New favorite for agricultural irrigation: PE pipes contribute to a good harvest

Lightweight and easy to install, solving the long-standing challenge of field construction

For farmers, laying irrigation pipes is often a laborious task. Traditional metal pipes are heavy and require the coordinated efforts of multiple personnel to carry. Cement pipes are rigid and difficult to adjust in complex terrain, and excavation and laying require significant manpower. The advent of PE pipes has revolutionized this situation.

PE pipes are lightweight, weighing only about one-eighth the weight per meter of metal pipes of the same specification. Even elderly farmers can easily carry and transport them. When laying in the field, a few people can quickly complete the pipeline layout without the need for large lifting equipment. More importantly, PE pipes offer simple and efficient connection methods. Using hot-melt or electric-melt techniques, a small hot-melt machine is all that's needed to create a seamless connection in just minutes. This not only ensures a secure and leak-proof connection, but also eliminates the tedious welding and sealing steps required for traditional pipes.

As Mr. Wang, a large grain grower in Zhoukou, Henan, put it: "In the past, laying metal irrigation pipes took six people a day to cover half an acre of land, and there was always the worry of leaks at the joints. Now, with PE pipes, three people can cover two acres a day, and the joints haven't leaked a drop in three years. It saves a lot of effort!" This convenient installation experience allows PE pipes to be quickly deployed in farmland across diverse terrains, including plains, mountains, and hills, significantly reducing the construction threshold and cost of agricultural irrigation projects.

Weather-resistant and durable, it withstands harsh field conditions.

Agricultural irrigation pipes are exposed to the elements year-round, subjecting them to multiple tests, including scorching sun, heavy rain, and freezing and thawing. Traditional pipes often experience aging, cracking, corrosion, and damage within a few years, resulting in significant annual costly replacement. The weather-resistant and durable properties of PE pipes perfectly meet the rigorous demands of agricultural production. During the hot summer months, when direct sunlight hits the ground for extended periods, traditional plastic pipes can easily soften and deform, impacting water flow. However, PE pipes can withstand temperatures exceeding 60°C. Even in scorching temperatures of 40°C, they remain stable and resist structural damage. In winter, temperatures in northern farmland often drop to below 10°C. Traditional pipes are susceptible to cracking due to the expansion of internal water that freezes. However, PE pipes exhibit excellent low-temperature toughness, maintaining flexibility even in temperatures as low as -20°C, preventing cracking and leaks. Ms. Li, a vegetable grower in Weifang, Shandong, has experienced this firsthand: "I used PVC irrigation pipes before, which would bend from the sun in the summer and crack from the cold in the winter. Replacing them annually would cost me thousands of yuan. Since switching to PE pipes, they've been reliable for five years. Whether watering vegetables in the summer or protecting seedlings in the winter, the pipes are stable, saving me a lot of money on replacements!" Furthermore, PE pipes are resistant to acid and alkaline corrosion in field soils. Even after long-term burial in soil containing fertilizer residues, they won't corrode or perforate, effectively extending the lifespan of the irrigation system.

Water-saving and efficient: "Precise water replenishment" for farmland and reducing costs

With water resources becoming increasingly scarce, water conservation has become a core requirement for agricultural irrigation. Traditional irrigation pipes have rough inner walls, creating high flow resistance. This not only consumes more pump power but also easily accumulates sediment, leading to pipe blockage and water waste. The unique design of PE pipes addresses these issues, achieving the dual benefits of saving both water and electricity.

The inner surface of PE pipes is extremely smooth, creating only one-fifth the flow resistance of traditional steel pipes and one-third that of cement pipes. For the same irrigation area, using PE pipes eliminates the need for full-load pump operation to maintain adequate water pressure. According to field data from agricultural departments, irrigation systems using PE pipes can reduce pump energy consumption by over 20%, saving 50-80 yuan per mu (approximately 1,000 acres) in electricity costs annually. For cooperatives with over 1,000 mu (approximately 1,000 acres) of cultivated land, this can save tens of thousands of yuan in electricity costs alone.

Furthermore, the smooth inner surface reduces sediment and impurity buildup, preventing pipe blockage. Traditional pipes previously required multiple annual disassembly and cleaning, which was not only time-consuming and labor-intensive, but also affected crop growth due to irrigation suspension during cleaning. PE pipes, however, require virtually no frequent cleaning, ensuring smooth water flow to every sprinkler head, ensuring precise water delivery. After adopting PE pipes in conjunction with a drip irrigation system, a citrus plantation in Nanyang, Henan, increased its water utilization rate from 60% to over 90%, reducing water usage per acre by 30%. The evenly distributed water supply also boosted the sweetness of the citrus fruits by two to three levels, leading to a significant increase in sales.

Adaptable for diverse applications, from fields to greenhouses

From vast wheat and corn fields to meticulously managed vegetable greenhouses and orchards, PE pipes, with their flexible specifications and adaptability, can meet the irrigation needs of diverse crops. For field cultivation, PE pipes are available in large diameters (50-315mm in diameter) and can be used as main pipes to transport large quantities of water. When used with sprinkler equipment, they can irrigate large areas, with a single pump capable of covering dozens of acres of farmland. For vegetable greenhouses, fine-diameter PE pipes (20-40mm in diameter) are more suitable. They can be flexibly routed between crop rows within the greenhouse, connecting to drip irrigation tape to directly water the crop roots, preventing evaporation and waste. In orchards, PE pipes can be laid along the rows of fruit trees, allowing micro-spraying equipment to precisely deliver water around the tree roots. They also regulate humidity in the orchard, reducing the risk of pests and diseases.

Today, PE pipes have become standard irrigation systems in high-standard farmland construction and agricultural industrial park projects across many parts of China. From the black soils of Northeast China to the paddy fields of the South, from the dryland areas of the Northwest to the fruit and vegetable bases of the East, PE pipes, with their advantages of lightness, durability, water conservation, and efficiency, are helping more and more farmers solve irrigation challenges. They ensure that every drop of water precisely nourishes crops, allowing the hope of a bountiful harvest to take root in the fields.

Choosing PE pipes is like equipping agricultural irrigation with a "powerful engine," leveraging technology to boost yields and increase incomes on every inch of land, enriching farmers' pockets and stabilizing the pace of rural revitalization!