November 16, 2009, El
Cajon, CA – Growers using Toro’s Aqua-Traxx® premium drip tape can now
calculate drip system application rates and run times using a new on-line tool
– the Aqua-Traxx Irrigation Calculator.
November 16, 2009, El
Cajon, CA – Growers using Toro’s Aqua-Traxx® premium drip tape can now
calculate drip system application rates and run times using a new on-line tool
– the Aqua-Traxx Irrigation Calculator.
Once the application is
accessed on www.toromicroirrigation.com
or www.dripirrigation.org from
either a computer or any smart phone, growers can quickly get answers by
choosing an Aqua-Traxx model and then entering the tape inlet pressure, tape
lateral spacing and drip system emission uniformity. Different Aqua-Traxx
models and new data may be entered as often as desired.
“The application rate of
a drip irrigation system varies according to four basic factors and can be
confusing,” says Claude Corcos, senior marketing manager at Toro
Micro-Irrigation. “Our new Aqua-Traxx Irrigation Calculator does all the work
and makes it easy for growers to determine the application rate of their drip
tape system.”
Users can choose the
Aqua-Traxx model from a pull down menu, and then change the default values of
inlet pressure, tape lateral spacing and emission uniformity to reflect their
actual field conditions. The application rate (in inches per hour) is shown
immediately, along with two additional calculations for how long the system
needs to be run to apply 0.1 inches per hour or one inch per hour.
For example, assuming an
Aqua-Traxx model is chosen that has emitters spaced eight inches apart with a
flow rate of 0.34 gpm/100 feet, the inlet pressure is 10 psi, the tape lateral
spacing is 3.5 feet and the emission uniformity is 90 per cent. In this
situation, the Aqua-Traxx Irrigation Calculator would calculate the system
application rate of 0.09 inches per hour. Thus it will take 1.1 hours to apply
0.1 inch of water, or 11.1 hours to apply one inch of water.
“Customized drip tape
systems are becoming more popular every day,” continues Corcos, “and innovative
growers use different drip tape flow rates, spacings, pressures and lateral
spacings to reap top profitability on a myriad of crops. The calculator helps
them calculate the application rate, which in turn helps them more easily
schedule their irrigations, manage their crops and select appropriate models
and system uniformity.”
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