Test PB Collection: FTE

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).

Microirrigation system that uses a tablet form of sodium hypochlorite as a biocide. Photo: L. SchwanklAdding acid (e.g., sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid, etc.

There is a range of devices and chemicals on the market that their manufacturers claim treat water and prevent microirrigation clogging. It is not the purpose of this website to discuss these products, but a word of caution to prospective purchasers is warranted. Be very careful before you buy.

Screen filter Photo: L SchwanklThe degree of filtration is expressed as mesh size or equivalent mesh size. The mesh size is the number of openings per inch. For example, a 200-mesh filter has 200 openings per inch.

Filtration Guidelines for Irrigation Water Filters...

Centrifugal sand separator. The shaded arrows show the sand; the white arrow shows the water. Source: Courtesy Claude Laval Corporation.A centrifugal sand separator, often used for pre-filtration, removes larger particles of sand.

Figure 11. Sand media filter during the filtration and backflushing processes. Source: Courtesy Claude Laval Corporation.A sand media filter consists of tanks filled with silica sand or crushed granite. Contaminants are filtered from the water as it flows through the filtering media (fig. 11).

Screen filters used in conjunction with sand media filters Photo L. SchwanklA pressurized screen filter may be the most economical choice for groundwater filtration, since it is effective at removing inorganic material.