Pressurized irrigation

1. Introduction
Why it is called pressurized irrigation ?
• Water moves through pipes under pressure, it is
not exposed to the atmosphere as in surface
irrigation

Pressurized Irrigation

Sprinkler Drip/Trickle
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 1. Introduction…

• Energy is required in order to develop enough

head to overcome frictional resistances in the pipe
and pump sections so that adequate amount of
supply can reach the point of interest.
• In both sprinkler and drip irrigation mechanical
Energy is added
Major components of pressurized system
Water sources
Energy sources
Distribution Network-pipe system & emission
devices 2
 2.Sprinkler Irrigation
• Sprinkler irrigation is a method of applying
irrigation water which is similar to natural rainfall.
• It is an artificial rain
• Water is distributed through a system of pipes
usually by pumping.
• It is then sprayed into the air through sprinklers so
that it breaks up into small water drops which fall
to the ground.

• The pump supply system, sprinklers and operating

conditions must be designed to enable a uniform
application of water.
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• S

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Uses of Sprinkler Irrigation
Main use- to irrigate crops to increase production.
Other uses:
Application of fertilizers , pesticides and soil
amendments
lightly wet the soil surface after seeding to improve
germination
municipal, industrial & agricultural waste disposal.
Frost protection
Crop cooling

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Adaptability of Sprinkler irrigation
Conditions that favour Sprinkler Irrigation
– Very pervious soils which do not permit good
distribution of water by surface methods.
– Lands with shallow soils & undulating
topography which prevent proper leveling
for surface irrigation methods.
– Land having steep slopes and easily erodible
soils.
– Irrigation stream too small to distribute
water efficiently by surface irrigation.
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Suitability of sprinkler irrigation
Crops
• Suitable for most row , field and tree crops.
Slopes
• Adaptable in any farmable slopes – uniform or undulating
• The lateral should be laid along the contour line to minimize
pressure changes.
Soils
• Best suited to sandy soils with high infiltration rates.
• The average application rate of the sprinkler must be
less the basic soil infiltration rate. Why ?
Irrigation water
• Clean supply of water, free of suspended sediments to avoid
nozzle blockage and spoiling of crop by coating with sediment.
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Advantages of sprinkler irrigation
 Seepage losses in water transporting are eliminated
 Land levelling is not required (avoids removal of top fertile
soil, Land with irregular topography can be irrigated )
 No cultivation area is lost for making ditches
 Minimizes surface runoff & deep percolation loses as it
applies water at a rate less than the infiltration capacity of
soil
 Fertilizers can be uniformly applied as they are mixed with
irrigation water itself
 Prevents water logging & can leach down salts
 Less labour oriented
 Uniform distribution of water & high application efficiency
(up to 80%) 8
Limitation of sprinkler Irrigation
• Wind distorts sprinkler pattern and causes uneven
distribution of water (i.e sensitivity to wind conditions)
• Ripened soft fruits may be affected in over-head
application.
• Water must be clean and free of sand, debris and
dissolved salts.
• High initial investment cost compared to surface irrigation.
• High power/energy cost/requirements
• Fine textured soils with slow infiltration rate may not be
irrigated efficiently in hot windy areas ( water losses by
evaporation)
• Design and operation needs technical know-how
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Sprinkler irrigation in Ethiopia
• Practiced to a limited extent in Zeway, Tanabeles, Raya,
Fincha & Tendaho sugar factories.
• Now a days it has been becoming the major component
in supplementing the natural rainfall
Conditions which favour its dev’t in the country:
 Undulating topography of wide arable areas of the
country
 Marginal & shallow soils of peripheral regions of the
country , with low water holding capacity and which
prevent proper leveling
 irrigation streams too small to distribute water efficiently
by surface methods in arid and semi- arid areas
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Major bottlenecks for dev’t of sprinkler in Ethiopia:
• No or little domestic production of system
components- pumps, quick couplers, light weight
pipes, hose etc. Almost all components are
imported.
• Individual farmers can not afford the installation
costs.
• Poor infrastructure and marketing which could
support production of perishable crops and
vegetables for export and domestic consumption.
• Lack of skilled manpower for project identification,
planning, design and implementation.
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Components of sprinkler irrigation system
A typical sprinkler irrigation system consists of the
following components:
• Pressure generating units (Pump unit)
• Water carrier units (Mainlines , sub mainlines,
Laterals)
• Water delivery units (riser pipes and sprinklers)
• Quality improvement sub-units (Screens, De-silting
basins)
• Ancillary units ( Fertilizer and other chemical
applicator)
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• s

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Pump unit:
• is usually a centrifugal pump which takes water
from the source and provides adequate pressure
to push into the pipe system.
Mainline:
• a line between the source of pressurized water
and the point at which water is delivered to the
field.
• Can be buried pipe or above-ground pipeline.
• In linear move system, it can be an open channel
and requires a pressurizing device (pump).
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Lateral line:
• This comes out of the mainline to deliver water to
riser pipes & sprinkler nozzles
• The position of the lateral may be permanent or
moveable
• The spacing between the successive positions of the
lateral along the mainline is termed as mainline
spacing & is designated as Sm
• The distance between sprinkler nozzles along a lateral
is termed as the lateral spacing and designated as Sl
• Keywords: Mainline spacing, Sm and
Lateral spacing Sl
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• The spray area wetted by each sprinkler nozzle at a
particular operating pressure is designated as the
wetted diameter, Dw.
• The wetted diameters are overlapped along the
lateral to promote a more uniform distribution of
water

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 Other components
Fertilizer applicator:
 Soluble fertilizer can be injected into sprinkler
system via the suction side of the pipe and applied
to the crop
 It’s placed at the desired depth in a soluble and
readily available form to plants, without being
leached away
 Hence, fertigation (application of fertilizer +
irrigation water simultaneously) is possible–saves
labour requirement
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Fig. Adding fertilizer in solution through the suction side of a centrifugal
pump 18
The Quantity of fertilizer to be injected is given by:
Sl * S m * N s * Pn *W f
WF 
10,000
where:WF = Amount of fertilizer per setting , Kg.
Sl = Distance between sprinklers , m.
Sm = Distance between laterals , m.
Ns = Number of sprinklers
Pn = Number of positions a given sprinkler can
serve ( In solid set system).
Wf = recommended fertilizer dose, Kg /ha
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De-silting basin:
• It is silt trapping structure & needed when streams &
wells have silt
Debris screen:
• It screens out trash that might plug the sprinkles
nozzles
• needed when surface water is used as the source of
irrigation
• Screens should be fine enough to catch weed seeds and
other small particles
• The accumulated trash must be removed
Booster pumps:
• Pumps used when additional pressure is required 20
Classification of sprinklers
1. Based on arrangement for spraying
i) Fixed Nozzle sprinklers:
• A series of nozzles are fixed along the laterals pipes
• Parallel pipes are installed at about 15 meters apart and
supported on rows of posts(pillars)
• The water comes out as fountain through the nozzles &
spreads over the land

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ii) Perforated sprinkler
• The lateral pipes are perforated along the top &
sides
• The water comes out through the perforations in
all directions in the form of spray
• The spacing of laterals is should be in such a way
that the whole area is evenly sprayed with water
• The lateral pipes are supported in pillars

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iii) Rotating sprinklers
• The riser pipes are fixed on the lateral pipes at a regular
intervals
• On the top of the riser pipe are two arms which can rotate
about a vertical axis
• The upper end of the arms consist of nozzles
• As the arms rotate, water comes out through the nozzles
& a circular area is covered by each riser

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• Extensively used due to its ability to apply water
at a slower rate (less than 2 mm/hr )
• Advantageous for soils with low infiltration rates.
• It uses relatively large nozzle openings which are
favorable in water containing silt and debris
• Hence, less stoppage of sprinklers is experienced.

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2. Based on method of developing pressure

Hybrid systems (Pumps +

Pump powered system Gravity sprinkler system Gravity)

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 3. Based on portability and make up of units

A. Conventional systems (periodic move & fixed)

Fully Portable system

Semi-portable system/hand move

Fully Permanent system

Solid-set system

B. Mobile sprinkler machines

Side roll system
Big gun sprinkler
Centre pivot system
Linear move system
Boom sprinkler system
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A. Conventional sprinkler types
a) Fully portable system:
• The laterals, mains, sub-mains and the pumping plant are all
portable.
• The system is designed to be moved from one field to another or
other pumping sites.
 b) Semi-portable system/hand move sprinkler:
• Water source and pumping plant are fixed in locations & other
components can be moved.
• The system cannot be moved from field to field except laterals.

Postion1 Position2 27
Portable system 28
c) Fully permanent system:
• Permanent laterals, mains, sub-mains as well as fixed
pumping plant
• The sprinkler may be permanently located or moved
along the lateral
• It can be used on permanent irrigation fields and for
relatively high value crops e.g. Orchards and vineyards
• Labour saving throughout the life of the system may
later offset high installation cost
d) Solid-set system
• Laterals are left in a fixed position for the entire
growing season but not for many years
• Sprinklers can be moved along the laterals
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B. Mobile Sprinkler Types
a) Rain (big) gun sprinkler:
• A mobile machine with a big sprinkler.
• The speed of the machine determines the application
rate. The sprinkler has a powerful jet system.

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b) Linear Move:
• It is a mobile long boom with many sprinklers
attached to it.
• As the machine moves, it collects water from a canal
into the sprinklers connected to the long boom.

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C) Centre Pivot
• The source of water is stationary e.g. a bore
hole. Long arms with many sprinklers rotate
about the water source or lateral

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Operating sprinkler system.
Wetting pattern
• The wetting pattern from a single rotary sprinkler is not
very uniform.
• Normally the area wetted is circular. The heaviest wetting is
close to the sprinkler.
• For good uniformity several sprinklers must be operated
close together so that their patterns overlap.
• For good uniformity the overlap should be at least 65% of
the wetted diameter.
• The uniformity of sprinkler applications can be
affected by wind and water pressure
• To reduce the effects of wind, reduce the spacing
between sprinklers & align laterals across wind
directions

Overlapping Pattern

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 Too low pressure
• may aggravate wearing of pumps and pipes
• water jet will not be broken up and all the water tends to
fall in one area

 Too high pressure

• Develops very fine spray which falls close to the sprinkler
and water will not be carried to the extent of designed
wetted diameter

 Satisfactory pressure
Design of sprinkler system

Objectives
• Provide sufficient flow capacity to meet the irrigation demand
• Ensure that the least irrigated plant receives adequate water
• Ensure uniform distribution of water
Procedures in planning and design of sprinkler system:
• Inventory of available resources and operating conditions
• Topographic map of the area
• Water supply – source availability and dependability
• Climatic Condition
• Power source.
• Crop Selection
• Water Supply level
 Hydraulic Design of Sprinkler System
Sprinkler characteristics
Discharge of Sprinkler nozzle (q)

q  ca 2 gh
where: q = nozzle discharge m3/s
a = cross sectional area of nozzle, m2
h = pressure head at the nozzle, m
g = acceleration due to gravity, m/sec2
c = coefficient of discharge (0.75- 0.98)
• Sprinkler discharge can also be computed as a function of nozzle operating
pressure (P) as:
q = K ( P ) 0.5
Where q = nozzle discharge, lit / sec
P = Nozzle operating pressure, KPa
K = Non-linear proportionality constant dependent on nozzle model &
diameter
Distance of throw (range of jet)
• The radius of wetted area is suggested by cavazza as:
R  1.35 dh
Where:
R = radius of wetted area,
d = diameter of nozzle, m
h = pressure head at the nozzle, m.
Working pressure
• Working pressure head causes break-up of droplets. It is calculated
by:
Hd= Kd (d)1/2
Where:
Hd is the working pressure head required, m
d is the nozzle diameter, mm; and
Kd is the drop break coefficient(10-17) 38
Uniformity coefficient (Cu)
• No sprinkler system is perfectly uniform; some part of the field may
receive greater depths of applied water than the other.
• Cu is a measurable index of the degree of uniformity obtainable for
any size of the sprinkler operating under given conditions .
• Affected by the combination of pressure-nozzle size relation,
sprinkler spacing and wind conditions.
• It can be expressed by Christiansen or Hawaiian Sugger Planters
 n

Association equations:   x i  x 
C U  100 1 
i  1

 x n 
 
1. Christiansen
Where: Cu = Uniformity coefficient
xi  x = numerical deviation of individual observation from the mean
x = mean value of individual observation
n = the number of observations
Note: Cu > = 85% is satisfactory.
2. Hawaiian Sugar planters Formula
2  / xi  x / 
UcH  1   
 x 
 
UcH = Hawaiian Sugar planters association coefficient, fraction
xi  x = standard deviation of depth caught

Example: In a given set of sprinkler layout, the depths of water

caught in 21 open cans placed at regular intervals of
3meteres with a sprinkled area of 12m x 12m are given
below (in cm). Calculate the uniformity coefficient
Given Soln: -n=21
-Sum of all depths=
-Mean depth=
-Sum of deviation from
the mean=
Adequacy of Application
• The net irrigation requirement at given time is equal
to crop water requirement minus effective
precipitation
• The concept of adequacy addresses the question of
‘’what portion of the field received at least the net
irrigation requirement’’?
• A portion of the field received an amount equal or
greater than the net irrigation requirement is said
to be adequately irrigated
• If 25% of the field receives at least the NIR, then the
field is said to have an adequacy level of 25%. 41
Losses in sprinkler irrigation system
 Losses occurring during sprinkling can be:
• Wind drift and evaporation losses


Ls  1.98 D 
 0.72
 0.22 e s  ea 
0.63
 3.6 * 10 4
 h 1.16
 0.14U  
0.7 4.2

Where: Ls = evaporation and wind drift , percent

D = nozzle diameter , m
H = nozzle operating pressure, Kpa
U = wind velocity , m/s
es-ea= vapor pressure deficit , KPa

 17 . 27 T 
e s  e a  0 . 61 exp  T  237 . 3  1  R H 

Where: T = air temperature, 0C

RH = Relative humidity in fraction

• Interception losses
• Percolation losses
• Other losses(fringe &leakage losses) 42
Components of system design
Application rate of sprinklers
 Depends on sprinkler nozzles, operating pressure, distance
between sprinklers
 It must be less than intake rate of the soil
Soil Texture Max. Appln. Rates
(mm/hr.)
Coarse Sand 20 to 40
Fine Sand 12 to 25
Sandy Loam 12
Silt Loam 10
Clay Loam/Clay 5 to 8
 Sprinkler drop size: varies from 0.5 to 4mm & it is also
controlled by pressure and nozzle size.
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• The gross & net application rate by a given sprinkler
is given as:

dg 
360 * q and dn  dg (1  Ls)
S l .S m

Where:
• dg=gross application rate (cm/h),
• q=nozzle discharge l/s
• Sl = lateral spacing(m) & Sm = mainline spacing(m)
• dn = net application rate
• Ls= evaporation and wind drift (fraction) & given by

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Irrigation interval
• It is the time gap (in days) b/n two successive irrigations
• Total allowable depletion(TAD) is key parameter to design
irrigation interval is. 
TAD=TAM*MAD*Dr 
Where:
TAM = total allowable moisture mm/m
MAD =management allowed depletion, fraction
Dr = depth of active root zone 
TAM= FC-CEW
where
FC= field capacity, mm/m
CEW=crop extractable water, mm/m
Irrigation interval (I)= TAD/ETcrop
Where: ETcrp= peak daily CWR 45
System capacity
• The capacity of the system is the continuous flow rate required to
irrigate the specified area
Q=(2.778igA)/(Nop*Top)
Where: Q= continuous flow rate required, l/s
ig= gross irrigation requirement, mm
A= total irrigated area, ha
Nop= number of days of operation per irrigation interval, days
Top= hours of operation per day, h/day
• Total number of sprinklers required for the system can be estimated
by: N= Q/q
Where: N= total number of sprinklers
q= design discharge per nozzle
Lateral discharge- is defined as the flow rate at the head of the lateral
QLateral = n*q where: n=no. of sprinklers on a lateral
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