Evaluating Sensitivity to Clogging by Solid Particles in Irrigation Emitters: Assessment of a Laboratory Protocol

Author(s)

de Sousa Pereira, Diego Jose ^[1] ; Lavanholi, Rogerio ^[1] ; de Araujo, Ana C. S. ^[1] ; de Camargo, Antonio P. ^[2] ; Ait-Mouheb, Nassim ^{[3, 4]} ; Frizzone, Jose A. ^[1] ; Molle, Bruno ^{[3, 4]}

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Coll Agr Luiz de Queiroz, Dept Biosyst Engn, BR-13418900 Piracicaba, SP - Brazil

^[2] Univ Estadual Campinas, Agr Engn Coll, FEAGRI UNICAMP, Ave Candid Rondon 501, BR-13083875 Campinas, SP - Brazil

^[3] Univ Montpellier, Joint Res Unit Water Management Actors Terr, French Natl Inst Agr Food & Environm, Dept Waters, F-34196 Montpellier - France

^[4] Univ Montpellier, Dept Waters, UMR G Eau, F-34196 Montpellier - France

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: JOURNAL OF IRRIGATION AND DRAINAGE ENGINEERING; v. 146, n. 11 NOV 1 2020.
• Web of Science Citations: 0

Abstract

As drip irrigation develops rapidly worldwide, the need for a standardized method to evaluate emitters' clogging sensitivity is reinforced. Methodologies for evaluating the sensitivity of emitters to clogging enable identification of trends in the change in performance of emitters operated under clogging risk, selection of emitter designs with higher performance for a given set of water characteristics, and recommendation of a consistent filtration method and maintenance routines. In this study, a clogging test protocol for evaluating the sensitivity of emitters to clogging caused by suspended solid particles was assessed to improve the reliability of test results and analyze the impact of sample size (number of emitters) on clogging result accuracy. Two models of integrated non-pressure-compensating emitters were tested in three replications. The 160-h clogging test procedure consisted of four 40-h stages that varied in size and concentration of solid suspended particles. The results enabled accurate assessment of the combination of size and concentration of particles that caused clogging in each emitter model, thereby revealing trends in the sensitivity of emitters to clogging, which were not dependent on emitter sample size. Recommendations for an international standardized clogging test protocol are proposed. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 15/19630-0 - CLOGGING PROCESSES OF IRRIGATION EMITTERS ORIGINATED BY SOLID PARTICLES
• Grantee: Jose Antonio Frizzone
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• FAPESP's process: 18/20099-5 - Clogging processes of irrigation drippers due to interactions of calcium carbonate and solid particles
• Grantee: Antonio Pires de Camargo
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants