Drip System Flow & Size Your Pump & Mainline
Sizes the pump
Enter the number of emitters and each emitter's discharge to get your drip system's total flowin L/h, m³/h and L/s — the number you size the pump, filter and mainline from.
Drip system flow
Next: size the pump and mainline for 8 m³/h (2.2 L/s); split into zones if the source can't deliver all 2,000 emitters at once.
Assumes every emitter runs simultaneously at its rated discharge; real flow drops with pressure variation along long laterals.
Drip system flow — key facts
- System flow
- emitters × discharge
- Sizes
- pump, filter, mainline
- 1 m³/h
- = 1,000 L/h ≈ 0.278 L/s
- Must not exceed
- your water source
- Too much flow
- split into zones
- Common emitter
- 1 / 2 / 4 / 8 L/h
- Output
- L/h, m³/h, L/s
- Privacy
- Runs in your browser; nothing uploaded
One number drives the whole design
A drip system's total flow is the simplest sum in irrigation — the number of emitters running times each one's discharge — yet it sets everything downstream. The pump must deliver that flow at pressure, the filter must be rated for it, and the mainline must carry it without choking on friction. Crucially, it must never exceed what your water source can supply: if the field's demand is bigger than the borewell or canal can give, you split it into zones and irrigate one at a time so each zone's flow stays within the pump's capacity.
This tool gives your system flow in L/h, m³/h and L/s, along with the total emitter count, so you can size the pump, filter and pipes and decide how many zones you need. Use it before buying hardware or when adding driplines to an existing field. Pair it with the Drip Emitter Spacing, Drip Lateral Length and Irrigation Pump Power tools to design a balanced, efficient system.
Size the pump right
Match pump and filter to the real flow demand.
Stay within your source
Check demand never exceeds what you can supply.
Plan your zones
Split the field so each zone fits the pump.
Three handy units
L/h, m³/h and L/s for every datasheet.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is total drip system flow calculated?+
It's simply the number of emitters running at once multiplied by each emitter's rated discharge. For example 2,000 emitters at 4 L/h each gives 8,000 L/h = 8 m³/h ≈ 2.22 L/s. That single number is the demand your pump, filter and pipes must supply, so it's the starting point for the whole design.
Why do I need to know system flow?+
Every component is sized from it: the pump must deliver this flow at the required pressure, the filter must be rated for at least this flow, and the mainline and submains must carry it without excessive friction loss. Get the flow right and the rest of the design follows; guess it and you under- or over-size expensive hardware.
What if the system flow exceeds my water source?+
Then you can't run the whole field at once. Your source — a borewell, canal turn, tank or pump — has a maximum it can deliver. If total emitter flow is higher, you split the field into zones and irrigate one zone at a time, so each zone's flow stays within what the source and pump can supply.
How does zoning keep flow within the pump's capacity?+
Dividing the field into zones (operated by separate valves) means only one zone's emitters draw water at a time. Each zone is sized so its flow ≤ the pump's and source's capacity. You then schedule the zones in sequence. The tool's total flow tells you how many zones you need and how big each can be.
What units does the tool give?+
It reports system flow in litres per hour (L/h), cubic metres per hour (m³/h) and litres per second (L/s), plus the total emitter count. L/h is handy for matching emitter ratings, m³/h for pump and tank sizing, and L/s for friction-loss and pipe-diameter checks. Use whichever your other tools and datasheets expect.
How do I find each emitter's discharge?+
It's printed on the dripline or emitter spec — common ratings are 1, 2, 4 or 8 L/h at the design pressure. Pressure-compensating (PC) emitters hold that rate over a range of pressures; non-PC emitters vary with pressure, so use the rating at your operating pressure for an accurate total.
How many emitters can my pump run?+
Divide your pump's deliverable flow by each emitter's discharge. A pump giving 10 m³/h (10,000 L/h) can run about 2,500 emitters at 4 L/h. If your field has more, split it into zones so no single zone exceeds that emitter count. The tool makes this division easy to check.
Does pipe friction affect the flow I need?+
Friction loss doesn't change the emitters' total demand, but it does raise the pressure the pump must produce to deliver that flow. Size the mainline so friction loss is modest at the system flow, and pick a pump rated for the flow at the resulting total head. The Lateral Length and Pump Power tools help here.
Are these figures exact?+
The total flow is exact for the emitter count and discharge you enter. Real systems vary slightly with pressure, emitter clogging and manufacturing tolerance, so add a margin when sizing the pump and filter, and recheck flow if you change emitter spacing, dripline or the number of zones running together.