What are the common problems in sprinkler irrigation system design

Sprinkler irrigation systems often run into problems in practical application, analyzed as follows:

1. Unreasonable sprinkler layout and selection

1. Sprinkler spacing is too long. The influence of wind speed and water pressure is not taken into account, resulting in uneven spraying or even missed areas. This is one of the most common factors leading to the failure of sprinkler irrigation projects. During design, the influence of spraying radius, wind speed and water pressure should be fully considered when arranging sprinkler spacing, rather than simply considering saving the number of sprinklers.

2. The sprinkler does not match the water source pressure and flow. The water source pressure and flow cannot meet the requirements of the sprinkler. When selecting sprinklers, the chosen sprinkler should meet the requirements of the water pressure and flow available on site, so as to achieve the expected spraying effect.

3. The sprinkler does not match the terrain and soil type. Choosing long-range sprinklers on a small lawn, or choosing sprinklers with high precipitation rate on slopes or sites with poor soil permeability, will cause runoff during spraying and waste water resources.

4. The sprinkler does not match the site of use. Choosing ordinary sprinklers on sports fields means they will not withstand trampling. Choosing impact sprinklers or micro-sprinklers on landscape lawns affects the landscape. When selecting sprinklers, special-purpose sprinklers should be chosen according to the site of use.

5. Unreasonable nozzle selection. Using the same nozzle for a 360℃ sprinkler and a sector sprinkler results in different precipitation rates and thus uneven spraying. In addition, choosing standard elevation-angle nozzles in places with high wind speed increases water drift.

2. Unreasonable material selection

Pipes account for a large proportion of the material costs in sprinkler irrigation projects. Therefore, accurate hydraulic calculation and reasonable selection of material and pipe diameter can not only ensure system function, but also reduce unnecessary expenses and lower project cost.

1. PVC material is recommended. When choosing materials, performance, quality, price and construction difficulty should be comprehensively considered. The inner wall of cast iron pipes is not smooth, causing large head loss, and they are prone to rusting and clogging, with great construction difficulty. New plastic pipes such as PVC, PP—R and ABS have smooth inner walls, small head loss, do not rust, and are simple to install.

However, pp—R and ABS are costly, and using them as ordinary water supply pipes is somewhat wasteful, so PVC material is recommended.

2. The pipe diameter is too small, the pipeline head loss is large, and the pressure at the end sprinklers is insufficient.

3. The pipe diameter is too large, the cost of the pipe network system increases rapidly, causing unnecessary waste of funds.

3. Pressure and flow do not match the sprinkler irrigation system

1. Pressure is too low. The sprinkler cannot operate or its working radius is too short, water appears as a column, spraying is uneven, and missed areas occur. This is the most common factor leading to the failure of sprinkler irrigation projects. The main causes of this situation are: insufficient water source pressure, lack of a booster device or a booster device that is too small, excessive pipeline head loss, or large terrain undulation with low pressure at high points.

2. Pressure is too high. Excessively high water source pressure, an oversized pump selection, or large terrain undulation with high pressure at low points will cause the sprinkler to work under overload, affecting sprinkler service life, and may even directly cause the sprinkler to burst or damage the gear drive system.

3. Insufficient flow. The sprinkler cannot operate or its working radius is too short, and the pump cannot work under normal conditions. During sprinkler irrigation design, accurate water source data should be collected (including pressure, flow, and the influence of peak water use periods on the flow of the sprinkler irrigation system, etc.), and based on the water source data, correct sprinkler selection and irrigation block division should be carried out to ensure that the water source flow can meet the needs of the irrigation blocks. Carry out correct hydraulic calculation, select the appropriate pipe diameter, and install necessary pressurizing or pressure-reducing equipment to ensure that the sprinklers work within the normal pressure range.

4. Lack of filtration equipment or unreasonable selection

In addition to matching the pressure and flow of the water source with the system, water quality is also a factor that designers must consider. Poor filtration is also an important factor leading to the failure of sprinkler irrigation projects. For sprinkler irrigation systems, if water quality is poor, it may cause sprinkler clogging and affect the service life of sprinklers and pumps. Micro-sprinkler irrigation systems have higher filtration requirements; if water quality is poor, it may even cause the entire system to become paralyzed, because the emitters of micro-sprinkler irrigation systems have low flow velocity and complex flow paths, and once clogged they are difficult to repair.