Importance of Design in Drip Irrigation

Drip Irrigation is the application of water & fertilizer at the root zone of the Crop as per the Peak water requirement of the Crop, drop by drop.

Design of Drip Irrigation refers to the preparation of correct hydraulic calculations & layouts of Drip components to be used for installation in farmer/client’s Fields. In a normal Drip irrigation system almost 30 Different Components are used & need to be designed as per the farm requirements. Drip irrigation is adopted not only in open Fields but also in Protected cultivations, Green Houses, Vertical farming, etc.

Drip Design is a tailor made because a farmer’s field has different variables like, Filed size & shape, soil type, Undulations of land, Crop spacings, row direction, Water Quality, Electricity available, PWR (Peak Water Requirement of Crop), Farm manager quality etc.

Technical factors to be considered while preparation of Design and Relation & Importance of Survey in Design is explained in Below Table.

If the Farmer/Client thinks that a good design is expensive, then he should look at the cost of a Bad Design.

“Prediction & Prevention is better than Recognition & Reaction.”

Design is an art where the Designer put his best to provide the best solution to the farmer.

Importance of Design for Successful Drip Irrigation: What is a Good Design?

Techno Economical

A design should be technically feasible. The selection of dripper & spacing per soil type will affect the Application rate of drip resulting in the availability of water at the root zone of the
Head loss in PE lateral, Driplines, PVC pipes, and Filters depends on the diameter & material to be used. All safety measures are considered to calculate the head loss to know the correct head & discharge of the This will help to make available the required pressure at various points in the system.
Generally, 12mm,16mm, and 20mm Driplines and laterals are used in open fields for Irrigation. The designer selects a suitable diameter to fulfill Plot size length & Ease of Operation.
In the case of undulating lands Pressure Compensating Dripper / Dripline is used which will help to deliver rated discharge with variation in pressure resulting in uniform growth of crop.
Safety Equipment

Design decides the safety equipment & its correct placement in the system. This helps to increase the life of the Drip system
- Expansion Automation
When a farmer plans for automation in the future, the necessary corrections /inclusion is done in the design.
- Economics of farmer
Product is selected as per Soil type & PWR of the crop. Considering the duration of crop & Client requirements, Low, Medium & Thinwall Driplines are suggested. Also, as per need, Flex Net is used as main & sub main line. But It is assured in the design that there is no compromise to Technical feasibility.
1. Easy to install in the field, should have Easy Operation & maintenance.
Design helps to reduce the trenching length of the Mainline & Sub mainline of the System. The position of valves and proper selection of Filters make ease in the Operation & maintenance of the system.
1. Easy illustration
2. Considers various social & operational issues.
3. Proper Design helps to reduce time consumable operations.
4. Correct Design leads to utilise resources with high efficiency.
5. Farm Managers can easily operate the
6. The farmer needs to keep a hard copy of the design, It will help to understand the hydraulics in the
7. For big farms & Projects, it is hardly impossible to operate & maintain a system without proper design & installation. A correct Design plays a vital role in the Successful implementation of Projects.
Overall, a farmer/client will have a piece of mind & assurance of a successful Drip system by a good Design.