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Optimal management of a multisector standalone direct pumping photovoltaic irrigation system

Abstract:

Standalone direct pumping PV irrigation systems are a special type of PV system in which water is not lifted to a tank but, instead, is pumped to the irrigation system to satisfy the crop water needs. The operation of these PV irrigation systems requires efficient new operation rules in order to maximize the energy use efficiency as the PV energy must be used instantaneously. In this work, we introduce a new multisector approach based on the simultaneous operation of several irrigation sectors according to the incoming energy. An innovative analytical model was implemented in order to optimize the operation of a multisector PV irrigation system. The proposed model was evaluated by applying it to a case study. The results of said study showed that simultaneous operation reduced the cost of the PV plant since it required a lower number of PV modules (lower Peak power) and it also outperformed the individual operation scenario in terms of energy use efficiency as 18.4% of the potential PV energy was effectively delivered to the irrigation sectors (only 15.4% for individual operation). The design of the irrigation system was also affected by the adopted operation strategy. Lower nominal flowrate of the emitters and higher irrigation time per sector were preferable in simultaneous operation than in the case of individual operation.