DE20211751U1 - Device for irrigation and drainage of golf courses, sports, green and crop plants - Google Patents

Description

Much & Wieske

European Patent Attorneys * Mandataires ague's pres 1'OfFice europoen des brevets
European Trademark Attorneys * Mandataires en marques europoennes

Patent Attorneys' Office Viel & Wieske · P.O. Box 65 04 03 · D-66143 Saarbrücken

Gertraud Gassert

r, _,. . . ,I ₁₁ Georg Viel, graduate engineer

To Pirminiusschule 11 _{Christof Vj} ., _Ing , _{nieur diplöm6 Emcs>}

Conseil en proprieto industrial (France)
66440 Blieskastei Thilo Wieske, graduate engineer

PO Box 65 04 03 Feldmannstr. IIO
D-66143 Saarbrücken D-66119 Saarbrücken

Tel.: ++49-(0)681-58 59 59 kanzlei@saarpatent.de

Fax: ++49-(0)681-58 59 81 http://www.saarpatent.de

02063/30.07.2002

DESCRIPTION

Device for irrigation and drainage of golf courses, sports facilities, green spaces and crop plants

The present invention is a device for irrigation and drainage of golf courses,
Sports, green and crop facilities, but especially and depending on the location and weather zone, greens, tees and fairways on golf courses. Rainwater, surface water, roof water and treated wastewater are primarily used in conjunction with an underground tank network and capillary substrate for the water supply to the lawn or plant roots.

The relevant irrigation systems known to date usually use water from the public supply network, natural water bodies or a pond specially created as a water reservoir. The water is applied by sprinkling or spraying, most intensively on greens.

VAT ID No. DE 81 21 16 997 / Tax No.: 040/166/28609

BanklSaar eG (BLZ 591 900 00) No. 67584007
Deutsche Bank Saar (bank code 590 700 70) No. 0 742 700

Cooperation with / cooperation with / cooperation with:
Cabinet

VIEL Patent Attorney Firm

Conseils en proprioto industrial Dr. rer. nat. Dipl.-Biol. Ulrike Rudolph

F-57520 Grosbliederstroff D-69198 Schriesheim / Heidelberg

Patent Attorney's Office j J

Much & WiESKE

European Patent and Trademark Attorneys

02063/30.07.2002

(target area) and tees (tee-off areas), and on some courses also on fairways (fairways), from above onto the lawns.

Organic and inorganic nutrients are fed directly into the reservoir with surface water from surrounding areas. Therefore, an above-ground water reservoir requires necessary measures such as keeping the reservoir free of algae, aeration and micro-filtration for the use of sensitive irrigation or spray nozzles. Furthermore, there is always a permanent loss of stored water through evaporation.

From DE 28 35 134 A1 a device for watering and draining soil and its use is known, in which a pipe system running in the soil is described, consisting of pipes inserted into one another with an inner pipe and an outer pipe, the two pipes having openings so that water can enter or exit the pipes.

DE 25 25 114 A1 describes an irrigation system for roof gardens and other artificial plant growth systems with a water-impermeable drainage layer provided with at least one drainage outlet, an absorbent water storage layer provided above the drainage layer and a cultivated soil layer above it in which plants can take root, wherein at least one system of perforated water pipes is embedded in the water storage layer, which is connected to a water supply line via a valve, and at least one sensing element is provided in the water storage layer which responds to the water content of this layer, wherein the valve opens when the water level falls below a certain level and closes when it exceeds it.

From DE 26 27 631 A1 an automatic subsurface irrigation system for watering sports fields and green spaces is known, which is installed in a space that is watertight at the bottom and sides and in which the required water quantities are delivered from below to the place to be watered by means of a rinsing system.

The known systems have proven to be either disadvantageous or even impossible to implement, so that the object of the invention is to create a device for the irrigation and drainage of golf courses, sports facilities, green spaces and crop plants, which has a minimal water and energy consumption.

Patent Attorney's Office · ·

Much & WiESKE

European Patent and Trademark Attorneys

02063/30.07.2002

This object is achieved according to the invention in that the area to be watered or drained is limited downwards and laterally by a seal from the rest of the soil, that a drainage and storage layer with capillary material is applied to the seal, that a water-permeable filter fleece is applied to this drainage and storage layer, that a base layer substrate with the respective vegetation is arranged on the filter fleece and that an inflow line connected to a tank system with water level control opens into the drainage and storage layer at the side and a discharge line is provided below.

The layer structure according to the invention enables both sufficient irrigation of the vegetation from the drainage and storage layer upwards and sufficient drainage of excess surface water downwards into this layer. The lateral supply and drainage of water is advantageous in terms of energy consumption (pumping).

It is within the scope of the invention that the seal and the layers arranged above it have a gradient.

This measure makes it possible to adapt the device to a given terrain profile. It is also useful to have dams in line with the respective contour lines.

Depending on the terrain profile, it may be necessary to provide such weirs instead of a gradient in order to ensure sufficient distribution of the water with regard to the desired water supply to the vegetation by capillarity.

It is advantageous that irrigation devices connected to the tank system are provided.

These enable the vegetation to be irrigated, for example after fertilization or other surface treatment measures.

Furthermore, within the scope of the invention, it is provided that the tank systems of several areas to be irrigated are connected to one another in a network-like manner.

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European Patent and Trademark Attorneys

This makes it possible to transfer excess water from one tank system to another, with this balancing preferably taking place in the direction of the gradient (by supplying water to the upper tank systems on a priority basis).

A further development of the invention consists in the provision of pumps, preferably pumps operated with solar power, for the pumping of water.

These enable compensation between individual tank systems even against the direction of the gradient.

It is advantageous that rainwater or water from flowing or standing water can be fed into the tank system.

This can be achieved by infiltration of rainwater but also by direct feed from cisterns, downpipes, drainage of sealed surfaces, etc.

It is also according to the invention that excess water from the tank system can be fed into flowing or standing water, into infiltration, retention and evaporation facilities.

In particular, when the maximum filling level of all tank systems is reached, an overflow is required, which preferably takes place into storage waters or other bodies of water.

The advantages of the present invention are that

• the extraction of water from the public network is avoided as far as possible,

• the extraction of water from natural resources is avoided as far as possible,

• alternative resources such as rainwater, surface water, roof water and treated wastewater and grey water are used wherever possible,

• the application of the water quantities underground, through the tank network and the flow through the drainage and storage substrate is filtered and thus loss-free and odor-free, algae-free and enriched with oxygen,

• the greatest possible savings in water consumption are achieved (excess water does not seep away after use, but is recycled within the

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Patent Attorney's Office
Much & WiESKE

European Patent and Trademark Attorneys

!System cycle for reuse; evaporation losses, which can be up to 50% during irrigation, are avoided),

• the technical arrangement is energy-saving and can be built from "fully mechanical and automatic" to "electronically controllable and monitorable",

• the technical arrangement allows combinations with rainwater harvesting systems, grey and wastewater treatment plants and conventional irrigation systems,

• the sensible use of waste water from residential or hotel complexes or villages takes place without causing odour nuisance,

• Shock effect is avoided by sprinkling warm grass areas with cool water,

• sewer systems and existing sewage treatment plants are relieved,

• depending on the location and weather zone, excess water is returned to the natural cycle through seepage,

• Independence from the basic supply and costs of a conventional water supply is achieved,

• valuable freshwater reserves are conserved in rain-poor areas,

• on rocky ground, unused water runoff is avoided,

• the technical arrangement is extremely maintenance-friendly (there are no nozzles and no fine filters),

• Irrigation can take place at any time without the risk of overwatering or silting.

An embodiment of the invention is described below with reference to drawings.

It 2:own

Fig. 1 is a schematic sectional view of the structure of a device according to the invention

irrigated or drained area,

Fig. 2 a schematic representation of the networking of individual systems,

Fig. 3 is a schematic representation of the function of the networked individual systems.

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European Patent and Trademark Attorneys

As can be seen from Fig. 1, the area 1 to be watered or drained is limited downwards and laterally from the rest of the soil by a seal 2. A drainage and storage layer 3 with capillary material is applied to the seal 2, onto which a water-permeable filter fleece 4 is applied. A base layer substrate 5 with the respective vegetation 6 is arranged on the filter fleece 4. An inflow line 8a with distribution elements 10 connected to a tank system 7 with water level control opens into the drainage and storage layer 3 at the side. Excess water is returned to the tank system 7 through the drain line 8b.

This arrangement can be level or with a slope, depending on the existing terrain profile. Above a certain slope, it will be more sensible to provide individual weirs 9 in order to ensure uniform irrigation of the entire vegetation 6.

As can be seen from Fig. 2 and Fig. 3, an entire golf course can be irrigated or drained with such individual systems that are linked to one another and form a networked system, whereby the water supply can take the form of rainwater, process water (which must first be cleaned), surface water from sealed areas or from flowing and standing water. The networked individual systems can release excess water from one individual system to other individual systems through appropriate pipes (if possible in a cascade in the direction of the gradient, as no pumping work is then required) until all individual systems are full. Only then is water discharged into standing or flowing water or into seepage and evaporation facilities. The control of such networked individual systems can be carried out centrally, whereby the respective water level of the individual systems and the water balance between individual systems can be easily automated.

Claims (8)

1. Device for the irrigation and drainage of golf courses, sports facilities, green spaces and crop plants, characterized in that the area to be irrigated or drained ( 1 ) is delimited downwards and laterally from the rest of the soil by a seal ( 2 ), that a drainage and storage layer ( 3 ) with capillary material is applied to the seal ( 2 ), that a water-permeable filter fleece ( 4 ) is applied to this drainage and storage layer ( 3 ), that a base layer substrate ( 5 ) with the respective vegetation ( 6 ) is arranged on the filter fleece ( 4 ), and that an inflow line ( 8a ) connected to a tank system ( 7 ) with water level control opens into the drainage and storage layer ( 3 ) at the side and a discharge line ( 8b ) is provided below. 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the seal ( 2 ) and the layers ( 3 to 6 ) arranged above it have a gradient. 3. Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that there are weirs ( 9 ) corresponding to the respective contour lines. 4. Device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that irrigation devices connected to the tank system ( 7 ) are provided. 5. Device according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the tank systems ( 7 ) of several areas to be irrigated ( 1 ) are connected to one another in a network-like manner. 6. Device according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that pumps, preferably pumps operated with solar power, are provided for the water pumping. 7. Device according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that rainwater or water from flowing or standing water can be fed to the tank system ( 7 ). 8. Device according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that excess water from the tank system ( 7 ) can be fed into flowing or standing water, into seepage, retention and evaporation facilities.