The technological field generally relates to a device, system, and method for collecting water for use with an irrigation system, and, in particular, to a device, system, and method for collecting water such as rainwater, fresh water, and gray water for use in conjunction with a low-pressure irrigation system for enabling processes such as fertigation, insecticide, and nuisance pest control.
With the advancement of low-pressure irrigation systems designed to develop high water efficiencies, the need for a constant low-pressure supply is amplified. Simple rainwater collection barrels can provide this function, but in times of little or no rainfall, the barrels require manual filling. Over-filling causes an increase in pressure (head pressure due to elevation), which also negatively affects the efficiency of low-pressure irrigation systems. Under-filling can cause a system to become inoperable.
With fresh water becoming more and more scarce, the need for highly efficient irrigation systems is on the rise. The use of collected rainwater and household gray water for irrigation will become a necessity as water becomes more and more scarce. The biggest drawback is that none of the simple collection systems known in the art integrates an automatic system that would allow carefree and fresh water conserving attributes. In addition, as most household irrigation systems are high-pressure fresh water systems, rainwater and gray water collection systems are typically retrofitted and less automated.
A highly efficient irrigation practice comprises a porous membrane operating under low pressure (U.S. Pat. No. 7,198,431). The use of such a membrane preferably entails a low-pressure, constant supply of water. It would be desirable therefore to provide a system and method that provides such a low-pressure, constant supply of water, for example, a supply gleaned from water that would otherwise be diverted into the waste system or from un-captured fresh water that would otherwise be lost to runoff or evaporation.
A device, system, and a method are provided for maintaining a low-pressure, substantially constant feed of water to an irrigation system. The instant device, system, and method utilize captured rainwater and/or gray water as available. Fresh water is preferably only utilized when there are insufficient supplies of rainwater and gray water. Overflow means are provided for times of excessive rainwater. The device, system, and method can further comprise means for introducing an additive into the water supply, such as, but not intended to be limited to, at least one of water-soluble fertilizer, insecticide, and pest repellent. Preferably the additive is provided so as not to be submerged in the water for maintaining a substantially constant concentration thereof in the water.
The device, system, and method are additionally advantageous in that fertigation, extermination, and/or and repelling only occurs when the plants call for water. In operation with a typical lawn, the system allows the user to add less fertilizer to the lawn than in prior known systems, thus reducing nutrient (e.g., nitrate), insecticide, and repellant runoff into the aquifer and neighboring bodies of water. Certain concentrations of these chemicals are known to result in fish kills, algal blooms, and contaminated drinking water. The substantially fixed rate of dissolution in the present device, system, and method enables any user, such as a homeowner, to apply precise amounts in specified target areas.
A device, system, and method for low-pressure irrigation and additive introduction will now be presented with reference to
The system and method presented herein, and equivalents thereof, allow for a reduced amount of system water to be maintained through the use of a flow control valve that allows fresh water to be added when required. While the system illustrated and described herein comprises lever arm float balls, one skilled in the art will recognize these could be replaced with substantially any type of float control valve. By means of staggering the heights, and separating the response valves, the system allows for minimum fresh water to be utilized on an “as needed” basis. While not intended as a definition of the limits of the invention, the drawing illustrates the use of two staggered flow control valves (one for fresh water and one controlling rain and gray water simultaneously). One of skill in the art will appreciate the simplicity of staggering an additional float control valve to separate rainwater and gray water control. The position of the staggering controls the “priority” of the addition. Additional float control valves could be added for other water sources as desired.
In the embodiment illustrated, water in the tank 11 can be controlled to a first water level 18 and a higher, second 19 water level. These levels in this embodiment comprise a fresh water controlled level 18 and an “other water” controlled level 19. The device 10 additionally comprises is a fresh water float control 26 positioned within the tank interior space 43 and operative to move the fresh water shutoff valve 50 into a closed position when water in the tank interior space 43 reaches the fresh water controlled level 18. An “other water” float control 27 is positioned within the tank interior space 43 and operative to move the rainwater diverter valve 15 into a diverting position and the gray water flow control valve 21 into a closed position when the water in the tank interior space 43 reaches the “other water” controlled level 19.
The device and system 10 have an access opening 51 through a wall 52 and further comprise an access door 17 from external the tank 11 into the interior space 43. The access door 17 can be sealed, for example, with a gasket, but is preferably positioned above the higher water level 19.
The device and system 10 further comprises a fertigation holding cage 22, below which are positioned an insecticide holding cage 23 and a nuisance pest repellant cage 24. The cages 22-24 are positioned above the second level 19. The fertigation holding cage 22 is in water communication with inlets 12,13,14, and can be positioned therebelow to permit gravity feed, although this is not intended as a limitation.
A bolting side flange 25 can be used for affixing the tank 11 in a desired location; however, one skilled in the art will appreciate that other attachment mechanisms can be contemplated, or an embodiment that is self-supporting.
The holding cages 22,23,24 can be assembled, for example, with the use of mating means such as puzzle slides 35,38,47, although this is not intended as a limitation, and one of skill in the art may contemplate other means of affixing the cages 22,23,24 together.
When water exits the fertigation cage 22, having impinged on the fertilization block 37, the water is substantially evenly distributed, for example, by means of cross-angled vanes 39 into the insecticide 23 and pest repellent 24 cages. The water is allowed to pass into the downstream cages 23,24 through slits 40,41 positioned atop of the cages 23,24. An insecticide cube 42 can be positioned within the insecticide cage, and a pest repellent cube 43 can be positioned within the pest repellant cage 24. The mixed water, fertilizer, and at least one of an insecticide and a pest repellent can then exit the cages 23,24 via an outlet aperture that can comprise, for example, an at least partially screened or perforated bottom surface 53. The additive-enhanced water can then proceed to, for example, an irrigation system as desired, via an aperture 56 in the tank 11 that is placeable in fluid communication with a channel 55 leading to an irrigation system.
This application claims priority to provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/156,047, filed Feb. 27, 2009.
Number | Date | Country | |
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61156047 | Feb 2009 | US |