Prototype Goal:
Develop a digital concept of a solar-powered pumping system that can move water from a river to farmland using a polytube irrigation setup.
Objectives:
Demonstrate how water would flow from the river to the farmland using the proposed system.
Show how the solar panels, pump, and polytubes would connect and operate together.
Scope:
One solar-powered pump system connected to the irrigation area through polytubes.
No physical prototype will be constructed.
Methods:
Digital layout of the polytube system using modeling tools.
Basic hydraulic and flow calculations to estimate system performance.
Creation of a system block diagram to illustrate the electrical and pumping setup.
Justification:
Due to time, cost, and logistical limitations, building a physical prototype was not practical for this project. Instead, the team focused on creating a detailed digital model and performing calculations to evaluate whether the system could work under the given conditions. Since the community partner already uses a full-scale polytube irrigation setup, the goal was to analyze and improve the system rather than build a small-scale model.
Testing and Feedback:
Because the prototype exists as a digital model and system design, feedback from the community partner was used to confirm that the assumptions and layout matched their real farming conditions and irrigation practices. Their input helped ensure the design aligned with how their fields are actually structured.
Flamingoo Foods is looking for a better irrigation solution to help rice farmers in Tanzania access water more reliably. Many farmers currently depend on rainfall and nearby rivers, which can be unpredictable, especially during dry seasons. Existing irrigation systems can also be expensive, making it harder for farmers to consistently grow their crops. Because of this, Flamingoo Foods is interested in a more affordable and dependable irrigation approach that can help farmers maintain stable crop production and improve food security.
By Week 7 of the quarter, we aimed to design a solar-powered irrigation system concept using polytubes and Delta Plastics modeling that follows the specifications provided by Flamingoo Foods.
By the end of the project, we aimed to evaluate whether a solar-powered pump could realistically replace the current diesel pump by performing hydraulic calculations and estimating the required pump power.
By Week 9, we aimed to finalize the digital irrigation layout, verify the hydraulic calculations, and prepare a clear model and data analysis to present to our Community Partner showing how the system could work for their fields.