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Portageville, Pemiscot County
Field Day
* September 2, 2009.
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Director:
Jake Fisher
P. O. Box 160
Portageville, MO 63873
Phone: 573-379-5431
Fax: 573-379-5875
Email:FisherJ@missouri.edu
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Ways To Decrease Irrigation Pumping Costs
Bill Casady and Joe Henggeler,
Agricultural Engineers,
University of Missouri Extension/Commercial Agriculture Program
The high cost of diesel and propane means that irrigators have to pay more for
their irrigation. Nearly 2/3 of Missouri pumps are internal combustion engines.
Economic studies have been done on various parameters of energy associated with
irrigation. Prime options for change that can help reduce the cost of
irrigation were found to be: (a) choose cheapest energy source (plus use load
management for electricity users), (b) improve pump efficiency, and (c)
re-nozzling pivots to run at lower pressures.
Cheapest Energy Source. Electricity remains the cheapest form of energy, as
seen in the corresponding table. Load management can add even more savings for
electricity users.
Improve Pump Efficiency. Bootheel irrigation pumps are probably only about half
as efficient as they could be. Making improvements to pumping plants could save
pivot users $500 to $1000, depending on the type of fuel used.
Fuel Cost in the Bootheel of Missouri & the Associated Cost to Pump one Acre-Inch of Water (August 2006)
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Power Source
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Cost per Energy Unit
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Cost per Acre Inch 1
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Flood
PWL - 30 ft
Op.Pres. = 5 psi
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Pivot
PWL - 25 ft
Op. Pres. = 42 psi
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Electricity
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$0.10/KWH |
$0.82 |
$2.41 |
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Diesel
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$2.50/gal |
$1.38 |
$4.04 |
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Propane
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$1.50/gal |
$1.48 |
$4.37 |
1 Cost is based on:
- Pump efficiency - 50% (probably typical for the area; efficiencies could be as high as 65%, which would decrease the costs 1/4).
- Motor and engine efficiences assumed to be average
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Reducing Operating Pressure. The average center pivot in Missouri runs at about
25 PSI higher than what a low-pressure pivot could run. Nearly $4 million
dollars in savings could be had in Missouri by reducing pivot pressure. The
estimated savings for a 65-PSI pivot user who reduces pressure to 30 PSI is
shown below.
Annual Savins from Energy Costs from Reducing a 65-PSI Pivot to 30 PSI 1
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Power Source
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If at Top Efficiency 2 ($)
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For Typical Bootheel System 3 ($)
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Electricity
($0.10/kwh)
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$1,555 |
$2,146 |
Diesel
($2.50/gal)
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$2,416 |
$3,668 |
Propane
($1.50/gal)
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$2,606 |
$3,915 |
1 Based on:
- 135 acres
- 10 inches applies
2 Top Efficiency is based on:
- Pump efficiency = 75%
- Motor and engine efficiencies assumed to be average
3Typical System is based on:
- Pump efficiency = 50%
- Motor and engine efficiencies assumed to be average
2006 Field Day Report
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