Classification and technical characteristics of micro-irrigation

Classification and technical characteristics of micro-irrigation products
Drip irrigation system As an important type of micro-irrigation technology, the drip irrigation system achieves efficient use of water by slowly and accurately delivering pressurized water to the soil at the root of crops in the form of water drops. According to the laying position of capillary tubes and drippers, the drip irrigation system can be divided into surface drip irrigation and underground drip irrigation, and the drip irrigation tape is an important product form in the drip irrigation system.

Surface drip irrigation is the most common drip irrigation method, with capillary tubes and drippers laid directly on the surface. This method is easy to install, maintain and inspect, and can visually observe the water output of the dripper and the operating status of the capillary tube. The dripper flow rate is usually between 2-12L/h. Such a small flow rate can allow water to slowly penetrate into the soil, avoiding rapid water loss and deep leakage, and fully meeting the water needs of crop roots. Surface drip irrigation is widely used in vegetable and flower cultivation. In greenhouse vegetable cultivation, surface drip irrigation can accurately control the amount of irrigation according to the water requirements of vegetables at different growth stages, so that the vegetable roots are always in a suitable water environment, promote the growth and development of vegetables, and improve the yield and quality of vegetables.
Underground drip irrigation is to bury the capillary tubes and drippers at a depth of 30-40cm underground, using the capillary action of the soil to evenly diffuse water around the crop roots. The biggest advantage of this method is that it can significantly reduce water evaporation losses, which can be reduced by 50% compared to surface drip irrigation. This is because underground drip irrigation avoids direct contact between water and air and reduces the evaporation of water on the surface. Underground drip irrigation is suitable for deep-rooted crops such as cotton. It can provide sufficient water for deep-rooted crops and promote the growth and development of the root system. In cotton planting, underground drip irrigation can deliver water directly to the main distribution area of ​​the cotton root system, meeting the water demand of cotton growth, while reducing water waste and improving irrigation efficiency.
Drip irrigation tape is an important product in the drip irrigation system. It integrates the dripper and the capillary tube, which has the advantage of low cost. The wall thickness of the drip irrigation tape is generally between {{0}}.1 and 0.3 mm, and its cost can be reduced by 30% compared with ordinary drippers. This makes the drip irrigation tape more cost-effective in large-scale agricultural production and can reduce farmers' investment costs. The anti-clogging ability of the drip irrigation tape is relatively weak. This is because its flow channel is relatively small and is easily blocked by impurities, microorganisms, etc. in the water. Therefore, when using the drip irrigation tape, the water quality requirements are high, and a complete filtration system needs to be equipped to ensure the normal operation of the drip irrigation tape.

The micro-sprinklers of fixed micro-sprinklers are fixed in one position, and the range is generally between 1 and 3m. The atomization index is usually between 80 and 150, which makes the sprayed water droplets small and uniform, and can provide a fine water supply for crops. Fixed micro-sprinklers can not only meet the water needs of crops, but also have the function of cooling and humidifying. In the hot summer, spraying water on crops through fixed micro-sprinklers can reduce the temperature around the crops, increase the air humidity, and create a suitable growth environment for crops. In flower planting, fixed micro-sprinklers can provide flowers with uniform water and suitable humidity, making the flowers grow more beautiful and improving the ornamental value of flowers.
The micro-spraying head of the rotary micro-spraying can rotate, thus expanding the spraying range. Its flow rate is generally between 20-250L/h, and the coverage area can be expanded by 50% compared with the fixed micro-spraying. This micro-spraying method can irrigate a larger area more efficiently and is suitable for crops with large row spacing such as fruit trees. In the orchard, the rotary micro-spraying can evenly spray water to all parts of the fruit trees, meet the water needs of the fruit trees, and promote the growth of the fruit trees and the development of the fruits.
The pulse micro-sprinkler adopts a pressure pulse anti-blocking design, which effectively prevents the blockage of the micro-sprinkler through periodic pressure changes. This design makes the anti-blocking performance of the pulse micro-sprinkler 40% higher than that of ordinary micro-sprinklers, greatly improving the stability and reliability of the micro-sprinkler irrigation system. In areas with poor water quality, the pulse micro-sprinkler can better adapt to the environment, ensure the normal operation of the micro-sprinkler irrigation system, and reduce maintenance costs and time.

Infiltration irrigation system is a micro-irrigation method that uses soil capillary action to slowly and evenly moisten the soil at the root layer of crops through irrigation water through buried infiltration pipes or irrigation belts. This irrigation method has unique technical characteristics and application advantages. According to the structure and material of the infiltration irrigation pipe or irrigation belt, it can be divided into capillary infiltration pipe and full-wall infiltration belt. At the same time, the buried depth control of the infiltration irrigation system is also very important.
There are tiny pores distributed on the wall of the capillary irrigation pipe, and the diameter of the pores is generally between {{0}}.1 and 0.3 mm. These micropores allow water to seep out slowly in the form of seepage, and the flow rate is usually 2-3L/(h・m). This slow and steady water flow can provide a continuous water supply to the crop roots, avoiding large-scale water loss and deep leakage. Capillary irrigation pipes are suitable for crops that are more sensitive to water demand, such as strawberries. In strawberry cultivation, capillary irrigation pipes can accurately transport water to the surrounding areas of the strawberry roots, maintain the appropriate humidity of the soil, promote the growth of strawberries and the development of fruits, and improve the yield and quality of strawberries.

The full-wall infiltration tape is made of hydrophilic material, and the entire wall of the pipe has a water infiltration function, which makes the water infiltration more uniform, and the water infiltration uniformity can reach 95%. The full-wall infiltration tape can provide a wider and more uniform water supply for the crop root system, which is conducive to the comprehensive growth and development of the crop root system. In some large-scale vegetable plantings, the full-wall infiltration tape can ensure that each vegetable can get sufficient and uniform water, improving the growth consistency and yield stability of vegetables.
The control of the buried depth of the infiltration irrigation system is one of the key factors affecting its irrigation effect. The optimal buried depth is generally between 20 and 30 cm. This depth can make the water diffuse evenly in the soil, meet the water needs of the crop roots, and avoid excessive evaporation and deep seepage of water. However, the buried depth needs to be adjusted according to the soil texture. For sandy soil, due to its strong water permeability, the buried depth of the infiltration irrigation pipe or infiltration belt can be appropriately increased to prevent the water from being lost too quickly; while for clay soil, due to its poor water permeability, the buried depth can be appropriately reduced to ensure that the water can penetrate smoothly into the crop root layer.
Bubbling irrigation system Bubbling irrigation system, as a kind of micro-irrigation technology, achieves local irrigation by directly delivering water in the form of small streams or small springs to the soil near the roots of crops. This irrigation method has unique technical characteristics and application advantages. According to the different water emitters and pipe layout methods, it can be divided into small tube outflow and circular pipe layout. At the same time, the bubble irrigation system also has remarkable characteristics in anti-blocking design.
Small tube outflow is a common form of spring irrigation system. It uses a 4mm small plastic tube connected to a capillary tube as an emitter to locally wet the soil near the crop in a thin stream (jet). The flow rate of small tube outflow is generally between 80-250L/h. This large flow rate can quickly penetrate the soil and meet the crop's demand for water. In orchard irrigation, small tube outflow can directly transport water to the roots of fruit trees, provide sufficient water for fruit trees, and promote the growth of fruit trees and the development of fruits.

Circular pipe layout is to arrange seepage ditches around the tree trunks so that water flows through the seepage ditches to evenly moisten the soil around the fruit trees. This pipe layout method can form a uniform moist area around the roots of the fruit trees, and the moistening radius is generally between 1.5-2m. Circular pipe layout is suitable for tall crops such as fruit trees, which can fully meet the water needs of the fruit tree roots and improve irrigation efficiency. In vineyard irrigation, circular pipe layout can provide uniform moisture for grapevines, promote the growth of grapevines and the accumulation of sugar in fruits, and improve the quality of grapes.
The anti-clogging design of the bubble irrigation system is one of its important advantages. Compared with drip irrigation, the flow channel diameter of the bubble irrigation is larger, generally 3-5 times larger than the dripper. The larger flow channel diameter makes it easier for impurities and particles in the water to pass through, thereby reducing the risk of clogging. This not only reduces the maintenance cost of the system, but also improves the stability and reliability of the system. The maintenance cost of the bubble irrigation system can be reduced by 60% compared to the drip irrigation system, which makes the bubble irrigation system more economical and practical in actual application.