Irrigation system

• US 9,521,812 B2
• Filed: 01/29/2015
• Issued: 12/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Hamann, Hendrik F., Klein, Levente I., Rodriguez, Sergio A. Bermudez, Schappert, Michael A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hall, Arthur O
• Assistant Examiner(s): Barrera, Juan C
• Application Number:
  US14/608,842
• Publication Number:
  US 20150189841A1
• Time in Patent Office: 691 Days
• Field of Search: 239/542, 239/563, 239/267, 239/556, 239/557, 239/562, 239/565, 239/574, 239/571, 239200-210
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/02 Watering arrangements located above the soil which make use of perforated pipe-lines or pipe-lines with dispensing fittings, e.g. for drip irrigation
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/16 Control of watering
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/162 Sequential operation
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/165 Cyclic operations, timing systems, timing valves, impulse operations
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 12/04 for sequential operation or multiple outlets
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 40/22 Improving land use; Improving water use or availability; Controlling erosion

Abstract

A method of operating a drip irrigation system is provided and includes providing drip irrigation lines aside a diverter line with T-junctions interleaved between adjacent ones of the drip irrigation lines and each T-junction including a three-way line coupled to the diverter line, a check valve operably disposable between the three-way line and a downstream end of an upstream one of the drip irrigation lines to permit fluid flow in only a forward direction and a controllable valve operably disposable between the three-way line and an upstream end of a downstream one of the drip irrigation lines.

Claims

1. An irrigation system including a diverter line, the system comprising:

drip irrigation lines;

T-junctions interleaved between adjacent drip irrigation lines, each T-junction comprising;

a three-way line coupled to the diverter line;

a check valve operably disposable between the three-way line and a downstream end of an upstream one of the drip irrigation lines to permit fluid flow in only a forward direction from the downstream end of the upstream one of the drip irrigation lines to each leg of the three-way line; and

a controllable valve operably disposable between the three-way line and an upstream end of a downstream one of the drip irrigation lines,

the controllable valve being operable to permit fluid flow in only the forward direction from each leg of the three-way line to an upstream end of a downstream one of the drip irrigation lines and to prevent the fluid flow.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the drip irrigation lines have uniform and/or adjustable lengths.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the drip irrigation lines are disposable on both sides of the diverter line.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein multiple T-junctions are disposable at similar axial locations along the diverter line.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the controllable valve of each of the T-junctions comprises a solenoid valve.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein each of the solenoid valves are opened to flush the system.

7. The system according to claim 5, further comprising a control station operably coupled to each of the solenoid valves.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein the control station operates the solenoid valves in a closed loop configuration based on sensor feedback.

9. The system according to claim 7, wherein each of the solenoid valves are configured to acknowledge command receipt and to report that a command was performed.

10. An irrigation system including a diverter line, the system comprising:

drip irrigation lines;

T-junctions interleaved between adjacent drip irrigation lines, each T-junction comprising;

a three-way line coupled to the diverter line;

a check valve between the three-way line and a downstream end of an upstream one of the drip irrigation lines to permit fluid flow in only a forward direction from the downstream end of the upstream one of the drip irrigation lines to each leg of the three-way line; and

a controllable valve between the three-way line and an upstream end of a downstream one of the drip irrigation lines to permit fluid flow in only the forward direction from each leg of the three-way line to an upstream end of a downstream one of the drip irrigation lines.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein the drip irrigation lines have uniform and/or adjustable lengths.

12. The system according to claim 10, wherein the drip irrigation lines are on both sides of the diverter line.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein multiple T-junctions are at similar axial locations along the diverter line.

14. The system according to claim 10, wherein each controllable valve comprises a solenoid valve.

15. The system according to claim 14, wherein each solenoid valve opens to flush the system.

16. The system according to claim 14, further comprising a control station coupled to each solenoid valve,

the control station being configured to operate the solenoid valves in a closed loop configuration based on sensor feedback, and

each solenoid valve being configured to acknowledge command receipt and to report that a command was performed.

17. A method of operating a drip irrigation system, the method comprising:

providing drip irrigation lines aside a diverter line with T-junctions interleaved between adjacent ones of the drip irrigation lines and each T-junction comprising;

a three-way line coupled to the diverter line;

a check valve operably disposable between the three-way line and a downstream end of an upstream one of the drip irrigation lines to permit fluid flow in only a forward direction from the downstream end of the upstream one of the drip irrigation lines to each leg of the three-way line; and

a controllable valve operably disposable between the three-way line and an upstream end of a downstream one of the drip irrigation lines from each leg of the three-way line to an upstream end of a downstream one of the drip irrigation lines; and

opening and closing each of the controllable valves.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the opening and closing is in accordance with a predefined schedule.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the predefined schedule is defined in accordance with a predefined temporal resolution.

20. The method according to claim 17, wherein the opening and closing is in accordance with current atmospheric conditions.