PREPAID IRRIGATION METER

Abstract

The invention relates to a prepaid irrigation meter (100) used in agricultural irrigation systems, developed to increase water measurement accuracy, improve energy and water efficiency, facilitate assembly and maintenance, reduce product weight and production costs. The irrigation meter (100) is an innovative device that enables flow control and measurement operations in irrigation systems to be carried out on a single integrated structure. The irrigation meter (100) has been developed specifically for the efficient, safe and controlled management of water in agricultural areas and garden irrigation systems.

Description

1 TARIFF PREPAID IRRIGATION METER Technical Area The invention aims to improve water measurement accuracy, enhance energy and water efficiency, and simplify assembly and maintenance. It was developed to simplify operations, reduce product weight and production costs, and This relates to prepaid irrigation meters used in agricultural irrigation systems. State of the Art Current irrigation meters are generally used in agriculture, measuring the water source (e.g., irrigation line, During the channeling of water (such as from a water reservoir or canal) to the field area, at specific time intervals or It can be closed depending on the prepayment system and performs measurement and control functions together. They are used in the form of meters. Especially for irrigation associations, cooperatives and field users. Prepaid meter systems measure usage, reduce water loss, monitor in the field, and 15 It is preferred in order to reduce control costs. However, in current practices, meters structural and other components such as the body, valve unit, diaphragm, filter access, and electronic box sealing. There are significant deficiencies in the functional components. The meter housings used in current technology weigh approximately 15.5 kg, which makes production 20 this results in high material consumption as well as labor costs in field assembly and maintenance. This leads to an increase in field personnel's involvement in the transportation, installation, and maintenance of the device. The difficulties encountered, especially in large-scale areas, create a disadvantage. Three-way valve And transition line components are both structurally costly and, in terms of production, require raw materials and assembly. They stand out as high-cost components. This is especially true for the 25 meters where a large number of meters are installed. This increases the total cost in the systems. This is a common technical issue in leaf diaphragm meters. The problem is that the water accumulating inside the diaphragm is released into the atmosphere when the valve is opened. This situation... This leads to both water loss and negatively affects the energy efficiency of the system, as well as the environment. This also poses a disadvantage in terms of sustainability. Access to the suction tube filter is also available. The designs are cumbersome, and cleaning the filter is not easy without completely removing the meter; this 30 This also prolongs maintenance times and creates additional labor costs. Furthermore, in the diaphragm area... The inlet pipe / hose for carrying water is usually located on the side of the body; this In this situation, it is easily accessible from the outside, the hose can be tampered with by malicious individuals. They can be cut off or become more exposed to external conditions. Pressure losses are also a significant factor. This is a problem. Current meters operate between 0.3 bar and 16 bar, resulting in high pressure loss. 2 This occurs at varying levels, which negatively affects hydraulic performance and measurement accuracy. It has an effect. Finally, the sealing level of electronic circuit board boxes is often insufficient. This is not possible; when high protection levels such as IP68 cannot be provided, dust and water can penetrate in field conditions. Resistance to ingress decreases and failure rates increase with long-term use, service and maintenance Costs are rising. 5 Various structural and functional improvement efforts have been undertaken to address these problems. For example... Weight reduction efforts were carried out by optimizing the body design, and assembly and maintenance procedures were improved. Filter access mechanisms have been developed to facilitate access, and diaphragm structure has been modified. Arrangements have been made to reduce pressure losses. Additionally, a three-way valve and transition 10 have been installed. Studies have been conducted on simpler or less complex forms of line components, electronic Higher sealing levels are aimed for the card box. However, the current Improvements are still insufficient in many respects. Reductions in fuselage weight, Assembly and maintenance operations still impose a certain labor burden on field personnel. Three-way Although the valve and transfer line components have been simplified, the production cost of these parts is still 15%. The levels could not be reduced. Instead of releasing the water accumulating in the diaphragm into the atmosphere, it is returned to the system. Some solutions have been developed to facilitate their implementation, but these systems are not suitable for large-scale field operations. full compliance with the conditions, long-term durability and ease of maintenance are limited in terms of ...has remained. Arrangements have been made to facilitate filter access, however, to ensure that all meters are accessible. It was not effective because cleaning without disassembly is not possible in every model. 20 Although designs aimed at reducing pressure losses provide partial improvement in hydraulic performance. Sufficient stability and measurement, especially in wide operating ranges between 0.3 bar and 16 bar. Accuracy cannot be achieved. IP68 level sealing in electronic circuit board boxes. Despite being intended for this purpose, field assembly faces challenging conditions such as temperature variations and mechanical shocks. Complete protection against environmental conditions cannot be provided. Therefore, the current prepaid irrigation system 25 The meters still have aspects that can be improved in terms of their structure and functionality. One of the studies in the current technical literature aimed at solving these problems is, This invention is the subject of patent application number MX2008009100A. The invention is a wireless smart card. It relates to prepaid systems and meters for the provision of water or gas through intermediaries. In summary, 30 Meters manage consumption on a prepayment basis and measure and record water or gas consumption. It offers a mechanism. However, this application takes into account the weight of the meter body and on-site installation and maintenance. labor, cost of three-way valve / three-way line components, return of water inside the diaphragm to the system Solutions related to the provision of filter access and pressure loss over a wide pressure range. It does not offer this. Therefore, this application does not address the existing technical deficiencies. 35 3 There are significant structural and other issues with prepaid meters used in irrigation systems in the current technology. There are functional shortcomings, and some improvements have been made to address these shortcomings. However, field application, cost, ease of assembly and maintenance, hydraulic performance, and level of protection are important considerations. A holistic solution that meets all of these criteria simultaneously has not yet been sufficiently developed. It has not been implemented. As a result, the new 5 that eliminates the disadvantages existing in the current technology. The need for a paid irrigation meter and the inadequacy of existing solutions are related to the technical aspects. This has made it necessary to make improvements in this field. Brief Description of the Invention The present invention meets the aforementioned requirements while eliminating all disadvantages. and improve water measurement accuracy, enhance energy and water efficiency, which brings some additional advantages, to simplify assembly and maintenance processes, reduce product weight and production costs with prepaid irrigation meters developed for this purpose and used in agricultural irrigation systems It is related. 15 Based on the current state of the art, the aim of the invention is to replace existing prepaid irrigation meters. High production costs, heavy body structure, maintenance difficulties, water and energy loss, and low efficiency are among the observed disadvantages. By eliminating technical issues such as hydraulic efficiency, it creates a lighter, more economical, efficient, and durable product. The goal is to develop a metering system. 20 The aim of the invention is to reduce the total product weight through an optimized body design, The aim is to reduce material consumption and to facilitate assembly and maintenance procedures. Another objective of the invention is to achieve 25 through the redesigned three-way valve and transition line design. The goal is to reduce component costs and lower the overall production cost of the product. Another purpose of the invention is to allow the water that accumulates inside the diaphragm to be discharged into the system instead of being released into the atmosphere. Thanks to the structure that enables its recovery, water loss is prevented and energy efficiency is increased. is to increase it. 30 Another aim of the invention is to improve the filter's performance thanks to the improved suction tube filter and access mechanism. easy cleaning, shortened maintenance time and elimination of labor costs its removal. 35 Another aim of the invention is to achieve low pressure loss thanks to the improved leaf diaphragm structure. The aim is to improve hydraulic performance and enhance measurement accuracy. 4 Another purpose of the invention is to create a waterproofing system made of aluminum with IP68 rating. Thanks to the electronic circuit board enclosure, the device is protected against water and dust in long-term field conditions. The goal is to ensure that they can work safely under full protection. The structural and characteristic features and all the advantages of the invention are given in the figures below and in 5 of these figures. This will be understood more clearly thanks to the detailed explanation written with references. Therefore, the evaluation should be made taking these figures and detailed explanations into consideration. is required. Brief Description of Figures 10 The structure of the current invention and the best understanding of its advantages, including additional components. This should be evaluated together with the figures explained below. Figure 1 shows a schematic overview of the valve unit from the outside. 15 Figure 2 shows a schematic overview of the cross-section of the valve unit. Figure 3 shows a schematic general external view of a monolithic irrigation meter. Figure 4 shows a schematic overview of the cross-section of a monolithic irrigation meter. Figure 5 shows a schematic general view of the external surface of a flange-connected irrigation meter. Figure 6 shows a schematic overview of a cross-section of a flange-connected irrigation meter. 20 Reference Numbers 100. Irrigation meter 101. Body 25 102. Valve unit 103. Leaf diaphragm 104. Three-way valve 105. Filter Box 106, Part 30 107. Diaphragm water inlet pipe 108. Cover 109. Sealing device 110. Water meter 35 Detailed Description of the Invention This detailed explanation describes how the invention aims to improve water measurement accuracy and enhance energy and water efficiency. to improve, simplify assembly and maintenance processes, reduce product weight and production costs Developed to reduce costs, prepaid irrigation is used in agricultural irrigation systems. counter (100) is only an example to help better understand the subject and has no limiting effect. It is described in a way that will not create a problem. The subject of the invention, the irrigation counter (100), enables flow control and measurement operations in irrigation systems with a single unit. It is an innovative device that enables implementation on an integrated structure. Irrigation counter (100), 10 especially in agricultural areas and garden irrigation systems, water is used efficiently, safely and in a controlled manner. It has been developed for the purpose of managing it in this way. The structure is based on an optimized body (101). two basic functional units: installed valve unit (102) and ultrasonic water meter (110). It consists of two parts. These two main components both measure the water in the system and turn it on and off. It makes it possible to control the closing precisely. Irrigation meter (100) 15 Its entire structure is resistant to external factors, easy to maintain and assemble, and will increase water and energy efficiency. It is designed in this way. The housing (101) forming the outer structure of the irrigation meter (100) is either integrated or flange connected. It can be produced. The main carrier for the mentioned body (101), valve unit (102) and water meter (110) is 20 It undertakes the task of protecting all components of the irrigation meter (100). It provides protection and ensures long-lasting use in field conditions. Furthermore, it is optimized. Thanks to its design, the overall weight of the irrigation meter (100) has been reduced, its portability and installation Ease of use has been increased. Valve unit (102) provides flow control of the irrigation meter (100). As shown in Figure-1. The valve unit (102) is positioned on the shell (101) and is used to open and close the water flow. It undertakes its task. The valve unit (102), the leaf diaphragm (103) and the three-way valve located inside it. (104) It regulates the flow direction, pressure and discharge processes thanks to its components. In addition, Thanks to its modular design, the valve unit (102) can be used independently of the water meter (110) 30 It is available for use. The aforementioned leaf diaphragm (103) is located inside the valve unit (102) and is subject to the water pressure. It is a flexible element that performs opening and closing functions depending on the connection. A cross-section is shown in Figure 2. The leaf diaphragm (103), given its appearance, responds to changes in water pressure in the irrigation meter (100) 35 It operates responsively and ensures the regular control of the flow. Traditional Instead of discharging water into the atmosphere as in other systems, the invention uses leaves. 6 The water inside the diaphragm (103) is redirected back into the system. Thus, both water loss is avoided. This prevents and ensures energy efficiency. The inner layer of the leaf diaphragm (103) or by integrating court fabric between the surface layers to increase durability It has been reinforced. The woven structure of the court fabric can withstand conditions that may arise in high-pressure irrigation lines. It prevents deformations and protects against blockages that may result from filtration deficiencies. It offers long-term durability. Thanks to this design, it can withstand a wide range of pressures from 0.3 bar to 16 bar. Efficient performance is achieved with low pressure loss within the pressure range. The three-way valve (104), located inside the valve unit (102), directs the flow of water onto the leaf diaphragm (103). It is the control element that enables the redirection or transition to the evacuation line. (Figure 2 shows 10) Thanks to the three-way valve (104) shown, the direction of water flow can be changed in a controlled manner. Thus, the opening and closing operations of the valve unit (102) are fast and precise. It can be realized. The three-way valve (104) is also stuck inside the leaf diaphragm (103). It also regulates the discharge of water to the drain line or back into the system, so the valve unit (102) Pressure buildup inside is prevented. 15 The filter (105) located in the inlet line of the irrigation meter (100) ensures the long service life of the system. It is a protective element that provides protection. As can be seen in Figure-4 and Figure-6, the filter (105) suction It is integrated into the water line and the water meter detects particles such as sediment, sand, and foreign matter in the water. (110) and / or prevents it from reaching the valve unit (102). In this way, the irrigation meter (100) 20 This prevents clogging and loss of measurement accuracy. The filter (105) is easily removable and Its easy-to-clean structure reduces maintenance times and provides practicality for the user. The electronic components of the irrigation meter (100) are housed in an aluminum box (106) It is safely protected inside. The box (106) shown in Figure-3 and Figure-5 is 25 liters of dust and water resistant. It has an IP68 level of protection. This high level of sealing ensures that the irrigation meter (100) It also ensures reliable use in long-term field conditions. Furthermore, it protects electronic components from external damage. It preserves measurement accuracy by preventing it from being affected by environmental conditions. The diaphragm water inlet pipe (107), which is one of the most important structural components of the irrigation meter (100), 30 It is responsible for conveying the water from the irrigation line to the water meter (110) and / or valve unit (102). The diaphragm water inlet pipe (107) shown in Figure-3 and Figure-5 is the first of the inventions. Unlike the designs, it is taken from the side of the fuselage (101) and the upper side of the fuselage (101). in the part, located in the immediate vicinity of the valve unit (102) in a way that cannot be directly accessed from the outside. The area has been moved to a hidden compartment. This compartment is protected by a lid (108). Thus, the diaphragm water 35 inlet pipe (107) is protected from external interventions, such as cutting the hose or damaging the pipe. It is protected against situations such as damage. 7 The cover (108) has the function of protecting the diaphragm water inlet pipe (107) and communication cables. The cover (108), whose external view is given in Figure-3 and Figure-5, is fixed with sealing wire. It can be easily removed and installed when needed. The mentioned cover (108) is the irrigation meter (100) This allows maintenance to be carried out without the need to disassemble the entire system. This saves time. and labor savings are achieved. 5 The seal device (109) which ensures the safety of the irrigation meter (100) protects the integrity of the device. It is an important element. The sealing device (109) is located in the cover (108) area and unauthorized This prevents interference. In this way, the reliability of the irrigation meter (100) is increased, and unauthorized interference in the field is prevented. Attempts to open or interfere were prevented. 10 The measuring function of the irrigation meter (100) is measured by the prepaid ultrasonic water meter (110). The water meter (110) shown in Figure-3, Figure-4, Figure-5 and Figure-6 is implemented. It measures the flow rate and total consumption with high precision and communicates with the electronic box (106). It operates as follows: 15 The applicable structures of the irrigation meter (100) can be produced in three different ways. Figure-3 and Figure- In the first case shown in 4, the valve unit (102) and the water meter (110) are mounted on a single body (101). It is integrated. In the second case shown in Figures 5 and 6, the valve unit (102) and water meter (110) are produced in separate housings (101) and joined by flange connection. Third 20 In this case, the valve unit (102) is independent of the irrigation meter (100) on its own. It can be used. This modular design offers flexible usage possibilities according to different application needs. It provides. As a result, the irrigation counter (100) in question measures the water accumulated in the leaf diaphragm (103) by 25 The diaphragm water inlet pipe (107) is hidden and prevents water loss by redirecting it back into the system. enhancing safety with its secure positioning, long with filter (105) and seal device (109) It is an innovative, high-performance irrigation control system that offers a long lifespan and ease of maintenance.

Claims

8 REQUESTS 1. To improve water measurement accuracy, enhance energy and water efficiency, and facilitate installation and maintenance. agricultural processes to facilitate operations, reduce product weight and production costs prepaid irrigation meter (100) developed for use in irrigation systems, 5 feature; - located inside the body (101) to measure the water flow rate and total consumption and water meter (110) working in communication with electronic box (106) and / or irrigation positioned on the body (101) to provide flow control of the counter (100), Valve unit (102) which can also be used independently of the water meter (110); 10 - serving as structural support for the water meter (110) and / or valve unit (102), The valve unit (102) and the water meter (110) are in an integrated single-piece structure or connected to each other. The body in which it is placed in separate structures assembled (101); - to convey the water from the irrigation line to the water meter (110) and / or valve unit (102) on the upper side of the fuselage (101), in a way that cannot be directly accessed from the outside 15 The diaphragm water was moved to a hidden compartment located in the immediate vicinity of the valve unit (102). It contains the inlet pipe (107).

2. The prepaid irrigation meter (100) conforming to Request 1 is characterized by its function depending on the water pressure. inside the valve unit (102) to perform the opening and closing function positioned, water in irrigation meter (100) 20 for regular control of flow. It operates by being sensitive to pressure changes and releases the water inside to the atmosphere. It contains a leaf diaphragm (103) which redirects it back into the system.

3. A prepaid irrigation meter (100) conforming to Request 2, whose feature is to increase its durability. The leaf diaphragm (103) is integrated between the inner layer or surface layers of the cortex It includes diapers. 25 4. Prepaid irrigation meter (100) conforming to Request 2, its feature is; leaf diaphragm (103) the flow of water to be directed or diverted to a drain line can change its direction in a controlled manner, and also within the leaf diaphragm (103) It includes a three-way valve (104) that directs the trapped water back to the drain line or system.

5. The prepaid irrigation meter (100) conforming to Request 1 is characterized by its ability to remove sediment, sand, and other impurities from the water. to prevent foreign matter or particles from reaching the water meter (110) and / or valve unit (102) It contains a filter (105) integrated into the suction line to prevent it.

6. The prepaid irrigation meter (100) conforming to Request 1 has the following feature: diaphragm water inlet pipe. (107) and cover secured with sealing wire to protect communication cables (108) It includes. 35 7. The prepaid irrigation meter (100) conforming to Request 1 is characterized by its valve unit (102) and water. It includes a flange connection to connect the separate housings (101) in which the counter (110) is located.