The aim of the research was to justify and develop the layout- constructive schemes for gravity layer systems of drip irrigation of plants. The ever increasing deficit and the rise in the cost of electricity and fresh water consumed during irrigation induce the “irrigation” specialists to search and use alternative sources of energy in irrigation systems and to minimize the consumption of irrigation water resources. In the process of scientific search and solution of this problem, the idea of possibility of using hydropower potential of terrain conditions instead of the grid or autonomously generated electric energy in drip irrigation systems, as the most low-resource one, was put forth. The suggested idea is proposed to be implemented in partially or fully gravity drip irrigation systems, arranged within slope or slope-plain landscapes with a water source above the irrigated land that is used as a source of irrigation. In such systems, the pressure generated in the pipeline network is used as an energy propulsor that ensures the functioning of technological equipment of the system due to a positive transition in the points of the terrain between the water level in the water source and the ground surface in the irrigated area. As a result of the research, the layout-constructive solutions of the main elements of gravity drip irrigation systems (water intake, pressure generating unit, drip irrigation network sections) and the irrigation system as a whole have been developed and proposed, that provides irrigation of layer plots (on different-slope or slope-plain plots) consuming water from a single discharge head accumulative pipeline.
Key words: drip irrigation, drip irrigation systems, gravity system, pressure generating facility, drip system arrangement.
