Buried Lifting Sprinkling Irrigation Device

Abstract

Sprinkler irrigation is widely used in agricultural irrigation as an important component of conserving water. Traditional fixed-sprinkler irrigation systems interfere with farming operations. To address this shortcoming, a novel self-extending sprinkler irrigation device was developed that resides beneath the tillage layer during cultivation and harvesting. When pressurized water flows into the buried sprinkler, the sprinkler begins to rotate and release water at its ejection point. With the increase in moisture content, the soil shear strength is significantly reduced until it is effectively zero, resulting in the sprinkler rising above the ground surface for irrigation. The sprinkler can retract below the tillage layer under atmospheric pressure after irrigation, and no equipment remains exposed. No manual installation or removal of equipment is required during the sprinkler’s operation, which greatly reduces the labor associated with the current fixed-sprinkler irrigation systems. An analysis of the ground-breaking capacity and retraction capability of the novel sprinkler device revealed that it can rise above the ground surface for sprinkling and retract in most cases. The results of this demonstration project showed that the device is convenient to use, durable, and cost-effective for agricultural irrigation.