Evaluation of the Effect of Acid Washing on the reduction of Dripper Clogging, Drip Irrigation System Efficiency and Soil Chemical characteristics

To investigate the effect of sulfuric acid on the reduction of drip clogging and the effect of acid on the efficiency of the drip irrigation system used and soil chemical characteristics, an experiment was conducted at three sites with different soil textures in the crop year 2016-2017 in Qom. These fields included Aliabad, Sharifabad, and Zalunabad. For this purpose, the coefficient of variation (CV) and the desired dripper flow equation (Netafim 8 liters per hour) were determined. Moreover, water distribution uniformity (EU), uniformity coefficient (CU), dripper flow rate changes (Qvar), and statistical uniformity coefficient (Uc) before and after acid washing were measured and the efficiency and performance of the drip irrigation system were evaluated. The average dripper openings of Aliabad, Sharifabad, and Zalunabad were 4.23, 35.7, and 4.72%, respectively, and the minimum-maximum opening ranges in these areas were determined to be 0.71-25%, and -2.47-112-41 and 1.89-10.65. The results also showed that the indices of water distribution uniformity, uniformity coefficient, drip flow rate changes, and statistical uniformity coefficient in three regions of Aliabad, Sharifabad, and Zalunabad before acid washing were 92.4, 97.6, 0.21, and 96.06%, 55.3, 84.6, 0.9 and 78.7% and 91.2, 97.2, 18.6 and 95.8%, respectively. These indices after acid washing were determined to be 96.4, 95.2, 0.12, and 94.4%, 0 and 94.4, 80, 88.5, 0.91, and 82%, and 96.6, 95.5, 13.2, and 94.4%, respectively. Accordingly, sulfuric acid has a significant effect on the reduction of dripper clogging. The evaluation of the chemical properties of the soil before and after acid washing also showed a change in these properties and a decrease in soil salinity due to the reaction of sulfuric acid with carbonates in the soil after acid washing.