Greenhouse structures are much smaller in area than open-field cultivation areas; therefore, there is no need to use larger-diameter piping, which helps reduce project costs. In greenhouses, the most commonly used pipe sizes are Φ40 PE pipe and Φ50 PE pipe.
In greenhouse facilities, the most common irrigation methods are drip irrigation and overhead micro-sprinkler systems; when cultivating potted ornamental plants, a drip-irrigation system with drip emitters is typically used. Typically, each greenhouse is equipped with water outlets, and the irrigation system is installed starting from these outlets, including control valves, fertigation equipment (fertigation tanks, Venturi injectors, and fertigation machines), and filters (disc filters and mesh filters). Water is then conveyed through PE piping to the end-of-line emitters, which deliver irrigation directly to the crops within the greenhouse.
PE pipe Connections are typically made using compression fittings, with the most common types including PE compression straight connectors, PE compression tees, PE compression elbows, PE compression reducing straight connectors, and PE compression reducing tees. To ensure a tight seal at the joint, when using compression fittings, an appropriate length of Teflon tape must be wrapped around the male threads of the fitting. If leakage persists after assembly, the joint should be further tightened with pipe wrenches; if leakage still occurs, the fitting should be removed and reinstalled, or replaced with a new one.
Inside greenhouses, extensive excavation is generally prohibited; therefore, after PE pipe installation, the pipes are typically laid along the corners of the greenhouse floor to avoid obstructing pedestrian traffic and routine field operations between crops. For greenhouses equipped with a suspended micro-sprinkler irrigation system, Φ20 PE pipes are often suspended from the greenhouse roof, with perforations made for installing lateral tubing and micro-sprinklers. In summary, PE pipes are highly convenient to install and use, have a long service life, offer excellent cost-effectiveness, and are thus worthy of widespread adoption.