CalculatingandComparingIrrigation

PumpingCostsUserGuide

Introduction
Determiningcosteffectiveenergysourcesforirrigationpumpingneedsisamanagementpracticethat
canreducecostsandsaveenergy.Utilizingthisspreadsheetcanhelptheuserdeterminethecostper
acreforinputsofvariousfuelsandpumps,allowingtheusertoselectthecosteffectivepumping
solutionfortheirindividualneeds.Six(6)typesofirrigationpumpingsolutionsarecomparedinthis
spreadsheet:(Diesel(cellsB8:B17),Electrical,VerticalLineShaft(cellsE8:E17),Electrical,Submersible
Pump(cellsH8:H17),NaturalGas(cellsB21:B30),LiquidPetroleum(cellsE21:E30),andGasoline(cells
H21:H30).
Inputs
Theusermustinputsix(6)unknownsforeachenergysourcetobecompared.Head,thepressure
exertedbyafluid(basedonheightthewaterisliftedanddischargepressure),shouldbeputincellsB8,
E8,H8,B21,E21,andH21inftformat.
PriceoftheenergysourceshouldbeputincellsB9,E9,H9,B22,E22,andH22.Theenergysourceprice
fordiesel,liquidpetroleum,andgasolineisin$/gallon(cellsB9,E22,andH22);forbothelectricalpumps
is$/KWH(cellsE9andH9);andfornaturalgasis$/ccf(cellB22).
ThepoweroutputoftheenergycourseshouldbeputincellsB10,E10,H10,B23,E23,andH23.The
poweroutputfordiesel,liquidpetroleum,andgasolineisinhphr/gallon(cellsB10,E23,andH23);for
bothelectricalpumpsishphr/KWH(cellsE10andH10);andfornaturalgasishphr/ccf(cellB23).
PumpefficiencyislocatedincellsB11,E11,H11,B24,E24,andH24,andgearheadefficiencyislocated
incellsB12,E12,H12,B25,E25,andH25.RoutineMaintenanceislocatedincellsB15,E15,H15,B28,
E28,andH28.Eachoftheseisinpercentageformat.
Guidelinesforacceptableandappropriatevaluesforeachoftheseinputsareaccessiblebyselectingthe
cell.Apopuptabwillgiveadditionalinformationforeachcell.
Iftheuserdoesnotknowthehead,he/shemayinputtheheightthewaterisliftedintocellJ12infeet
andthedischargepressureintocellJ15inpsi.TheheadwillbecalculatedintocellJ18.
Inordertocalculatepumpingcostperacre,theusermustinputtheinchesofwaterpumpedperacre
intocellJ26.
IntermediateValues
Energycostsandoperatedcostsarecalculatedandputinthefollowingcells:Diesel(cellsB13,B14and
B16,B17),Electrical,VerticalLineShaft(cellsE13,E14andE16,E17),Electrical,SubmersiblePump(cells
H13,H14andH16,H17),NaturalGas(cellsB26,B27andB29,B30),LiquidPetroleum(cellsE26,E27and
E29,E30),andGasoline(cellsH26,H27andH29,H30).ThevaluesincellsB,E,andH13andB,E,andH
26areenergycostsin$/acin;andthevaluesincellsB,E,andH14andB,E,andH27areenergycostsin
$/acft.ThevaluesincellsB,E,andH16andB,E,andH29areoperatingcostsin$/acin;andthevalues
incellsB,E,andH17andB,E,andH30areoperatingcostsin$/acft.
FinalTableofCostperAcre
Calculationsforthecostperacre(forausergivennumberofinchespumpedperacre)arefoundincells
J28:L35.ColumnJisthetypeofenergysource(J30:J35),columnKgivestheenergycostfortheenergy
source(K30:K35),andcolumnLgivestheoperatingcostfortheenergysource(L30:35).
Foradditionalinformation,contactRachelLipseyatrlipsey@uaex.edu.

University of Arkansas, United States Department of Agriculture and County Governments Cooperating.
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