Effect of flushing frequency on emitter clogging in microirrigation with effluents

Abstract

Please, cite this article as: Puig-Bargués, J.; Arbat, G.; Elbana, M.; Duran-Ros, M.; Barragán, J.; Ramírez de Cartagena, F.; Lamm, F.R. AbstractFlushing is an important maintenance task that removes accumulated particles in microirrigation laterals that can help to reduce clogging problems. The effect of three dripline flushing frequency treatments (no flushing, one flushing at the end of each irrigation period, and a monthly flushing during the irrigation period) was studied in surface and subsurface drip irrigation systems that operated using a wastewater treatment plant effluent for three irrigation periods of 540 h each. The irrigation systems had two different emitters, one pressure compensating and the other not, both molded and welded onto the interior dripline wall, placed in laterals 87 meters long. Dripline flow of the pressure compensating emitter increased 8% over time, while in the nonpressure compensating emitter, dripline flow increased 25% in the surface driplines and decreased 3% in the subsurface driplines by the emitter clogging. Emitter clogging was affected primarily by the interactions between emitter location, emitter type, and flushing frequency treatment. The number of completely clogged emitters was affected by the interaction between irrigation system and emitter type. There was an average of 3.7% less totally clogged emitters in flushed surface driplines with the pressurecompensating emitter as compared to flushed subsurface laterals with the nonpressure compensating emitter.

Global Experiences on Wastewater Irrigation: Challenges and Prospects

“…Results recommended that an air/ vacuum relief valve be used for subsurface drip irrigation to avoid ingestion of soil particles due to back siphoning. Flushing at a velocity of 0.6 m/s was adequate as found in Spain when it was performed monthly or only at the end of irrigation season (Puig-Bargues et al 2010 ). In France, relations between biofi lm development and velocity distribution on NPC fl ow paths were observed and the pipe diameter appeared to be a parameter inducing emitter clogging (Gamri et al 2013 ).…”

Effect of Flushing Velocity and Flushing Duration on Sediment Transport in Microirrigation Driplines

“…Puig-Bargués et al (2010a) found greater emitter clogging at the distal end of the dripline without flushing than with a monthly and a seasonal flushing, with the latter two being not significantly different. Conversely, Puig-Bargués et al (2010b) observed an inconsistent effect of flushing frequency on dripline sediment removal.…”

“…Different flushing frequencies have been used by several researchers, including daily (Ravina et al, 1997), twice per week (Tajrishy et al, 1994), once per week (Tajrishy et al, 1994;Hills et al, 2000), every two weeks (Ravina et al, 1997;Hills and Brenes, 2001;Puig-Bargués et al, 2010b), monthly (Puig-Bargués et al, 2010a, 2010b, and seasonal (Puig-Bargués et al, 2010a). Puig-Bargués et al (2010a) found greater emitter clogging at the distal end of the dripline without flushing than with a monthly and a seasonal flushing, with the latter two being not significantly different.…”

Performance of pressure-compensating emitters using treated sewage effluent for irrigation

“…Localized irrigation can be used for the application of wastewaters, given the high uniformity of application of the effluent and low risk of contamination (Batista et al, 2013), besides operating at low pressures and with high efficiency (Puig-Bargués et al, 2010). The maintenance of high uniformity of water application in irrigation systems becomes fundamental for an efficient irrigation regarding the use of water resources and reduction of costs (Ribeiro et al, 2012).…”