Labyrinth flow channels and drip irrigation emitters

Abstract

This disclosure provides a labyrinth flow channel and a drip irrigation emitter. The labyrinth flow channel includes an inlet end, an outlet end, and several flow channel units connecting the inlet and outlet ends. Each flow channel unit is sequentially connected end-to-end and includes two opposing side walls and a toothed structure formed on each side wall and protruding inward. Each toothed structure has two sides. The space enclosed by the adjacent side walls of two adjacent toothed structures and the side walls of the flow channel units serves as the main flow channel of the labyrinth flow channel. Several interconnected channels are formed within each toothed structure as sub-flow channels of the labyrinth flow channel, and the sub-flow channels are connected to the main flow channel. The drip irrigation emitter includes an emitter body and the aforementioned labyrinth flow channel formed on the pipe wall of the emitter body. This disclosure increases the flow capacity of the labyrinth flow channel while maintaining hydraulic performance and achieves non-channel siltation and minimal siltation of clogging substances, thereby improving the emitter's anti-clogging ability and service life.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure pertains to the field of high-efficiency water-saving irrigation technology - drip irrigation, specifically involving a labyrinth flow channel and a drip irrigation emitter, applicable to smart agriculture water and fertilizer integrated drip irrigation technology and equipment and its application and promotion areas. Background Technology

[0002] Drip irrigation is a key component of integrated water and fertilizer management, a crucial link in achieving precision irrigation and fertilization and improving water and fertilizer use efficiency. It is also one of the effective technologies for water-saving agriculture in arid and semi-arid regions with scarce water resources. However, the serious problem of drip emitter clogging significantly increases the operating cost of drip irrigation systems and reduces the applicability of irrigation area system management. This problem has always been a bottleneck technology in the development of drip irrigation, restricting its further promotion. Extensive scientific research has focused on the structural design of drip emitters, irrigation water treatment, and the application of irrigation management technologies, particularly in the optimization design of anti-clogging structures for drip emitters. For example, Niu Wenquan et al. designed a fully arc-shaped labyrinth channel dripper (CN211881494U) that allows fine sediment to flow without clogging, and Wei Zhengying et al. designed a biomimetic anti-clogging channel and emitter based on fish-scale surface microstructures (CN115500135A). These attempts all involve adjusting parameters within a certain range on the labyrinth channel structure to achieve the best sand carrying and filtering capacity, but there is still room for optimization. The tiny size of the dripper's flow channels makes them extremely susceptible to clogging by solid particles (such as silt), microorganisms, chemical deposits, organic matter, and fertilizer impurities that accumulate and develop along the flow path. This makes them one of the most easily clogged areas. The essence of labyrinthine channel clogging lies in the significant energy dissipation during energy dissipation, which weakens the water flow's ability to carry impurities, leading to the accumulation and development of clogging substances. For a long time, the hydraulic performance and anti-clogging performance of labyrinthine channel drippers have been considered mutually exclusive indicators, limiting the anti-clogging potential of drippers under this framework. Therefore, there is an urgent need to innovate a labyrinthine channel structure to effectively address the problems of energy dissipation and particulate matter accumulation and clogging in the current state of integrated water and fertilizer drip irrigation. This is a key prerequisite for comprehensively improving the overall performance of drippers. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This disclosure aims to address at least one of the technical problems existing in the prior art.

[0004] To address this issue, this disclosure provides a labyrinth flow channel and a drip irrigation emitter incorporating the labyrinth flow channel. It improves the toothed structure of existing labyrinth flow channels by addressing the difficulty in simultaneously improving the anti-clogging performance and hydraulic performance of drippers. This fully leverages the important role of the toothed structure in energy dissipation, flow passage, and accommodating clogging materials. While maintaining hydraulic performance, it increases the flow passage capacity of the labyrinth flow channel and reduces or eliminates non-channel accumulation of clogging materials. This improved anti-clogging capability of the emitter through flow channel structure design, thereby extending the service life of the drip irrigation emitter.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present disclosure adopts the following technical solution:

[0006] The first aspect of this disclosure provides a maze flow channel, including an inlet end, an outlet end, and a plurality of flow channel units connected between the inlet end and the outlet end; each flow channel unit is connected end to end in sequence, and each flow channel unit includes two oppositely arranged side walls and a tooth-shaped structure formed on each side wall and protruding inward. Each tooth-shaped structure has two sides and the cross-section of each tooth-shaped structure is an isosceles triangle. The space enclosed by the adjacent side walls of two adjacent tooth-shaped structures and the side walls of the flow channel unit serves as the main flow channel of the maze flow channel. A plurality of interconnected channels are formed within each tooth-shaped structure as sub-flow channels of the maze flow channel, and the sub-flow channels are connected to the main flow channel to increase the flow capacity of the maze flow channel.

[0007] In some embodiments, the toothed structure consists of a plurality of side posts and a plurality of additional posts, with gaps between adjacent side posts or additional posts forming the sub-channels.

[0008] In some embodiments, in a single flow channel unit, each side pillar is a triangular prism, and each additional pillar is an identical circular or rhomboid pillar.

[0009] In some embodiments, a single flow channel unit may have two or three of the side pillars and three of the additional pillars.

[0010] In some embodiments, the water inlet is a grid-shaped water inlet.

[0011] In some embodiments, the water outlet end adopts a rectangular slow-flow zone.

[0012] A second aspect of this disclosure provides a drip irrigation emitter, comprising an emitter body and a labyrinth channel formed on the pipe wall of the emitter body, wherein the labyrinth channel adopts the labyrinth channel described in any embodiment of the first aspect of this disclosure.

[0013] In some embodiments, the overall length × width × height of the drip irrigation emitter is 38.7mm × 8.65mm × 0.5mm. The labyrinthine flow channel has 10 flow channel units, the flow channel depth is 1.2mm, and the tooth spacing of the flow channel unit is 3.04mm. In a single flow channel unit, there are two triangular prisms as side pillars, each triangular prism having a base side length of 0.25mm and a tooth height of 0.45mm. In a single flow channel unit, there are three rhomboid prisms as additional pillars, each rhomboid prism having a diagonal length of 0.25mm and 0.9mm, respectively. The width of the sub-flow channel is 0.12mm.

[0014] This disclosure has the following characteristics and beneficial effects:

[0015] This disclosure improves the existing toothed structure of the labyrinth channel by designing it as a composite structure formed by nested and spaced side pillars and additional pillars, creating sub-channels within the toothed structure. This toothed structure increases the complexity of the labyrinth channel, enhancing turbulence energy dissipation while maintaining the same main channel cross-sectional dimensions. It can be seen as a de facto extension of the main channel, effectively reducing the actual length of the channel unit. The presence of sub-channels increases the flow capacity of the labyrinth channel, improving eddy current turbulence on the back surface and reducing sediment deposition. Sub-channels can store some sediment, delaying the amount of main channel blockage, thereby increasing the emitter's anti-clogging ability, improving the service life of the drip irrigation system, and reducing the cost of operation and maintenance. Compared to the existing toothed structure of the labyrinth channel, this disclosure uses less material and shortens the overall channel unit length, saving more than 5% of PVC production raw materials in mass production lines, conserving materials, and reducing carbon emissions. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of a drip irrigation emitter provided in an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0017] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 The diagram shows a three-dimensional structure of the labyrinth flow channel in the drip irrigation system.

[0018] Figure 3 In the middle (a) and (b) respectively Figure 1 The diagram shows the cross-sectional and longitudinal cross-sections of the labyrinth flow channel in the drip irrigation emitter.

[0019] Figure 4 It constitutes Figure 2 The diagram shows the structure of a single flow channel unit in the maze flow channel.

[0020] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of a three-dimensional model of the internal fluid of the labyrinth flow channel according to an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0021] Figure 6 (a) and (b) are simulation results of the pressure field and velocity field in the labyrinth flow channel of this embodiment, respectively.

[0022] In the picture:

[0023] 1. Water emitter body; 2. Water inlet end; 3. Labyrinth flow channel; 4. Flow channel unit; 41. Side wall; 42. Toothed structure; 421. Side column; 422. Additional column; 5. Water outlet end; I. Main flow channel; I1. Flow channel front surface; I2. Flow channel back surface; II. Sub-flow channel. Detailed Implementation

[0024] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, the application will be described in further detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely for explaining this application and are not intended to limit this application.

[0025] Conversely, this application covers any alternatives, modifications, equivalent methods, and schemes made within the spirit and scope of this application as defined by the claims. Furthermore, to provide the public with a better understanding of this application, certain specific details are described in detail below. However, this application can be fully understood by those skilled in the art even without these detailed descriptions.

[0026] The structures, proportions, and sizes illustrated in the accompanying drawings are solely for illustrative purposes to aid those skilled in the art and to facilitate understanding. They are not intended to limit the scope of this application and therefore have no substantial technical significance. Any modifications to the structure, changes in proportions, or adjustments to size, provided they do not affect the effectiveness or purpose of this application, should still fall within the scope of the technical content disclosed herein. Furthermore, the terms "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "middle," and "one" used in this specification are merely for clarity and not intended to limit the scope of this application. Changes or adjustments to their relative relationships, without substantially altering the technical content, should also be considered within the scope of this application's implementation.

[0027] See Figures 1-3 The present disclosure provides a drip irrigation emitter, which includes an emitter body 1 and a labyrinth flow channel 3 formed on the pipe wall of the emitter body 1.

[0028] The maze flow channel 3 includes an inlet end 2, an outlet end 5, and several flow channel units 4 connecting the inlet end 2 and the outlet end 5. Each flow channel unit 4 is connected end to end in sequence. Each flow channel unit 4 includes two opposing side walls 41 and a tooth-shaped structure 42 formed on each side wall 41 and protruding inward. Each tooth-shaped structure 42 has two sides and the cross-section of each tooth-shaped structure is an isosceles triangle. The space enclosed by the adjacent side sides and the side walls 41 of two adjacent tooth-shaped structures 42 serves as the main flow channel I of the maze flow channel 3. The main flow channel I is serrated. Several interconnected channels are formed in each tooth-shaped structure 42 as sub-flow channels II of the maze flow channel 3. The sub-flow channels II are connected to the main flow channel I to increase the flow capacity of the maze flow channel.

[0029] In some embodiments, see Figure 4 The tooth-shaped structures 42 formed on the sidewalls 41 of each flow channel unit 4 are all identical. The cross-section of a single tooth-shaped structure 42 is an isosceles triangle, meaning that the tooth-shaped structure 42 has two sidewalls, located on the upstream side I1 and the downstream side I2 of the flow channel, respectively. The tooth-shaped structure 42 consists of several side pillars 421 and several additional pillars 422, with gaps between adjacent side pillars 421 or additional pillars 422 forming the sub-flow channel II. The tooth-shaped structure 42 has two or three side pillars 421, each with the same structure, being a triangular prism; the tooth-shaped structure 42 has three additional pillars 422, each with the same structure (same size and cross-sectional shape), which can be circular or rhomboid pillars. In this embodiment, the tooth-shaped structure 42 is composed of two triangular prisms as side pillars 421 and three rhomboid prisms as additional pillars 422. The two triangular prisms are arranged at intervals on the side wall 41, and the three rhomboid prisms are evenly distributed between the two triangular prisms in the tooth-shaped structure 42. That is, the rhomboid prisms and triangular prisms form a nested form, thereby forming a triangular tooth-shaped structure 42.

[0030] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the overall length × width × height of the drip irrigation emitter is 38.7mm × 8.65mm × 0.5mm. The labyrinthine flow channel structure includes 10 unit channels, with a channel depth of 1.2mm and a tooth spacing of 3.04mm between the channel units. Within each channel unit, there are two triangular prisms with a base length of 0.25mm and a tooth height of 0.45mm; and three rhomboid prisms with diagonal lengths of 0.25mm and 0.9mm respectively, and a subchannel width of 0.12mm. There are 14 inlet grilles, each with a length and width of 1mm and 0.96mm respectively.

[0031] In some embodiments, the inlet 2 is a grid-shaped inlet to filter larger impurities in the fluid entering the labyrinth flow channel 3. The outlet 5 adopts a rectangular slow-flow zone with dimensions of 4.6mm × 4.6mm, and the outlet on the pipe wall is a circular hole with a diameter of 2mm.

[0032] In this embodiment, the fluid flows in the following direction: after being filtered through the grid-shaped inlet 2, the fluid enters the labyrinth channel 3. When passing through the toothed structure 42, the fluid is divided into two parts: one part flows away from the main channel I, and the other part flows away from the sub-channel II. In this way, the fluid flows continuously from one channel unit to the next channel unit, and finally drips out of the labyrinth channel at the circular hole in the slow water zone.

[0033] The working principle of the toothed structure in this embodiment is as follows: the toothed structure increases the complexity of the labyrinth channel, and increases the turbulence energy dissipation effect under the same channel cross-sectional size, which can effectively reduce the length of the channel unit; the existence of sub-channel II increases the flow capacity of the labyrinth channel, which can improve the eddy turbulence of the back water surface II2 of the channel and reduce the sedimentation of the back water surface II2 of the channel; in addition, sub-channel II can store some sediment, delay the amount of sedimentation of the main channel I, thereby increasing the anti-clogging ability of the water injector.

[0034] To verify the effectiveness of the embodiments of this disclosure, a numerical simulation of the water emitter of this embodiment is performed. Using the ANASYS Workbench tool, the fluid within the flow channel is constructed based on the dimensions of the dripper in the labyrinthine channel, and a computational mesh is generated. The constructed model is as follows: Figure 5 As shown, the inlet and outlet pressures were set to 100 kPa and 0 kPa, respectively. A k-ε model was used for simulation calculations to obtain the turbulent energy and velocity distribution patterns of the fluid within the flow channel. Figure 6 As shown in (a) and (b), the results indicate that the presence of the nested toothed structure and the subchannel structure causes the fluid in the upstream zone of the main channel to enter the subchannel, resulting in a very significant turbulent energy dissipation phenomenon; the downstream zone of the main channel is affected by the inflow from the subchannel, and there is a significant high-velocity zone distribution.

[0035] In the description of this specification, the references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "illustrative embodiment," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of this disclosure. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0036] Although embodiments of this disclosure have been shown and described, those skilled in the art will understand that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of this disclosure, the scope of which is defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A labyrinth flow channel, characterized in that, The system includes an inlet end, an outlet end, and several flow channel units connecting the inlet end and the outlet end. Each flow channel unit is connected end to end in sequence. Each flow channel unit includes two opposing side walls and a tooth-shaped structure formed on each side wall and protruding inward. Each tooth-shaped structure has two sides and the cross-section of each tooth-shaped structure is an isosceles triangle. The space enclosed by the adjacent side walls of two adjacent tooth-shaped structures and the side walls of the flow channel unit serves as the main flow channel of the labyrinth flow channel. Several interconnected channels are formed within each tooth-shaped structure as sub-flow channels of the labyrinth flow channel, and the sub-flow channels are connected to the main flow channel to increase the flow capacity of the labyrinth flow channel.

2. The labyrinth flow channel according to claim 1, characterized in that, The toothed structure consists of several side pillars and several additional pillars, with gaps between adjacent side pillars or additional pillars forming the sub-channels.

3. The labyrinth flow channel according to claim 2, characterized in that, In a single flow channel unit, each side pillar is a triangular prism, and each additional pillar is an identical circular or rhomboid pillar.

4. The labyrinth flow channel according to claim 2, characterized in that, A single flow channel unit is provided with two or three of the aforementioned side pillars and three of the aforementioned additional pillars.

5. The labyrinth flow channel according to claim 1, characterized in that, The water inlet is a grid-shaped inlet.

6. The labyrinth flow channel according to claim 1, characterized in that, The water outlet adopts a rectangular slow-flow zone.

7. A drip irrigation system, characterized in that, It includes a water emitter body and a labyrinth flow channel formed on the pipe wall of the water emitter body, wherein the labyrinth flow channel adopts the labyrinth flow channel according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. The drip irrigation emitter according to claim 7, characterized in that, The overall length × width × height of the drip irrigation device is 38.7mm × 8.65mm × 0.5mm. The labyrinthine flow channel has 10 flow channel units with a flow channel depth of 1.2mm and a tooth spacing of 3.04mm. Each flow channel unit has two triangular prisms as side pillars, each with a base side length of 0.25mm and a tooth height of 0.45mm. Each flow channel unit also has three rhomboid prisms as additional pillars, with diagonal lengths of 0.25mm and 0.9mm respectively. The width of the sub-flow channel is 0.12mm.

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