Microcomputer based low-head gravity-flow bubbler irrigation system design

Low-head bubbler irrigation systems are microirrigation systems that are based on gravity flow, operate at pressure heads as low as 1 m, and require no filtration or pumping. Despite their simplicity and advantages, low-head bubbler systems are not used in many countries. This is mainly due to lack of a well-defined design procedure to facilitate design and installation. A computer program called BUBBLER was developed for low-head gravity bubbler irrigation system design and analysis. It is a PC-based program that works under DOS environment. It takes minimal data input, and solves the hydraulics of low-head gravity distribution of water from multiple outlet pipe systems. The input includes elevation of the water source, crop and row spacing, field size, and elevation of the four corners of the field. The output includes the mainline, submain, and lateral sizes, delivery hose size, delivery hose elevations, and cost estimates. An example design is presented. The program can be used to evaluate alternative designs in minutes to decide the physical and economic feasibility of the system. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.