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Feedback controlled surge irrigation strategies

Daneal Fekersillassie, University of Nebraska - Lincoln

Abstract

A model for proper management of a surge irrigation system was presented. A specialized power function was used to estimate the infiltration profile after the advance phase. A depth ratio (ratio of depth infiltrated to depth applied during an advance phase) is related to relative distance (ratio of any distance down the field to total field length). Soils are broadly categorized into four groups, and the values of constants for the specialized power function were determined for each case. During the post-advance phase an analytical solution to the kinematic wave equation was developed assuming constant infiltration rates. The developed equations were then used to establish optimum management strategies for surge irrigation. The developed equations can simulate both overlapping and non overlapping surge waves. To address spatial variation of infiltration, feedback on the behavior of a surge irrigation system was used. A suitable control strategy was developed. The best location and optimum number of advance sensors needed for a control system and a field study that compared feedback controlled strategies was presented.

Subject Area

Agricultural engineering

Recommended Citation

Fekersillassie, Daneal, "Feedback controlled surge irrigation strategies" (1997). ETD collection for University of Nebraska-Lincoln. AAI9736931.
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/dissertations/AAI9736931

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