per cent and supposing that the engine will furnish 70
per cent of its rated output for continuous operation,
determine the rated output for a water cooled internal
combustion
Example 2.2 Determine the required capacity of a
sprinkler system to apply water at the rate of 1.25 cm/hr.
Two 186 metres long sprinkler lines are required. Sixteen
sprinklers are spaced at 12 metre intervals on each line.
The spacing between lines is 18 metres.
Solution:
System capacity = total discharge of all sprinklers
= 0.75 x 32
= 24 litres/sec.
Example 2.3 Allowing 1 hour for moving each 186 metre
sprinkler line described in Example 2.1 how many hours
would be required to apply a 5 cm irrigation to a square
16-hectare field? How many days are required assuming
10-hour days?
Solution: Irrigation time to apply 5 cm irrigation at the rate of
1.25 cm/hour= = 4 hours
Time required for moving the lateral = 1 hour
Total time per setting = 4 + 1 = 5 hours
Area of field = 16 x 10,000 = 1,60,000
Length of field = = 400 m
The entire length of 400 m is covered by the two 186 m laterals.
The number of moves required= 400/18 =22.2 say 22 moves
Total time required for irrigation = 22 x 5 = 110 hours
= 110/10 = 11 days.
Example 2.4 Determine the system capacity for a sprinkler
irrigation system to irrigate 16 hectares of maize crop.
Design moisture use rate is 5 mm per day. Moisture
replaced in soil at each irrigation is 6 cm. Irrigation
efficiency is 70 per cent. Irrigation period is 10 days in a
12-day interval. The system is to be operated for 20 hours
per day.
Solution:
Given: A = 16, F = 10, H = 20, d = 6
System capacity
= 9.4 liters / second
Example 2.5 Determine the size of sprinklers, laterals,
pump and power unit for the sprinkler system layout with
the following conditions:
Hn = 35.3 m, Hj = 0.5 m, Hm = 2.2 m, Hs = 3.5 m, I = 1.25
cm / hr, maximum length of main = 60 m, Sj= 15 m, Sm =
20 m and allowable variation in pressure in the lateral is
20 per cent.
Solution:
1. Determine the sprinkler and the lateral capacities:
Area of sprinkler nozzle,
= 0.45 x 10-4 m2
Diameter of sprinkler nozzle,d = 0.75 cm
2. Select 7.5 cm diameter lateral (assumed)
3. Select 10 cm diameter main(assumed)
4. Pump size –
= 35.5 + 0.5 + 2.2 + 3.5
= 43.0 m