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Tips To Understanding Pulse Irrigation

By Eliza Mendoza


As the world population grows, so does the need for food. Conversely, the arable land reduces with time. This calls for increased use of irrigation and other farming methods that utilize small spaces for maximum production. Pulse irrigation is a system that when used with other systems helps manage water while producing healthy crops hence more food.

This system makes it possible to effectively manage your water resources. Since it is scalable, one can set it whatever way desired for the minimal water usage. Used with a drip or sprinkler system, the irrigation will be well managed. It can also be used together with the usual low flow systems and the ultra low flow systems.

This is an irrigation system mostly used in areas where water is very scarce like in desert countries including Israel. It works by passively allowing water to flow at a controlled rate into a reservoir so as to build pressure in the reservoir at a steady rate. On reaching a predetermined pressure level, the valves from the reservoir open forcing a pulse of water out.

As the reservoir pressure reduces, the valves close giving the reservoir time to recharge. As long as the inlet is kept lower than outlet, the cycle of recharge and discharge will be kept going. A drip flow controller is used in this system to regulate the water flow rate into the reservoir.

As long as the system is properly installed, it will not need any monitoring. This system keeps the plants from overwatering. This constant, controlled and frequent water flow reduces the plant demand for water and lowers usage of water. The plants also do not experience water stress due to the intermittent supply.

To make this system work, strong magnets are used to keep the outlet valve closed. As the reservoir pressure overcomes the magnet strength, they are forced open and the top one goes up allowing water to flow. When the pressure reduces, the magnet lowers and sticks back in position and another cycle of recharging starts.

When used with sprinkler system, this water control is so effective. During seed germination, it can be set to sprinkle for 5 seconds ever minute till two weeks passes. This is then adjusted as the plants grow till it sprinkles for between 8 to 10 hours three times a week. The frequency is however subject to many factors like sunlight intensity, weather condition and plant age. Hot weather causes rapid evaporation hence the need for shorter sprinkling intervals.

Pulse irrigation system has been proven to have many advantages in farming. Even when used with a drip or sprinkler system, you get no run offs on heavy soil. Used on sandy soil that is known to have poor water retention, there is no leaching or water loss. On hilly areas and shallow soil, water does not run off despite the terrain. One can also achieve temperature control effectively through evaporative cooling using foggers and sprinklers working intermittently. This low discharge rate allows for use of little space in greenhouse and smaller containers. The system installation costs are also lowered greatly since it requires low capacity water pumps and smaller conduits.




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