A sprinkler package is a system designed to deliver water efficiently and consistently to crops. A sprinkler package includes key components that work together to control pressure, flow, and distribution.Â
Regulator
A regulator is used to regulate the pressure that passes to the nozzle and thus to the sprinkler. This means that water can be supplied to the regulator at pressures as high as 600 kPa and it will deliver a constant pressure.
Important point to remember: all regulators require an inlet pressure of 35 – 40 kPa more than the regulators pressure rating to be able to regulate the pressure, thus if you have 100 kPa regulators installed on your pivot, you need to have a minimum pressure of 140 kPa at the inlet of every regulator on the pivot. On flat terrain, due to friction, the minimum pressure will typically be the end of the system.
Nozzle
The nozzle allows a certain amount of water to flow through to the sprinkler. This is a critical element in order to deliver the correct amount of water to your crops. For a specific pressure, the flow through the nozzle increases with the size of the nozzle. On the other hand, the lower the pressure through a particular size of nozzle, the lower the flow.
Fun Fact: What does the number on a nozzle mean?
The number indicated the size of the nozzle’s hole. This is measured in either 1/128 of an inch or 1/64 of an inch. Thus, a number 24 Nelson nozzle has a hole diameter of 4.76 mm.
Sprinkler
The sprinkler spreads the water to your crops and defines how the water is delivered or spread. The different components of a sprinkler usually consist of a body, plate and cap. The body holds the components together and connects to the regulator, the plate refines the pattern with which the water will be delivered, and the cap defines the movement of the plate.
Different types of sprinklers have their own advantages and disadvantages. Traditional static sprinklers have no moving parts. The water drops onto a static plate with fine grooves which breaks it up into very fine droplets.Â
Moving or rotating spray-plate sprinklers utilise a moving plate to create consistent droplet sizes and distribute water with minimal losses and great uniformity.
See below some examples of popular sprinklers:Â
It’s important to remember that every situation is different: different soils, crops, and areas all have specific needs. This can make selecting the correct sprinkler package seem complex, but that’s where Agrico’s irrigation designers come in. With the right guidance, pivot irrigation can make a big difference in both your yields and water efficiency. To read more about the importance of this decision, refer to Part 1 and Part 2 of this series.Â
Absa AgriBusiness has partnered exclusively with Agrico to offer qualifying clients preferential finance on new pivot irrigation systems, with interest rates from as low as prime less 2%. The partnership provides farmers with flexible repayment structures, faster turnaround times and access to Agrico’s extensive irrigation service network across Southern Africa.
With 440 hectares of bananas under irrigation, Inyoni relies on a precisely engineered irrigation system to meet the high water demands of its crop. Working closely with Agrico, the farm has developed innovative solutions tailored to the unique conditions of Komatipoort.
Op die diep sandgronde van die Noord-Vrystaat bly die resep vir sukses eenvoudig: maak die grond oop, laat die wortels dieper groei en benut elke druppel water ten volle. Met die Agrico T-reeks skeurploeg word die grond se potensiaal volledig ontsluit, een hektaar op ’n slag.
In samewerking met Agrico-kundiges is dit nou vir Carl en Cawood Crous moontlik om water met sonkrag van rivier na dam te pomp, en met behulp van gravitasie na hul spilpunte te vervoer.
Elke druppel water wat op die plase Kromvlei en Vrede, in die distrik Piketberg gebruik word, tel. As deel van die Karsten-groep se boerdery, word watertoediening op beide plase wetenskaplik en met deeglike beplanning aangepak. Hul vennoot in dié proses, is Agrico.
Wanneer ’n bielie van ’n implement deur die grond sny soos ’n warm mes deur botter, kan dit enige boer se hart vinniger laat klop. Hierdie implement is die Agrico T1250-skeurploeg, wat gedurende die Hoopstad Groentoer aan boere gedemonstreer is.
