Irrigation Landscape System With Absorbent Blanket
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Solution Overview
Problem
Fixed irrigation landscape growing systems face challenges in optimizing capital investment, efficient water management, and achieving homogeneous vegetation growth, particularly in arid climates, where overwatering ensures homogeneity but is wasteful, and reducing irrigation spray spacing requires more complex systems and higher investment.
Innovation Solution
A landscape growing system comprising a supporting substrate, a water absorbent blanket, and a growing medium with spaced irrigation pipes or sprinklers, where the average spacing between irrigation pipes is at least 30 cm and the distance between sprinklers is greater than 1.2 times the radius of their pattern, supplying an average of 3-15 L/m2 of water per day, particularly in arid climates like warm desert and Mediterranean zones.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If irrigation spray spacing is reduced to achieve homogeneous vegetation growth, then vegetation homogeneity is improved, but device complexity and capital investment increase
Solution Approach 1:
The irrigation system is segmented into multiple independent spray units distributed across the landscape. Each spray unit operates independently and covers a specific zone, allowing the system to achieve homogeneous vegetation growth through coordinated operation of multiple simple units rather than one complex centralized system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from traditional close-spaced spray arrangement to a spatially distributed arrangement where sprays are positioned at greater distances apart but cover the same area through elevated positioning and optimized spray patterns. This dimensional change in spacing strategy reduces system complexity while maintaining vegetation homogeneity.
2Manufacturing precision
If irrigation water quantity is increased to ensure homogeneous vegetation growth, then vegetation homogeneity is improved, but water usage efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Each irrigation spray unit is positioned and configured to deliver water locally to its specific coverage zone with optimized spray patterns and angles. This localized water application ensures homogeneous vegetation growth in each zone while minimizing water waste through targeted delivery rather than blanket overwatering.
Solution Approach 2:
The system optimizes irrigation parameters including spray pressure, flow rate, and distribution patterns to achieve efficient water usage. By carefully controlling these parameters, the system maintains vegetation homogeneity while reducing overall water consumption compared to traditional irrigation methods.
3Device complexity
If irrigation spray spacing is increased to reduce pipework and capital investment, then device complexity is reduced, but irrigation water distribution homogeneity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The irrigation sprays are designed with adjustable and adaptable characteristics, allowing optimization of spray patterns and coverage areas. This dynamic capability enables each spray unit to effectively cover larger distances while maintaining water distribution homogeneity, thus supporting increased spacing between sprays without sacrificing performance.
4Ease of manufacture
If capital investment is reduced by using fewer irrigation components, then ease of manufacture is improved, but irrigation water distribution efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The irrigation spray units are designed as self-contained modules that can be independently installed and operated. Each unit is engineered to be self-sufficient in its water distribution function, eliminating the need for complex interconnections and reducing installation complexity while maintaining efficient water distribution through optimized internal spray mechanisms.
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 configuration achieves homogeneous vegetation growth with reduced water usage, lowering the amount of pipework required and irrigation water distribution inefficiencies, while maintaining vegetation quality across large areas with varied terrain and climate conditions.
Implementation Method 1
a water absorbent blanket arranged above the substrate
Data Source
AI summary
A fixed irrigation landscape growing system comprises: a supporting substrate; a water absorbent blanket arranged above the substrate; and a growing medium, notably a soil layer, arranged above the water absorbent blanket. Irrigation is provided by irrigation pipes or by sprinklers.