Systems and methods for controlling water pressure supplied within a center pivot irrigation system

A method for controlling water pressure supplied within a center pivot irrigation system, the center pivot irrigation system including a pivot center, a pivoting span extending away from the pivot center, a pump for providing pressurized water to the pivot center, and a variable frequency drive that controls a speed of the pump based on a set point pressure, the pivoting span comprising a plurality of sprinklers for distributing water, the method comprising:

• formulating, utilizing at least one processor of a set of one or more processors, a set of two or more formulated sectors within a watering region of the center pivot irrigation system, each of the two or more formulated sectors comprising a start sector boundary and an end sector boundary;
• specifying, utilizing at least one processor of the set of one or more processors, a sector-specific set point pressure for each of the two or more formulated sectors, a first sector-specific set point pressure comprising the sector-specific set point pressure specified for a first sector of the two or more formulated sectors;
• determining, utilizing at least one processor of the set of one or more processors, a triggering position of the pivoting span for each of the two or more formulated sectors, a first triggering position comprising the triggering position determined for the first sector;
• and
• when the center pivot irrigation system is in operation:
• periodically ascertaining, utilizing at least one processor of the set of one or more processors, a position of the pivoting span;
• and
• altering, utilizing at least one processor of the set of one or more processors, the set point pressure of the variable frequency drive to the first sector-specific set point pressure when the pivoting span reaches the first triggering position.

A computer program product for controlling water pressure supplied within a center pivot irrigation system, the center pivot irrigation system including a pivot center, a pivoting span extending away from the pivot center, a pump for providing pressurized water to the pivot center, and a variable frequency drive that controls a speed of the pump based on a set point pressure, the pivoting span comprising a plurality of sprinklers for distributing water, the computer program product comprising:

• non-transitory computer readable media;
• and
• computer program code, encoded on the non-transitory computer readable media, configured to cause at least one processor of a set of one or more processors to perform the steps of:
• formulating a set of two or more formulated sectors within a watering region of the center pivot irrigation system, each of the two or more formulated sectors comprising a start sector boundary and an end sector boundary;
• specifying a sector-specific set point pressure for each of the two or more formulated sectors, a first sector-specific set point pressure comprising the sector-specific set point pressure specified for a first sector of the two or more formulated sectors;
• determining a triggering position of the pivoting span for each of the two or more formulated sectors, a first triggering position comprising the triggering position determined for the first sector;
• and
• when the center pivot irrigation system is in operation:
• periodically ascertaining a position of the pivoting span;
• and
• altering the set point pressure of the variable frequency drive to the first sector-specific set point pressure when the pivoting span reaches the first triggering position.