Operating a successful irrigation system entails many parts working seamlessly together as a whole. Valves are potentially the most important among the list of items responsible for keeping your crops irrigated. They are “directors” of irrigation, and understanding valves for agricultural applications will aid you when assembling, maintaining, or repairing your watering systems.
What’s the Deal With Valves?
Valves of any kind control the flow of liquids within an irrigation system. Depending on the type of valve, they can redirect, cut off, regulate, or constrict water from sprinklers, drip emitters, or rotors. They are conductors of liquids, just like the valves in our bodies that control blood flow or the valves in a gas pump that facilitate fuel.
As an experienced farm owner, you know that the task of proper irrigation is dense. The job requires many different tasks, and because of this, it also requires various valves.
The Different Kinds of Valves
There are countless variants of valves, with each kind coming in different shapes or sizes. Due to the sheer number of diverse applications, no one valve can truly do all the work.
Check Valves
These irrigation valves are also known as reflux or one-way water check valves. Their prime objective is to prevent contaminated water from returning to a water source. These valves safeguard against backflow, prolonging the life of your equipment.
Foot Valves
These devices accomplish a similar task to check valves, as they also prevent harmful backflow. The key difference between the two is that foot valves are applied to the intake of a pump rather than the discharge side. Foot valves feature a strainer that prevents the build-up of debris or other harmful materials that could jam your pumps.
Float Valves
These nifty valves can detect changes in pressure and elevation of water levels, thus opening or closing themselves. Float valves simply act as a liquid level controller and prevent pumps or tanks from overflowing with water.
How Valves Make Life Easier
Valves are an integral reason why agriculture has remained one of the highest-earning sectors of the world’s economy. Irrigation has made large-scale agriculture more streamlined and accessible and has increased production efficiency with every new farming innovation.
Valves, which are intuitive by design and sometimes even automated, allow farmers to irrigate their entire property efficiently. Furthermore, valves function to protect other equipment and reduce the costs of repairs or replacements. Lastly, they reduce the spillage of harmful materials into crops and the water table.
When understanding valves for agricultural applications, it’s essential to recognize their functions and benefits. Ultimately, however, the best valve is the one that works efficiently and effectively. Here at Rural Water Direct, we provide high-quality products designed by farmers for farmers to fit your specific agricultural needs.
