Ongoing research

Gravity flow screen filter used in a citrus orchard Photo: L. SchwanklA gravity filter can be used with water that has a low to medium concentration of suspended solids (10 to 100 ppm). With this device, the water flows by gravity through a screen with a mesh size of 100 to 200.

Disc filter. Photo: Jack Kelly ClarkA disc filter consists of a stack of discs, each with a series of microscopic grooves. The dimension of the grooves determines the effective mesh size of the filter, ranging from 40 to 600 mesh. Water is filtered as it flows through the grooves.

Self-flushing lateral line end caps, used on a subsurface drip system in tree crops Photo: L.

Manifold flush valves for a row crop subsurface drip system Photo: L.

Water in an irrigation reservoir with a high organic contamination level Photo: L.

Storage tank for chemicals injected through the microirrigation system Photo: L.

Double-venturi injection system Photo: L. SchwanklTreating irrigation water with a biocide will minimize the growth of organic contaminants and often destroy the organic material, minimizing the clogging hazard. Three biocide methods are commonly used to treat irrigation water.

Venturi injector with small pump. Photo: L. SchwanklChlorine is often added to irrigation water to oxidize and destroy biological microorganisms such as algae, fungi, and bacteria.

Storage reservoir with heavy biological growth. Photo: L. Schwankl Copper-based biocides are very effective at controlling biological contaminants in water, and are most often used to control algae and other organisms in irrigation ponds and reservoirs.

Ozone is formed by passing oxygen through an electric discharge field (corona discharge method) or by exposing oxygen to ultraviolet radiation (UV ozone generation). Ozone (O3), contains three oxygen atoms as compared to the two oxygen atoms in a normal oxygen molecule (O2).