Engineering Commons^™

Oiler For Vertical Pump Lineshaft Lubrication, Charles M. Burt

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

This document provides technical advice for controlling the dripping of oil for oil-lubricated vertical lineshaft pumps for irrigation.

Water Hammer Protection For Pumped Turnouts On Aging Pipelines, Charles M. Burt, Zachary C. Markow

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

Water hammer in an irrigation district pipeline is typically caused by sudden changes in turnout flow rates. A sudden shutoff of a booster pump, or a rapid closure of a turnout valve, can potentially cause surge damage. The problem occurs if the pressure exceeds the pressure rating of the pipeline. As pipes age, their pressure rating typically declines. This report describes three different solutions that utilize a combination of these techniques/devices to provide district pipeline protection from water hammer.

Using Electricity Consumption To Estimate Water Volumes Pumped From Wells, Charles M. Burt

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

The Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) of California has led some organizations to want access to documentation of the volumes of groundwater pumped by individual wells. Many well pumps already have flow meters installed that provide an accurate measurement of both instantaneous flow rate and the cumulative volume pumped. For wells that do not have flow meters, it has been proposed for many years that pumped volumes can be accurately estimated by simply using the total power consumption, measured in kilowatt-hours (kWh).

Pump Performance With Sand Wear, Charles M. Burt, Kyle Fesit

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

In many installations, pump performance declines over time due to sand wear. In order to pinpoint the type and rate of wear caused by pumping water with higher-than-average sand concentrations and its direct effect on various pump impeller materials, vertical pump impeller/bowl assemblies of approximately 900 GPM were each pumped for up to 2500 hours with high concentrations of sand in the water. Two different impeller materials were used for a total of five configurations. Well pump operation was simulated by maintaining a constant discharge pressure. The degrading performance, in terms of changing flow rate and kilowatt load, was recorded …

Characteristics Of Irrigation Pump Performance In Major Irrigated Areas Of California, Charles Burt

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

Pumping data was collected from over 15,000 well and non-well pumps throughout the Sacramento, Salinas, and San Joaquin Valley groundwater basins of California. Each of these basins is divided into a number of subbasins. A map of the general layout is shown below (gray lines outside of basins represent county lines; gray lines inside basins represent subbasins).

Data was analyzed by basin and subbasin for well pumps and non-well pumps. For each pump type, averages were calculated based on:

• The whole basin
• Overall pumping plant efficiency (OPPE)
• kWh/AF
• Subbasins

General conclusions were drawn for each set of averages, and a …

Variable Frequency Drive (Vfd) Controlled Irrigation Pumps – Analysis Of Potential Rebate, Charles M. Burt

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

Well pumps, booster pumps, and a combination of the two are used throughout the agricultural sector to provide water for on-farm irrigation. However, the pump discharge pressures for the majority of irrigation systems are excessive, waiving considerable monetary and power consumption savings. This report analyzes the numerous potential benefits of integrating a variable frequency drive (VFD) to irrigation supply systems and modifying system design philosophies.

Characteristics Of Pump Performance In Major Irrigated Areas Of California, Sierra A. Orivs, Charles M. Burt, Luis P. Urrestarazu

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

Well pump tests (12,876) in three Central California groundwater basins were characterized and described according to their spatial distribution. The average overall pumping plant efficiency (wire-water, not including column losses and velocity head) was about 56%. Characteristics such as drawdown, total dynamic heads, kW, and flow rate vary greatly between pumps within and between sub-basins. This is the first well pump characterization of its type in California, although irrigation pump tests have been conducted for over 70 years in California. This paper provides a summary of the spatial variation of well pump performance and characteristics.

Improving Pump Performance, Charles M. Burt, Frankline Gaudi, Daniel J. Howes

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

Options can be specified to minimize power consumption by vertical pumps – both when new and over the life of the pump. Options discussed include bowl coatings, proper well development, improved suction screens, using closed impeller designs, increasing column size, using new bearings, providing proper bearing lubrication, impeller balancing, and polishing impellers. The proper TDH and flow rate must be specified, and the advantages of VFD controls are covered.

Conversion To Groundwater Pumping With Drip/Micro Irrigation Systems, Charles M. Burt, Monte Soto

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

Twenty one irrigation districts in the Central Valley reported “conversion acres”. Conversion acres are those on which farmers used only groundwater for drip/micro irrigation although surface irrigation water was available.

The twenty one districts include about 2 million acres of irrigated area. Approximately 3.6% of that acreage (73,000 acres) has been “converted” to groundwater when farmers switched to drip/micro. Fourteen of these districts anticipate more conversion in the future. ITRC thinks that the conversion will be more rapid and greater than district personnel suspect.

The dominant factor that influences the conversion was the lack of flexible water delivery service to …