A sprinkler irrigation systems or set-up arrangement typically consists of the following:
a) A pump unit which extracts water from the source and produces pressure for discharge into the pipe system. The pump must be able to supply water at the appropriate pressure so that the water is discharged at an optimum rate and volume suitable to the crop and soil type.
b) Principal pipes and secondary pipes which carry water from the pump to the laterals. In some cases, these pipelines are installed on the soil surface or buried below the land surface. In some cases, they are temporary and can be transferred from one field to another. The primary materials used for the pipe include asbestos cement, plastic or aluminum alloy.
c) The laterals to transport water from pipes to the sprinklers. They can be permanent, but mostly they are portable and made of aluminum alloy or plastic so that they can be moved quickly.
d) Sprinklers – which are the water-emitting devices that transform and disperse the water jet into tiny droplets. The arrangement of sprinklers is made so as to wet the soil surface in the desired area as evenly as possible.