Two explicit optimum design methods for a simple irrigation delivery system: comparative application.

摘要

Most designers of simple pressure water delivery systems for irrigation purposes use very simple empirical pipe selection methods based on arbitrary concepts (unit head loss, velocity, and per cent head loss methods), without taking into account economic criteria. These methods do not lead to an optimal solution. In this article two explicit optimum design methods for simple irrigation delivery systems and their comparative application are presented. In the first method, a simple equation allows us to calculate explicitly the critical values of discharges corresponding to the available pipe diameters. The second method calculates the optimum economic diameter for every pipeline of the network. For the calculation of the friction losses a new explicit formula proposed for the Darcy-Weisbach equation was used. Comparison with the economic method indicates good performance by these new methods.