Abstracto

Performance Evaluation Of Portable Mini-Sprinkler Irrigation System

V. R. Mandave and S. B. Jadhav

The global climate change and its attendant effect on scarce water resources have further reduced the amount of water available for agriculture. Under this circumstance, the use of pressurized irrigation systems can be an option of enhancing the efficiency of water consumption. This study was therefore conducted to evaluate the performance of a new mini-sprinkler irrigation system. An experiment was conducted on the experimental farm of College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, M. K. V., Parbhani. Four different commercially available makes of mini-sprinklers 5022-U. 427 G-AG Orange, 427 G-AG Green and Super-10 of different nozzle color with different nozzle sizes 2.4 x 1.8 mm, 2.8 mm, 3.2 mm and 2.4m m, respectively were tested at 100 cm stake height for their hydraulic performance in terms of pressure-discharge, pressure-radius of throw and pressure- average precipitation rate of single mini-sprinkler head relationships. The experiment was conducted at five different operating pressures of 2.0, 2.5, 3.0, 3.5 and 4.0 kg/cm2. Polynomial equation of the form Q = aH2 + bH + C were developed for all types of four mini-sprinklers to describe the pressure-discharge relationship. On the basis of this relationship 427 G-AG Green nozzle was found to be superior over other three nozzles. Pressure-radius of throw relationships was very well established by polynomial type equation of the form R = aH2 + bH + C and 427 G-AG Green nozzle was to be superior over other three nozzles. Average precipitation rate was found to be increases with increase in operating pressure.