Irrigation Water Filtration

While all plants have different water requirements, so do their water sources, and the two rarely have the same attributes. This is why, while constructing a water system, the first two questions we ask are:

1. What are the requirements of the crop?

2. Is there an analysis on the available water source?

Discrepancies between these two questions along with the requirements of equipment are why filtration is required in every greenhouse. The importance of filtration and the pros/cons of three common filter types are described below.

Filtration Solutions for Irrigation Water, Industrial and Drinking Water.

Water filtration is very important to almost any irrigation system. Appropriate filtration can help to extend the life and improve the maintenance of any irrigation system. For drip or micro sprinklers emitters, filtration is a basic need to avoid clogging. In this page you will find links to most filtration methods we are offering over this web site. Amiad and Arkal Filters

Why Filtration is Important?

Filters are designed for well and surface water, and they are also recommended for municipal water. Disc filters, media filters, and reverse osmosis are the three most common filter types. The following factors must be examined when choosing which filter is appropriate: irrigation method, maintenance, budget, volumetric flow of water, and contaminants to be filtered.

Disc Filters:

Disc filters work by forcing water between discs that have small ridges. As the water flows through the gaps between the ridges of the discs particulates too big to fit are filtered out. These filters are great at removing particulates, easy to maintain, low cost, and are customizable for most volumetric and filter size applications. Where they lack is that they can clog up quickly if not sized correctly, and are poor at removing organic contaminants.

Media Filters:

Media filters have been around since earliest man and their concept is based on natural principals. This type of filter works by forcing water to percolate through media (sand, gravel, activated carbon), and the gaps between the media capture particulates. Media filters are typically used for large flow rates and are effective at removing organic and inorganic contaminants. Media filters are considered more reliable than disc filters, but are also more expensive than disc filters, take more floor space, and require more water for back flushing.

Reverse Osmosis:

Reverse osmosis (RO) is a relatively new technology to be used in the agricultural industry, but that doesn’t mean it should be ignored. RO works by forcing water through semi permeable membranes that filter out everything from bacteria to atomic ions. Its ability to remove even the smallest of impurities puts RO in a league of its own when it comes to filtration. However, that doesn’t mean every irrigation system should use it, as RO can become expensive quickly in both up front and maintenance cost. For this reason RO is often only recommended as a worse case when sodium or other ionic concentrations in the source water are too high.

Strategies to make RO more economical include placing filters and water softeners upstream of the RO system to reduce maintenance cost. Another approach is to only send a fraction of the water through the RO membranes. For example if the in fluent water has a sodium concentration of 100ppm and a concentration of 50ppm is desired only 50% of the influent needs to be sent through the RO system.