Abstract

VELEZ-SANCHEZ, JAVIER ENRIQUE; CAMACHO-TAMAYO, JESÚS HERNÁN  and  ALVAREZ-HERRERA, JAVIER GIOVANNI. Evaluation of micro-irrigation drippers used in Colombia. rev.colomb.cienc.hortic. [online]. 2013, vol.7, n.2, pp.186-200. ISSN 2011-2173.

From 2010 to 2012, an assessment was carried out on twenty-three emitter or dripper types found in the Colombian market. The following were determined: the coefficient of variation (CV), the variation of the average flow rate compared to the nominal flow, the dimensions of the passages and the constituent parts, the pressure sensitivity, the type of material and the resistance to hydrostatic pressure. The measurements were taken in the laboratory of pressurized irrigation, Department of Civil Engineering and Agricultural Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, National University of Colombia, Bogotá with controlled operating conditions, according to the quality standards of ISO 9260, 1991 and UNE 68-075, 1986. Of the evaluated emitters, 43.48% were category A, with a CV less than 5%, 26.09% were category B, with a CV between 5 and 10%, and 30.43% were category C, with a CV greater than 10%. The percentage change in average flow rate with respect to the nominal flow of the evaluated emitters showed that only 17.32% (4) were category A, while 82.61% (19) were Class B. Five drippers had a labyrinth height lower than 0.7 mm, 17 between 0.7 and 1.5 mm and one above 1.5 mm (which correlate to very sensitive, slightly sensitive and highly resistant to clogging, respectively). This study shows the importance of emitters in irrigation facilities and the impact on water conservation, energy and fuel consumption and increased profitability from reducing operating costs and increasing the efficiency of water distribution.

Keywords : emitter; flow; discharge; variation.

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