Effect Of Different Sprinkler Patterns On The Performance Of Solid-Set Sprinkler Irrigation System Under Shambat Conditions

Abstract

A study to design a sprinkler system for small farms and to compare the performance of different sprinkler patterns was carried out at The Demonstration Farm of the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Khartoum at Shambat during March and April 2004. The experiment consisted of testing the effect of square, rectangular and triangular sprinkler patterns on water distribution efficiency (Chirstiansen،¯s coefficient of uniformity ،®CU%،¯ and uniformity of distribution ،®DU%،¯) and water losses (%) using the completely randomized design (CRD). The effect of some weather factors on pattern efficiency and water losses was also tested using Pearson،¯s coefficient of correlation. The statistical analysis showed that water distribution efficiency (CU% and DU%) and water losses (%) were not significantly affected by sprinklers pattern (P،ـ0.05). However, mean CU% gave the values of: triangular pattern (80.2%), square pattern (79.6%) and rectangular pattern (77.2%), while DU% gave the values of: triangular pattern (69.9%), square pattern (69.1%) and rectangular pattern (66.6%). The results obtained for water loss mean values were: rectangular pattern (29.4%), square pattern (28.5%) and triangular pattern (26.7%). As represented by Pearson،¯s coefficient of correlation, wind speed was inversely related to CU%, DU% and water loss% under the three sprinkler patterns.