End Gun Control for Irrigation Boundary Compliance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current end gun designs in irrigation systems have fixed nozzles that limit their range and coverage, leading to inefficiencies and potential fines due to wind and weather conditions affecting distribution patterns, causing either missed areas or excess water beyond boundaries.
Innovation Solution
A system combining field mapping and control software to monitor weather conditions and adjust end gun parameters, such as water pressure and travel speed, to dynamically modify the distribution area and ensure accurate coverage within defined boundaries.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a fixed nozzle is used in the end gun, then the device structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the distribution pattern cannot be adjusted to account for wind and weather conditions, resulting in missed areas or excess water beyond boundaries
Solution Approach 1:
The end gun nozzle is changed from a fixed structure to a dynamic, adjustable structure that can modify its spray pattern in real-time. The system incorporates adjustable nozzles that can change their distribution pattern based on wind speed, wind direction, and other weather conditions detected by sensors, allowing the irrigation system to adapt to varying environmental conditions while maintaining coverage within boundaries.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operational parameters of the end gun by adjusting nozzle characteristics (spray angle, droplet size, distribution pattern) in response to changing weather conditions. Control software modifies these parameters dynamically based on sensor data, enabling the same physical nozzle to produce different spray patterns appropriate for current wind and weather conditions.
2Reliability
If the end gun is positioned far from the boundary to avoid spraying outside, then water distribution remains within boundaries, but the effective coverage area is reduced and productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The end gun positioning and nozzle orientation are made dynamic rather than fixed. The system can adjust the end gun's angular position and nozzle direction in real-time based on wind conditions and proximity to boundaries, allowing operation closer to boundaries while maintaining compliance through active adjustment of spray direction and pattern.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates boundary proximity detection and uses feedback from position sensors and weather sensors to continuously adjust end gun operation. The control software monitors the end gun's distance from boundaries and modifies nozzle settings accordingly, enabling the system to operate optimally close to boundaries while ensuring water is distributed within acceptable limits.
3Ease of operation
If wind conditions are not monitored and compensated for, then the system operation is simple, but the distribution pattern accuracy deteriorates, causing missed areas or boundary violations
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates wind sensors and weather monitoring that provide continuous feedback to the control software. This feedback loop automatically adjusts nozzle settings, spray pressure, and end gun positioning based on detected wind speed and direction, maintaining distribution accuracy without requiring manual intervention or complex operator judgment.
Solution Approach 2:
The irrigation system performs self-adjustment in response to weather conditions through automated control. The system monitors its own performance and environmental conditions, then automatically modifies operational parameters to maintain optimal distribution patterns, reducing the need for manual operation while preserving accuracy.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a system and method which combines field mapping and control software to effectively manage end gun parameters to adjust for changes in weather conditions and positional/terrain changes. According to a first preferred embodiment, the present invention preferably provides a system which monitors a mapped set of boundaries and preferably receives data regarding a variety of weather factors including wind monitoring (speed, direction, averages, and gusts) and preferably makes adjustments to the system to adjust and modify the shape of a desired distribution area based on the weather factors.