Creating Clay emitters for Low-Head Subsurface Irrigation

Abstract

The most precious resources on the planet are water and energy. It is important to develop new irrigation systems that are both creative and effective in their use of these resources. This research aims to develop a clay emitter based low-head subsurface irrigation system. The clay emitters CE1, CE2, and CE3 were designed as hollow cylindrical shapes with organic matter ratios of 1%, 2%, and 4%, respectively. The emitter's hardness and hydraulic properties, as well as the effect of soil type on its discharge and wetness zone, were examined. By increasing the organic ratio, the hardness was lowered, and the discharge was improved. Hydraulic parameters were measured in ambient air at pressure heads ranging from 0.2 to 1 m. According to the determined emitter discharge exponents (x), all types of flow are generally mostly turbulent or pressure compensating. The manufacturer's variation (CV) values for all types varied between marginal and unacceptable classification due to its manual fabrication. The emitter was placed at a depth of 10 cm in the soil, and the average discharge and wetness zone were higher in sandy loam than in sand soil over a four-day period of irrigation at 1 m pressure.