Sequential Dual Nozzle Irrigation for Soil Infiltration Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Center-pivot irrigation systems face inefficiencies due to uneven water distribution and soil infiltration capacity variations, leading to water wastage and potential erosion.
Innovation Solution
An irrigation apparatus with a pipe and support carriages that uses a pair of nozzles spaced along its length, where the first nozzle dispenses a greater volume of water ahead of the second, ensuring sequential overlap and adjusting to soil infiltration rates to prevent runoff.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If a single nozzle is used to irrigate an area, then the irrigation system is simple, but water distribution is uneven and exceeds soil infiltration capacity causing runoff and wastage
Solution Approach 1:
The single nozzle is segmented into two separate nozzles positioned at different locations along the pipe. The first nozzle is positioned upstream and the second nozzle downstream, allowing water to be applied in two sequential stages rather than one large application, thereby matching soil infiltration capacity and reducing runoff
Solution Approach 2:
The first nozzle applies water in advance before the second nozzle arrives at the same location. This preliminary action allows the soil to begin absorbing water before additional water is applied, ensuring that the total application rate does not exceed infiltration capacity and preventing wastage
2Loss of substance
If water is sprayed from a high position, then the irrigation system can accommodate tall crops, but water loss from evaporation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The nozzle assembly is made dynamically adjustable in height relative to the pipe through support arms that can be positioned at different heights. This allows the system to adapt to varying crop heights while maintaining optimal spray distance from the crop canopy to minimize evaporation losses
Solution Approach 2:
The operational parameters of the system are changed by adjusting the nozzle height. For tall crops, the nozzles are positioned higher to clear the canopy, while for short crops, the nozzles are positioned lower to reduce spray distance and evaporation. This parameter adjustment optimizes water delivery for different agricultural conditions
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach optimizes water distribution, reducing wastage and evaporation while matching water application to soil infiltration capacity, thereby increasing water uptake and efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
each dispensing arrangement acts to deposit a water spray on the ground in a spray pattern
Implementation Method 2
different soil types have different infiltration capacities
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for irrigation includes an elongate pipe carried on support carriages at longitudinally spaced positions to move in transverse to its length. The pipe carries water dispensing arrangements spaced along the pipe each including a first nozzle and a second nozzle carried on arms projecting forwardly and rearwardly of the pipe so that the nozzles dispense together an amount of water required at the location of the ground aligned with nozzles. The first and second nozzles are arranged such that the first dispenses at a higher rate and both dispense water onto the portion of the ground sequentially at a rate which is less than an amount which exceeds the infiltration rate of the soil, so that a total rate can exceed the infiltration rate of the soil. The arms can be flipped in height between high crop position and low crop position.