Center pivot irrigation system - Montana



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I've seen a lot pivot irrigation systems from my car and from aircraft. This was one of the few times I was able to stop and take a closer look. First I was surprised at how massive these things are - huge pipes sometimes stretching off over a distance of 400 metres (a quarter mile). Secondly, it appears each segment is driven separately with a 480 volt three phase motor - a pretty powerful setup by most standards! Finally, I was also impressed with how high these units sit. But, upon reflection, it only makes sense that they're spraying water well above the top of the crop so as not to push down or crush any plants. I recorded this particular unit along state highway 78 near Red Lodge, Montana. Center pivot irrigation has been described as a form of overhead sprinkler irrigation consisting of several segments of pipe (usually galvanized steel or aluminum) joined together and supported by trusses that are mounted on wheeled towers with sprinklers positioned along its length. The entire assembly moves in a circular pattern and is fed with water from the pivot point at the center of the circle. The outside set of wheels sets the master pace for the rotation (typically once every three days). The inner sets of wheels are mounted at hubs between two segments and use angle sensors to detect when the bend at the joint exceeds a certain threshold, and thus, the wheels should be rotated to keep the segments aligned. I was able to actually watch this happen - it appeared to me that one segment would move and then an adjacent one would follow suit a moment or two later. To achieve uniform application, nozzle sizes are smallest at the inner spans and increase with distance from the pivot point - out where the unit is traveling faster. Here's my personal webpage about water issues in general: http://www.rogerwendell.com/water.html Here's my page about plants: http://www.rogerwendell.com/plants.html 08-13-2012

Published by: zeekzilch Published at: 11 years ago Category: علمی و تکنولوژی