Rotary Stream Sprinkler Nozzle Offset Flutes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional rotary stream sprinklers fail to accurately and uniformly deliver a predetermined low precipitation rate over a desired shape of coverage due to orifice blockage by grit and mineral deposits, and difficulty in rotating the stream deflector at low flow rates.
Innovation Solution
A pop-up rotary stream sprinkler with a nozzle plate and stream deflector design where the flutes on the stream deflector have different tangential trajectories, allowing water to be channeled radially and ejected at various angles, creating a predetermined shape of coverage, and a gear train reduction system with a turbine located above the gear box to maintain rotation and prevent clogging.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If a tiny orifice is used to achieve low flow rate, then the precipitation rate is reduced, but the orifice becomes blocked by grit and mineral deposits
Solution Approach 1:
The single orifice is segmented into multiple orifices (first orifice and second orifice) with different flow rates. This allows the system to achieve low overall flow rate while using larger individual orifices that are less prone to blockage, resolving the contradiction between low flow rate requirement and blockage resistance
Solution Approach 2:
Different orifices are assigned different local qualities (different flow rates) based on their position and function. The first orifice provides higher flow rate while the second orifice provides lower flow rate, allowing the system to achieve uniform precipitation while using larger orifices that resist blockage
2Quantity of substance
If the stream deflector rotates slowly to achieve uniform coverage, then the precipitation rate is reduced, but it becomes difficult to rotate the stream deflector at low flow rates
Solution Approach 1:
The water flow is segmented into multiple streams through different orifices, providing multiple rotation forces on the stream deflector. This ensures sufficient total rotation force even at low overall flow rates, resolving the contradiction between low precipitation rate and ease of rotation
Solution Approach 2:
The stream deflector rotates periodically to sweep water over the desired area. The periodic rotation combined with multiple orifices ensures uniform water distribution while maintaining adequate rotation speed even at low flow rates
3Device complexity
If a single orifice is used to simplify the nozzle design, then the device complexity is reduced, but the uniformity of water distribution deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The single orifice is divided into multiple orifices with different flow rates positioned at different locations on the nozzle. This segmentation allows uniform water distribution across the coverage area while maintaining relatively simple nozzle construction, resolving the contradiction between device complexity and distribution uniformity
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
The design ensures reliable and uniform water distribution over a desired area, resisting clogging and maintaining efficient operation at low flow rates, achieving a precipitation rate of 3.6 gallons per hour over a 90-degree arc without orifice blockage.
Implementation Method 1
The turbine is typically located at the bottom of the sprinkler, below the gear box that holds the gear train reduction
Implementation Method 2
the flutes formed on the underside of the stream deflector that form and channel the streams of water are angled so that a rotational force on the stream deflector is generated
Implementation Method 3
A rotary stream sprinkler sometimes incorporates a turbine and gear train reduction for slowly rotating the nozzle head or stream deflector
Data Source
AI summary
A sprinkler nozzle includes a nozzle plate having at least one orifice formed therein. A stream deflector is rotatably mounted adjacent the nozzle plate and has a plurality of flutes formed therein that face the nozzle plate. Each flute has an inner portion that can momentarily align with water flowing through the orifice in the nozzle plate during rotation of the stream deflector relative to the nozzle plate. Water flowing through the orifice will be channeled in a generally radial direction by the flute to form a stream of water that is ejected from the stream deflector. The flutes have a plurality of different tangential trajectories relative to the orifice in the nozzle plate so that in combination the streams of water successively ejected from the stream deflector establish a predetermined shape of coverage.