Backpressure effects on emitters flow rate in subsurface drip irrigation

Abstract

Subsurface drip irrigation success depends on surpassing the backpressure obstacle, a phenomenon which occurs when the water application intensity exceeds the infiltration rate of soil, which reduces the emitter flow rate. Thus, this study aimed to determine the flow rate variation, in relation to surface flow, of four drip emitters when buried at two depths in a loam soil (Yolo Loam soil), and the backpressure generated by the soil on subsurface condition. The cavity radius developed around the emitters outlet was also obtained. The experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design, in a strip-plot scheme, with three treatments: installation depth of driplines (two levels: 0.10 and 0.20 m); dripline type (four levels: D5000, JardiLine, TalDrip and and Hydro PCND) and irrigation time (three levels: 0.5, 1.0 and 3.0 h). The results showed that the flow rate variation between the surface and subsurface application on Yolo Loam soil, with inlet pressure of 145 kPa, was greater the higher was the emitter flow rate. For pressure-compensating emitters, even under backpressure influence, this was not enough to cancel the pressure-compensating device operation, of the emitters. The emitters installation depth, as well the irrigation time, did not affect the backpressure and, consequently, the flow rate variation.