Smart apparatus for to prevent fruit tree damage from freezing

Abstract

The present invention relates to a smart fruit tree cold damage prevention device, comprising: a cold water tank for storing cold water; a heater that heats the cold water to generate hot water; a hot water tank for storing the hot water; a hot water tank that mixes the cold water and the hot water to generate and store hot water; a cold and hot water supply device that controls the amount of cold water supplied to the heater, the amount of cold water supplied to the hot water tank, and the amount of hot water supplied to the hot water tank, respectively; a hot water spraying device that sprays the hot water into a fruit tree cultivation space; a sensing device that senses the temperature of the fruit tree cultivation space and the temperature of the hot water; and a control device that determines whether to heat based on at least one of the temperature of the fruit tree cultivation space and a preset heating schedule, and then controls the operation of the heater, the cold and hot water flow control unit, and the hot water spraying device to adjust the amount of hot water supplied.

Description

Technology Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a smart fruit tree cold damage prevention device capable of maximizing the time and efficiency of preventing fruit tree cold damage relative to the heater capacity. Background Technology

[0002] Methods to prevent frost damage to fruit tree flowers include combustion, blowing, and sprinkling.

[0003] The combustion method requires lighting a fire under the fruit tree, so there is a high risk of fire when the wind blows; the blowing method is not economically viable due to excessive costs; and the sprinkler method cannot be used despite being economically viable because if the water temperature drops below -2℃ when using water from an underground well at 15℃, greater damage occurs.

[0004] However, although the hot water sprinkler method is widely used as it is evaluated as the most economical and safest, it has the disadvantage of being a conventional method where its use is limited because the sprinkler season occurs when nighttime temperatures drop, preventing users from sleeping in the early morning and requiring them to heat water using a wood heater and store it in a PE tank. Prior art literature

[0005] Korean Registered Patent No. 10-2327998 (Registration Date: November 12, 2021) The problem to be solved

[0006] Accordingly, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention aims to provide a smart fruit tree cold damage prevention device that can automatically spray hot water to prevent cold damage in fruit tree farms without user intervention.

[0007] In addition, we aim to provide a smart fruit tree frost prevention device that can perform fruit tree frost prevention operation for a longer period of time with the same capacity.

[0008] The objectives of the present invention are not limited to those mentioned above, and other unmentioned objectives will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains from the description below. means of solving the problem

[0009] As a means to solve the above problem, according to one embodiment of the present invention, a smart fruit tree cold damage prevention device is provided, comprising: a cold water tank for storing cold water; a heater for heating the cold water to generate hot water; a hot water tank for storing the hot water; a hot water tank for mixing the cold water and the hot water to generate and store hot water; a cold and hot water supply device for controlling the amount of cold water supplied to the heater, the amount of cold water supplied to the hot water tank, and the amount of hot water supplied to the hot water tank, respectively; a hot water spraying device for mist spraying the hot water into a fruit tree cultivation space; a sensing device for sensing the temperature of the fruit tree cultivation space and the temperature of the hot water; and a control device that determines whether to heat according to at least one of the temperature of the fruit tree cultivation space and a preset heating schedule, and then controls the operation of the heater, the cold and hot water flow control unit, and the hot water spraying device to adjust at least one of the amount of hot water supplied and the hot water supply cycle to increase the heating time relative to the heater capacity and improve heating efficiency.

[0010] The above control unit is characterized by further including a function that, when hot water heating starts, continues to drive the heater until the hot water temperature reaches a preset target temperature to advance the time at which the target temperature of the hot water is reached, and after the hot water temperature reaches the target temperature, intermittently drives the heater according to the temperature of the fruit cultivation space.

[0011] The above control unit is characterized by further including a function to control the supply ratio of cold water and hot water to the hot water tank based on the hot water temperature.

[0012] The above-described hot and cold water supply device comprises a plurality of flow control devices installed respectively in the cold water pipeline of the heater, the cold water pipeline of the hot water tank, and the hot water pipeline, and each of the flow control devices is characterized by being implemented through at least one of a water pump or an electronic valve.

[0013] The above control unit is characterized by adjusting the amount of hot water supplied using at least one of the following methods: a method of controlling the amount of water supplied to the water pump, a method of controlling the driving speed of the water pump, a method of controlling the operation cycle of the water pump, and a method of controlling whether to drive the water pump according to the temperature of the fruit cultivation space.

[0014] The above sensing device is characterized by further including a function to sense hydraulic pressure within the pipeline.

[0015] The above control device is characterized by further including a function to check for overpressure and residual water based on hydraulic pressure in the pipeline, cut off power supply to the water pump when overpressure occurs, and remove water from the pipeline line when residual water occurs. Effects of the invention

[0016] The present invention enables the maximization of user convenience by determining whether to heat based on at least one of the temperature of the fruit cultivation space and a preset heating schedule, and then automatically generating and supplying hot water.

[0017] In addition, by generating hot water and then mixing it with cold water to produce hot water, it is possible to supply hot water to a larger cultivation space for a longer period of time with a minimum number of heaters.

[0018] In addition, by varying the hot water supply cycle or amount, the heating time and heating efficiency relative to the heater capacity can also be increased in various ways. Brief explanation of the drawing

[0019] FIG. 1 is a drawing illustrating a smart fruit tree cold damage prevention device according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIGS. 2 and FIGS. 3 are drawings illustrating a method for supplying hot water to prevent cold damage to fruit farms according to an embodiment of the present invention. Specific details for implementing the invention

[0020] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments are described in detail with reference to the attached drawings so that those skilled in the art can easily practice the present invention. However, in describing the preferred embodiments of the present invention in detail, if it is determined that a detailed description of related known functions or configurations may unnecessarily obscure the essence of the present invention, such detailed description is omitted. Additionally, the same reference numerals are used throughout the drawings for parts having similar functions and operations.

[0021] Additionally, throughout the specification, when a part is described as being 'connected' to another part, this includes not only cases where they are 'directly connected,' but also cases where they are 'indirectly connected' with other elements in between. Furthermore, the description of a component as 'including' means that, unless specifically stated otherwise, it does not exclude other components but may include additional components.

[0022] FIG. 1 is a drawing illustrating a smart fruit tree cold damage prevention device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] Referring to FIG. 1, the device (110) of the present invention includes a cold water tank (110), a heater (120), a hot water tank (130), a hot water tank (140), a cold and hot water supply device (151, 152, 153), a hot water spray device (160), a sensing device (171, 172), and a control device (180), etc.

[0024] The cold water tank (110) stores cold water such as well water, groundwater, tap water, etc.

[0025] The heater (120) uses gas, oil, electricity, etc. as an energy source to heat the cold water supplied to it, thereby producing high-temperature water of about 70° to 80°.

[0026] The high-temperature water tank (130) stores high-temperature water generated by the heater (120), and the hot water tank (140) mixes the cold water and high-temperature water supplied to it to generate and store hot water having a preset target temperature (e.g., 30° to 40°). At this time, the high-temperature water tank (130) and the hot water tank (140) are made of a material with an insulating function or have an insulating material coated in the internal space so that the current temperature of the high-temperature water and hot water can be maintained for a long time.

[0027] The cold and hot water supply device (151, 152, 153) is equipped with a plurality of flow control devices installed respectively in the cold water pipeline of the heater (120), the cold water pipeline of the hot water tank (140), and the hot water pipeline of the hot water tank (140), and through these, controls the amount of cold water supplied to the heater (120), and the amount of cold water supplied to the hot water tank (140) and the amount of hot water supplied, respectively. At this time, the flow control device may be implemented through at least one of a water pump or an electronic valve, but is not limited thereto.

[0028] The hot water spraying device (160) is implemented with a plurality of spray nozzles (161) distributed over the entire area of ​​the fruit cultivation space and a pipe (162) that supplies hot water to the plurality of spray nozzles (162), thereby spraying hot water in the form of mist to prevent fruit freezing damage.

[0029] The sensing device (171, 172) senses the temperature of the fruit cultivation space and the temperature of the hot water through the first temperature sensor (171) installed in the fruit cultivation space and the second temperature sensor (172) installed in the hot water tank (140).

[0030] Additionally, pressure sensors are additionally provided in the pipelines connected to the cold water tank (110), the hot water tank (130), and the hot water tank (140), thereby allowing for the sensing and notification of hydraulic pressure within the pipelines.

[0031] The control device (180) determines whether to heat based on at least one of the temperature of the fruit cultivation space and a preset heating schedule. When hot water heating is determined, the heater (120), the hot and cold water supply device (151, 152, 153), and the hot water injection device (160) are controlled to operate according to a preset control protocol to generate hot water with a target temperature value, and then to be injected into the fruit cultivation space.

[0032] In this way, the present invention generates high-temperature water through the heater (120) and then mixes it with cold water to generate hot water, thereby reducing the amount of water that the heater (120) needs to heat. That is, a larger amount of hot water can be generated and supplied with minimal operation of the heater (120), and the heating area relative to the heater capacity can be effectively increased.

[0033] In addition, the present invention allows for the maximum use of water supply spray by adjusting the hot water supply amount in various ways according to user operation values ​​or temperature analysis results.

[0034] The adjustment of the hot water supply volume can be implemented in various ways through the following methods.

[0035] (1) A method of controlling the amount of water supplied to the water pump by applying a manual valve before the connection stage of the water pump.

[0036] (2) A method of controlling the driving speed (or rotational speed) of a pump through frequency control by using a dedicated inverter that performs pump control.

[0037] (3) A method to maximize water supply time by controlling the operation cycle through the on / off control of the pump (e.g., 5 minutes supply / 1 minute standby, 4 minutes supply / 2 minutes standby, 3 minutes supply / 3 minutes standby).

[0038] (4) A method of maintaining the purpose of use and supplying water according to the temperature standard of water supply by reading the temperature in the air as data for each point and controlling whether the water pump operates according to the temperature standard of the atmosphere (e.g., 0 degrees).

[0039] (5) A method that includes all the contents presented in (1) to (4), and continuously operates the heater to provide temperature compensation during the water supply time, in addition to the method in which the heater has a rest time during the water supply time.

[0040] In addition, the control device (180) checks whether overpressure has occurred and whether water remains based on the hydraulic pressure (i.e., water pressure) in the pipeline sensed through the pressure sensor.

[0041] If overpressure occurs, the power supplied to the water pump of the hot and cold water supply device (151, 152, 153) is cut off to prevent damage to the pipeline line and to prevent damage to the water pump.

[0042] In addition, in the event of residual water, a T-shaped pressure lock valve is inserted at the bottom of the pipeline. When water is supplied from the water pump, the pressure lock valve at the bottom of the T-shape closes due to water pressure, and when the water pressure decreases, the pressure lock valve opens, thereby eliminating the residual water within the pipeline and preventing the pipeline from freezing.

[0043] In addition, it includes a small solar power generation device that converts solar energy into electrical energy and a small ESS that charges the power generated by the small solar power generation device, and through these, it is possible to secure grid operation and independent operation functions using a hybrid inverter.

[0044] FIGS. 2 and FIGS. 3 are drawings illustrating a method for supplying hot water to prevent cold damage to fruit farms according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0045] The present invention starts generating and supplying hot water by generating high-temperature water through a heater (120) and mixing it with cold water when the temperature of the fruit cultivation space drops below a preset value or when the current time reaches a preset heating time.

[0046] In particular, in the present invention, as shown in FIG. 2, the heater (120) is continuously operated to supply high-temperature water until the hot water temperature reaches a preset target temperature, thereby allowing the time for the hot water temperature to reach the target temperature to be shortened as much as possible.

[0047] And after the hot water temperature reaches the target temperature, the heater is operated intermittently only when the temperature of the fruit cultivation space drops and the temperature difference from the target temperature exceeds a preset value, so that high-temperature water is generated and supplied only enough to maintain the hot water temperature at the target temperature.

[0048] In addition to controlling the driving cycle of the heater, it is also possible to control the supply ratio of cold water and hot water to the hot water tank (140) according to the temperature difference between the hot water temperature and the target temperature.

[0049] For example, if the hot water temperature is too low and the temperature difference from the target temperature is large, the supply of cold water is reduced and the supply of hot water is increased; and as the temperature difference decreases, the supply of cold water is gradually increased in proportion to this, thereby minimizing the amount of heater driven while shortening the time required to reach the target temperature of the hot water.

[0050] Alternatively, the present invention allows for the adjustment of the amount of hot water supplied according to the temperature difference between the temperature of the fruit cultivation space and the target temperature, as shown in Fig. 3.

[0051] For example, when the weather gets cold and the temperature of the fruit cultivation space drops, the amount of hot water supplied is increased in proportion to this through at least one of the hot water injection time and hot water injection cycle of the hot water injection device (160) so that the temperature of the fruit cultivation space can rise to the target temperature more quickly.

[0052] Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described above, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described above. It is understood that various modifications can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the essence of the invention as claimed in the claims, and such modifications should not be understood individually from the technical spirit or perspective of the present invention.

Claims

Claim 1 A cold water tank for storing cold water; a heater that heats the cold water to generate hot water; a hot water tank for storing the hot water; a hot water tank that mixes the cold water and the hot water to generate and store hot water; a cold and hot water supply device that controls the amount of cold water supplied to the heater, and the amounts of cold water and hot water supplied to the hot water tank, respectively; a hot water spraying device that mist-sprays the hot water into a fruit cultivation space; and a sensing device that senses the temperature of the fruit cultivation space and the temperature of the hot water. A smart fruit tree frost prevention device comprising: a control device that determines whether to heat based on at least one of the temperature of the fruit tree cultivation space and a preset heating schedule, and then controls the operation of the heater, the hot and cold water supply device, and the hot water spray device to adjust at least one of the hot water supply amount and the hot water supply cycle to increase the heating time relative to the heater capacity and improve heating efficiency; wherein the control device further comprises the function of, when hot water heating starts, continuously driving the heater until the hot water temperature reaches a preset target temperature to advance the time of reaching the target temperature of the hot water, and after the hot water temperature reaches the target temperature, driving the heater intermittently according to the temperature of the fruit tree cultivation space, and the function of controlling the supply ratio of cold water and hot water to the hot water tank based on the hot water temperature. Claim 2 delete Claim 3 delete Claim 4 A smart overwater cold damage prevention device according to claim 1, wherein the hot and cold water supply device comprises a plurality of flow control devices installed respectively in the cold water pipeline of the heater, the cold water pipeline and the hot water pipeline of the hot water tank, and each of the flow control devices is implemented through at least one of a water pump or an electronic valve. Claim 5 A smart fruit tree cold damage prevention device according to claim 4, wherein the control device adjusts the amount of hot water supplied using at least one of the following methods: a method of valve controlling the amount of water supplied to the water pump, a method of controlling the driving speed of the water pump, a method of controlling the operation cycle of the water pump, and a method of controlling whether to drive the water pump according to the temperature of the fruit tree cultivation space. Claim 6 A smart fruit tree cold damage prevention device according to claim 1, characterized in that the sensing device further includes a function of sensing hydraulic pressure within a pipeline. Claim 7 A smart fruit and cold damage prevention device according to claim 6, characterized in that the control device further includes the function of checking whether overpressure occurs and whether water remains based on hydraulic pressure in the pipeline, cutting off power supply to the water pump when overpressure occurs, and removing water in the pipeline when water remains.

Images