Performance Analysis of Pressurized Irrigation Systems Using Simulation Model Technique.

Abstract

Simulation models are useful tools for enhancing water management on farm level and optimizing water application efficiency. Focusing on water, as water is the key driver of agricultural production and the critical factor of increasing crop production. Evaluating effects of water saving to optimize water application efficiency under limited conditions to enhance sustainability an (surface drip irrigation and solid-set sprinkler) at the Experimental Farm of d profitability of crop production. HydroCalc model was evaluated under two lateral length (30, 50m) and (0, 0.02) slopes under pressurized irrigation systems Agricultural Production and Research Station, National Research Centre (NRC), El Nubaria, Egypt, (latitude 30.87N, longitude 30.17E and altitude 20 m above sea level). The results obtained declared that: The statistical indicators; the regression coefficient (R² > 0.90) and correlation coefficient confirmed the good performance of HydroCalc in simulating some hydraulic parameters of pressurized irrigation systems. The validation of measured and simulated data clarified it as efficient reliable software to design pressurized irrigation systems to increase the system performance and water application efficiency. The energy savings were (33.18; 27.33%) under slope (0%) and (34.23; 29.54%) under slope (2%) with surface drip irrigation systems when using lateral lengths (30;50m), respectively compared to the solid-set sprinkler irrigation system. It could be concluded to using drip irrigation systems with lateral length 30 m and with slope (2%) downhill for increasing the water application efficiency, decreasing the friction losses along lateral lines and this lead to saving more water head energy.