Variable Water Application Under Corner Arm
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Solution Overview
Problem
Center pivot irrigation systems face challenges in providing uniform water application, particularly with corner sprinkler arms, due to varying speeds and nozzle positions, leading to non-uniformity and inefficiencies in water distribution across fields.
Innovation Solution
A controller system that pulses control valves for nozzles/sprinkler heads on both the main pivot and corner sprinkler arms, using predefined valve open/close patterns based on the pivot arm's bearing and location to ensure uniform or variable depth water application, even in user-defined zones.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If the corner sprinkler arm is used to extend irrigation coverage, then the irrigated area is increased, but the uniformity of water application deteriorates due to varying speeds and nozzle positions
Solution Approach 1:
The corner sprinkler arm is made dynamically adjustable with variable speed control and telescopic sections, allowing it to adapt its position and speed to maintain uniform water application across the extended irrigated area
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes operational parameters including nozzle flow rates, arm speed, and position to compensate for the varying conditions created by extending the irrigation radius, thereby maintaining application uniformity
2Productivity
If the pivot sprinkler arm moves at higher speed at outer spans, then productivity is improved, but the uniformity of water application deteriorates due to increased travel distance
Solution Approach 1:
Different sections of the sprinkler arm are equipped with differently sized nozzles tailored to their specific travel characteristics, with outer spans having larger nozzles to compensate for higher speeds and longer travel distances
Solution Approach 2:
The sprinkler arm is divided into multiple segments with independently controlled nozzles, allowing each segment to be optimized for its specific position and speed, thereby maintaining uniform water application across the entire arm span
3Loss of energy
If variable rate irrigation is implemented under the corner arm, then water efficiency is improved, but the system complexity increases due to additional control mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The control system uses periodic pulsing of nozzles in predetermined patterns to achieve variable rate irrigation, where nozzles are activated in sequences that correspond to the position and speed of the corner arm, enabling water efficiency improvements through a relatively simple control mechanism
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A
Figure 2B
AI summary
A center pivot irrigation system (100) adapted for variable depth application of water under the corner sprinkler arm (210). The system (100) includes a pivot sprinkler arm (116) with a first set of nozzles (121, 125), and a first set of control valves (120, 124) each provided on the pivot sprinkler arm (116) upstream of a nozzle (121, 125). The irrigation system (100) includes a corner sprinkler arm (210) pivotally coupled to an end of the pivot sprinkler arm (116), and the corner sprinkler arm (210) includes a second set of spaced apart nozzles (213, 217) and a second set of control valves (212, 216). The irrigation system (100) includes a controller (150) transmitting control signals to the first and second sets of control valves to open and close in a pattern that includes a valve pulsing pattern (280) for the corner sprinkler arm, whereby input water is applied at a variable rate under the corner sprinkler arm to apply different depths to various user-defined zones.