S c i e n t i f i c

WATER

TITLE:

a n d

SERVICES

Te c h n i c a l
AND

THE

NEW

C o n f e r e n c e
ENERGY

CHALLENGES

Application of Solar Photovoltaic Energy in Systems of Irrigation

AUTHOR: Sanda Budea Universitatea Politehnica Bucuresti

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11 iunie 2013

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Content
Introduction
Definitions
Irrigation methods

DRIPPING IRRIGATION
NETWORK IRRIGATION

Case studies

Case 1 irrigation area of 1000 sqm cultivated with vegetables

Case 2 irrigation area of 10000 sqm (1 ha) cultivated with

vegetables

Case 3 - NETWORK IRRIGATION FROM CHANNELS on 10 ha

area

Conclusions

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In the context of the energy crisis, photovoltaic solar

energy, even if more expensive now, is an alternative
source of energy and will become dominant in the near
future due to its multiple applications.
This study presents a brief sizing consisting in two
methods for irrigation systems for different areas and
for different crops:
-first for a small area between 1000 sqm and 10,000
sqm (1ha) grown with legumes,
- second for an agricultural area higher, about 10
hectares cultivated with cereals, eg corn.
Electricity supply for the pumps from irrigation systems
is made by solar energy through photovoltaic panels,
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this
study including a proposal selection for energy

For correct sizing of a irrigation system, it must considering the crops

that will be irrigated, the water quality, the type of the land (sandy,
loamy or sandy-loamy, each storing different soil water).
For this purpose it must know the water balance, the norm of irrigation,
the irrigation supply - before insemination, the norm of watering, the
time of watering and watering schedule.

Water balance -the need of water that comes from rainfall and
irrigation.

The norm of irrigation -water quantity which gives to a crop during the
vegetation period in order to obtain the best crop. In Romanias
temperate climate, when they join the summer months rather high
temperatures and very little rainfall (July-August), in the plains and hill
areas appear necessary to irrigate the crops.
Supply irrigation - For winter crops supply irrigation is required in dry
autumns or after dry summers. For spring crops supply irrigation is also
after dry autumns and winters
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The watering norm is the quantity of water, in cubic meters per hectare,
necessary for an irrigation, to ensure plant growth. It is the upper limit soil
water field capacity and lower limits of 75-80% of the field capacity. Such
watering norm is set to halfway between the field capacity and wilting
coefficient of plants.
Watering norm for main crops is dependent on agricultural crop type, as
follows:
- In wheat, to sprouting plant is necessary 400 m / ha, to stuffed request two
watering of 700 mc / ha.
- The corn to sprouting (in May) and then, ripeness (the "milk" - JulyAugust) 2-4 irrigations are needed about 500 mc /ha.
- The rape requires two irrigations.
- The sugar beet in mid June 3 to 4 watering of about 500-600 m / ha
- The potatoes should be 3-5 irrigations with rules 300-400 m / ha.
- At vegetables (tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers) need irrigations about 700800 cm / ha / year.

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Methods of irrigation most commonly used are:

- Sprinkler irrigation - from pressure pipe water is sprayed in
the form of artificial rain,
- Network irrigation from pipeline or channel water is
directed through perforated pipes, from drainage and shallow
systems
- Drip irrigation, drip tape or plastic tube rows or between
rows, with micro titers to the root zone of plants,
- Irrigation with micro-sprinkler is irrigate also aerial part of
plant and the root soil layer, thus improves the microclimate of
the area.

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DRIPPING IRRIGATION
This method is applied for small area irrigations, between some hundreds of sqm and
10000 sqm (1 ha).
Advantages of the Method for dripping irrigation are:
- Dosage the water to the culture;
- Saving water and energy;
- Increasing crop yields;
- Production of the best quality;
- extremely low price per meter;
- economy of fertilizers and chemical treatments;
- as a result of non watering the leaves and fruit reduces disease and epidemics;
- applied pesticides are not washed from leaves with irrigation, thus prolonging their action time,
reducing the number of treatments applied and thus reducing the amount of chemicals used.

Case 1 irrigation area of 1000 sqm cultivated with vegetables.

It use drip tube with diameter of 16 mm, with holes step of 0,5 m and with 4 liters of
water at each dropper.
The volume of 8 mc water is supplied by the pump in 5 hours (in the morning between
4 and 9), it may selected a pump with maxim Q = 1,6 mc/h. H = 20 m, with a pump
efficiency of 50% , the electric drive is 175 W. The energy can be obtained from a
single photovoltaic panel of 200 W.

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Case 2 irrigation area of 10000 sqm (1 ha) cultivated with

vegetables
In similar dripping irrigation conditions with tube of 16 or 25 mm
diameter, the necessary rate flow is around of 50-60 mc/ha/day.
It is preferable to store the water in a tank to give it the
environmental temperature. In these conditions the pump that supply
the tank from the well can works 20hours / day, so the rate flow is 2
cm/h.
The linear hydraulic losses are around 57 m, the locale hydraulic
losses are higher, of 20 m. In this case it may be selected a pump
with flow rate Q = 2 2,5 mc/h and H = 75 m, with electric drive of
150
1000
WkWh
(1 kW).
This100energy can be obtained from 6 photovoltaic panels of 200 W.
50
0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

months

Energy from the photovoltaic panels of

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2013
175W

Case 3 - NETWORK IRRIGATION FROM CHANNELS on extended

area 10 ha, planted with corn. In this case the modern solution is with
irrigation PIVOT.
Advantages of the Method:
- easy irrigation for surfaces between 2 and 150 ha;
-the time to move the installation to a surface to another is less than
an hour;
- reduce with 70% the workforce;
- flexible and efficient scheme for implementing and reduce the water
consumption with 70%;
-Control water distribution on the irrigation area, with 95% efficiency;
-Flexibility and efficiency in the application of chemicals (saving 50%);
Uniform application of water or chemicals;
Operation and low water pressure, which is taken from irrigation
channels.

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Analyzing the need for water volume (for corn on 10 ha area) and the
hydraulic losses, result:
Q = 35 mc/h, and head H = 40 m, driven by an electric motor of 7,5 kW,
considering the pump efficiency of minim 60%.
This electric energy can be obtained from 45 photovoltaic panels each
with 175W, invertors, accumulators and MPPT regulators, meaning a
mini solar power plant, on about 150 sqm 200 sqm.
Soil water evaporation is about 5-7 mm/day.

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CONCLUSION
Both methods dripping irrigation and network irrigation from channels are
efficient, considering that after the return on investment, only maintenance
costs are considered. Solar energy is free.
REFERENCES
[1] Sanda Budea, Cornelia Chiujdea Studiu privind eficienta utilizarii in conditii climatice specifice
Romaniei a captoarelor solare fotovoltaice, Conferinta Nationala de Energetica, Sinaia, 21-23 Oct 2009,
pag. 767-772
[2] Sanda Budea, Cornelia Chiujdea Approach about the efficient use of solar energy in Romanians
climatic conditions, FOREN 2010, 14-17 iunie, Neptun
[3]www.gazetadeagricultura.info/constructii-instalatii-echipamente/619-irigatii/405-irigarea-culturiloragricole.html
[4]www.listpicurare.ro/picurare.php
[5]www.lpelectric.ro
[6]www.valinst.ro/nonflash/pivot.php
[7] www.panourifotovoltaice.ro

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