Screen and Disc Filters
The Drip Stores' 1 1/2" male pipe thread inlet and outlet filters from DIG are available with plastic disc elements for better filtration, providing a reliable, low-maintenance solution for any low-volume irrigation application.
The 1 1/2" male pipe thread inlet and outlet filter with grooved disc element provides better filtration than many of the screen and other type filters on the market. The disc filters can be used whenever organic materials, sand or sediments are present in the water source. The filter disc elements provide in-depth filtration as the sediments or organic materials accumulate on the outer face of the stacked discs. The filter disc is readily accessible for easy removal and cleaning.
Unlike screen filters, disk filters consist of stacked round grooved discs, which utilize three-dimensional filtration to stop organic materials, sand or other sediments. In cross section, the numerous small grooves on each side of the stacked discs act to disrupt and then block flow of organic material as the water moves through the filter. A number of the stacked grooved discs assembled together makes up the filter disc element assembly. Each size of grooved disc assembly has a distinct color representing a variation in degree of filtration.
When water flows through the disc filter, organic materials and sediment accumulate along the outside diameter of the disc element. As this occurs, there is a drop in pressure between the incoming water and the downstream water exiting the filter, forcing organic matter into the depths of the grooved disc element until stopped. If used with low water quality and not cleaned in time, the filter will come to have a fixed pressure on the inlet side of the filter and a zero pressure on the outlet side, assuring that regardless of the type of water used, water flow will be essentially stopped, and dirty water will not enter the drip system.
Filtration:
Almost any water sources can be made suitable for use in drip irrigation by means of appropriate physical and/or chemical treatment. Physical treatment is the removal of organic suspended solids which are large enough to block the drip emitter outlets. Suspended solids may be removed by means of a separator, screen filter, disk filter, or some combination of the above. Where waters containing substantial solid, such as sand and other small elements without adequate a treatment, clogging will usually take place, leading to uneven water distribution and poor system performance or drip emitters uniformity.Chemical treatment can be an option with the addition of one or more chemicals to the water supply for the purpose of controlling biological growths. In agriculture and in crop production chemical treatment may be used alone or in conjunction with some type of filters. Chemical treatments used in micro irrigation systems include the addition of chlorine and /or acid in very low percentage to the water supply.
The various water quality encountered in operating drip irrigation systems are listed below. In some situations, two or more of these problems may be existing suggesting much complex treatment and procedures may be required.
Source: Toro irrigation, DIG Corp and NDSU
Filtration recommendation:
|
Flow rates in GPM for 1 1/2" and 2" versus head loss in PSI |
|||||||
|
Flow rates 1 1/2" |
10 |
15 |
20 |
30 |
40 |
60 |
80 |
|
Head loss 1 1/2" |
0.1 |
0.9 |
1.1 |
1.3 |
2.8 |
6.3 |
16 |
|
Flow rates 2" |
10 |
15 |
20 |
30 |
40 |
60 |
80 |
|
Head loss 2" |
|
0.6 |
0.9 |
1.1 |
1.8 |
4.2 |
7.2 |