Evaluation of Energy Efficiency and Water Consumption in Gasoline Pumping Stations

Limited water and energy resources in the world and the increasing demand for water and energy due to population growth and the development of human societies necessitate investigation of the water and energy consumption in irrigation systems. This study aimed to evaluate the water and energy consumption, losses, and efficiency of diesel pumping stations and was conducted in Hamadan Province farms during the period 2009 to 2011. Nebraska Pumping Plant Performance Criteria was applied to compare the performance of irrigation pumping stations. The results showed that the total efficiency varied from 7.2% to 24.3 percent. The average of total efficiency and wasted energy of a diesel pump was calculated at about 14.7 percent and 4.84 liters per hour, respectively. The results showed that in many farms where sprinkler systems were used, the water applied was lower than crop water requirement. Average water use efficiency in alfalfa fields in the furrow and sprinkler systems was 1.7 and 2.7 kg/m3, respectively. The factors influencing decrease in energy efficiency were worn-out pump or motor, inappropriate implementation foundation for the pump engine, and inappropriate selection of engine for the pump.