Water supply method and water supply apparatus using the same

Abstract

To solve two problems associated with automatic irrigation apparatuses, the first problem being that an irrigation tube is clogged by debris or the like, and the second problem being that irrigation amounts become uneven between upstream and downstream when the irrigation tube is long.SOLUTION: The first problem was solved by means of a water supply method and a water supply apparatus, wherein, in place of a watering tube with fine holes of about 0.2 mm or a drip tube having a complicated structure, there is employed a tube having an inner diameter of 2.5 mm (which is more than ten times the inner diameter of 0.2 mm), the tube being inserted into a PVC pipe in a downward gradient. The second problem was solved by using a large number of tubes that are short in the longitudinal direction in the water supply method and the water supply apparatus in the first method.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a water supply method for crops and plants, a water supply device using the same, and further to watering a wall greening structure. [Background technology]

[0002] Watering is an important issue when growing crops and plants. Watering cans or pitchers are used daily or every few days, or timers and moisture meters are used to save labor. In agriculture, automatic irrigation systems are also used. The same applies to water used in this application, even if a diluted nutrient solution is used. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 7262706 [Non-patent literature]

[0004] [Non-Patent Document 1] Modern Agriculture, Rural Culture Association, January 2024, P. 143 [Non-patent document 2] Modern Agriculture, Rural Culture Association, August 1998, P. 286 [Non-patent document 3] Nutrient soil cultivation for vegetables and flowers General incorporated association Rural Culture Association March 10, 2000 Kazuo Roppongi, Toshihiro Kato P, 46 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The automatic irrigation device described above (0002) has the following two problems. The first problem is that the irrigation tubes become clogged with debris, etc. One solution to this problem is shown in the section entitled "Two irrigation systems" on page 286 of Non-Patent Document 2. The second problem is that as the irrigation tube becomes longer, the amount of irrigation water becomes uneven between upstream and downstream. This is shown in the upper diagram on page 143 of Non-Patent Document 1 and Figures 2-7 on page 46 of Non-Patent Document 3. In the upper diagram on page 143 of Non-Patent Document 1, for sprinkler B, the discharge ratio drops to about 50%. For drip infusion A, B, and C, the drop in discharge ratio is small, but the first half of the lower diagram on page 143 points out the need to frequently clean the filter. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] Regarding the first issue, the applicant previously filed a patent application in Patent Document 1, No. 7262706, but the structure was complicated. There was also the inconvenience of bends at the joints. Furthermore, measures to address the uneven amount of irrigation water between the upstream and downstream sides were newly investigated.

[0007] The means for solving the first problem mentioned above will be described below. The system in Patent Document 1 makes extensive use of T-shaped tees and short pipes made of hard polyvinyl chloride pipes (hereinafter referred to as PVC pipes) to branch the water flow, but this makes the structure complicated and causes bends. This time, these have been eliminated. Tubes are inserted directly into the PVC pipes. The tube diameters used are Type 1, with an outer diameter of 4 mm and an inner diameter of 2.5 mm (hereinafter referred to as tube 40), and Type 2, with an outer diameter of 6 mm and an inner diameter of 4 mm (hereinafter referred to as tube 64).

[0008] A 4 mm hole is drilled in the bottom of the PVC pipe. Tube 40 is cut to a length of 3 to 5 cm (reference symbol 1), and tube 64 is cut to a length of 3 to 5 mm (reference symbol 2), and the tube 40 is inserted into this hole. The insertion depth is 3 to 6 mm from the tip of tube 40. This is shown in Figure 1, and is part a. The inserted part is reference symbol b. Part b is inserted into the PVC pipe. The thickness of the PVC pipe product is 3 mm for inner diameters of 16 mm and 20 mm, and the protruding length c of tube 40 is the remaining 0 to 3 mm. This is shown in Figure 2. The PVC pipe is indicated by a dotted line. The length of tube 64 is shortened to 3 to 5 mm to make it easier to insert. Due to slight variations in the product, it may be loose, but this part will not be used. Further details are provided in the detailed description of the invention. The second problem is also described in the description of the embodiment of the invention. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] This is a diagram showing two types of tubes joined together, and is designated as part a. [Figure 2] This is a diagram showing the tube inserted into the PVC pipe and the drop tube connected. [Figure 3] This is a diagram of the PVC pipe layout. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a side view of a PVC pipe. [Figure 5] 1 is a table showing data such as tube length. [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is a diagram of the water tank for the gravity adjustment hole experiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing details of the gravity adjustment hole experiment. [Figure 8] This is a diagram showing a method for solving the problem of uneven irrigation amounts between upstream and downstream. [Figure 9] 1A and 1B are a cross-sectional view, a front view, and a plan view of a wall greening structure. [Figure 10] Detailed view of the water supply section. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Figures 3 and 4 show an embodiment of the invention. Two PVC pipes with an inner diameter of 16 mm and a length of 2 m are used, as shown by solid lines in Figure 3. With d = 15 cm and e = 50 cm, they are installed as shown in Figure 4 at a 4% downward slope of 4 cm per 100 cm. The vertical scale of Figure 4 is exaggerated. Eight 4 mm holes are drilled in the bottom of the PVC pipe as shown in Figure 4, and part a described in paragraph (0008) is inserted. The protrusion length c from the bottom of the PVC pipe is initially 3 mm. As shown in Figure 4, water is poured from upstream and collected in a water tank downstream. Pouring water cans are used, or a power source, water tank, and pump are installed and turned on and off manually or by a timer. The drop tube (3) of tube 64 is firmly and deeply attached to the tube (1) of part a. This is shown in Figure 2. The length of the drop tube (3) depends on the installation location. For example, it is 1 m downstream and gradually increases by 4%. This is shown in the tube length column of Table 1 in Figure 5.

[0011] Three liters of water are poured into the upstream pipe over approximately 30 seconds. The drip volume is shown in Table 1, Drop Volume 1. The drip volume tends to be greater upstream, where the tube is longer. This is because the water is drawn down by gravity. This was confirmed in more detail in the following experiment. A container like the one shown in Figure 6 was made using a short tube with an inner diameter of 75 mm and its lid. Four 4 mm holes were drilled in the lid, and four pieces of part a in Figure 1 were inserted. A drop tube (3) was attached to each. The protruding length c from the lid was 3 mm. The length of the drop tube (3) was 30 cm for the two on the left and 1 m for the two on the right. A 2 mm gravity adjustment hole, designated h, was drilled in each of the right-hand tubes. This is shown in Figure 7. 1300 ml of water was poured into the container. The downward arrow in Figure 7 indicates the water being drawn down by gravity. Air can freely enter gravity adjustment hole h, mitigating the downward pull of the water due to gravity. The amount of dripping from the bottom of the drop tube (3) is as follows: 290ml 280ml 420ml 295ml total 1285 ml. Due to the effect of gravity adjustment hole h, the volume drops from 420 ml to 295 ml, approaching 280 ml.

[0012] Based on the results of the (0011) experiment, gravity adjustment holes (h) as shown in Figure 2 were attached to the upper ends of all of the drop tubes (3) in Figure 4, and the drop volume at this time is shown in the column for drop volume with adjustment holes in Table 1. Even with this, there is still some variation. The reason for this is This is due to variations in the diameter of the PVC pipe. According to JIS K6742, the allowable error is 0.3 mm. This is due to variations in tube diameter. As indicated by the suffix (0002). Tube slope installation error Even after drilling a hole in a PVC pipe and cleaning it thoroughly, there is still dirt and burrs remaining. And so on. To compensate for this, the tube extension length c was corrected. The corrected extension length is shown in the Corrected Extension Length column of Table 1. The drip amount using the corrected extension length is shown in the Drip Amount 2 column of Table 1. By increasing the protrusion length of No. 1, 4, and 5 to 5 mm, the water pressure applied to the upper end of the protrusion is reduced, reducing the amount of dripping. As a result, the amount of dripping of No. 2 and 3 increases. By reducing the protrusion length of No. 8, the water pressure is increased, and the amount of dripping increases. Although it is still insufficient, it is a significant improvement. Based on this data, the protrusion length can be further increased or decreased and measurements can be repeated, but it is best to stop at a level that is practical for cultivation. Once the protrusion length has been determined, it is fixed in place with adhesive. To fix it, remove the protrusion from the PVC pipe and inject adhesive into position k of part a in Figure 1. After it dries and fixes, inject adhesive again at k and quickly insert the protrusion into the PVC pipe.

[0013] If the tubes used in the experiment (0012) were made longer and more numerous, they could also be used for actual cultivation. There may be a mixture of tubes directly below the tank and those that extend diagonally away from it. The gravity adjustment hole h is effective in ensuring the same drip rate regardless of tube length. Also, multiple tubes can be divided into groups A and B, with group A having a protruding length of 3 mm as shown in Figure 7, and group B having a separate protruding length of 6 mm, with A being the normal type and B needing less water. Similarly, groups l to m in Figure 8 can be divided into the normal type and groups m to n needing less water.

[0014] Next, we will discuss issue 2. As the irrigation tube length increases, the amount of irrigation water becomes uneven between upstream and downstream. Based on the data in Table 1, which shows a subtotal of 905 ml for drip volume 2 and 2045 ml of excess water, for a total of 2950 ml, the PVC pipe flow length can be extended up to 13 m proportionally if all 2950 ml is used. However, since small flow rates can lead to errors, we will use 10 m. Another method is to increase the overall injection volume. As shown in Figure 8, the water in the tank is lifted to point l (point L), as indicated by the upward arrow in the figure, and allowed to flow 5 m down to point m at a 4% gradient. Here, it makes a U-turn and flows another 5 m down to point n, where it falls into the tank. Two elbows and a short pipe are used at the U-turn point. Two elbows on each side of each tank make up 10 m. The figure shows two sets of these installed. Installing five sets would result in a 50 m length, similar to the methods described in Non-Patent Documents 1 and 3 (2005). This method solves the problem of uneven irrigation between upstream and downstream. Using multiple timers and pumps is not a problem as long as the times are staggered. Water can be supplied to the tank manually or via pipes. Standard wiring for power is acceptable.

[0015] Next, we will discuss its application to wall greening structures. The two points at the end of paragraph (0011) that say, "Due to the effect of gravity adjustment hole h, 420 ml becomes 295 ml, closer to 280 ml." and paragraph (0013) that say, "This gravity adjustment hole h is effective in keeping the drip volume the same regardless of the length of the tube." are applied to wall greening structures. These are shown in Figure 9, where (a) is a cross-sectional view, (b) is a front view, and (c) is a plan view. A detailed view of the water supply section is shown in Figure 10. Of the four drip tubes in Figure 7, the one with the gravity adjustment hole at the right end marked with the symbol h is designated hh, and is shown as hh in Figure 9 (a) cross-sectional view and (b) front view.

[0016] The water supply pipe is indicated by the symbol p in Figures (a), (b), and (c). It can be gently sloped, as in the upper part of the front view of (b), or horizontal, as in the lower part. This planar shape is usually straight, but if it is curved, it becomes angled, as shown by the dashed line in the plan view of (c), and is connected by machining an irregular socket. Regarding the other symbols in Figures (a), (b), and (c), s represents the planting soil, and t represents the plant. Next, we will describe the detailed diagram of the water supply section in Figure 10. u represents the water-absorbing string, which is used in growing cyclamen and other plants or an equivalent product, and utilizes capillary action. The water-absorbing string is inserted into the flexible sheath tube w and installed as shown. x is an aluminum wire, used when the sheath tube's flexibility is required to maintain its shape. The end of the water-absorbing string u is inserted inside the tip of the sheath tube w to reduce the growth of algae due to light. It is also extended below the bottom of the water supply pipe. [Explanation of symbols]

[0017] 1 tube with an outer diameter of 4 mm and an inner diameter of 2.5 mm 2 Tubes with an outer diameter of 6 mm and an inner diameter of 4 mm 3 Drop tube a Part combining 1 and 2 b Protrusion length of 1 from 2 c. Length of protrusion from PVC pipe 1 d Position of the hole at the end of the PVC pipe 25cm e. Distance between holes in PVC pipe: 50cm f. Length of drop tube (3) Longest: 114cm g Length of drop tube (3) Shortest: 100cm h Gravity adjustment hole i Length of drop tube: Shortest: 30cm j Length of drop tube: Longest: 100cm k Adhesive injection position l Water lifting position m U-turn point of the water flow n Falling point of the water flow hh Drip tubes for wall greening structures p Water supply pipe pp Curved water supply pipe s planting soil t Plant u Water-absorbing string w Sheath tube x Aluminum wire

Claims

1. This is a method of installing a pipe at an angle and running water (or nutrient solution, hereinafter the same) from the top end. Many holes are drilled in the bottom of the pipe at intervals along its length, and tubes are inserted into these holes, with no gaps between the outer circumference of the tube and the holes in the pipe, preventing water leakage. The length of the tube inserted into the hole varies depending on the distance from zero to the surface of the flowing water. Conversely, the distance from the water surface decreases or increases accordingly. This method also decreases or increases the water pressure and the amount of water flowing in, thereby adjusting the amount of water flowing in. This is Method 1, and Method 2 is a method in which a hole is drilled near the bottom of the pipe above the inserted tube, and the weight of the water from this position to the tip of the hanging tube is used to reduce the downward pull of water due to the weight of the water in the distance from this position to the tip of the hanging tube, thereby reducing the variation in the amount of water falling depending on the length of the hanging tube. Methods 1 and 2 can be used simultaneously, or each can be used separately.

2. This device is installed at an angle and allows water (or nutrient solution, hereinafter the same) to flow from the top of the pipe. Many holes are drilled in the bottom at intervals along the length of the pipe, and tubes are inserted into these holes. There are no gaps between the outer circumference of the tube and the holes in the pipe, so water does not leak. The length of the tube inserted into the hole varies depending on the distance from zero to the surface of the flowing water. Conversely, the distance from the water surface decreases or increases accordingly. This device also decreases or increases the water pressure and the amount of water flowing in. This device is referred to as Device 1, and as Device 2, a hole is drilled near the bottom of the pipe above the inserted tube. This hole reduces the water being pulled down by the weight of the water in the distance from this position to the tip of the hanging tube, thereby reducing the variation in the amount of water that falls depending on the length of the hanging tube. Device 1 and Device 2 can be used simultaneously, or each can be used individually.

3. A large number of the devices of claims 1 and 2 are lined up lengthwise, either by lining up a large number of them lengthwise as shown in Figure 4 without making a U-turn on the diagonal pipe, or by making a U-turn and lining up a large number of them lengthwise as shown in Figure 8. This eliminates the problem of uneven irrigation volume between upstream and downstream when the irrigation tube is long, and this water supply method and water supply device using it can be used.

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