EFITA/WCCA 2005

25-28 July 2005, Vila Real, Portugal

Pressurized Irrigation Network Modelling: A Flow Driven Analysis Approach

M. J. Calejo a, N. Lamaddalena b, and L. S. Pereira c
a

COBA, SA Avenida 5 de Outubro, 323, 1600-011 Lisboa, Portugal, mjc@coba.pt

b c

IAMB, 70010 Valenzano-Bari, Italy, lamaddalena@iamb.it ISA-UTL,1349-017 Lisboa, Portugal, lspereira@isa.utl.pt

Abstract Pressurized irrigation systems operating on-demand are characterized by several flow regimes. Each flow regime is defined by the configuration of hydrants operating simultaneously. The ICARE and AKLA models perform the performance analysis of irrigation system taking into account such flow regimes. The analysis performed by ICARE model is at system level, while AKLA performs the hydraulic analysis at the hydrant level. The hydraulics of the Lucefecit network was modelled with the steady flow ICARE and AKLA models. The relative pressure deficit and the reliability indicators were computed at the hydrants level. The results of both models show that the analysis with ICARE model should be complemented with one analysis at the hydrant level. Looking just for the analysis with ICARE, the performance of Lucefecit irrigation network is quite bad with all configurations falling at the unsatisfied status but results of AKLA show an acceptable performance of the network with few hydrants operating below the minimum pressure required. Key words: Flow driven analysis, irrigation system analysis, indexed characteristic curves, performance indicators.

1 Introduction
The pressurized irrigation systems operating on demand were object of several research approaches such as that leading to the development of the models XERXES (CEMAGREF, 1990) and ICARE (CTGREF, 1979) for the design and analysis, respectively. Recently, Lamaddalena (1997) developed the model AKLA and Lamaddalena et al. (1998) presented a new approach for the design and analysis of irrigation networks operating on-demand. In this approach it is considered that the network can only be conveniently characterized when several flow regimes are considered. The application of these models for analysis and design require a detailed characterization of the network operation conditions. In the case of existing networks, data concerning the discharges and piezometric elevations at the upstream end of the network relative to the peak period are required. ICARE and AKLA models consider that the flow rate delivered by each hydrant is known and constant (flow driven analysis). This is true when the hydrants of the irrigation system are equipped with flow limiter and pressure regulator; and when the total discharge of the hydrants operating simultaneously is smaller than the upstream flow limiter discharge. These conditions are verified in the Lucefecit system, Southern Portugal, thus both models could be applied and compared, which is the objective of this study.

2 Methodology for Flow Driven Analysis of Irrigation Systems

Two models are considered: ICARE (CTGREF, 1979; Labye et al., 1988) and AKLA (Lamaddalena, 1997). The ICARE model aims the computation of the indexed characteristic curves for the network while the analyses performed by AKLA are at the hydrant level and the hydrants with pressure deficit are 2005 EFITA/WCCA JOINT CONGRESS ON IT IN AGRICULTURE
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clearly identified. Both models consider that the flow rate delivered by each hydrant is known and constant (flow driven analysis). This is approximately true when the irrigation system are equipped with flow limiters and the hydrants have pressure regulators, and when the total discharge of the hydrants operating simultaneously is smaller than the upstream limited discharge. In ICARE the hydraulic performance of the irrigation system is considered satisfactory when, for all hydrants in operation, the following relation is true:

H j, r H min
where

(1)

H j, r is the hydraulic head [m] of the hydrant j within the configuration r of simultaneous

operating hydrants, and Hmin is the minimum required head [m] for appropriate operation of the farm irrigation systems. For any value of the discharge Qo at the upstream end of the network, within 0 to Qmax, different values of the piezometric elevation Zo satisfy that condition (1), each one corresponding to a different hydrants configuration. If for all possible configurations r the couples (Qo, Zo)r referred to 0 < Qo < Qmax are calculated, a cloud of points is obtained in the plane (Q, Z) and these points are contained between an upper and a lower envelope. The upper envelope corresponds to 100 % of satisfactory configurations, while the lower one concerns a situation where any configuration is not satisfied. Between these two curves, it is possible to define other curves, the indexed characteristic curves. The ICARE model was developed to the computation of the indexed characteristic curves. A discrete number of flow regimes, C, is established. Assuming that the discharge delivered by each hydrant is equal to its nominal discharge, when the upstream discharge is Qo the hydrants in operation may be randomly drawn until the relationship is not anymore satisfied:

Q NO Q o t

(2)

where QNO is the discharge corresponding the NO hydrants in operation simultaneously; and t is the accepted tolerance. In general, t is assumed as equal to the value of the smallest hydrant discharge. According to Bethery (1990), the number of configurations, C, to be investigated for each discharge should be close to the total number of hydrants, NR. When testing an irrigation network under flow driven conditions, it is possible to associate a piezometric elevation at the upstream end of the network to each discharge configuration, such that it may satisfy the relationship (1). At the end of the computation, to each Qo tested there are C values of Zo. The indexed characteristic curves can be drawn by plotting, in the plane (Q, Z), the discharge values chosen and the corresponding vectors, and by joining the points having the same percentage of configurations satisfied. The performance of the network can be evaluated by the percentage of satisfied configurations corresponding to the to the design Qo and Zo, that correspond to the set-point of the network. Despite the importance of the indexed characteristic curves (Lamaddalena and Piccini, 1993), this information does not allow to identify which are the hydrants unsatisfied or to evaluate the respective pressure deficits. The AKLA model is an improvement of ICARE because it allows the hydraulic performance analysis at the level of each hydrant. The model considers the flow driven model analysis and it is based on the multiple generation of a number of hydrants simultaneously operating using a random number generator having a uniform distribution. Within each generated configuration r, a hydrant (j) is considered satisfied when the condition H j, r H min is true. The relative pressure deficit at each hydrant Hj,r is computed by:

H j, r = H j, r - H min / H min

(3)

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where Hj,r is the hydraulic head at the hydrant j within the configuration r, and Hmin is the minimum required head. The representation of Hj,r in a plane where abscises correspond to the hydrants number and the ordinates to Hj,r clearly identify the hydrants where the pressure head is insufficient.

The AKLA model allows also the computation of a reliability indicator. The reliability is a performance indicator, which describes how often the system fails (Hashimoto et al., 1982). This criterion is formulated assuming that the performance of an irrigation system can be described by a stationary stochastic process. If Xt is the random variable denoting the state of the system at time t, the possible values of Xt may be shared into two sets: S, relative to satisfied conditions, and F, relative to the failure cases. At each instant t the system may fall in one of these sets. Therefore, the reliability of a system can be described by the probability that the system is in a satisfactory state, i.e.:

= Pr ob[X t S]
From the definition of reliability, the following relationship can be assumed:

(4)

j = r =1

Ih j, r Ip j, r
r =1

Ih j, r

(5)

where j is the reliability of the hydrant j and

= 1 if the hydrant j is open in the configuration r Ih j, r = 0 if the hydrant j is closed in the configuration r = 1 if Hj,r Hmin Ip j, r = 0 if Hj,r < Hmin
3 Application
The ICARE and AKLA models have been applied to the pressurized irrigation network of Lucefecit, south of Portugal, serving 950 ha. The pumping station was designed for the discharge 1153 l s-1 and the upstream piezometric elevation is 260 m. The total number of hydrants is 107 and the number of outlets is 204, with nominal discharge ranging from 10 to 280 m3 h-1, and are equipped with an upstream flow limiter and pressure regulator valves at the hydrants. Real data collected during the irrigation season 2001 have been used to validate the models. For the hydraulic simulation, the head losses, hL [m], are computed with the Chzy formula, and the roughness coefficient is given by the Bazin relationship (Mendona, 1975). The roughness coefficient of Bazin were = 0,36 for cast iron pipes, = 0,16 for asbestos pipes, and = 0,10 PVC pipes. According to the design data, the piezometric elevation at the upstream of the network should be of 260,00 m, which corresponds to a pressure of 944 kPa. Pressure records at the upstream of the network (Calejo, 2003) show that, in general, the pressure available is greater than the design value. This can cause a faster wear and tear of the tubes at the upstream sections, with the consequent reduction of their useful life and increase of the roughness. In Figure 1 are shown the indexed characteristic curves computed with ICARE. It shows that for the maximum flow rates recorded at the upstream end (750 l s-1), the value Zo = 260 m set at design is not 2005 EFITA/WCCA JOINT CONGRESS ON IT IN AGRICULTURE
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enough since, for at least one hydrant Hj<Hmin, the indexed characteristic curves indicate a poor hydraulic performance of the Lucefecit irrigation network. Anyway the results in Fig. 1 do not allow analysing how much hydrants have pressure deficit, as well as the severity of those deficits.
300
90%

Upstream piezometric elevation (m)

295 290 285 280 275 270 265 260 255 250 245 240 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450 500 550 600 650 700 750 800 850
10%

Discharge (l s-1)
Fig. 1. Indexed characteristic curves of the Lucefecit irrigation network (simulations with ICARE for 2000 random configurations to each discharge tested at the upstream end of the network).

Figure 2 shows the relative pressure deficits simulated with AKLA for 2 000 flow regimes, Qo = 750 l s-1 and Zo = 260,00. . The unsatisfied outlets can be easily identified. Important negative relative pressure deficits are observed only for the outlets H223-3 (node 216); H236-1 (node 218), H340-1 (node 329); H340-2 (node 330) and H318-1 (node 332). Values of Hj,r < - 0,5 are indicative of the need for rehabilitation. In this case, solutions at the local level should be enough to assure an appropriate operation of the system, because values of Hj,r < - 0,5 just occur at 5 outlets. When Zo = 265,00 the number of unsatisfied outlets decrease drastically.

Outlet number
Fig. 2. Relative pressure deficits at the hydrants of Lucefecit irrigation network simulated with AKLA for Zo=260 m and
Qo = 750 l s-1.

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The reliability of the system is illustrated in the Figure 3. For values of Zo = 260 m there are some outlets that present very low reliability but it is significantly improved when the piezometric elevation is increased to Zo = 265 m (Figure 4).

Reliability

Outlet node number

Fig. 3. Reliability of Lucefecit irrigation network. Analysis with AKLA for 2000 configurations Zo=260 m and Qo = 750 l s-1.

Reliability

Outlet node number

Fig. 4. Reliability of Lucefecit irrigation network. Analysis with AKLA for 2000 configurations Zo=265 m and Qo = 750 l s-1.

4 Conclusions
The pressurized irrigation system of Lucefecit was simulated with the models ICARE and AKLA, that proved to be capable to reproduce the respective operation. The AKLA results show to be precious tools for a clear analysis of the hydraulic performance. With the results of AKLA model it is possible to identify the areas with special problems for which specific measures and special solutions may be adopted. The analysis of Lucefecit systems show the occurrence of pressure deficit in several outlets, which indicate a near impossible operation of one of them, H236-1 for Zo = 260,0 m. The pressure 2005 EFITA/WCCA JOINT CONGRESS ON IT IN AGRICULTURE
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deficits observed are usually < 20 % when the piezometric elevation at the upstream is greater then the design value, Zo = 260,0 m. The reliability is usually maximum ( = 1,0) in most of the outlets but this value goes down for less than 0,5 in 9 outlets. The observed pressure deficits indicate that sub-pressures may occur in the network, with risk of rupture of the conduits.

5 References
Bethery, J., 1990. Rseaux collectifs ramifis sous pression, calcul et fonctionnement, tudes hydraulique agricole, n6. Cemagref, Antony. Calejo, M.J., 2003. Design and Performance analysis of pressurized irrigation systems. Demand Modelling. Two Case Studies: Lucefecit and Vigia. PhD thesis. Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade Tcnica de Lisboa. Portugal (in Portuguese). CEMAGREF, 1990. Logiciel XERXES-RENFORS, Optimisation conomique des rseaux ramifis sous pression, CEMAGREF, Aix-en-Provence. CTGREF, 1979. Programme ICARE Calcul des caractristiques indices. CTGREF, Division Irrigation, Note Technique 6, Aixen-Provence. Hashimoto, T., Sredomger, J.R., Loucks, D.P., 1982. Reliability, resilience and vulnerability criteria for water resources system performance evaluation. Water Resources Research 18(1): 14-20. Labye, Y., Olson, M.A., Galand, A., Tsiourtis, N., 1988. Design and optimization of irrigation distribution networks. Irrig. and Drain. Paper 44, FAO, Roma. Lamaddalena, N., 1997. Integrated simulation model for design and performance analysis of on-demand pressurized irrigation systems. PhD thesis, Instituto Superior de Agromonia, Universidade Tcnica de Lisboa. Lamaddalena, N., Piccinni, A.F., 1993. Sullutilizzo delle curve caratteristiche indicizzate di una rete irrigua per il dimensionamento degli impianti di sollevamento. AIGR Rivista di Ingegneria Agraria 3, pp.: 129-135. Lamaddalena, N., Pereira, L.S., Ait Kadi, M., 1998. Modeling approach for design and performance analysis of on-demand pressurized irrigation systems. In: Zazueta, F., Xin, J. (Eds), Computers in Agriculture 1998, ASAE, St. Joseph, MI, pp. 159-166. Mendona, P.V., 1975. Excertos das Lies de Hidrulica Geral e Agrcola (5 Edio). Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade Tcnica de Lisboa, Lisboa.

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