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As an organization that is market-driven, the Center for Irrigation Technology has been active with its industry partners in developing new testing protocols and evaluating products.
One area of product testing that has always drawn interest is that of drip emitter plugging. The concept is rather simple: introduce a contaminant (organic, inorganic and/or chemical) under controlled conditions and measure changes in the emitter's output or flow rate. The reality of this type of testing is anything but simple.
Emitters are exposed to many types of contaminants, based on the source of the water supply. Water taken from canals or reservoirs may have high algae and/or silt loads. Groundwater may have high levels of chemical precipitants and/or sand. Growers may use several sources of water, exposing the emitters to a range of potential contaminants.
In spite of the complexities involved, we can envision tests being conducted: with inorganic materials of different sizes, right down to heavy silt loads; with organic materials of different types; and with chemical precipitates.
Emitters would be evaluated for flow change in response to any single and/or combination of contaminants. While the agreed-upon concentrations, mixes, and ratings of emitter performance under varying conditions will take time to establish, the concept of emitter plugging tests should be pursued. This will lead to evaluating reported "self-cleaning" features for emitters and help to define filtration requirements to avoid plugging.
CIT anticipates working with the irrigation industry to establish a nationally recognized protocol to help end users select the best products for their conditions. We have already begun initial efforts by developing a testing protocol and evaluating plugging sensitivity to inorganic particulate matter.
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