System and method for irrigation using atmospheric water

• US 8,321,061 B2
• Filed: 06/17/2010
• Issued: 11/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deere & Company
• Original Assignee: Deere & Company
• Inventors: Anderson, Noel Wayne
• Primary Examiner(s): Masinick, Michael D
• Application Number:
  US12/817,638
• Publication Number:
  US 20110313577A1
• Time in Patent Office: 894 Days
• Field of Search: 700/284, 621/15, 621/26, 622/85, 622/91
• US Class Current: 700/284
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/00 Watering gardens, fields, sports grounds or the like special apparatus or adaptations for fertilising-liquids A01C23/00; nozzles or outlets, spraying apparatus B05B
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/16 Control of watering
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/167 Control by humidity of the soil itself or of devices simulating soil or of the atmosphere; Soil humidity sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 5/0051 Regulation processes; Control systems, e.g. valves
• CPC Class Codes: E03B 3/28 from humid air condensing of vapours in general B01D5/00; dehumidification of air for air-conditioning F24F3/14
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 20/00 Water conservation; Efficient water supply; Efficient water use

Abstract

An embodiment of the invention delivers water to plants of a specified type which reside in a quantity of soil. A condensing unit is operated at optimum intervals to condense water vapor in the air into water in liquid form. The condensed water is stored in a reservoir connected to an irrigation system, which can deliver water from the reservoir to each of the plants. A database is established that contains horticultural information, wherein the horticultural information comprises a set of values representing the water needed by plants of the specified type at different stages of growth. Estimates of soil moisture content are generated during a specified time period. Optimum watering intervals are computed during the specified time period, at least in part, as a function of the set of values contained in the horticultural database, and also as a function of the estimates of moisture content. The irrigation system is operated to deliver water to each plant during respective optimum watering intervals.

Claims

1. A method for delivering water to one or more plants wherein each plant resides at least partially in a quantity of soil, and is proximate to air that contains water vapor, said method comprising the steps of:

operating a condensing unit at condensing intervals to convert amounts of the water vapor into water in liquid form;

storing said water in liquid form in a reservoir, wherein the reservoir is connected to an irrigation system configured to selectively deliver water from the reservoir to each of the plants;

accessing a database of horticultural information for an amount of water needed by a plant type of the one or more plants;

generating one or more estimates of the moisture content of said quantity of soil, during a first specified time period;

computing one or more watering intervals during the first specified time period, wherein each watering interval is computed, at least in part, as a function of values contained in the horticultural database, and also as a function of the estimates of moisture content;

gathering data pertaining to said plant water need, wherein said gathered data is used to determine at given times whether it is necessary to operate the condensing unit; and

operating the irrigation system to deliver water to each of the plants during each of the watering intervals.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of gathering data further comprises:

gathering additional data pertaining to said soil moisture content and forecasted air temperature and dewpoint data, wherein said additional gathered data is used to determine at given times whether it is necessary to operate the condensing unit, and if not to prevent use of the condensing unit and storing of water.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

air temperature data and dewpoint data is forecasted during a second specified time period, and each of the condensing intervals is computed for the second specified time period, at least in part, as a function of the forecasted air temperature data, and also as a function of the forecasted dewpoint data.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein:

each of the condensing intervals is further computed as a function of data that indicates the energy efficiency of the condensing unit for a given air temperature.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

each of the estimates of moisture is computed, at least in part, from evapotranspiration data associated with the plants of said specified type, and is further computed from data provided by a moisture content detector inserted into said quantity of soil.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein:

operation of the condensing unit and operation of the irrigation system is respectively controlled by a specified processor, wherein the processor is connected to a data processing system by means of a wireless communication link.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein:

a plurality of energy sources are available to operate the condensing unit, the operation of each source has an associated cost, and the processor is operable to select the source that has the lowest cost to operate the condensing unit during each of the condensing intervals.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein:

said plurality of energy sources includes at least one source of Locally Harvested Energy.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein:

the amount of water contained in the reservoir is continually monitored, and said amount is repeatedly furnished to the processor.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the condensing unit has a component which is disposed for alignment along the direction of an available wind, in order to increase operating efficiency of the condensing unit.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the condensing unit uses an electrocaloric device to condense amounts of water vapor into water in liquid form.

12. A method of irrigating, comprising:

condensing, by a condensing unit, amounts of water from water vapor;

operating the condensing unit for a condensing interval during a time period for a level of efficiency based on temperature data and dewpoint data forecasted for that time period, and an amount of water needed by a plant type of the plant in the soil;

determining moisture content of soil subject to irrigation;

and

selectively storing the condensed water and distributing the condensed water to one or more plants based on the moisture content of the soil and the amount of water needed.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein:

the condensing unit is operated in association with one of a plurality of energy sources based on a cost and availability of each of the energy sources during the time interval.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein:

estimates of soil moisture content are computed at least from evapotranspiration data associated with plants of the plant type, and from data provided by a forecast of precipitation for the time period.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein:

each of the estimates of soil moisture content is further computed from data provided by a moisture detector inserted into the soil.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein:

the condensing interval is computed as a function of data that indicates the energy efficiency of the condensing unit for a given air temperature.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein:

one of the plurality of energy sources is selected by processing information pertaining to at least the cost and availability of wind, of sun, and of electric power from a power grid, respectively.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein:

the selected energy source is a storage battery, and the state of charge and the condition of the storage battery are used in selecting the storage battery.

19. Apparatus for delivering water to one or more plants wherein each plant resides at least partially in a quantity of soil, and is proximate to atmospheric air that contains water vapor, said apparatus comprising:

a condensing unit which is operable at condensing intervals to convert amounts of the water vapor into water in liquid form;

a reservoir for selectively storing said water in liquid form;

a processing means associated with a database that contains horticultural information for an amount of water needed by a plant type of the one or more plants, wherein the processing means receives one or more estimates of the moisture content of said quantity of soil, during a specified first period of time, computes one or more watering intervals during the specified first period of time, each watering interval being computed, at least in part, as a function of values contained in said horticulture database, and also as a function of said estimates of moisture content, and gathers data pertaining to said plant water need, wherein said gathered data is used to determine at given times whether it is necessary to operate the condensing unit; and

an irrigation system operated by said processing means to deliver water to each of the plants during each of the watering intervals.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein;

the processing means receives forecasts of air temperature data and dewpoint data for a second specified time period, and each of the condensing intervals is computed for the second specified time period by the processing means, at least in part, as a function of the forecasted air temperature data, and also as a function of the forecasted dewpoint data.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein:

the processing means comprises a specified processor, a data processing system and a wireless communication link, wherein the processor respectively controls operation of the condensing unit and of the irrigation system, and the processor is connected to the data processing system by means of the wireless communication link.