UTILIZAÇÃO DE COLETORES ALTERNATIVOS DE BAIXO CUSTO EM ENSAIO DE UNIFORMIDADE DE APLICAÇÃO DE ÁGUA

Abstract

The water application uniformity test is fundamentally important to carry out in the field, since the sprinkler’s hydraulic performance is affected by operating pressure, directly influencing the reach radius, pattern, and evenness of water distribution in the irrigated area. However, the market price of the collectors used in the test has been questioned by professionals in the field, highlighting the need to develop studies aimed at evaluating the possibility of using low-cost alternative collectors as an option for conducting the water application uniformity test. Therefore, the aim of this work was to create and evaluate alternative collectors for performing the water application uniformity test on conventional sprinklers, compared to a commercial collector. The collectors were made with a standard height of 10.2 cm, using disposable PET bottles of 1.5 and 2.0 liters, labeled C (collector) and C1.5L. For validating water distribution values using alternative collectors, the Christiansen Uniformity Coefficients (CUC) and Distribution Uniformity Coefficient (CUD) were used. This work was carried out in the area for evaluating water distribution uniformity in conventional sprinklers, located next to the hydraulics and soil physics lab at the Instituto Federal Goiano (IF Goiano), Urutaí Campus - GO. For collecting the precipitation, both alternative collectors and commercial collectors commonly used in irrigated agriculture were used, placed 40 cm above the ground, equidistant around a sprinkler installed in the center of the area at a height of 1.40 m, forming a quadrant of 100 collectors spaced 2 x 2 m apart. Using PET bottles for the water distribution uniformity test showed satisfactory results.