Afield test

Analysis of irrigation uniformity by IrriPro (pub. on IJR)

The research study was conducted in a greenhouse at western region of Abu Dhabi UAE to check the operational reliability, efficiency, dependability and harmony of the existing drip irrigation system through IrriPro, our irrigation design software.

IRRIPRO was used in order to design and plan viable drip irrigation systems. This software is proficient enough in planning network layout, hydraulic designing and above all simulations to obtain results. This software can also provide requisite cost estimation of drip irrigation. 

Hydraulic estimation of drip irrigation system was based on a method defined by the ASAE (1999). Three emitters on a lateral were selected at the head, midpoint and tail-end and discharges were measured on them.

IRRIPRO has the diverse quality to calculate and design many other hydraulic parameters. It is a helping tool for water resource engineers in designing, testing, analyzing any other alternative design on precision and economical parameters. 





The comparative study revealed that the drip irrigation achieved high CU and DU which imply that the existing drip irrigation system was designed on the basis of proper scaling and dimensions. The CU on average basis for the system was found to be 96.4990% (observed) and 99.9796% (simulated) respectively. Similarly, the DU on average basis for the system was found to be 94.3605% (observed) and 99.8822% (simulated) respectively. EUa of the system using pressure compensated type emitters with the length of laterals 16 meters with an average observed and simulated value was found 99.2192% and 99.99316% respectively.




   

 


Conclusions of the study
The comparison of experimental and simulated results confirms that the application uniformity seems to be satisfactory and the existing drip irrigation unit was designed properly. The design of the existing drip irrigation network was checked by the interactive computer software i.e. IRRIPRO which was found acceptable. The uncertainty in results was found less than 10% which indicates its accuracy. IRRIPRO software also predicts that the ideal pressure for existing drip irrigation was 13.353 m c.a (1.29 atm) which gives 3.655 lit / hr flow rate for all emitters. As IRRIPRO is providing the ideal results for the existing drip irrigation system it will be more as compared to the field results. This software could also be used to calculate the annual costs of any system even if it is not designed by IRRIPRO.

For more details about research study you can see the full paper.

IJR (International Journal of Research IF 3,541) published the research paper named "ANALYSIS OF TRICKLE / DRIP IRRIGATION UNIFORMITY BY IRRIPRO SIMULATIONS"

Differences between measured and simulated values

(in collaboration with University)

Irriworks software was used (in collaboration with the Agrarian Faculty of the University of Palermo, measure 3.13 of POR Sicily PIT7) for an irrigation system at the farm called "Licata" in the City of Bompensiere (CL). The plant is costitued by 180 pressure compensated drip emitters, is located on a plot of about 0.6 ha, with slopes from 10% to 18%, and is planted with olive trees.

There are some differences between estimated values (simulated with the IrriPro software) and afield measured ones: no more than 9% for pressure and 6% for the discharge. The error is mainly due to constructive aspect of the emitter during factory production.

Estimated-measured pressure chart

For the same reason, the uniformity coefficient was equal to 94%, as assessed by IrriPro, compared to 91% measured in the field.
In short, the software IrriPro simulated very well the conditions of operation of the network.