Drip tape is often blocked due to physical, chemical, biological, and other reasons, affecting the uniformity of irrigation water and the efficiency of fertilization. It is recommended that the irrigator is considered to be blocked when the actual flow rate of the irrigator is less than 75% of the rated flow.
What causes a clogged drip tape?
- Blockages caused by irrigation water.
- Physical blockage. Blockages are caused by organic or inorganic suspended solids contained in irrigation water, such as biological residues, sand, silt, and clay, as well as blockages caused by negative pressure sludge suction in underground drip irrigation systems.
- Chemical clogging. Chemicals such as soluble salts originally dissolved in the drip tape undergo chemical reactions to generate insoluble precipitated substances, which are deposited in the internal flow channel of the drip tape, causing the drip irrigation belt to be blocked. In particular, it should be noted that when the water source contains both carbonate and calcium and magnesium ions, it may increase the pH of the drip irrigation water, which in turn causes the precipitation of calcium carbonate and magnesium carbonate, thereby clogging the dripper.
- Bioclogging. Organisms in irrigation water sources, such as algae, zooplankton, bacterial slime, etc., continue to grow and reproduce after entering the drip irrigation system, and attach and grow on the inner wall of the drip irrigation pipe network system and drip tape flow channel, forming biofilms and other blocked drip tape.
2. Blockage caused by fertilization.
- The blockage is caused by large water-insoluble matter in fertilizer.
- The fertilizer reacts with the irrigation water, clogging the drip irrigation system.
- Improper fertilizer coordination reacts, resulting in precipitation.
- The improper application of biofertilizers leads to the growth of microorganisms in the drip irrigation system, blocking the drip tape.
Solutions for the blockages.
- Solutions to physical clogging caused by irrigation water and fertilizer. Filtration is central to solving clogging. The main types of drip irrigation system filters are centrifugal filters, sand filters, laminated filters, and screen filters. These 4 types of filters can be used independently or in combination with a filtration system, except for centrifugal filters, which cannot be applied independently. Large particles can be considered centrifugal filters, floating objects can be considered sand and gravel filters, mesh filters and laminated filters can effectively intercept suspended impurities such as sediment particles in irrigation water, or two or more filters can be mixed.
- Solutions for clogging of drip irrigation systems caused by chemical reactions. The substances that cause chemical blockage in drip irrigation systems are complex and diverse, and the sensitivity of chemical precipitation to the water environment makes the mechanistic study of chemical blockage more difficult. At present, the preventive measures for chemical blockage are mainly acidification treatment of irrigation water, the addition of biological agents, appropriate operation strategies, etc., through these measures to alleviate the chemical blockage of drip tape.
- Solutions for bioclogging. The control and prevention measures of bioclogging are also mainly from the perspective of controlling the growth of microorganisms. Measures such as periodic chlorination flushing of drip irrigation systems are commonly used methods to control biological clogging in drip irrigation systems. The addition of different concentrations of hypochlorous acid, ethanol, or chlorine gas has different anti-clogging effects on the drip irrigation system. Also, pay attention to the flushing of the drip irrigation system.
