Energy analysis of lateral move irrigation machines

Abstract

The energy required to operate linear-move irrigation machines fed by flexible hoses is analyzed in this paper. The total energy requirement was divided into five components: three related to distributing the water, and two related to moving the machine and dragging the hose. The energy components are represented by mathematical equations and a numerical example is presented using available data for a typical short (72 m) and long (360 m) lateral move irrigation machine. The major findings are: (a) 60–70% of the energy is required to distribute the water; (b) the energy required to move the machine and to drag the flexible hose is less than 3%; and (c) the short machine consumes 30% less energy than the long machine, mainly due to the low-pressure control system for water distribution on the soil surface.