Hydraulic evaluation of drip irrigation with autonomous and direct photovoltaic pumping

Avaliação hidráulica da irrigação por gotejamento com bombeamento fotovoltaico autônomo e direto

ABSTRACT

The combination of high-quality irrigation technologies, especially in terms of uniformity, with pumping energy from renewable sources can solve problems in regions without electricity, prolonged droughts or even supplementary irrigation systems. Therefore, to improve the autonomous and direct photovoltaic pumping system for drip irrigation, statistical quality control was used, since the variation of radiation throughout the day affects the energy supply, the water pumping flow rate and, consequently, uniformity. In view of the potential of this statistical technique, we sought to investigate the variations in application uniformity of three irrigation systems that differed according to the manufacturer and, above all, the thickness of the hose. The results indicate that a thicker-walled hose stabilizes the system's characteristic fluctuating pressure. In addition, hydraulic power values in conjunction with application uniformity values should be taken into account when deciding on the choice of emitter for a drip irrigation project.

Keywords:
Solar energy; Localized irrigation; Application uniformity; Statistical control; Hydraulic power