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Frequently Asked Questions / Increased back pressure and pump efficiency
« on: September 27, 2022, 12:34:07 PM »
I am looking at using a cycle stop valve in an irrigation well system. It is a deep well (well depth 700', guessing the pump is around 650', static water level is 250' above the pump or ~400' below ground) with an unknown 5hp pump down the well and will be used for irrigating a few different properties.
Ideally we would match the pump flow to the size of the irrigation zones and have the irrigation controller switch on the pump. However as we will have several different irrigation controllers attached (and want the use of spigots as well) this doesn't work. So now I am considering a pressure regulator + bypass or a cycle stop valve.
The part I am having difficulty with is the efficiency of the system, particularly if we use lower flow drip irrigation zones. The pressure up stream of the valve will always be what ever the ultimate pressure of the pump is (at the bypass flow). Doesn't this force the pump run at the left most edge of its performance curve, which is way outside the optimum efficiency of the pump? Does this cause issues with pump cooling?
Ideally we would match the pump flow to the size of the irrigation zones and have the irrigation controller switch on the pump. However as we will have several different irrigation controllers attached (and want the use of spigots as well) this doesn't work. So now I am considering a pressure regulator + bypass or a cycle stop valve.
The part I am having difficulty with is the efficiency of the system, particularly if we use lower flow drip irrigation zones. The pressure up stream of the valve will always be what ever the ultimate pressure of the pump is (at the bypass flow). Doesn't this force the pump run at the left most edge of its performance curve, which is way outside the optimum efficiency of the pump? Does this cause issues with pump cooling?