PERFORMANCE OF FILTERS USED IN MODERN IRRIGATION NETWORK

Abstract

Dual Irrigation Filter, as new integral filter, was developed, it has the ability to filter water regardless the particles specific gravity and without fear of screen clogging. The new filter is locally manufactured with combination between the sand separator and screen filter. The dual irrigation filter was developed to have dual of application; as irrigation filters with a closed sedimentation tank, and as an alternative for the sedimentation pool with opened underflow to the atmosphere. With opened and closed underflow apex, the dual irrigation filter was tested to estimate and evaluate the filtration efficiency and outflow rate under different operation parameters. Three levels of feed suspension concentration (600, 1500 and 2400 ppm) prepared by using a coarse sandy loam soil sample, two levels of different operating pressure (2.5 and 4.0 psi) and three levels of the screen filtration degree (100, 150 and 200 mesh), were selected for the test. With opened underflow apex, the highest mean of the filtration efficiency for the feed suspension of 600, 1500, 2400 ppm were 0.46205, 0.42126 and 0.38719, respectively, for the different operating pressure of 4.0 and 2.5 psi were 0.46205 and 0.44135, respectively, and for the screen filtration degree of 100, 150 and 200 mesh were 0.42855, 0.45515 and 0.46205, respectively, whereas, with closed underflow apex, the highest value of the filtration efficiency for the feed suspension of 600, 1500, 2400 ppm were 0.4479, 0.3985 and 0.3601, respectively, for the different operating pressure of 4.0 and 2.5 psi were 0.4479 and 0.4258, respectively, and for the screen filtration degree of 100, 150 and 200 mesh were 0.4100, 0.4367 and 0.4479 respectively. The outflow rate was just statistically correlated to the different operating pressure; and in the case of opened apex, the highest mean of the outflow rate for the different operating pressure of 4.0 and 2.5 psi were 8.678 and 4.977 m3/h, respectively, whereas, in the case of closed apex, they were 9.345and 5.613m3/h, respectively.