In the warmest months of the year, irrigation booms that mount low-density tubes require more maintenance.
With the arrival of summer, high temperatures can create some inconvenience to the management of protected crops in greenhouses and nurseries: in particular, the polyethylene hose through which water and fertigation solutions pass installed on the mobile wings of irrigation may be affected by the thermal changes.
Polyethylene, in fact, despite being a widely used material in irrigation systems, has different thermal expansion coefficients depending on the degree of density: when the density of polyethylene is low and temperatures rise, the tube tends to excessively increase its extension, and this involves more frequent maintenance; when the density is high, on the other hand, as the temperature increases the thermal expansion coefficient does not vary as significantly and this reduces the probability of stretching of the hose that could affect the correct functioning of the system.
Irrigation systems available on the market apply only low density polyethylene hoses because they are characterized by greater lightness and flexibility, but high density tubes, using only first-quality virgin material, are more resistant to traction and stretching. Which system to choose, therefore, to ensure adequate irrigation for crops in greenhouses and nurseries while reducing maintenance? A criterion that can help you to choose is to evaluate the configuration of the greenhouse.
Short greenhouses configuration
Inside short greenhouses, in most cases it is enough to install irrigation booms that mount a lower density hose, like our “HO” double rail irrigation wing, not only because the probability of stretching problems in this case is lower, but also because it represents the simplest and most economical solution for this type of structures.
Operation of “HO” irrigation wing
Long greenhouses configuration
In long structures with long greenhouse step distances, however, the high-density tube such as the one applied on our “V5” double rail irrigation boom is much more performing because, having lower elongation coefficients, is more resistant to traction and thermal shocks.
Operation of “V5” irrigation wing
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