Advanced Irrigation Design for Challenging Topography – Plum Orchard, Yunnan, China
Irrigation
2026
China
Plum Orchard Irrigation Project
This Plum Orchard irrigation project is situated near Guanting Town, at Jianshui County, Honghe Prefecture, Yunnan Province. It is spread over 107 Ha of agriculture area. The area is characterized by odd topography with elevation difference of about 60 meters across the different irrigation zones. The plantation is irrigated using dedicated operative reservoir that receive river water from an additional larger storage reservoir.
The irrigation system pumping station is composed of four VFD (variable frequency drive) operated pumps that deliver the irrigation water to the agriculture area with a capacity of 240 m3/h & operating pressure of 10 bar.
Managing Complex Irrigation Conditions
This project was facing several unique challenges:
- Odd Topography: in recent years, China agriculture has shift from traditional flatland farming to increasingly cultivating new areas with challenging topography, hills & valleys, which demands advanced smart pressure & flow control solutions for uniform & efficient irrigation as well as protecting system pipelines & components.
- Efficient pumps station operation: the need for smart operation of the pumps station design using solutions allowing flexible & efficient pumps operation to be able to supply the required pressure & flow for each agriculture zone across the entire project area considering the changing topography, along with protecting the pumps operation.
- Pressure Surge & water hammer: pressure surges that may occur during the irrigation cycles, irrigation system startup & shut down, as well as changing irrigation shifts. This phenomenon might be enhanced in water delivery networks which are in areas with challenging topography. Therefore, reliable surge protection solutions must be implemented
- Pressure regulation: ongoing pressure regulation is required in the system mainly due to the significant elevation difference along the agriculture zones to ensure efficient and uniform irrigation.
- Optimal Air control: optimal air control must be implemented in the irrigation system. Ensuring efficient air intake into system pipelines preventing vacuum conditions and pipe collapse during scenarios of burst, drainage & surge, as well as efficiently expelling the air during pressurized operation and pipeline filling. Optimal Air Control ensure system efficiency & design capacity, protecting the system from surge damage.
Smart Irrigation Control Solution
Flow metering & monitoring in the pumping station
The system includes four pumps with variable frequency drives (VFDs), operating progressively based on the elevation and distance of the irrigation zones. When irrigating more elevated or distanced zones an additional pump is activated as suitable to ensure reliable & efficient irrigation water delivery. BERMAD’s TURBO-IR water meter was installed at the pumps discharge line allows system flow metering, flow monitoring and efficient irrigation.
Water Hammer Protection
BERMAD Model IR-43Q quick pressure relief valve was installed in the pumping station, it is hydraulically operated, diaphragm actuated control valve that relieves excessive system pressure when this pressure rises above the pre-set value. It immediately, accurately, and with high repeatability responds to system pressure rise by fully opening. This valve provides smooth drip tight closing.
Optimal Air Control Solutions
Pump station was also equipped with C70 Combination Air valves, with surge protection device. The combination air valves ensure optimal air control in the irrigation system during routine system operation.
- Allowing efficient air release during pumps startup and pipe line fill up and expelling air bubbles during pressurized operation ensuring system efficiency.
- Allowing efficient air intake during pumps shut down as well as during scenarios of burst, drainage and surge. Thereby preventing vacuum conditions and pipes collapse.
- The combination air valve are mandatory part of the surge protection solution, the Surge protection feature allows restrained air release during positive surge, cushioning the returning upsurge and preventing secondary surge.
Zone-Based Pressure Regulation
The field was divided into 12 agricultural pressure zones based on distance from the pumping station and zone elevation. Due to the significant topographic differences, careful planning of the mainlines was required. BERMAD 100 Series control valves Models IR-120 and IR-123 were installed. IR-123 model is hydraulically operated, diaphragm actuated control valve that sustains minimum preset upstream (back) pressure and reduces downstream pressure to a constant preset maximum. Due to the challenging topography, there is a higher risk of pressure spikes, therefore IR- 13Q quick pressure relief valves were installed downstream to each pressure reducing valve at each infield control head protecting the system lines and components from excessive line pressure.
Air Control
The frequently changing topography emphasis the need for allocating & sizing high-capacity combination air valves BERMAD models C70 and C10 as well as in the main line and in the zone level. C10 is a high-quality combination air valve for a variety of irrigation networks and operating conditions. It evacuates air during pipeline filling, allows efficient release of air pockets from pressurized pipes, and enables large volume of air intake in the event of network draining, as well as during burst and surge scenarios.
BERMAD’s Ongoing Support
Designing and executing an irrigation project under challenging topographic conditions requires advanced engineering capabilities and uncompromising product quality. BERMAD China team supported the project from its early design stage, giving solutions recommendations and optimization based on BERMAD’s 60 years of experience and design software through on-site implementation, making real-time adjustments to ensure optimal performance. BERMAD China is proud to contribute to the agriculture advancement in China and be part of it.
