AGRICULTURAL SPRINKLER IRRIGATION DESIGN AND ANALYSIS APPLICATION

• Sponsoring Institution: National Institute of Food and Agriculture
• Project Status: COMPLETE
• Funding Source: HATCH
• Reporting Frequency: Annual
• Accession No.: 0218355
• Project Start Date: Jul 1, 2009
• Project End Date: Jun 30, 2014
• Program Code: [(N/A)]- (N/A)

Recipient Organization
UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY
(N/A)
LOGAN,UT 84322

Performing Department
Biological & Irrigation Engineering

Non Technical Summary
Sprinkler irrigation accounts for about 35% of the 20 million irrigated hectares in the USA, and is also widely used in other countries around the world. In general, the performance of sprinkler irrigation systems (e.g. side-roll, hand-move, center pivot, linear move) can be greatly improved by better designs, better maintenance, and better operating practices. A software application to help technicians and engineers evaluate different sprinkler design and management alternatives will be a valuable tool to contribute toward improved water management with this popular irrigation method. This is especially important in the many areas suffering from a lack of good-quality irrigation water, a phenomenon observed to be of increasing preponderance in the past 20 years. The 2001 Utah Irrigated Acreage Survey shows a total of 499,616 acres under sprinkler irrigation, accounting for 39% of the total irrigated area in the state. This percentage is significant, and it is roughly the same as the average percentage of sprinkler-irrigated area in the whole country. Urban water management has also been the focus of much attention in the past several years, and it is becoming an increasingly significant in arid and semi-arid areas, such as most areas of Utah. The application of water to urban landscapes could benefit from analysis software to provide recommended design and operational changes for water savings. This is especially significant given the continuing transfer of water from agricultural users to municipal and industrial users in many areas of the western United States. Thus, the focus of this research is to combine field and laboratory measurements with the development of a new software application for evaluating sprinkler irrigation performance in agricultural and landscape settings, and for use as a technical tool for improving operational and design recommendations to use water more effectively.

Animal Health Component

(N/A)

Research Effort Categories

Basic

(N/A)

Applied

(N/A)

Developmental

(N/A)

Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)	Subject of Investigation (SOI)	Field of Science (FOS)	Percent
111	5360	2010	10%
111	5360	2020	10%
111	5360	2050	10%
111	5360	2080	10%
405	5360	2010	15%
405	5360	2020	15%
405	5360	2050	15%
405	5360	2080	15%

Knowledge Area
111 - Conservation and Efficient Use of Water; 405 - Drainage and Irrigation Systems and Facilities;

Subject Of Investigation
5360 - Drainage and irrigation facilities and systems;

Field Of Science
2010 - Physics; 2020 - Engineering; 2050 - Hydrology; 2080 - Mathematics and computer sciences;

Keywords

sprinkler irrigation

application uniformity

design and evaluation

water management

Goals / Objectives
Objectives 1. To develop a completely new version, not relying on any existing programming code, of a software application to evaluate sprinkler performance and to aid in improvements in water application uniformity through adjustments in sprinkler spacing and other design/management parameters for both agricultural and urban landscape applications; 2. To include features such as physics and mass-balance equations to predict sprinkler trajectories and the evaporation of water droplets in the air (based on temperatures, relative humidity, droplet sizes, and other factors), thereby permitting a greater level of predictive capability for system performance; 3. To develop a full graphical interface for the software application for MS WindowsTM XP and Vista, including the application of quaternion mathematics to enable full three-dimensional rotation of sprinkler water application meshes, and bi-cubic splines for increasing grid density; 4. Multiple languages will be included in the program interface: English, Spanish, Portuguese, and several others; 5. To test the software application with several field and laboratory data sets from different types of sprinklers and different operating conditions, and to make corrections and improvements to the model based on the feedback obtained during testing; and, 6. To develop a complete users' manual and technical reference for the software application, including on-screen "help." 7. To conduct one or more workshops in the use of the application to gain additional feedback, which will be incorporated into the application to improve its usability.

Project Methods
A new software application (program) is proposed for statistically analyzing measured performance data for agricultural sprinklers, with emphasis on application uniformity and efficiency calculations. It will be used for evaluating the performance of specific configurations and operating conditions for sprinklers, including the simulated overlapping of sprinkler application patterns. And the program will be available to anyone as a free download from the developer's web site at USU. Configuration & catch data files will contain information about the sprinkler test conditions, options, overlapping patterns, and the measured catch-can values. Text files will contain sprinkler uniformity evaluation data and results of uniformity analysis. In on-going collaboration with researchers at the Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University (NWAFU) in Yangling, China, a number of field and laboratory experiments are being planned for evaluating and characterizing the effects of pressure, riser height, wind, and atmospheric conditions on sprinkler irrigation performance. Atmospheric conditions include relative humidity and air temperature. Drs. Gary Merkley (USU) and Han Wenting (NWAFU) worked in Yangling in May of 2008 on the proposed experiments and software development, and are currently continuing this work during a sabbatical by Dr. Merkley to China from April 14 through June 23, 2009. Some of the field and laboratory experimentation will be done in Yangling and some in Utah, and the results and data will be shared between the two universities. The experiments will be conducted using commonly-available sprinkler equipment in the USA and China with a range of operating pressures, riser heights, wind speeds, and atmospheric conditions. Existing weather station equipment at USU and NWAFU will be used to measure and record atmospheric conditions. The results from these tests will be incorporated into the proposed software and some elements of the data will be used to verify the correctness of the calculations with regard to predictions of application uniformity changes as a function of design and operation parameters. Part of the experimentation will be to indirectly determine sprinkler droplet size distribution through the application of ballistics theory and catch-can data. This will eliminate the need for expensive high-speed cameras and other equipment for the direct measurement of droplet sizes. Based on droplet size distributions (a function of sprinkler design, nozzling, operating pressure, and wind), energy- and mass-balance relationships can be applied to estimate the evaporation of water droplets in the air, and samples of these calculations can be verified by field and laboratory measurements. Such calculations will help to mathematically characterize the losses of water via sprinkler irrigation under different atmospheric conditions, thereby providing a powerful predictive capability for expected system performance.

Progress 07/01/09 to 06/30/14

Outputs
Target Audience: Nothing Reported Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Nothing Reported How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Nothing Reported What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Accomplishments The ultimate impact will be an improved ability to determine sprinkler irrigation performance and to make practical recommendations for improvements, but no impacts are available at this point of the project. There has been no activity on the project for the past 21 months because the project leader has been on leave from USU during that time.

Publications

Progress 01/01/12 to 12/31/12

Outputs
OUTPUTS: Two peer-reviewed journal articles were published based on this research in 2012. The subject of the articles was that of this AES project. PARTICIPANTS: Gary Merkley, Project Leader TARGET AUDIENCES: Irrigation engineers and irrigation extension specialists PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: The major change has been a hiatus in activity during all of the 2012 calendar year. There were also no expenditures during the year. Activity on the project is to resume in August 2013.

Impacts
The ultimate impact will be an improved ability to determine sprinkler irrigation performance and to make practical recommendations for improvements, but no impacts are available at this point of the project. There has been no activity on the project for the past 21 months because the project leader has been on leave from USU during that time.

Publications

• No publications reported this period

Progress 01/01/11 to 12/31/11

Outputs
OUTPUTS: Four peer-reviewed journal articles were published based on this research in 2011. The subject of the articles was that of this AES research, partially based on the fieldwork done in 2010. PARTICIPANTS: Gary Merkley, Project Leader. Zhang Lin, Post-doctoral student. Water-Saving Irrigation Research Center, Northwest A&F Univ, Yangling, China. Kasem Pinthong, doctoral student, Kasetsart Univ, Bangkok, Thailand. Nat Marjang, Asst. Prof., Kasetsart Univ, Bangkok, Thailand. TARGET AUDIENCES: Irrigation engineers and irrigation extension specialists. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.

Impacts
The ultimate impact will be an improved ability to determine sprinkler irrigation performance and to make practical recommendations for improvements, but no impacts are available at this point of the project.

Publications

• UTAO+798 Zhang, L., Merkley, G. P., & Pinthong, K. (2011). Assessing whole-field sprinkler irrigation application uniformity: Irrigation Science.
• UTAO+798 Pinthong, K., Merkley, G. P., & Chittaladakorn, S. (2011). Flow path and hydraulic analysis for on-farm pressurized irrigation systems: Irrigation Science.
• UTAO+00798 Thompson, E. J., Merkley, G. P., Keller, A. A., & Barfuss, S. L., (2011). Experimental Determination of the Hydraulic Properties of Low-Pressure, Lay-Flat Drip Irrigation Systems: ASCE J. Irrig. and Drain. Engrg., 137(1): 37-48. (Published).
• UTAO+798 Zhang, L., & Merkley, G. P., (2011). Relationships between common irrigation application uniformity indicators: Irrigation Science, 30(2): 83-88. (Published).

Progress 01/01/10 to 12/31/10

Outputs
OUTPUTS: A testing facility was set-up at the UWRL and many months of sprinkler tests were conducted to determine the relationship between water application uniformity and sprinkler pressure. A software application was developed to analyze and apply the data. Software versions are in Excel VBA, C# .NET, and VB .NET, including plugins for a GIS application. A large experimental data set was obtained from the tests, and computer software was developed to analyze and apply the data. Two technical papers are currently in preparation, and another was just accepted (with revisions) in the last week of December 2010. PARTICIPANTS: Gary Merkley, Project Leader. Zhang Lin, Post-doctoral student. Water-Saving Irrigation Research Center, Northwest A&F Univ, Yangling, China. Kasem Pinthong, doctoral student, Kasetsart Univ, Bangkok, Thailand. TARGET AUDIENCES: Irrigation engineers and irrigation extension specialists. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.

Impacts
The ultimate impact will be an improved ability to determine sprinkler irrigation performance and to make practical recommendations for improvements, but no impacts are available at this point of the project.

Publications

• Thompson, E.J., Merkley, G.P., Keller, Barfuss, S.L. 2010. Experimental Determination of the Hydraulic Properties of Low-Pressure, Lay-Flat Drip Irrigation Systems. ASCE J. Irrig. and Drain. Engrg., Washington, D.C., 137:37-48.
• Hernandez, J., Merkley, G. 2010. Canal Structure Automation Rules Using an Accuracy-Based Learning Classifier System, a Genetic Algorithm, and a Hydraulic Simulation Model. I: Design. ASCE J. Irrig. and Drain. Engrg., Washington, D.C., 137:1-11. DOI 10.1061/ASCEIR.1943-4774.0000268.
• Hernandez, J., Merkley, G. 2010. Canal Structure Automation Rules Using an Accuracy-Based Learning Classifier System, a Genetic Algorithm, and a Hydraulic Simulation Model. II: Results. ASCE J. Irrig. and Drain. Engrg., Washtington, D.C., 137:12-16. DOI 10.1061/ASCEIR.1943-4774.0000267.
• Jaafar, H., Merkley, G. 2010. High-Resolution Method for Modeling Hydraulic Regime Changes at Canal Gate Structures. ASCE J. Irrig. and Drain. Engrg., Washtington, D.C.,136:795-808. DOI 10.1061/ASCEIR.1943-4774.0000263.

Progress 01/01/09 to 12/31/09

Outputs
OUTPUTS: This AES project began in June 2009 and there are no outputs as of December 2009. Thus far, all of the efforts have been directed toward bringing a post-doc student to USU, reviewing relevant technical literature, discussing the draft experimental design with USU colleagues and outside reviewers, and planning for the experiments to be conducted throughout the 2010 calendar year. PARTICIPANTS: Gary Merkley, Project Leader. Zhang Lin, Post-doctoral student. Water-Saving Irrigation Research Center, Northwest A&F Univ, Yangling, China. TARGET AUDIENCES: Irrigation engineers and irrigation extension specialists. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.

Impacts
As of December 2009 there are no significant outcomes or impacts. These are expected to begin to come in the 2010 year.

Publications

• No publications reported this period