solid set sprinkler design for an apricot orchard

67 Pages·2012·1.87 MB·English

by  Kyle Moeller

SOLID SET SPRINKLER DESIGN FOR AN APPRICOT ORCHARD

By

Kyle Moeller

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering
BioResourse and Agricultural Engineering Department
California Polytechnic State University
San Luis Obispo
2012
TITLE Solid Set Sprinkler Design for an
Apricot Orchard

AUTHOR Kyle J. Moeller

DATE SUBMITTED June 4, 2012

Dr. Daniel Howes
Senior Project Advisor Signature

Date

Dr. Richard A. Cavaletto
Department Head Signature

Date

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to thank many people who have helped me achieve all that I have over these
last four years. Mostly I would like to thank Dr. Howes who was willing to be my
advisor. He pushed me to achieve even when I felt like it was time to give up, and always
made time in his busy schedule when questions arose. Secondly I would like to give a
special thanks to Noelle Penner who through all four years was a driving force in keeping
my head up and never allowing me to give up on my engineering dreams. Finally I would
like to thank my parents who have always been a key component in my life, their
willingness to push me to achieve has been more than I could ever ask for.

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ABSTRACT

The goal of this project was to design a solid set sprinkler system as well as a cost
analysis for a 60 acre field. This allows for water to be distributed throughout an entire
field at low flow rates allowing water to be used more efficiently and effectively.
Completing a design such as this will allow some cost saving by the farmer throughout
the systems use.

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DISCLAMER STATEMENT

The university makes it clear that the information forwarded herewith is a project
resulting from a class assignment and has been graded and accepted only as a fulfillment
of a course requirement. Acceptance by the university does not imply technical accuracy
or reliability. Any use of the information in this report is made by the user(s) at his/her
own risk, which may include catastrophic failure of the device or infringement of patent
or copyright laws.

Therefore, the recipient and/or user of the information contained in this report agrees to
indemnify, defend and save harmless the State its officers, agents, and employees from
any and all claims and losses accruing or resulting to any person, firm, or corporation
who may be injured or damaged as a result of the use of this report.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................................... iii
ABSTRACT ....................................................................................................................... iv
DISCLAMER STATEMENT ............................................................................................. v
TABLE OF CONTENTS ................................................................................................... vi
LIST OF FIGURES ......................................................................................................... viii
LIST OF TABLES ............................................................................................................. ix
INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................. 1
LITERATURE REVIEW ................................................................................................... 3
Efficiency ........................................................................................................................ 3
Soil Types ....................................................................................................................... 3
Crop Evapotranspiration ................................................................................................. 4
Pipeline Hydraulics ......................................................................................................... 4
Flow Meters .................................................................................................................... 4
Filtration .......................................................................................................................... 5
Media Filters. .............................................................................................................. 5
Gravity Overflow Screens........................................................................................... 6
Flood Irrigation ............................................................................................................... 6
Drip/Microspray Irrigation.............................................................................................. 7
Sprinkler Irrigation.......................................................................................................... 7
Sprinkler vs Flood Irrigation ........................................................................................... 8
Sprinkler vs. Drip/Microsprayer Irrigation ..................................................................... 8
Air Vents ......................................................................................................................... 9
Surveying ........................................................................................................................ 9
PROCEDURES AND METHODS................................................................................... 10
Design Procedures ........................................................................................................ 10
Preliminary Data Collection ..................................................................................... 10
Field Layout and Soil Constraints............................................................................. 10
Determination of Peak ET Rate ................................................................................ 11
Estimate Required Flow Rate per Tree ..................................................................... 11
Sprinklers Per Tree Estimation. ................................................................................ 12
Nozzle and Set Selection. ......................................................................................... 12
Infiltration Rate Problems. ........................................................................................ 14
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Allowable Pressure Variation. .................................................................................. 15
Pressure Regulation. ................................................................................................. 15
Lateral Design. .......................................................................................................... 15
Manifold Design. ...................................................................................................... 16
Mainline Design. ....................................................................................................... 16
Filtration Requirements. ........................................................................................... 16
Pressure Relief Valves. ............................................................................................. 17
Air Vent Locations and Sizing. ................................................................................. 17
RESULTS ......................................................................................................................... 18
DISCUSSION ................................................................................................................... 19
RECOMMENDATIONS .................................................................................................. 21
REFERENCES ................................................................................................................. 22
APPENDIX A:HOW PROJECT MET BRAE MAJOR PROJECT REQUIREMENTS . 24
APPENDIX B: LATERAL DESIGN TABLES ............................................................... 27
APPENDIX C: MANIFOLD AND MINLINE DESIGN TABLES................................. 48
APPENDIX D: FIELD LAYOUTS .................................................................................. 54
APPENDIX E: SIMPLE COST ANALYSIS ................................................................... 57

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LIST OF FIGURES

Page
Figure 1: Actual Field ......................................................................................................... 1
Figure 2: Media Tanks Water Flow (Burt and Styles, 2007) .............................................. 6
Figure 3: Gravity Flow Screen (Burt and Styles, 2007) ..................................................... 6
Figure 4:Typical Sprinkler Layout (Burt et al, 2000) ......................................................... 8
Figure 5: Soil Map (http://websoilsurvey.nrcs.usda.gov/app/WebSoilSurvey.aspx, 2012)
........................................................................................................................................... 10
Figure 6: Field Set Outline ................................................................................................ 55
Figure 7: Field Lateral Layout With Mainline .................................................................. 56

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LIST OF TABLES

Table 1: Lateral Water Movement In Soils (Burt and Styles 2007) ................................. 12
Table 2: Average K values for Nelson Rotator Sprinkler Nozzles ................................... 13
Table 3: Operating Pressures (psi) at Various Orifice Sizes ............................................. 14
Table 4: Recommended Vertical Media Tank Sizes (Burt and Styles, 2007) .................. 17
Table 5: Simplified Cost Breakdown ................................................................................ 18
Table 6: Set 1 Part 1 Lateral Design ................................................................................. 28
Table 7: Set 1 Part 1 Average Lateral Design................................................................... 30
Table 8: Set 1 Part 2 Long and Average Lateral Design .................................................. 31
Table 9: Set 1 part 3 Long and Average Lateral Design ................................................... 33
Table 10: Set 2 Long and Average Lateral Design ........................................................... 35
Table 11: Set 3 Long and Average Lateral Design ........................................................... 39
Table 12: Set 4 Part 1 Long and Average Lateral Design ................................................ 43
Table 13: Set 4 Part 2 Long and Average Lateral Design ................................................ 46
Table 14: Set 1 Manifold Sizing ....................................................................................... 49
Table 15: Set 2 Manifold Sizing ....................................................................................... 49
Table 16: Set 3 Manifold Sizing ....................................................................................... 51
Table 17: Mainline Sizing ................................................................................................. 51
Table 18: Set 1 part 2 and 3 Mainline Sizing.................................................................... 52
Table 19: Set 4 Mainline Sizing........................................................................................ 53
Table 20: Cost Analysis .................................................................................................... 58

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1

INTRODUCTION

In our lives today a large problem has become apparent with the decline in available
water, which has in turn caused problems between the agricultural sector and general
population of California. It has become increasingly difficult for enough water to be
supplied to both agricultural farmland and large urban populations. With the rising costs
for both water delivery and power, farmers are seeing hard times on the horizon. Even
those that use pumps to supply water from underground aquifers have been having
problems obtaining enough water to cover the requirements of their crops. With these
problems affecting the water supply to our agricultural sector, people are starting to feel
the effects in their local grocery store. One way we are able to help farmers use less water
is to allow larger percentages of applied irrigation water to be used beneficially. With
more uniform irrigation methods water is beneficially used with less being lost to runoff
and non-beneficial uses. These newer irrigation methods have allowed more control to
farmers by reducing labor needs, pumping costs; some systems also give the opportunity
to run automatically or the choice not to run during peak energy cost periods.
Bays Farm is a small family owned farming operation out of Westly CA in Stanislaus
County. This operation has been farming the area for several generations. Crops grown
range from row crops such as tomatoes, beans and corn to multiple varieties of orchard
crops; examples include stone fruit and almonds. All the supplied irrigation water used on
the ranch comes from district turnouts as well as several well pumps. Although the farm
has been expanding through the years their water delivery systems have not advanced
much.

Figure 1: Actual Field