The Secret to the Longevity of the Drip Irrigation Pipes

The drip irrigation pipe is a product with a long service life. Mastering the maintenance method can extend the service life and reduce the cost.

Factors that may affect the service life of the inline drip pipe include:

1. Poor water quality and low maintenance frequency which will lead to blockage resulted from low soluble salt (such as calcium carbonate), bacteria, algae, etc.;

2. The damage to the inline drip pipe caused by the nibble of rodent, snake, insect, ant and other living things;
3. The damage to the inline drip pipe caused by external physical injuries brought by the drop of sharp objects and heavy objects in the soil;
4. Improper daily management and maintenance methods including laying, recovery and storage, etc.

The following points should be paid attention to when maintaining the drip irrigation pipe:

1. It is not advisable to fold the inline drip pipe back and forth frequently during use. A disk should be prepared for recycling in advance;

2. During crop intertillage management, the drip irrigation pipe and drip irrigation pipe fittings should be set aside in advance and then the intertillage operation can be carried out to avoid damage to the drip irrigation pipe due to improper manual operation;

3. After fertilizers are applied, water should be dripped for a period of time to clean the pipes and drippers to avoid blockage of residues;

4. In the irrigation season, the drip irrigation pipe should be flushed every 2-3 weeks. Rinse it for 30 to 60 seconds by turning on the automatic rinse end until the water is clear. Automatic rinsing valves can be used to reduce labor costs and ensure continuous rinsing;

5. Acid treatment: It is recommended to list the acid treatment as part of the routine maintenance procedure and to inject acid to reduce the blockage caused by low-soluble salts (such as calcium carbonate). The 33% hydrochloric acid or 85% phosphoric acid is recommended.

6. Chlorine treatment: Chlorine is a bactericide that kills microorganisms such as bacteria, algae. Chlorine injections can reduce clogging and help keep irrigation lines clean. Intermittent or on-site preventive treatment is recommended, with using water with a high concentration of organic material. The most commonly used material is 10 to 12% sodium hypochlorite. The effect of chlorination is reduced when the pH of water is higher than 7.5, and the effect will be maximized when the pH reaches 6.5 by acidification.