Irrigation for safety and animal welfare at greyhound racing club
Snapshot
- A prominent greyhound racing club in Victoria recently underwent a comprehensive upgrade to improve public safety and animal welfare.
- Brown Brothers Engineers supplied a new automated irrigation system, consisting of a booster pump-set with a custom control panel.
- The new installation has provided efficient and reliable performance and ensured optimal irrigation and safety of the greyhound racetrack.
When most people think of irrigation, they think of its role in supporting plant life – crops, turf or urban green space. However, another important role of irrigation is to improve public safety and animal welfare, such as on sand tracks used for greyhound racing.
Sale Greyhound Club, one of the five most frequently used racetracks in Victoria, recently undertook a comprehensive upgrade. Before this upgrade, the club lacked an irrigation system. The track managers relied on a water cart pulled by a tractor to wet the track, which meant considerable time and cost in labour.
Track manager, Gary Roberts said, “Some days, we’d have the bloke here for eight hours at a time putting water on the track”.
A important aspect of the upgrade was a new state-of-the-art irrigation system supplied by Brown Brothers Engineers Australia.
Irrigation for safety
Consistent watering of sand tracks is important to ensure that the track surface remains firm yet cushioned, reducing the risk of injuries to racing dogs. Watering also regulates temperature, maintains an even surface and prevents erosion. This reduces the chance of accidents and enables the greyhounds to perform at their best. A moist track also means less dust and debris, which can impair visibility and cause respiratory issues for both dogs and handlers.
Selecting the right pump
The project consultant selected the 22DSV05HPS-T 5.5kw 415v Lowara Hydro-Pac Dual Booster pump-set for its ease of installation – meaning less disruptions – and its quality and reliability. The pump was sized by Brown Brothers Engineers.
The Hydro-Pac units combine the pumps with a Hydrovar microprocessor controller mounted directly on each pump motor to deliver an energy-efficient water management system that is simple to use.
A custom-built INCA control panel was also supplied to manage the dual pump-set. The panel includes an array of safeguards, ensuring the reliable operation of the pumping system. Circuit breakers are individually allocated for each component, including the pumps, surge diverters, and control circuits, providing protection against electrical faults. A main isolating switch allows for immediate power isolation when necessary. To mitigate the risks posed by electrical surges, 40 kA surge diverters are installed across the power supply while temperature sensors are included for monitoring pump head temperature. These safeguards collectively reinforce the integrity and longevity of the pumping system and guard against damage or potential failure.
An efficient solution
The racecourse has now reopened and the pumps have proven to be ideal due to their high efficiency, flexible design and reliable performance.
Gary, the track manager, said that they water every day, as often as needed depending on weather conditions. The sprinklers are evenly spaced at three metre intervals. On the inside of the track, they are on the running rail; along the fence line, they are on the outside edge; and there are pop-ups along the home straight.
There are 15 stations, each about 100 m long. According to Gary, a three-minute cycle per station is enough to evenly wet the track. After that, they run 20 second cycles as needed throughout the day.
Gary says he appreciates being able to control the irrigation remotely, any time, from an app on his phone.
“Sometimes, depending on the weather, we need to irrigate overnight, and it’s great being able to do it all from my phone.”
“The new system is easy to use and saves a lot of time and money in labour,” he said.
[Article originally appeared in the Irrigation Australia Journal]