AU2020100749A4 - Intelligent supplementary grassland irrigation management system - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention discloses an intelligent supplementary grassland irrigation system, and belongs to the field of herbage moisture management. A soil moisture sensor indicates a 5 moisture shortage status of soil, and a main controller calculates an appropriate irrigation time and irrigation amount based on a water-requiring property of herbage and a recent weather status, and when the moisture shortage status is lower than a specified water content threshold, controls opening a corresponding water pump and a valve on an irrigation pipe, and conveying irrigation water to a corresponding irrigation device for irrigation. In an irrigation process, a 10 water meter measures an irrigation amount, and when an irrigation amount is reached, the controller closes the water pump and the valve, stops irrigation, and continues to monitor a soil moisture status for next irrigation. Control in the system is transmitted by using a wireless module. The intelligent supplementary irrigation system can run automatically for a long time, thereby improving an automation level of herbage irrigation. 22 18 8 15, 16 5 20 6,7 19 23 13 14 2 P"1 )l

Description

INTELLIGENT SUPPLEMENTARY GRASSLAND IRRIGATION

MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to the intelligent supplementary grazing grassland irrigation system, and specifically, to a solution of implementing full-automatic irrigation for a moisture requirement in a herbage growth period by using a motor-pumped well, a ditch, a water pump, a pipe, a water tank, and a mechatronic automation technology. The system belongs to the field of grassland agriculture management. Irrigation is managed automatically, and water is supplied in 10 time based on demands, so that herbage yield is increased, a large quantity of labor costs for irrigation is reduced, and intelligentization and automation of grassland irrigation are implemented.

BACKGROUND

Grassland is one of the most important and most widely distributed ecosystems for land on earth. The global grassland area is about 3.4 billion hectares, accounting for 25% of the global land area. China's grassland area is about 400 million hectares, accounting for about 42% of the total area of China, ft is an important pillar of China's animal husbandry, and the size of grassland productivity directly affects the output of China's animal husbandry.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate change (1PCC) is the most authoritative authority of climate change study. Its 5th assessment report points out that the global average surface temperature increased by 0.85°C from 1880 to 2012, and China's average surface temperature increased by 0.91 °C since 1913. Existing research indicates that climate change leads to a fact that 90% of available natural grassland in China degrades in different degrees, and quality of grassland decreases constantly while a total area of grassland decreases. When the natural grassland productivity degrades constantly, construction of artificial grassland greatly supports a constant increase of the animal husbandry production. The area of the artificial grassland in China is nearly 6.6 million hectares, accounting for 2% of the country's total grassland area. The yield of the artificial grassland is about 1 to 5 times that of natural grassland. A shortage status of moisture 30 directly affects yield of herbage, and irrigation is one of the important measures to increase grassland productivity. The existing irrigation research study shows that appropriate irrigation may enable the yield of the herbage of the natural grassland to increase by 10% to 150%, and even more. The artificial grassland relies more on irrigation. Grassland planting must rely on irrigation in the early stage, and appropriate irrigation may enable the yield of the artificial grassland to increase by as much as 5 times. Therefore, enhancing grassland irrigation is an important means i

2020100749 13 May 2020 of increasing yield of grassland.

The area of the grassland is large, status and conditions of water sources differ greatly, and manual irrigation consumes great manpower and many financial resources. Therefore, it is necessary to find an appropriate and effective irrigation method to enable grassland irrigation to 5 achieve the effect of low cost and high output. A grassland irrigation proportion in China is only about 5%, and a rough manual flood irrigation is used mostly. Preferred embodiments of the present invention seek to provide an intelligent supplementary irrigation system based on characteristics of grazing grassland in China, where a moisture probe and a mechatronic automation technology are used, to reduce manpower costs of grassland irrigation, and increase 10 productivity of grassland.

SUMMARY

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an intelligent supplementary grassland irrigation management system, comprising: a charging device, a power 15 supply, a main controller, a water source, a water pump, a general water meter, a general water valve, a water reservoir, a booster pump, a sub-controller, a sub water meter, a sub water valve, a grassland temperature probe, a grassland moisture probe, a water pressure probe of the water reservoir, a water temperature probe of the water reservoir, a water pressure probe of the water source, a wireless module, a water pipe, and an irrigation device, wherein the charging device, 20 water pump, the water reservoir, the booster pump, the water pressure probe of the water reservoir, and the water temperature probe of the water reservoir are optional components, and these components are flexibly selected and configured based on a site status of grassland; the system further comprising: a soil water content sensor for indicating a moisture status of grassland soil, a control system for specifying an irrigation threshold based on a growth feature 25 of herbage, and determining an irrigation time and an irrigation amount based on a recent possible temperature and a precipitation status, wherein when a soil water content is less than the specified threshold, a programmed controller with a control program opens a corresponding valve on an irrigation pipe and a connected water pump, the water pump draws irrigation water from a water source such as a motor-pumped well or a ditch, the water is conveyed to the 30 irrigation device after passing through a water reservoir, a pipe, and a water meter, and when an irrigation amount recorded by the water meter reaches the specified irrigation water amount, the controller closes the water pump and the valve on the pipe, and stops irrigation; the entire process being autonomous.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention seek to provide an intelligent 35 supplementary irrigation system. In grassland or pasture that needs irrigation and that is

2020100749 13 May 2020 equipped, an appropriate irrigation solution is selected based on an environmental condition of the grassland, irrigation pipes are laid. A soil moisture content sensor and a temperature sensor are used to monitor a moisture shortage status and a potential evaporation status of soil. With reference to water-requiring properties of different herbage and a short-term weather forecast 5 status, when there is water shortage and there is no precipitation recently, when irrigation is needed, a solar and wind power generation device supplies power (if there is an alternating current, it can be directly used), an automatic irrigation control system controls a water pump to draw water from a well, a pond, or a river and a ditch, the water passes through a water reservoir, a pipe, an electronic control valve, a water meter, and a corresponding irrigation device such as 10 a sprinkler irrigation belt, to perform irrigation. After a specified irrigation amount is reached, the water pump and the valve are closed, and irrigation is stopped. The system continues to monitor a soil water content in real time, and when it indicates that there is water shortage again and an irrigation condition is met, the irrigation system is started again to perform irrigation.

The present invention using the foregoing system has the following two main advantages: 15 1) Soil moisture and temperature are monitored in real time, and irrigation is performed with reference to a water-requiring property of herbage, a weather status, and the like, so that a water source can be used efficiently, and moisture utilization is improved, or a larger area is irrigated with a limited water source; 2) full-automatic irrigation is performed, so that manpower can be greatly reduced, and it is suitable for a large pasture.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an intelligent supplementary grassland irrigation system according to the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an intelligent supplementary grassland irrigation system according to the present invention. The system mainly includes: a charging device 1, a power supply 2, a main controller 3, a water source 4, a water pump 5, a general water meter 6, a general water valve 7, a water reservoir 8, a booster pump 9, a sub-controller 10, a sub water 30 meter 11, a sub water valve 12, a grassland temperature probe 13, a grassland moisture probe 14, a water pressure probe 15 of the water reservoir, a water temperature probe 16 of the water reservoir, a water pressure probe 17 of the water source, a wireless module 18, a water pipe 20, and an irrigation device 21. Some of the components are necessary, some are configured and selected based on an actual status of grassland, and some may be or may not be selected based 35 on an actual status of the grassland.

2020100749 13 May 2020

Functions of the main components of the system and a case of performing selection based on a condition are described below with reference to FIG. 1. The charging device 1 may use one or more of light energy, wind energy or water energy. However, if there is electrical power supply near grassland, the charging device may not need to be used. The power supply 2 is 5 necessary. If there is electrical power supply near grassland needing irrigation, the electrical power supply is directly used as the power supply 2, and if there is no electrical power supply near the grassland, the power supply 2 may include a rechargeable battery pack and a corresponding power inverter, and constitutes a power supply system of the system together with the charging device 1. The main controller 3 is a necessary component of the system, is 10 connected to the power supply 2 through a cable 22, and controls operation of the entire intelligent supplementary irrigation system. The water source 4 is also necessary in the system, and irrigation cannot be performed without a corresponding water source. The water source 4 may be a pond, a river, a ditch, or a motor-pumped well, and is determined based on a geographical location condition of the grassland. The water pump 5 is used to provide power for 15 a pipe system. If the water source 4 of the grassland is at a low geographical location, for example, a motor-pumped well, a low-lying pond, or a river and a ditch, the water pump 5 needs to be used to draw water. If the water source 4 is at a high location, for example, the water source 4 is snowmelt on a mountain or is a small pond formed through damming, the water source 4 itself can provide sufficient pressure potential energy, and the water pump 5 may not 20 be needed for power. The general water meter 6 is used to measure a total irrigation amount of the irrigation system, and is a necessary component. The general water valve 7 is a switch of a water flow of the entire irrigation system, and is also necessary. In addition, the water valve is a self-holding solenoid valve, that is, the water valve consumes electricity only when performing an opening action or a closing action, and once completing the opening action or the closing 25 action, the water valve can keep in an opened state or a closed state in a case of no electricity, to save electricity power. The water reservoir 8 is a component having dual roles of water storage and accumulation and temperature increasing, generally is an anti-leakage and sealed container built at a high location, and generally may be implemented by using an anti-leakage pond, a water tank, or a water tower. Generally, the component is necessary in the system. On one hand, 30 if a water temperature of the water source 4 is low, for example, the water source 4 is a water flow generated from a motor-pumped well, a low-lying area, or snowmelt, because irrigation using water of an excessively low water temperature causes negative impact on growth of herbage on grassland, the water temperature of the water can be increased under sunshine after the water reservoir 8 is used, and it is more appropriate for irrigation. Another important 35 function of the water reservoir 8 is water accumulation. Sometimes, the water source 4 has a

2020100749 13 May 2020 small water amount, for example, the snowmelt on the mountain or a small-flow ditch, and this is a long-term small water flow. The water pump 5 is used to draw water or a water flow is dammed, to accumulate small water flows and convey water to the water reservoir 8 for storage, so that sufficient water is provided to irrigate the grassland when irrigation is needed. If the 5 water source itself is at a high location, a cistern constructed through damming can provide sufficient pressure, and may also be directly used as the water source 4. The booster pump 9 is an optional component. When the water reservoir 8 cannot provide sufficient irrigation water pressure, the booster pump 9 may be used to provide extra power, to ensure successful irrigation. The sub-controller 10 is a necessary component, and controls an irrigated area. The 10 sub-controller is connected to a necessary grassland temperature probe 13 and grassland moisture probe 14 to indicate a grassland temperature and a water content. The sub water meter 11 is used to measure a water amount of a controlled irrigated area thereof. The sub water valve 12 is separately used to open or close a back-end irrigation pipe thereof, and also uses an energy-efficient self-holding solenoid valve. The water pressure probe 15 of the water reservoir 15 is used to indicate whether a water pressure of the water reservoir 8 can meet an irrigation requirement and whether it is needed to supplement water from the water source 4, and whether to use the water pressure probe 15 depends on whether there is the water reservoir 8. The water temperature probe 16 of the water reservoir is used to indicate a temperature of water in the water reservoir 8, and the temperature may be used as an auxiliary basis of selecting an irrigation time. Whether to use the water temperature probe 16 depends on whether there is the water reservoir 8. The water pressure probe 17 of the water source is used to indicate water pressure and a water level of water in the water source, and may further prevent a case in which the water pump is started when there is no water. The wireless module 18 is disposed on each of the main controller 3, the general water meter 6, the general water valve 7, the sub-controller 10, the sub water meter 11 and the sub water valve 12, and is a necessary component of the system.

The wireless modules 18 communicate with the main controller 3, so that the main controller 3 can obtain a total irrigation water amount and sub irrigation water amounts, send related instructions of opening and closing a valve, and use wireless transmission, so that costs of cables can be reduced greatly, and possible risks of rat biting, insect stinging, and wire aging of cables can also be prevented. The water pipe 20 is used to convey irrigation water, and is a necessary component. The irrigation device 21 is also a necessary component, but a manner of using the irrigation device 21 is selected based on a needed condition. A sprinkler irrigation range is wide, water pressure is high, and there is sufficient water. If these conditions are met on site, the irrigation device 21 can be used. However, if the water pressure is not high enough and there is insufficient water, the irrigation device 21 may also use micro spraying, a sprinkler

2020100749 13 May 2020 irrigation belt, drop irrigation, or zonal flood irrigation. In addition, each of the general water meter 6, the general water valve 7, the sub water meter 11, and the sub water valve 12 of the system is equipped with a small hydroelectric power generation device and a rechargeable battery, and energy can be supplemented by using the irrigation water flow, to meet an 5 electricity energy requirement during running. The sub-controller 10 is equipped with a rechargeable battery, and a wire thereof is connected to the sub water meter 11 and the sub water valve 12 (not shown in FIG. 1). Electricity is supplied through power generation using water in the sub water meter 11 and the sub water valve 12.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of typical supplementary grassland 10 irrigation. The following describes a working manner of this embodiment with reference to FIG.

1. In this system, there is no supply of alternating current power. The charging device 1 uses solar energy, and the power supply 2 supplies power to the main controller by using a battery and an inverter (not shown in the figure). The water source 4 is a low-lying pond. The system is equipped with a water tank as the water reservoir 8, and the booster pump 9 is disposed. The 15 irrigation device 21 uses an automatic sprayer with an adjustable angle and direction. When the system is connected and starts automatic running as shown in FIG. 1, the sub-controller 10 reads values of the connected grassland temperature probe 13 and grassland moisture probe 14, and transmits the values to the main controller 3 through the wireless module 18. The main controller 3 stores information such as a minimum soil water content threshold of grassland 20 needing to be irrigated, a water amount needed for each irrigation, and an appropriate irrigation time and temperature of each growth period of the grassland, and may further receive a recent weather status sent by a wireless terminal such as a mobile phone (not shown in the figure). When the value of the grassland moisture probe 14 is less than the minimum soil water content threshold stored in the main controller 3, the main controller 3 checks whether there is 25 precipitation recently, and prepares to start irrigation if there is no precipitation or a precipitation amount cannot meet a demand. An irrigation start time may be delayed in a day based on whether a value of the water temperature probe 16 of the water reservoir meets a demand, and generally, no irrigation is performed at night. In addition, the main controller further calculates a potential evaporation amount based on a temperature currently indicated by 30 the grassland temperature probe 13 and a weather status of several days in future, and finally provides a water amount of current irrigation and an optimal irrigation start time. When the main controller 3 starts an irrigation instruction, the main controller 3 sends the instruction through the wireless module 18 to open the general water valve 7 and the sub water valve 12, and start the water pump 5. The water pump 5 draws irrigation water from the water source 4 35 and conveys the water to the water tank of the water reservoir 8. After being boosted by the

2020100749 13 May 2020 booster pump 9, the water is conveyed to the sprayer of the irrigation device 21 through the water pipe 20, so that the sprayer sprays the water. A water outlet angle and direction of the sprayer may be adjusted, and then the sprayer sprays the water onto the grassland 19 for irrigation. Dashed lines 23 in FIG. 1 indicate boundaries of spraying. The adjusted spray angle 5 and direction can ensure full use of the irrigation water, and cover an entire irrigation region. In an irrigation process, the general water meter 6 and the sub water meter 11 separately measure irrigation amounts, and transmit the irrigation amounts to the main controller 3 through the wireless module 18. When the irrigation amounts reach the calculated irrigation amount in the main controller 3, the main controller 3 sends an irrigation stop instruction, closes the water 10 pump 5 and the booster pump 9, and wirelessly controls closing the general water valve 7 and the sub water valve 12. In this case, the system is in an irrigation stopped state. The main controller 3 and the sub controller 10 always detect a value of the grassland moisture probe 14 and compare the value with the stored minimum irrigation water content threshold, and start next irrigation if the value is less than the threshold. In addition, when the main controller 3 15 detects the value of the grassland moisture probe 14, if the grassland soil water content indicator indicates that irrigation is needed, but a water storage amount indicated by the water pressure probe 15 of the water reservoir is insufficient, the main controller automatically opens the water pump 5 and opens the general water valve 7 to supplement water to the water reservoir 8. Especially when a water flow of the water source 4 is very small, according to this manner, 20 water in scattered water sources 4 may be accumulated in the water reservoir 8, to ensure that there is sufficient irrigation water during irrigation. When the water pressure probe 15 of the water reservoir indicates that the water reservoir is full and rated water pressure is reached, the main controller 3 closes the water pump 5 and the general water valve 7, and stops supplementing water to the water reservoir.

A principle of starting the intelligent supplementary irrigation system is as follows: the grassland moisture probe 14 inserted into the soil of the grassland senses a water shortage status of the soil. Because soil of different grassland has different texture and different water retention capacities, and herbage growing on the grassland has different water-requiring characteristics, a physical property of the soil and a water-requiring status of the herbage need to be determined 30 comprehensively before the grassland moisture probe 14 is used, to set an appropriate soil water content threshold for starting irrigation, thereby preventing a case in which the specified minimum soil water content value is excessively low, and the system cannot be started because the value is hardly reached. On the other hand, the following case also needs to be prevented: the specified maximum water content is excessively high, and the system constantly irrigates 35 the grassland because the maximum water content is still not reached or exceeded even after an

2020100749 13 May 2020 irrigation amount is reached.

The system is implemented based on a soil water content shortage status indicated by the grassland moisture probe 14. Therefore, accuracy and reliability of the grassland moisture probe 14 need to be ensured. Precision of the grassland moisture probe 14 need to be ensured through 5 screening before the grassland moisture probe 14 is used. In addition, because there may be many rats or other small animals on the grassland, and potential biting may damage a sensor, a key part needs to be protected. A PVC tube or a stainless flexible pipe needs to be added to a transmission wire for protection, and the transmission wire needs to be buried underground to prevent damages caused by rat biting and insect stinging or treading of flocks and herds, thereby 10 improving reliability of system running.

Throughout this specification and the claims which follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the word comprise, and variations such as comprises and comprising, will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or step or group of integers or steps but not the exclusion of any other integer or step or group of integers or steps.

The reference in this specification to any prior publication (or information derived from it), or to any matter which is known, is not, and should not be taken as an acknowledgment or admission or any form of suggestion that that prior publication (or information derived from it) or known matter forms part of the common general knowledge in the field of endeavour to which this specification relates.

Throughout this specification and the claims which follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the word comprise, and variations such as comprises and comprising, will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or step or group of integers or steps but not the exclusion of any other integer or step or group of integers or steps.

Claims (4)

1. THE CLAIMS DEFINING THE INVENTION ARE AS FOLLOWS:

   1. An intelligent supplementary grassland irrigation management system, comprising: a charging device, a power supply, a main controller, a water source, a water pump, a general water meter, a general water valve, a water reservoir, a booster pump, a sub-controller, a sub 5 water meter, a sub water valve, a grassland temperature probe, a grassland moisture probe, a water pressure probe of the water reservoir, a water temperature probe of the water reservoir, a water pressure probe of the water source, a wireless module, a water pipe, and an irrigation device, wherein the charging device, water pump, the water reservoir, the booster pump, the water 10 pressure probe of the water reservoir, and the water temperature probe of the water reservoir are optional components, and these components are flexibly selected and configured based on a site status of grassland;

   the system further comprising: a soil water content sensor for indicating a moisture status of grassland soil, a control system for specifying an irrigation threshold based on a growth feature 15 of herbage, and determining an irrigation time and an irrigation amount based on a recent possible temperature and a precipitation status, wherein when a soil water content is less than the specified threshold, a programmed controller with a control program opens a corresponding valve on an irrigation pipe and a connected water pump, the water pump draws irrigation water from a water source such as a 20 motor-pumped well or a ditch, the water is conveyed to the irrigation device after passing through a water reservoir, a pipe, and a water meter, and when an irrigation amount recorded by the water meter reaches the specified irrigation water amount, the controller closes the water pump and the valve on the pipe, and stops irrigation; the entire process being autonomous.
2. 2. The intelligent supplementary grassland irrigation management system according to claim 1, 25 wherein a program of the main controller is as follows: the system calculates a corresponding irrigation time and irrigation amount based on a water-requiring property of herbage growth and with reference to a recent weather status, future possible precipitation, and a potential evaporation status, and performs control and automatic irrigation through wireless transmission.
3. 3. The intelligent supplementary grassland irrigation management system according to claim 1, 30 wherein each of the general water meter, the sub water meter, the general water valve, and the sub water valve is equipped with a small hydroelectric power generation device and a rechargeable battery, so that they can be charged through irrigation water during irrigation, wherein each of the general water valve and the sub water valve has a self-holding function.
4. 4. The intelligent supplementary grassland irrigation management system according to claim 1,

   2020100749 13 May 2020 wherein each of the controller, the water meter, and the sub water valve is equipped with a wireless transmission function, so that hardware costs can be greatly reduced, and risks of failures such as rat biting, insect stinging, and wire aging that may be caused during wired transmission can be greatly reduced, thereby improving reliability of system automation.