Clock Hand Lateral, A New Layout for Semi-Permanent Sprinkler Irrigation System

Abstract

The experiment was done based on a new layout for a semi-permanent set-move sprinkler irrigation system with a lower capital and annual cost requirement. In this work, a center-pivot system layout was applied to set up a semi-permanent system with a hand-move lateral. The clock hand lateral (CHL) sprinkler irrigation system was implemented using a shorter mainline length with a smaller diameter, lesser number of lateral pipes, minimum number of fittings and a single valve outlet. This combination offers an affordable irrigation system with minimizing the required components. The new irrigation system design was examined at the Agricultural Academy of Science experiment farm at Guangxi, China. The sprinkler system mainline pipe directly extended from the water resource to the center of the plot to feed a single lateral, connected through a pivot elbow. The lateral was rotating around the plot manually, the same way as clock hands do. An ordinary set-move split lateral for the same plot was designed for comparison and control. Based on results, a 37.5% capital cost reduction with an 11.2% annual cost decrement was obtained for CHL compared to the set-move semi-permanent. Water application depth was measured via distribution uniformity coefficient (DU) examination, using a catch can method. The low quarter DU for CHL was counted for 86%.

Sustainable Water Resources Using Corner Pivot Lateral, A Novel Sprinkler Irrigation System Layout for Small Scale Farms

“…An ordinary head to head sprinkler/sprayer design was customized to be implemented for CPL [21,30]. In semi-permanent or solid set systems, the sprinklers interval is constant.…”

“…However, this mobility will impose a higher labor requirement as well. As per a recent work [21] a clock hand layout (CHL) technique was applied to reduce the pipe length, diameter and other required components of an ordinary semi-permanent system. It could lower the capital costs by up to 37% and annual costs by up to 11% comparatively.…”

“…Hydrants will be placed isochronally to supply the laterals along the main or sub main pipe. In a CHL semi-permanent design [21], the mainline is shortened to the plot center to feed the lateral ( Figure 1B), however unlike for CHL, in a CPL system ( Figure 1C) the main or sub mainline is converted to a lateral with sprinklers installed on it and indeed retrofitted to a semi-portable system. In fact, for a CPL layout, there will only be one hydrant required which uses a rotation elbow at the corner where the lateral is connected to the water supply.…”

A two-directional calculation model for the combination uniformity coefficient of an impact sprinkler

“…Currently, the gradual adjustment of multiple sprinklers, 6 the establishment of a reasonable start-stop sequence of the irrigation system, 7 the use of solenoid valves to control the flow of sprinklers, 8 the acquisition of geographic information based on a GPS signal or wireless transmission, the automatic-controlled motion of a sprinkler using PLC, 9 and a change in the position of dolly bar at the nozzle using a microcomputercontrolled stepping motor are the main methods for variable rate irrigation with sprinkler irrigation equipment. 10 Herein, the speed of the sprinkler motion was controlled by the intelligent sprinkler irrigation machine to meet the physiological and ecological water requirements of crops, 11 thus changing the average application depth.…”

The Influence of Sinusoidal Oscillating Water Flow on Sprinkler and Impact Kinetic Energy Intensities of Laterally-Moving Sprinkler Irrigation Systems

“…Agricultural production consumes significant water resources, and their conservation and efficiency have always been the goal of irrigation [1]. Sprinkler irrigation equipment has been widely used in various countries as it reduces labor and water, provides uniform irrigation, and results in yield increases [2][3][4].…”