Components of the Sprinkler System
1. Pumping Set:
The pump usually lifts the water from the sources and pushes it through the distribution system and the sprinkler.
2. Main Line:
Main lines may be permanent or portable. Permanent lines are used where crop requires full season irrigation and steel pipes or PVC pipes are used for permanent main line. The permanent lines should be buried so as to be out of the way of farming operations. Light weight aluminum pipe with quick couplers are used for most portable mainline.
3. Lateral Lines:
The lateral lines usually are portable quick coupled aluminum pipe are usually available in length of 5m, 6m, or 12m. Each length has quick couplings.
4. Sprinkler Heads:
It is the most important components of sprinkler irrigation system its operating characteristics under optimum water pressure and climatic conditions mainly the wind velocity will determine its suitability and the efficiency of the system.
5. Debris Screen:
Debris screens are usually needed when surface water is used as the source of irrigation. The function of screens is to keep the system free of trash that might plung the sprinkler nozzles.
6. Desilting Basins:
Desilting basin may be required to trap sand or suspended silts where the water comes from streams, open ditches or well water having silt.
7. Booster Pumps:
Booster pump should be used when a sprinkler irrigation system is used with an existing pumping system installed in a well and the pump capacity is insufficient to force the water through sprinklers.
8. Take off Valves:
There are generally needed to control the pressure in the lateral lines. The valves should always be used in systems where there are significant differences mainline pressure at the various laterals take off points.
9. Flow Control Valves:
Are used to regulate the pressure and discharge of individual sprinkler and may be helpful unevenness of the ground causes an unequal distribution of pressure along the lateral.
10. Fertilizer Application:
Soluble chemical fertilizer can be injected in to the sprinkled system and applied to the crop. When applied with the sprinkler system the fertilizer is easily placed at the desired depth in a soluble and readily available form to plants without any danger of being leached away. The two operations, namely irrigation and fertilizer application are done simultaneously, thus saving of labour required for fertilizer application.