Validation of EGY-DRIP program Application in Determining the Optimum Lateral Length

Abstract

In drip irrigation systems the lateral lines are the pipes on which the emitters are installed. The accurate design of drip irrigation laterals needs to determine the total energy losses that include the pipe friction losses along the lateral line and minor losses due to emitter connections. A friendly user interface computer application named EGY-DRIP had developed for drip irrigation system design. The program had written in Microsoft visual basic 2013 to carry out hydraulic calculations of drip irrigation sub-unit design. The hydraulic calculation based on inputs of water properties, quality, soil characteristics, reference evapotranspiration, crop factors, and irrigation system components (drippers, pipes, and fittings). The program supported with an upgradable Microsoft access database to facilitate data input by the user. The program application determines the optimum lateral length applying two mathematical models developed using dimensional analysis. An experimental drip irrigation sub-unit was used to make a field evaluation of EGY-DRIP to determine the optimum lateral length for built-in and on-line emitters. The lateral length was determined on the base on 10% variation in the emitters' discharge, 50 % friction head losses limit for manifold and 50 % for the laterals. There was a good agreement between the field measured and the calculated optimum lateral length using EGY-DRIP application. The average difference between the measured and the calculated length was 0.5 m for built-in emitters and 0.58 m for the on-line emitters.