Variable-Flow Emitter with Deformable Membrane for Anti-Clogging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing drip irrigation technologies face issues with emitter clogging due to impurities in poor-quality water, especially in underground irrigation and saline-alkali regions, leading to reduced water output and poor salt leaching effects, and existing anti-clogging solutions have complex structures that hinder mass production and effectiveness.
Innovation Solution
A variable-flow-rate anti-clogging emitter with a simple structure featuring an upper and lower casing, an elastomer flow channel, and serrated surfaces that adjust flow rate and outflow state through water pressure changes, allowing for automatic flushing of clogs and flexible irrigation modes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a variable-flow-rate emitter is used to increase flow rate and wetting front height, then clogging is alleviated, but the internal structure becomes complex and mass production becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a deformable membrane that dynamically changes the flow channel cross-sectional area in response to pressure variations. This dynamic adjustment allows the emitter to vary flow rate without complex mechanical components, resolving the contradiction between increased productivity and structural simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state of the membrane from rigid to deformable, allowing the flow channel geometry to change with pressure. This parameter change enables variable flow rate control while maintaining a simple overall structure suitable for mass production
2Productivity
If poor-quality water is used for irrigation to improve water resource utilization, then water saving is achieved, but emitter clogging increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful effect of high-pressure poor-quality water flow into a beneficial self-cleaning mechanism. The deformable membrane design allows pressure surges to flush out accumulated impurities, transforming the clogging risk into an automatic cleaning function that maintains reliability while using poor-quality water
Solution Approach 2:
The emitter performs self-cleaning through its own operating pressure without requiring external maintenance. The deformable membrane automatically responds to pressure changes to flush out clogs, enabling the system to maintain reliability while utilizing poor-quality water resources
3Ease of operation
If underground drip irrigation is used during seedling stage to protect crops, then water application is precise, but soil capillary action cannot guide water flow effectively
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses the deformable membrane to dynamically adjust flow characteristics, enabling the emitter to deliver higher initial flow rates that can penetrate soil more effectively. This dynamic flow adjustment allows underground irrigation to maintain precision while improving seedling emergence by overcoming soil capillary limitations
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 emitter effectively prevents clogging, enhances hydraulic energy dissipation, and facilitates automatic sludge removal, improving irrigation efficiency and practicality while being easy to produce and use.
Implementation Method 1
an elastomer flow channel is fixedly provided between the upper casing and the lower casing
Implementation Method 2
when the water pressure increases to 0.12-0.15 MPa, the water flow on two sides of the flow channel portion to squeeze the elastomer flow channel
Implementation Method 3
the two side surfaces of the flow channel portion in a length direction and the two side surfaces of the elastomer flow channel are respectively provided with serrated surfaces extending in the length direction
Data Source
AI summary
A variable-flow-rate anti-clogging emitter includes an upper casing and a lower casing, where the upper casing and the lower casing are fixedly connected with each other; the upper casing has a flat top surface provided with a water outlet and a bottom surface provided with a truncated conical slot in communication with the water outlet; the lower casing includes a flow channel portion and a discharging portion, which are recessed in an upper surface of the lower casing; the flow channel portion has one end provided with multiple parallel feeding channels and an other end communicated with the discharging portion; one end of a lower surface of the lower casing is provided with an L-shaped platform; water inlets of the multiple feeding channels are arranged on a side wall of the L-shaped platform; and an elastomer flow channel is fixedly provided between the upper casing and the lower casing.