EQUIPMENTS FOR IRRIGATION WORKS KENNEDY B. SADORRA - ARBOLEDA NHS - ALCALA, PANGASINAN Introduction Water is an essential element for survival. About seventy per cent of the human body consists of water while plants contain almost 90 percent of water. Still, we have to depend on some outside sources to fulfil the water requirements of our body. Similarly, crops require water for their growth and development. The process of supplying water to the crops is known as irrigation. KENNEDY B. SADORRA - ARBOLEDA NHS - ALCALA, PANGASINAN MATERIALS, TOOLS AND EQUIPMENTS FOR IRRIGATION WORKS An irrigation tool is any type of tool or device that is used to design, maintain, and/or repair irrigation systems. Irrigation tools are typically sold under several main categories, including drip and underground irrigation tools, sprinklers, hoses, and irrigation timers. KENNEDY B. SADORRA - ARBOLEDA NHS - ALCALA, PANGASINAN Drip irrigation tools such as connectors, piping, and sprinklers are used to create overhead irrigation systems. These tools work together to help control the exact flow of water to flower and vegetable gardens. KENNEDY B. SADORRA - ARBOLEDA NHS - ALCALA, PANGASINAN KENNEDY B. SADORRA - ARBOLEDA NHS - ALCALA, PANGASINAN Underground irrigation tools, such as pop-up heads and sprinklers, as well as irrigation timers and sprayers are used for one of the most popular types of irrigation systems — the underground irrigation system. This system works for lawns, flower gardens, and vegetable gardens, both big and small. Underground systems are also frequently used for custom landscaping projects. KENNEDY B. SADORRA - ARBOLEDA NHS - ALCALA, PANGASINAN Although not as high tech as timers and pop-up heads, watering cans are also important, but often overlooked, irrigation tool. A simple watering can has several useful functions, but can be of most used when other equipment fails. KENNEDY B. SADORRA - ARBOLEDA NHS - ALCALA, PANGASINAN Watering cans can be of great assistance during a drought to transport water from other sources. They help simplify hand watering when necessary, and this simple tool waters plants and flowers more evenly when nozzles become inefficient or when they malfunction. KENNEDY B. SADORRA - ARBOLEDA NHS - ALCALA, PANGASINAN While irrigation equipment such as garden hose repair parts, watering cans, nozzles, and hose carts fall under "repair and accessories," these irrigation supplies are just as important as the major types of tools.
KENNEDY B. SADORRA - ARBOLEDA NHS - ALCALA, PANGASINAN
Without tools such as adapters, and quick fixes such as the hose mend, the average system would not function properly. Lack of adequate tools or repair products could quickly turn any system into an inconvenience to maintain or create unwanted replacement costs KENNEDY B. SADORRA - ARBOLEDA NHS - ALCALA, PANGASINAN Many kinds of landscaping and agriculture can require irrigation, including lawns, golf courses, gardens, and large fields of agricultural crops. Various types of irrigation equipment are available to cater to the entire spectrum of irrigation needs. These can range from simple sprinkler equipment for residential landscaping to large center-pivot irrigation systems for watering acres of crops. KENNEDY B. SADORRA - ARBOLEDA NHS - ALCALA, PANGASINAN The irrigation equipment most familiar to many people is that used for lawns and residential landscaping. A garden hose is the simplest, and probably the most widely used, piece of home irrigation equipment. One of several types of sprinkler heads is often attached to the hose in order to irrigate a wider area. KENNEDY B. SADORRA - ARBOLEDA NHS - ALCALA, PANGASINAN An impact sprinkler head sprays out a stream of water while moving in a circle. There are also pop-up impact sprinklers, which can be withdrawn into the ground when they are not being used. Like the impact sprinkler, oscillating sprinklers move around to distribute water, but they spray out a fan of water which moves back and forth. KENNEDY B. SADORRA - ARBOLEDA NHS - ALCALA, PANGASINAN Stream rotors and spray heads are stationary sprinkler heads. The stream rotor sprays out streams of water in all directions, while spray heads may be adjusted to spray in all directions or only towards one or two areas.
KENNEDY B. SADORRA - ARBOLEDA NHS - ALCALA, PANGASINAN
While sprinklers spray water through the air, leading to lost water because of evaporation, methods classified as micro- irrigation apply water under the soil or directly to its surface. Drip irrigation equipment is composed of a tube with drip emitters inserted at desired locations along it, which apply water close to the roots of the plants. KENNEDY B. SADORRA - ARBOLEDA NHS - ALCALA, PANGASINAN A similar but less permanent option is drip tape, which is a very thin type of drip tubing that is designed to be replaced after one or two years of use
KENNEDY B. SADORRA - ARBOLEDA NHS - ALCALA, PANGASINAN
Microsprayers are a very small type of sprinkler attached to very thin drip tubing, sometimes called spaghetti tubes. They are an option somewhere in between conventional sprinklers and drip irrigation. A microsprayer can cover more area than drip irrigation, and is more efficient than a full- sized sprinkler, as it is closer to the ground and thus has less evaporation loss KENNEDY B. SADORRA - ARBOLEDA NHS - ALCALA, PANGASINAN Large agricultural fields require different types of irrigation systems than those used by home gardeners. The irrigation equipment used in these fields typically consists of some type of framework to support many sprinkler heads or nozzles, the heads or nozzles, and the pumps and pipes necessary to deliver the water. KENNEDY B. SADORRA - ARBOLEDA NHS - ALCALA, PANGASINAN Common irrigation systems for these uses include center-pivot, in which the irrigation equipment moves in a circle around a central point, and linear move, which moves the system in straight lines.
KENNEDY B. SADORRA - ARBOLEDA NHS - ALCALA, PANGASINAN
IRRIGATION TOOLS AND EQUIPMENTS Installing an irrigation system yourself will require specific irrigation tools to do the job right. Here is a list of the most common irrigation tools you’ll need to install an irrigation system, and how to use them.
1. Trenching Shovel
A trenching shovel will be needed to dig holes and clean-out machine-dug trenches for the irrigation pipes and valves. Its narrow blade makes this the ideal tool for this tedious job. KENNEDY B. SADORRA - ARBOLEDA NHS - ALCALA, PANGASINAN 2. Mattock A mattock is used to dig short trenches, and the pick end works great for breaking and removing rocks.
KENNEDY B. SADORRA - ARBOLEDA NHS - ALCALA, PANGASINAN
3. Tamper A tamper bar is used to compact the soil after it is replaced over the piping.
KENNEDY B. SADORRA - ARBOLEDA NHS - ALCALA, PANGASINAN
4.PVC Pipe Cutter The PVC pipe cutter is used to cut the PVC pipe leaving clean edges.
KENNEDY B. SADORRA - ARBOLEDA NHS - ALCALA, PANGASINAN
5. Hack Saw A hack saw can be used to cut PVC pipe, as well as metal pipe.
KENNEDY B. SADORRA - ARBOLEDA NHS - ALCALA, PANGASINAN
6. Wire Cutter/stripper A combination wire cutter and stripper is used for cutting and stripping wires.
KENNEDY B. SADORRA - ARBOLEDA NHS - ALCALA, PANGASINAN
7. Screw Drivers You will need a flat screwdriver and a Phillips head screwdriver to connect the wires to the controller.
KENNEDY B. SADORRA - ARBOLEDA NHS - ALCALA, PANGASINAN
IRRIGATION SYSTEM In irrigated crop production, farmers depend on irrigation to supplement rainfall to supply the water requirements of the crop. Proper operation and maintenance ensures that an irrigation system performs optimally. Before an inspection can be done you need to understand the components of an irrigation system. KENNEDY B. SADORRA - ARBOLEDA NHS - ALCALA, PANGASINAN The irrigation system A basic irrigation system consists of the following components:
KENNEDY B. SADORRA - ARBOLEDA NHS - ALCALA, PANGASINAN
Pumps Almost all irrigation systems, except gravity feed systems, rely on pumps to pump water to the field blocks or orchards and supply pressure to the emitters to work properly. The pump moves, or displaces, water by sucking water from the source, such as a river, dam, reservoir, etc., and propelling in through the irrigation system. KENNEDY B. SADORRA - ARBOLEDA NHS - ALCALA, PANGASINAN Pumps come in a wide range of shapes, sizes and types, such as centrifugal, submersible, and positive displacement pumps. They are driven by either diesel engines or electrical motors.
KENNEDY B. SADORRA - ARBOLEDA NHS - ALCALA, PANGASINAN
The most commonly used pumps are single and multi stage centrifugal pumps driven by electrical motors as electricity is generally significantly more cost effective than diesel. Single stage pumps have only one stage containing a single impeller, while multi stage pumps have two or more stages and delivers higher pressures where required. KENNEDY B. SADORRA - ARBOLEDA NHS - ALCALA, PANGASINAN KENNEDY B. SADORRA - ARBOLEDA NHS - ALCALA, PANGASINAN Pumps consist of various components, including the motor that drives the pump, the suction and delivery pipes, and various valves. Figure 1.3 shows the various components of a standard pump.
KENNEDY B. SADORRA - ARBOLEDA NHS - ALCALA, PANGASINAN
KENNEDY B. SADORRA - ARBOLEDA NHS - ALCALA, PANGASINAN Filters
Filters clean and remove impurities from water that can block emitters. Various types of filters are used, most commonly sand, disc and screen-type filters.
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KENNEDY B. SADORRA - ARBOLEDA NHS - ALCALA, PANGASINAN The pipeline channels water between points, such as from the water-source to the pump, from the pump to the main lines and from the mainlines to the crops.
KENNEDY B. SADORRA - ARBOLEDA NHS - ALCALA, PANGASINAN
A wide range of pipes is available and used on farms. For main and sub-main lines u-PVC and steel pipes are normally used. In some older installations, asbestos-cement pipes are still in use. These pipes are unsuitable where acid is introduced into the irrigation water for fertigation purposes. KENNEDY B. SADORRA - ARBOLEDA NHS - ALCALA, PANGASINAN Polyethylene pipe (black plastic pipe) is mostly used for lateral lines, which is the name of pipelines that deliver water to the crops.
KENNEDY B. SADORRA - ARBOLEDA NHS - ALCALA, PANGASINAN
Valves Valves control the flow of water by opening or closing, thereby allowing water through or cutting it off. Various types of valves are used. Gate and butterfly valves are used to open or close a pipeline; Pressure control valves are used to regulate pressure and flow rate; KENNEDY B. SADORRA - ARBOLEDA NHS - ALCALA, PANGASINAN Non-return valves are used to prevent the reverse flow of water when the pump is switched off; Air and vacuum valves are used to expel air in the pipeline and to prevent a vacuum from forming after a line is closed or the pump is switched off.
KENNEDY B. SADORRA - ARBOLEDA NHS - ALCALA, PANGASINAN
KENNEDY B. SADORRA - ARBOLEDA NHS - ALCALA, PANGASINAN Emitters Emitters are placed in lateral lines and apply water to individual crops in a uniform and efficient manner. Examples of emitters are micro-sprayers, drippers and sprinklers.
KENNEDY B. SADORRA - ARBOLEDA NHS - ALCALA, PANGASINAN
Pipes Asbestos Cement (AC) Pipes Asbestos cement pipes are not manufactured any longer due to health concerns regarding the manufacturing process. It is however not uncommon for these pipes to be used second-hand. Many older systems also use these pipes for mainlines and sub- mainlines. AC pipes are hard but very brittle, so care must be taken when they are handled and transported. KENNEDY B. SADORRA - ARBOLEDA NHS - ALCALA, PANGASINAN Pipes The trench must be free of protruding stones and the pipe must be laid on a bed of clean sand. AC pipes are joined by collars. Triplex couplings are made out of asbestos cement and have three seal rings. The pipe slides into this socket shaped joint. The other method of joining AC pipes is with the short collar, which is a coupling with two iron rings that are tightened around an iron collar. KENNEDY B. SADORRA - ARBOLEDA NHS - ALCALA, PANGASINAN Pipes Each ring contains a rubber ring that is compressed around the pipe when the collar is tightened, preventing the collar from leaking. AC pipes were manufactured in COD (constant outside diameter) and CID (constant inside diameter).
KENNEDY B. SADORRA - ARBOLEDA NHS - ALCALA, PANGASINAN
uPVC Pipes This is the most commonly used pipe for irrigation. PVC is a plastic material and these pipes are more flexible and tolerant to movement. It is available as uPVC or mPVC. The latter is more pliable than uPVC, but not widely used yet. KENNEDY B. SADORRA - ARBOLEDA NHS - ALCALA, PANGASINAN (Normal garden hoses are made of PVC and are plasticised i.e. soft and bendable.) The one end of the pipe is chamfered and the other end is socket shaped with an integral rubber ring. The chamfered end slides into the socket shaped end. KENNEDY B. SADORRA - ARBOLEDA NHS - ALCALA, PANGASINAN Trenches must be free of stones but need not to be lined with sand for smaller pipe sizes of 200mm and smaller. Fittings are either metal or uPVC and are also socket shaped. Inside the sockets are lip-seals that seal the pipe. KENNEDY B. SADORRA - ARBOLEDA NHS - ALCALA, PANGASINAN Steel Pipes Steel pipes are very expensive but very reliable and durable and are therefore used more often as suction pipes, delivery pipes, risers and filter manifolds where the line must go trough or over unsuitable terrain. Steel pipes can be threaded at the end (up to 150mm) or flanged (from 50mm and bigger). KENNEDY B. SADORRA - ARBOLEDA NHS - ALCALA, PANGASINAN Steel Pipes Threaded pipes are connected using screwed sockets. Flanged pipes are bolted together with a packing in the middle. Steel pipes rust, so they must be coated with a rust-proof coating such as paint, coupon, galvanizing or powder coating KENNEDY B. SADORRA - ARBOLEDA NHS - ALCALA, PANGASINAN Poly pipe Poly pipe (or polyethylene or PE) class 3 LDPE (low density PE) pipe is most often used for the lateral lines. Although HDPE (high density PE) is also available, it is normally used in boreholes, shade houses and for stock water supply. KENNEDY B. SADORRA - ARBOLEDA NHS - ALCALA, PANGASINAN General Fittings Reducers A reducer is used to connect pipes of different sizes.
KENNEDY B. SADORRA - ARBOLEDA NHS - ALCALA, PANGASINAN
Bend A bend is used to allow a pipe to change direction. Bends are commonly available in 90° and 45°.
KENNEDY B. SADORRA - ARBOLEDA NHS - ALCALA, PANGASINAN
End Cap An end cap is used to plug the end of a pipe.
KENNEDY B. SADORRA - ARBOLEDA NHS - ALCALA, PANGASINAN
AirValve An air valve expels air from the system, preventing air locks. Some air valves have a vacuum function (see below).
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Vacuum Valve A vacuum valve prevents the formation of a vacuum when the pump system is switched off.
KENNEDY B. SADORRA - ARBOLEDA NHS - ALCALA, PANGASINAN
Non-return Valve A non-return valve prevents the back- flow of water.
KENNEDY B. SADORRA - ARBOLEDA NHS - ALCALA, PANGASINAN
Gate and Butterfly Valve Gate and butterfly valves open and close the pipeline, thereby decreasing and increasing the water flow. They are used to regulate the water pressure manually in a block.
KENNEDY B. SADORRA - ARBOLEDA NHS - ALCALA, PANGASINAN
Hydraulic Valves Hydraulic valves are also used to decrease or increase the water-flow.
KENNEDY B. SADORRA - ARBOLEDA NHS - ALCALA, PANGASINAN
Infield Fittings Grommets A grommet is a fitting that is used to connect lateral lines to the sub main line.
KENNEDY B. SADORRA - ARBOLEDA NHS - ALCALA, PANGASINAN
Nylon Couplings Nylon couplings and reducers are used to connect poly pipes.
KENNEDY B. SADORRA - ARBOLEDA NHS - ALCALA, PANGASINAN
Micro-jets and Drippers Micro-jets or sprayers and drippers are the emitters that supply water to each individual tree. They are installed on the lateral lines.
KENNEDY B. SADORRA - ARBOLEDA NHS - ALCALA, PANGASINAN
Sprinklers Sprinklers are larger emitters commonly used for field crops. They are mostly impact sprinklers but can also be gear driven.
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Thank you for listening…
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SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT
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KENNEDY B. SADORRA - ARBOLEDA NHS - ALCALA, PANGASINAN KENNEDY B. SADORRA - ARBOLEDA NHS - ALCALA, PANGASINAN KENNEDY B. SADORRA - ARBOLEDA NHS - ALCALA, PANGASINAN