Recursive Design of Pressurized Branched Irrigation Networks |
| |
Authors: | César González-Cebollada Bibiana Macarulla David Sallán |
| |
Affiliation: | 1Assistant Professor, Fluid Mechanics Dept., Escuela Politécnica Superior, Univ. of Zaragoza, Crta. Cuarte s/n 22071 Huesca, Spain (corresponding author). E-mail: cesargon@unizar.es 2Agricultural Engineer, EPS Escuela Politécnica Superior, Univ. of Zaragoza, Crta. Cuarte s/n 22071 Huesca, Spain. E-mail: bibianamacarulla@gmail.com 3Agricultural Engineer, Escuela Politécnica Superior, Univ. of Zaragoza, Crta. Cuarte s/n 22071 Huesca, Spain. E-mail: samitierd@hotmail.com
|
| |
Abstract: | This paper presents a new method to design pressurized branched irrigation networks. This method is called recursive design and is based on application of the problem-solving technique known as backtracking to the problem of the optimum design of pressurized branched irrigation networks with a known delivery piezometric head (pipe-sizing). Recursive design is a heuristic optimizer, like genetic algorithms, and has been implemented in a fast, versatile computer application. After presenting and precisely defining the design problem, the writers review the theoretical foundations of some of the main existing design methods: maximum velocity, recommended velocity, Mougnie velocity, constant hydraulic slope, Lagrange multipliers, linear programming, Labye’s method, and genetic algorithms. Next, the writers explain what recursive design consists of and apply its methodology in detail to a simple network. In the results section, the solutions obtained by recursive design are compared with those obtained by the other design methods, giving satisfactory results. For example, in an analyzed standard network, genetic algorithms take more than 20?minutes to offer a solution, whereas recursive design offers a cheaper solution with less than 3?seconds of computation time. |
| |
Keywords: | Irrigation systems Pressurized flow Networks Design Optimization Computer programming |
|
|