Golf course irrigation water monitoring and treatment system

• US 6,620,329 B2
• Filed: 12/13/2001
• Issued: 09/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Turf Sentry, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Turf Sentry, Inc.
• Inventors: Hodges, Robert, Rosen, Peter L.
• Primary Examiner(s): DRODGE, JOSEPH W
• Application Number:
  US10/022,568
• Publication Number:
  US 20030111424A1
• Time in Patent Office: 642 Days
• Field of Search: 210/96.1, 210/170, 210/605, 210/611, 210/614, 210/631, 210/739, 210/747, 210/754, 210/758, 210/759, 210/806, 137/93, 405/36, 405/37, 405/52, 700/273, 700/284
• US Class Current: 210/739
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/008 Control or steering systems not provided for elsewhere in subclass C02F
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/72 by oxidation C02F1/4672 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/003 Downstream control, i.e. outlet monitoring, e.g. to check the treating agents, such as halogens or ozone, leaving the process
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/05 Conductivity or salinity
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/055 Hardness
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/06 pH
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/07 Alkalinity
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/11 Turbidity
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/15 N03-N
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/20 Total organic carbon [TOC]
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/29 Chlorine compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2303/185 The treatment agent being halogen or a halogenated compound

Abstract

The present invention is process for irrigation of a golf course, which involves monitoring reclaimed water, and treating it when necessary to avoid harmful effects to plantlife. The reclaimed water is tested with a plurality of monitors to obtain results for water quality characteristics, including: total organic carbon compounds; pH; residual chlorine; chlorides; and, sodium. These results are inputted to a computerized data handling system for data collection, storage and analysis for comparison to predetermined acceptable ranges for water quality characteristic, and to show any deviation from said acceptable ranges. Either alarms are set off or treatment occurs or both, when deviations are observed. Treatment includes a dechlorination system and an oxidation system to correct active chlorine and total organic compound levels, respectively. Other important monitors may be included for one or more of the following: hardness; turbidity; alkalinity; conductivity and nitrates.

Claims

1. A process for irrigation of man-made landscaped areas, which comprises:

(a) procuring a supply of reclaimed water selected from the group consisting of treated sewage wastewater, untreated sewage wastewater and natural water supply water containing sewage wastewater;

(b) subjecting said reclaimed water to a plurality of monitors and testing said reclaimed water with said plurality of monitors to obtain a plurality of test results for water quality characteristics, including;

(i) total organic carbon compounds;

(ii) pH;

(iii) residual chlorine;

(iv) chlorides; and

,

(v) sodium;

(c) inputting said test results to a computerized data handling system for data collection, storage and analysis for comparison to predetermined acceptable ranges for each of said water quality characteristics, and providing feedback to show any water quality characteristic deviating from said acceptable ranges;

(d) providing a dechlorination system to said reclaimed water for treating said reclaimed water with a dechlorination agent to maintain a level of residual chlorine below a predetermined maximum of said predetermined acceptable range, and activating said dechlorination system in response to feedback from said computerized data handling system when showing deviation from said predetermined acceptable range for residual chlorine;

(e) providing an oxidation system to said reclaimed water for treating said reclaimed water with an oxidizing agent to maintain a level of total organic compounds below a predetermined maximum of said predetermined acceptable range, and controlling said oxidation system in response to feedback from said computerized data handling system when showing deviation from said predetermined acceptable range for total organic carbon compounds; and

(f) irrigating a man-made landscaped area with reclaimed water which has been processed in accordance with the preceding steps.

2. The process of claim 1 wherein said plurality of monitors includes at least one additional monitor to obtain test results selected from the group consisting of the following water quality characteristics:

(a) hardness;

(b) turbidity;

(c) alkalinity; and

(d) conductivity.

3. The process of claim 2 wherein said plurality of monitors includes additional monitors to obtain test results for the following water quality characteristics:

(e) hardness;

(f) turbidity;

(g) alkalinity; and

(h) conductivity.

4. The process of claim 1 wherein said providing feedback to show any water quality characteristic deviation includes initiating an alarm selected from the group consisting of audio alarms, visual alarms and combinations thereof.

5. The process of claim 4 wherein said alarm is initiated in response to feedback showing any deviation from water quality characteristics selected from the group consisting of pH, chloride compounds and sodium.

6. The process of claim 2 wherein said providing feedback to show any water quality characteristic deviation includes initiating an alarm selected from the group consisting of audio alarms, visual alarms and combinations thereof.

7. The process of claim 6 wherein said alarm is initiated in response to feedback showing any deviation from water quality characteristics selected from the group consisting of pH, chloride compounds, sodium, hardness, turbidity, alkalinity and conductivity.

8. The process of claim 1 wherein said dechlorination system is a vitamin C dechlorination system wherein vitamin C is fed into said reclaimed water in response to said computerized data handling system showing a deviation from said predetermined acceptable range for active chlorine.

9. A process for irrigation of a golf course, which comprises:

(a) procuring a supply of reclaimed water selected from the group consisting of treated sewage wastewater, untreated sewage wastewater and natural water supply water containing sewage wastewater;

(b) subjecting said reclaimed water to a plurality of monitors and testing said reclaimed water with said plurality of monitors to obtain a plurality of test results for water quality characteristics, including;

(i) total organic carbon compounds;

(ii) pH;

(iii) residual chlorine;

(iv) chlorides; and

,

(v) sodium;

(c) inputting said test results to a computerized data handling system for data collection, storage and analysis for comparison to predetermined acceptable ranges for each of said water quality characteristics, and providing feedback to show any water quality characteristic deviating from said acceptable ranges;

(d) providing a dechlorination system to said reclaimed water for treating said reclaimed water with a dechlorination agent to maintain a level of active chlorine below a predetermined maximum of said predetermined acceptable range, and activating said dechlorination system in response to feedback from said computerized data handling system when showing deviation from said predetermined acceptable range for active chlorine;

(e) providing an oxidation system to said reclaimed water for treating said reclaimed water with an oxidizing agent to maintain a level of total organic compounds below a predetermined maximum of said predetermined acceptable range and to destroy biological hazards, and controlling said oxidation system in response to feedback from said computerized data handling system when showing deviation from said predetermined acceptable range for total organic carbon compounds; and

(f) irrigating a golf course area with reclaimed water which has been processed in accordance with the preceding steps;

wherein said predetermined acceptable ranges are set within the following ranges;

(i) for total organic carbon compounds, 0 milligrams per liter to 50 milligrams per liter;

(ii) for residual chlorine, 0 milligrams per liter to 1 milligrams per liter;

(iii) for pH, 6 to 8;

(iv) for chloride compounds, 0 milligrams per liter to 70 milligrams per liter; and

,

(v) for sodium, 0 milligrams per liter to 70 milligrams per liter.

10. The process of claim 9 wherein said plurality of monitors includes at least one additional monitor to obtain test results selected from the group consisting of the following water quality characteristics:

(vi) hardness;

(vii) turbidity;

(viii) alkalinity; and

(ix) conductivity.

11. The process of claim 10 wherein said plurality of monitors includes additional monitors to obtain test results for the following water quality characteristics:

(j) hardness;

(k) turbidity;

(l) alkalinity; and

(m) conductivity.

12. The process of claim 9 wherein said providing feedback to show any water quality characteristic deviation includes initiating an alarm selected from the group consisting of audio alarms, visual alarms and combinations thereof.

13. The process of claim 12 wherein said alarm is initiated in response to feedback showing any deviation from water quality characteristics selected from the group consisting of pH, chloride compounds and sodium.

14. The process of claim 10 wherein said providing feedback to show any water quality characteristic deviation includes initiating an alarm selected from the group consisting of audio alarms, visual alarms and combinations thereof.

15. The process of claim 14 wherein said alarm is initiated in response to feedback showing any deviation from water quality characteristics selected from the group consisting of pH, chloride compounds, sodium, hardness, turbidity, alkalinity and conductivity.

16. The process of claim 9 wherein said dechlorination system is a vitamin C dechlorination system wherein vitamin C is fed into said reclaimed water in response to said computerized data handling system showing a deviation from said predetermined acceptable range for active chlorine.

17. The process of claim 10 wherein said predetermined acceptable ranges for the following water quality characteristics are set within the following ranges:

(vi) for hardness, 0 to 200 milligrams of calcium carbonate per liter;

(vii) for turbidity, 0 to 10 nephelometric turbidity units;

(viii) for alkalinity, 0 to 200 milligrams per liter total alkalinity; and

(ix) for conductivity, o to 4000 microSiemens per centimeter.

18. The process of claim 11 wherein said predetermined acceptable ranges for the following water quality characteristics are set within the following ranges:

(vi) for hardness, 0 to 200 milligrams of calcium carbonate per liter;

(vii) for turbidity, 0 to 10 nephelometric turbidity units;

(viii) for alkalinity, 0 to 200 milligrams per liter total alkalinity; and

(ix) for conductivity, o to 4000 microSiemens per centimeter.

19. The process of claim 9 wherein said plurality of monitors includes a nitrate monitor.

20. The process of claim 19 wherein predetermined acceptable ranges for nitrate are set within the range of 0 to 100 milligrams per liter nitrate as nitrogen.