Irrigation Redefined

Once the definition of irrigation was pretty much water applied to a plant to ensure growth and production.

These days, the ways we are using irrigation technology and equipment are growing ever broader, as illustrated by two recent jobs completed, one in northern New South Wales at Lismore and the other in Melbourne.

Irrigation for Synthetic Turf? Absolutely.

Lismore NSW. An irrigation job for Far North Coast Hockey, was completed by Casino Irrigear store Rural Irrigation Supplies. It involved irrigating a playing surface, not of turf, rather a newly installed synthetic surface.

Synthetic turf is used today by most hockey clubs. Watering it is essential as it gives players a soft and consistent playing surface. It also helps players control their slides, absorbs impacts and helps to reduce injury by being softer on the knees.

According to Mark Bratti from Rural Irrigation Supplies, this was the first time they have installed an irrigation system on a hockey field. Equipment installed included:

• HR Products Komet 202 Series and 140 Series Ultra Vari-Angle Sprinklers
• 80mm Cast Iron Gator Solenoid Valves With 24 Volt Coils
• Hunter Industries 12 Station Pro-C Irrigation Controller
• Philmac Fittings
• Vinidex 110mm X 100 Mtr Pn 12.5 Poly Pipe.

The water is supplied from storage tanks. Before and at break times during the match the system is run for a short time. The runoff water is funnelled into a holding tank and then transferred back to the storage tank for re-use.

Irrigation Boosts Solar Efficiency

Melbourne VIC. In a job that is certainly different from most irrigation jobs, Irrigear store Malvern Irrigation Supplies were recently asked to design and install an irrigation system on a factory roof – to wash the dust off the solar panels.

The client said that dust floating over from the concrete factory next door was affecting the effectiveness of his solar panels. The solution has been to install sprinklers on the roof. The package of equipment installed included:

• Hunter Industries 24 Station PRO-HC Irrigation Controller and PGV101 Solenoid Valves
• DAB Esy Box Variable Speed Pressure Pump
• Vinidex 25mm class 12 PVC Pipe
• HR Products Risers and Brass Nozzles.

According to project manager from Malvern Irrigation Supplies,Terry Cole, the system was designed to run in short bursts multiple times a day to combat the dust without wasting water. “It was quite a large roof area split into fourteen zones, each running at 350 kpa and using approximately 45 L per minute,” said Terry.

Application rate and frequency can vary depending on weather and wind conditions affecting the “cleanliness” of the solar panel. The controller allows the customer to easily alter the schedule based on real time weather conditions.

The customer is now looking at also installing a tank and filtration system to collect the run off from the irrigation to re-use on future cycles.

Acknowledgement: This article was written & provided by Anne Currey, from the Irrigation Australia Journal, Autumn 2019 Volume 35 No. 01.