Design of Drip Irrigation System
Design of Drip Irrigation System
Design of Drip Irrigation System
Dr Muhammad Ashraf
Drip Irrigation?
Drip irrigation is the slow, precise application
of water and nutrients directly to the plants'
root zones in a predetermined pattern using a
point source.
Field Unit
Main line
Sub-main line
Manifolds
Lateral line with emitters
Valves (By pass, Flush and
Air release)
End Plug
Pressure gage
1 bar = 10.2 m of water = 14.05 psi = 0.987 atms = 100 kPa = 1.02 kg/cm2
Focus of Design
Apply water to meet peak crop water requirement
Maintain application and uniformity efficiencies at a
desired level
Energy and water efficient system to keep initial capital
and operation cost as low as possible
Simple in operation and maintenance so that farmers can
use these systems without extensive training
Design Parameters
Area to be irrigated, type of plants, plant spacing and number of plants
per unit area
Peak water requirement of crop or plant
Selection of emitter type, number of emitter per plant and amount of
water discharge per hour through each emitter
Water required to be pumped from the well. This depends upon
hydrogeological conditions in the area and water requirement of
plants/crop
Layout of the system considering topography, field shape and location of
the water source
Calculating sectional flow based on number of emission devices and their
discharge against known pressure
Design of main and lateral drip lines. This depends upon friction head
losses
Selection of filters and other equipment
Horse power of a pump set. This depends on discharge and the total head
including friction losses over which water is to be lifted/pumped
Energy/Head Losses
Energy losses occur in the pipeline due to friction and elevation
changes. The most commonly used equation in irrigation calculations is
the Hazen-Williams formula:
hf = [{ K(Q/C)1.852}/ { D4.87}]* ( L + Le)
Where:
Hf is the frictional head loss (m)
K = 1.21 x 1010
Q is the pipeline discharge (lps)
C is the friction coefficient for pipe sections
D is the inside diameter (mm)
L is the pipeline length (m)
Le is the equivalent length of pipe and accessories
Friction Coefficients
PVC and PE
F mm (DarcyWeisbach)
0.0015 - 0.007
140 -150
Asbestos-cement
0.3
130-140
New steel
0.045 - 0.09
110-120
0.15 - 4.0
80 - 90
0.3 - 1.0
110 - 120
0.3 - 5.0
90 - 100
Pipe material
C (Hazen-Williams)
concrete coating
Concrete
(lps)
C = 120
C = 130
C = 140
C = 150
0.01
0.13
0.11
0.10
0.08
0.02
0.03
0.46
0.97
0.39
0.84
0.34
0.73
0.30
0.64
0.04
0.05
1.65
2.50
1.43
2.15
1.24
1.88
1.09
1.65
Discharge
(Lps)
0.01
0.02
0.03
0.04
0.05
0.06
0.07
0.08
0.09
0.10
C=120
C=150
0.05
0.17
0.35
0.60
0.91
1.27
1.70
0.04
0.14
0.30
0.52
0.78
1.10
1.46
0.03
0.13
0.27
0.45
0.68
0.96
1.27
0.03
0.11
0.23
0.40
0.60
0.84
1.12
2.17
2.70
3.28
1.87
2.33
2.83
1.63
2.03
2.47
1.44
1.79
2.17
0.32
0.45
0.60
0.77
0.96
1.16
1.39
1.63
1.89
2.17
2.46
2.78
3.11
3.45
3.82
4.20
0.28
0.39
0.52
0.67
0.83
1.01
1.21
1.42
1.65
1.89
2.15
2.42
2.71
3.01
3.33
3.66
C=150
0.25
0.35
0.46
0.59
0.73
0.89
1.06
1.25
1.45
1.66
1.89
2.13
2.38
2.65
2.93
3.22
(Lps)
0.10
0.12
0.14
0.16
0.18
0.20
0.22
0.24
0.26
0.28
0.30
0.32
0.34
0.36
0.38
0.40
Fractional Losses(m/100 m)
C=130
C=140
C=150
0.30
0.36
0.43
0.49
0.56
0.64
0.72
0.80
0.89
0.99
1.09
1.19
1.30
1.41
1.52
1.64
1.77
1.89
2.02
2.16
2.30
Discharge
(lps)
0.20
0.22
0.24
0.26
0.28
0.30
0.32
0.34
0.46
0.38
0.40
0.42
0.44
0.46
0.48
0.50
0.52
0.54
0.56
0.58
0.60
Frictional Head Losses (m/100m) for 37.5 mm Diameter of PE pipe used for Manifolds
C=120
0.40
0.45
0.50
0.56
0.61
0.68
0.74
0.81
0.88
0.95
1.02
1.10
1.18
1.26
1.34
1.43
1.52
1.61
1.71
1.80
1.90
2.01
2.11
2.22
2.33
2.44
2.55
2.67
2.79
2.91
3.03
3.16
3.29
3.42
3.55
3.69
C=150
0.26
0.30
0.33
0.37
0.41
0.45
0.49
0.53
0.58
0.63
0.68
0.73
0.78
0.83
0.89
0.95
1.01
1.07
1.13
1.19
1.26
1.33
1.40
1.47
1.54
1.61
1.69
1.77
1.84
1.92
2.01
2.09
2.17
2.26
2.35
2.44
Discharge
(Lps)
0.30
0.32
0.34
0.36
0.38
0.40
0.42
0.44
0.46
0.48
0.50
0.52
0.54
0.56
0.58
0.60
0.62
0.64
0.66
0.68
0.70
0.72
0.74
0.76
0.78
0.80
0.82
0.84
0.86
0.88
0.90
0.92
0.94
0.96
0.98
1.00
Frictional Head Losses (m/100 m) for 50 mm Diameter of PE pipe used for Mainlines
Discharge
(Lps)
C=120
1.0
1.2
1.4
1.6
1.8
2.0
2.2
2.4
2.6
2.8
3.0
0.91
1.27
1.69
2.17
2.70
3.28
3.91
4.60
5.33
6.11
6.95
0.68
0.96
1.27
1.63
2.03
2.46
2.94
3.45
4.01
4.60
5.33
C=150
0.60
0.84
1.12
1.43
1.78
2.17
2.59
3.04
3.53
5.04
4.60
Frictional Head Losses (m/100 m) for 62.5 mm Diameter of PE pipe used for Mainlines
Discharge
(lps)
2.0
1.11
2.2
1.32
2.4
1.55
2.6
1.80
2.8
2.06
3.0
2.34
3.2
2.63
3.4
2.95
3.6
3.28
3.8
3.63
4.0
3.99
4.2
4.37
4.4
4.76
4.6
5.17
4.8
5.60
5.0
6.04
Source: PARC (2001)
0.95
1.14
1.34
1.55
1.78
2.02
2.28
2.55
2.83
3.13
3.44
3.77
4.11
4.46
4.82
5.20
0.83
0.99
1.17
1.35
1.55
1.76
1.98
2.22
2.47
2.73
3.00
3.28
3.58
3.89
4.21
4.54
C=150
0.73
0.87
1.03
1.19
1.36
1.55
1.75
1.95
2.17
2.40
2.64
2.89
3.15
3.42
3.70
3.99
Frictional Head Losses (m/100 m) for 75 mm Diameter of PE pipe used for Mainlines
C=120
3.0
3.2
3.4
3.6
3.8
4.0
4.2
4.4
4.6
4.8
5.0
5.2
5.4
5.6
5.8
6.0
6.2
6.4
6.6
6.8
7.0
7.2
7.4
7.6
7.8
8.0
8.2
8.4
8.6
8.8
9.0
9.2
9.4
9.6
9.8
10.0
0.96
1.09
1.22
1.35
1.49
1.64
1.80
1.96
2.13
2.30
2.48
2.67
2.86
3.06
3.27
2.48
3.70
3.92
4.15
4.39
4.63
4.88
5.13
5.39
5.66
5.93
6.21
6.49
6.78
7.08
7.38
7.68
8.00
8.31
8.64
8.97
0.72
0.82
0.91
1.02
1.12
1.23
1.35
1.47
1.60
1.73
1.87
2.01
2.15
2.30
2.46
2.62
2.78
2.95
3.12
3.30
3.48
3.67
3.86
4.05
4.25
4.46
4.67
4.88
5.10
5.32
5.54
5.77
6.01
6.25
6.49
6.74
C=150
0.64
0.72
080
0.89
0.99
1.09
1.19
1.30
1.41
1.52
1.64
1.77
1.89
2.03
2.16
2.30
2.45
2.60
2.75
2.90
3.06
3.23
3.40
3.57
3.74
3.92
4.11
4.29
4.49
4.68
4.88
5.08
5.29
5.50
5.71
5.93
Discharge
(Lps)
Frictional Head Loss (m/100 m) for 100 mm Diameter of PE pipe used for Mainlines
C=120
5.0
5.2
5.4
5.6
5.8
6.0
6.2
6.4
6.6
6.8
7.0
7.2
7.4
7.6
7.8
8.0
8.2
8.4
8.6
8.8
9.0
9.2
9.4
9.6
9.8
10.0
10.2
10.4
10.6
10.8
11.0
11.2
11.4
11.6
11.8
12.0
0.61
0.66
0.71
0.75
0.81
0.86
0.91
0.97
1.02
1.08
1.14
1.20
1.26
1.33
1.39
1.46
1.53
1.60
1.67
1.74
1.82
1.89
1.97
2.05
2.13
2.21
2.29
2.38
2.46
2.55
2.64
2.72
2.82
2.93
3.00
3.10
0.46
0.49
0.53
0.57
0.61
0.64
0.68
0.73
0.77
0.81
0.86
0.90
0.95
1.00
1.05
1.10
1.15
1.20
1.26
1.31
1.37
1.42
1.48
1.54
1.60
1.66
1.72
1.79
1.85
1.91
1.98
2.05
2.12
2.19
2.26
2.33
C=150
0.40
0.44
0.47
0.50
0.53
0.57
0.60
0.64
0.68
0.72
0.75
0.80
0.84
0.88
0.92
0.97
1.01
1.06
1.10
1.15
1.20
1.25
1.30
1.35
1.41
1.46
1.52
1.57
1.63
1.68
1.74
1.80
1.86
1.92
1.99
2.05
Discharge
(lps)
Loss
Fitting, valve
coefficient K
0.35
Gate valve, open
Loss
coefficient K
0.20
90 standard elbow
0.75
Three-fourths open
0.90
Coupling or union
0.04
One-half open
4.50
0.40
One-fourth open
24.00
Branching flow
1.00
6.40
70.00
One-half open
9.5
Power Requirement
The HP of pump set required is based upon design
discharge, total operating head and efficiency of pumping
system
Where the total head is the sum of total static head and
friction losses in the system
Overall efficiency recommended for high pressure
pumping systems is as under:
Electric motor operated systems = 50%
Diesel engine operated systems = 40%
Example:
H = 30 m
Q = 15 lps
Engine HP: 12
Motor HP: 15
Pump Selection
Pump selection is based on the:
Required pressure
Designed discharge and
Size of prime mover
Example
Design a drip irrigation system for the following data:
Area: 30 acre = 400 m x 300 m
Topography: Flat
Crop: Citrus
Spacing: 6.1 m x 6.1 m
Water source: Tubewell at the center of the field
Suction lift: 3 m
Delivery lift: 3 m
Tubewell discharge: 15 lps
Total no. of plants: 3225
Emitter discharge: 4 lph
Total emitters (4 per plant): 12900
Total flow rate: 51599 lph = 14.3 lps
Example (cont)
Divide the area into 4 blocks (7.5 acre x 4)
Lateral length : 75 m
Lateral inside diameter : 16 mm
No. of emitters/lateral: 49
Discharge of emitters: 197 lph = 0.05 lps
Head loss in lateral (0.91 m/100 m): 0.68 m
Sub main 1
Length : 200 m
Diameter: 62.5 mm
No. of laterals on the sub main: 66
Total discharge of the sub main: 12984 lph = 3.6 lps
Head loss in sub main (2.78 m/100 m): 5.56 m
No. of sub mains: 4
Total discharge of main line (4 sub mains): 51934 lph: 14.4 lps
Diameter of main line : 100 mm
Length of main line: 150 m
Head loss in main line (2.67 m/100 m): 4 m
Total Head
Operating pressure : 10 m
Suction lift: 3 m
Elevation lift: 0
Delivery lift: 3 m
Head loss in laterals: 0.68 m
Head loss in sub mains: 5.56 m
Head loss in main line: 4 m
Misc head losses (fittings, valves etc): 10 m
Total dynamic head : 36.2 m
Discharge:14.4 lps
Motor HP (50% efficiency) 13.7
Engine HP (40% efficiency) 17.2
Irrigation Scheduling
Crop : Citrus
Area: 30 acres
Root zone depth: 80 cm
Maximum allowable deficit (MAD): 40%
ETo (mm/day): 8 mm/day
Kc: 0.9
Soil texture: Loamy clay
Bulk density: 1.4 gm/ml
Field capacity: 32%
Wilting point: 15%
Available moisture: 17%
Daily peak season water demand: 7.2 mm/day
Irrigation Scheduling
Canopy
diameter
(m)
25
1.3
57
2.8
100
5.0
Energy/Head Losses
Head loss in pipes with Multiple , equally Spaced Outlets
Flow of water in a pipe having multiple, equally spaced outlets will have less head
loss than a similar pipe transmitting the entire flow over its length because the
flow steadily diminishes each time an outlet is passed. Christiansen developed
the concept of a "F factor", which accounts for the effect of the outlets. When the
first outlet is one outlet spacing from the lateral or manifold inlet:
F = [1/(m+1)] + [1/2N] + [ {m-1}0.5 / 6N2]
in which,
F =
m =
m =
N =