Benefits of automatic watering
Watering plants is no longer a manual job, everything is automated from the first step to the last. For large farms, automatic irrigation systems will help save labor costs and bring extremely high quality and work efficiency.
- Save electricity and water costs – save time – save effort for growers or workers.
- Convenient remote control ability via phone, computer, iPad. No matter what job you are busy with, just simple operations can control the irrigation system. This helps plants receive water on schedule and in a timely manner, whether you are at home, on business or traveling…
- There are many optional watering modes to help users be flexible in use: manual watering (automatic mode turned off), timer watering, sensor watering
- The amount of water can be adjusted to suit the needs and each stage of plant development.
- The price is reasonable and competitive and can be applied to many types of crops and locations (garden, household, farm, farm, street park…)
Designing automatic irrigation system
Designing a simple automatic irrigation system includes the following basic steps:
Step 1: Survey and measure
- The first important thing is to measure the land, how many meters long, how many meters wide, shape, high and low terrain, total area to be irrigated.
- If the land is square or rectangular with long sides, use a tape measure, pull and measure the length of each side of the land.
- If the area is large, use a distance camera to measure.
- If you have a floor plan on the machine, please send it to us and we will compile the data, advise, and design the initial automatic irrigation system.
Draw the land on paper
- Use a ruler divided into mm, for every 1m measured in reality, draw on paper equal to 1mm or 1cm.
- For the angle between two sides, we use a protractor to redraw the correct value of that angle.
Collect relevant data, including:
- Shape, length of edges of the land, calculate the perimeter and area of the land.
- What type of soil is it? For example: Clay, sandy soil, mixed with rocks, mixed with weeds (helps to calculate the cost of digging trenches to bury pipes). And choose the time to water the plants. For example, sandy soil requires less watering but must be watered many times.
- Length of water source to irrigation area, length of tree rows.
- Plant species, number of plants, planting distance, plant needs for water and fertilizer (if necessary)
- Irrigation water source (river, lake, pond, stream, etc.) What is the pump currently used to pump water?
- All data collected should be noted on the drawing
Step 2: Determine how to water the plants
- Each type of plant has different water and nutrient needs. It is important that when watering, the water penetrates into the roots of the plant
- According to research, wherever the tree’s foliage (above) spreads out, the tree’s root layer (underground) will spread there.
- Based on each type of tree and the age of the tree, calculate the appropriate water flow for the tree
- There are types that need to be sprayed to cool the tree canopy (dragon fruit), so choose sprinkler or jet irrigation.
- For watering vegetables, watering lawns, and watering landscapes, sprinkler irrigation should be used
- Watering vegetables, flowers, small flower pots, etc. is best using drip irrigation. Because it doesn’t take much effort to water, the yield is high. In particular, drip irrigation saves a lot of costs.
- In short, you should water a little at a time, and increase the number of watering times. For example: water 3-10 liters/time, 1-2 times/day with spray irrigation. from 5-10 liters/day. With drip irrigation, it should be combined with fertilizer or pesticide water to increase crop performance.
- The less water each time, the lower the cost of installing an irrigation system.
- If the plant needs a lot of water, the best way is to increase the watering time until the required amount of water is met
Step 3: Make drawings and calculate parameters
- Designing the “framework” of the irrigation system: is very important. Because if designed correctly, the pressure in the entire system will be balanced. Water flow is even. On the contrary, the output will be uneven, some plants will have little water, some plants will have a lot of water, or no water at all.
+ Depending on economic conditions and irrigation area, we choose different frames:
- Type 1 truncated network frame: low cost (less labor + pipes) but cannot balance pressure. Plants closer to the main pipe will receive more water than plants further away
- Application: in the domestic water supply industry, people use dead-end networks. Water supply from the main pipe into the alleys (through branch pipes) and then into each household (through supply pipes). For plants, this network applies if the number of plants is small, such as ornamental plants in the front yard.
- Type 2 dead-end network frame:The main pipe is cross- or T-connected to 2 branch pipes. At the end of the branch pipes, use plugs to close them
Design diagram of branch circuit automatic irrigation system
Design diagram of automatic branch network irrigation system
- Arrange secondary pipes in parallel, connecting to 2 branch pipes. Connect the supply pipes to 2 secondary pipes to direct water to each plant
- Comment: The pressure in the system is more balanced than a type 1 dead-end network, but not perfect. Plants planted between two branch pipes (far from the main pipe) will receive less traffic
- Application: Small orchards and small gardens use this network to save costs.
- Ring type frame:A ring network with closed pipes going around the plot of land.
Design diagram of the automatic loop irrigation system
Design diagram of the automatic loop irrigation system
- The main pipe passes through the middle of the cover pipe and connects to 2 branch pipes. Then connect to the 2 middle points of the sleeve. From there, water is sent into the secondary pipe and supply pipe to irrigate the plants.
- Comment: Although the ring network is expensive because it consumes a lot of pipes. But this is the network that best helps balance pressure throughout the system. Whether large or small irrigation areas, using a ring network is optimal. Even areas with rough and high terrain. Therefore, it is recommended that people use this network. As for the truncated network, it should only be used when watering ornamental plants, flowers, and small crops.
Step 4: Make a calculation table for materials and labor. Determine the total investment value for the automatic irrigation system project
- Based on the data, choose a frame to install a suitable irrigation system. Necessary equipment such as pumps, controls, and pressure gauges.
Step 5: Construct the project according to the design of the automatic irrigation system and equipment arrangement.
Installation diagram of automatic irrigation system equipment.