FR2625544A1 - Pipe of specific shape intended for the microirrigation of soils using distributor or drip feed appliances - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a pipe which can be fitted into an appliance of small dimensions which, on contact with the pressurized irrigation liquid contained in a pipeline or boom, is intended to dispense this liquid at a low flow rate (from one to eight litres per hour). This pipe is composed of an engraved part 8 of specific shape produced in a convertible material, which engraved part, being applied in a sealed manner to a wall, defines a pipe comprising a feed orifice 21 and a discharge orifice 4 for the irrigation liquid. This product thus produced avoids obstructions due to the accumulation of line particles.

Description

 The invention relates to a specially shaped pipe, intended for micro-irrigation of soils, by devices having a low flow rate varying from one to eight liters per hour, characterized by a supply orifice in contact with a pipe containing a pressurized irrigation liquid, and an orifice for discharging this liquid.

 This liquid distribution conduit, intended for soil irrigation, comprises a particular etching produced in a transformable material, which etching being applied in a sealed manner to a wall, then defines a conduit comprising a supply orifice and an orifice of the irrigation liquid.

 This conduit thus formed avoids obstructions by deposit of fine particles, while having a passage section of said conduit, clearly greater than that of an apparatus for micro-irrigation of soils of the "short circuit" type comprising a simple orifice. double.

 Micro-irrigation is a known method which allows, using distributors placed in predetermined locations on a cultivated area and connected to a pressurized water distribution system, to make continuous or periodic supplies of irrigation water possibly supplemented with fertilizers or plant protection products in the aforementioned places; so that irrigation water is only brought to the root development areas of seeds or plants, where these require its presence.

it is known to use, in micro-irrigation, drip or micro-jet liquid distributors and in particular long-circuit drippers comprising possibly capillary, straight or helical or spiral-shaped conduits or with baffles or short circuit drippers
representing a single or double orifice, these drippers being possibly self-regulating, that is to say capable of delivering constant quantities of liquid, despite variations in the pressure of the water in the water distribution system.

These known drippers can be mounted either bypass
on a water supply ramp, either in line in the ramp itself or in a pipe.

 Several drippers are known, in particular, of the short circuit type with cyclone effect causing a greater loss of pressure (so-called pressure drop) than with short circuit, helical or baffle systems.

 This type of device comprises a cylindrical chamber which has a supply port tangential to this chamber and a discharge orifice in the axis of the cylindrical chamber.

 When the pressurized irrigation liquid enters the chamber it is subjected to a hyper turbulent cyclone effect generating pressure drop and is evacuated through the evacuation orifice with a flow rate lower than the flow rate it would have had without this cyclone effect.

 This type of distributor or dripper has two major drawbacks, namely: very small cross-section feed and discharge orifices requiring extensive filtration retaining particles of the order of 80 microns to avoid obstruction, which in many cases can be extremely expensive. In addition, this type of device is not self-regulating, that is to say that the flow rate of this device varies as a function of the pressure subjected to the irrigation liquid at the feed orifice of the distributor.

 Distributors or drippers with baffles or labyrinth are also known, forming a more or less long path having many abrupt changes in direction of flow, thereby causing a significant pressure drop by turbulence adding to the pressure drop by friction.

 The number of changes of direction, for a passage section of the order of 0.7 to 1.5 millimeters, does not allow very small drippers which can be assimilated to drift drippers of the "Button" type protruding very little from the pipe when attached to it.

This low projection allowing easy winding of the pipe.

Apart from certain drippers with an effective self-cleaning system, most distributors or drippers for soil micro-irrigation require, as a general rule, thorough filtration which does not prevent the obstructions caused by the accumulation of fine particle deposits.

 The subject of the present invention is a conduit intended for micro-irrigation of the soils and the routing of which makes it possible to produce distributors or drippers of very small size assimilated blasa 'drift drippers having only a slight projection when fixed on the pipe containing the pressurized irrigation liquid.

 The subject of the invention is also a conduit, the path of which avoids obstructions by the deposition of very fine particles, while having a passage section clearly greater than that of short circuit drippers having a single or double orifice and therefore not requiring a filtration as important as for the latter cases.

 According to the present invention, the distributor or dripper provided with this type of conduit is essentially characterized in that the conduit for distributing the irrigation liquid internal to the dripper comprises an etching produced in a transformable material, which etching applied sealingly to a wall a shutter; then defines a conduit comprising an orifice of temptation and an orifice for discharging this liquid.

 According to an important feature of the invention, said conduit, having an irregular passage section, causes a succession of cyclone effect, thus creating hyper turbulence of the liquid causing a significant pressure drop for a relatively short conduit but of a section clearly higher than those of short circuit type drippers.

 The present invention differs from long circuit turbulence drippers or baffles by the significantly shorter length of its circuit while having a slightly lower passage section characterized by hyper turbulence avoiding obstructions by accumulation of fine particles.

 In one embodiment of a dripper provided with such a conduit, the wall of a flexible obturator body, intended to be applied to the etching thus forming the abovementioned conduit, can be separated from it by its position, so that it is the pressure of the irrigation liquid applied to this obturator body, which by deforming it, applies it and maintains it on said etching so as to create said conduit. In this embodiment, an etching cleaning effect is achieved.

 According to a particular form of the invention, the etching produced in the body of a dripper has, when the wall of a shutter body is applied thereto, a passage of irregular section in three dimensions.

 The object of the invention is also, when a shutter body made of a flexible material is applied to the etching by the pressure of the liquid, to create a more or less constant flow independent of the pressure variations from 1 to 4 bars subjected to this liquid.

Other particularities and details of the invention will emerge from the following detailed description, schematic drawings appended to this specification represent, only by way of examples, three embodiments of a dripper according to the invention
IN THESE DRAWINGS
The illustrated drippers essentially comprise one or two parts designated respectively by the reference numbers 1 and 2.

 The part (1) constitutes the body of the dripper comprising an etching form, according to the invention. The part (2) constitutes a shutter body, which applied to the etching, forms with the body a conduit of particular shape, constituting a form of the invention.

 Figure 1 is a plan view of an embodiment of the engraving on a body (1) of cylindrical shape.

 Figure 2 is a cross section along AA of Figure 1 showing the dripper when attached to the wall (3) of an orifice provided for this purpose in a pipe containing the irrigation liquid. The engraving having a regular depth. The internal face (I) of the wall (3) of the irrigation pipe is upwards and the external face (E) of the latter is downwards. The part of the body (1) of the dripper comprising the etching is located inside the duct as well as the obturator body (2) separated from the etching when the irrigation liquid contained in the duct is not under pressure.

 Figure 3 is a cross section like Figure 2 but with the shutter body (2) applied to the engraving of the body (1) of the dripper when the irrigation liquid contained in the pipe is under pressure.

 Figure 4 is a cross section like Figure 2 but the depth of the etching is irregular and preferably of trapezoidal section.

 Figure 5 is a plan view of a second embodiment of the invention.

Figure 6 is a cross section of Figure 5 following
BB. The obturator body can be fixed, for example, by gluing, by probing or by compression.

Figure 7 is a cross section of Figure 5 following
BB and the depth of the engraving is irregular.

 Figure 8 is a cross section of Figure 5 along BB showing a third embodiment of the dripper. In this form the conduit is produced by -the fold of a part of the body comprising the etching thus forming the irrigation conduit and the dripper. The whole being welded or glued for example.

 In these different figures, the same reference notations designate identical or analogous elements.

 The part (1) concerning the figures from 1 to 4 is an embodiment of a "Button" type dripper and constitutes the body (1) thereof. This cylindrical body is pierced in the axis xy. Right through a discharge orifice (4) comprising in this advantageous embodiment, a frustoconical type diffuser (5) extended by a conduit (6 ) both intended to break the micro-jet at the outlet (7) of the hyper-turbulent or etching circuit (8) of the dripper. This duct (6) of cylindrical shape, in this embodiment is led to receive a small pipe which can extend it (not shown) by covering it in its entirety. The wall of the pipe then becomes housed in the cylindrical groove (9) hollowed out in the body (1).

 The part (1) also comprises a collar (10), one of its ends (11), of a diameter greater than the diameter of the collar (10), is bevelled at (12) and has a shoulder at (13) intended to hang on the edges of the orifice (14) formed in the wall (3) of the irrigation pipe for this purpose, so as to keep the dripper in permanent contact with the inside of the irrigation pipe . This irrigation pipe or ramp is itself connected to a supply source (not shown) of pressurized irrigation liquid. A valve or tap (not shown) allows the supply of liquid to be interrupted.

 The other end (15) of the collar (10) represents a stop which can be formed by prominences, or in this embodiment, by an annular flare of a diameter greater than that of the collar (10), intended to avoid the 'total introduction of the dripper into the orifice (14). The bevel (16) being created to avoid ac-.

crashes with the plant or any other obstacle when moving the irrigation pipe in order to roll it up, for example.

 The end (11) of the collar (10) has indentations (17) which are non-limiting, dividing the end (11) into lips (101). These notches (17) are intended to supply a channel (18) when the liquid contained in the irrigation pipe is under pressure (fig. 3) and to let said liquid pass directly to the orifice (4) according to the arrows ( M) and (N) of FIG. 2 when the pressure exerted on the part (2) is not sufficient to deform it as shown in FIG. 3. This phenomenon causes a form of cleaning of the hyper-turbulent circuit or etching ( 8). The lips (101) of the end (11) comprise a seat (19) intended to receive the part (2). A fold (20) of the lip (101) is arranged so that all of these folds (20) can hold the part (2) in the part (1).

 The part (1) finally comprises an engraving (8) of particular shape constituting the essential of the invention. In this embodiment, this etching or hyper-turbulent circuit (8) has an inlet (21) and an outlet (7). Figure 1 shows a plan view of this path.

 This path is defined by a wall (24) comprising tapered lugs or teeth (25) and (25 ') arranged perpendicular to the wall (24) circuit (8) or in its extension such as at the entrance (21) of the journey. These teeth are arranged alternately on either side of the path defined by the wall (24) and define different intervals causing zones of narrow passages 22) alternated with zones of wider passages (23).

When the irrigation pipe is under pressure, the part (2) being applied to the engraving, it supplies liquid to the dripper by notches (17), which supply the peripheral groove (18), which feeds the circuit (8) through its inlet (21). The liquid, for a constant pressure is subjected, in the narrow passage areas (22) to an acceleration of said liquid, causing a depression on the faces (26) of the teeth (25) in the wider passage areas (23) . This depression causes a cyclone effect on the liquid. This succession of pressures and depressions causes a succession of cyclone effects generating hyperturbulence generating pressure losses or pressure drops
Important. The depth of the circuit (8) - is not necessarily
be regular as shown in Figures 2 and 3, it can / irregular and advantageously trapezoidal as shown in Figure 4 for example.

 The part (2), shown in Figures 2,3 and 4, is avan tageusament made of a natural or artificial flexible material, such as, for example, natural or synthetic rubber or silicone having a certain elasticity, of regular cylindrical shape or not, of a sufficient size to be able to be housed on the seats (19) of the lips (101) of the part (1) and in all cases, completely cover the circuit (8) as well as its wall (24 ).

 The part (2) can have a flexibility such that it can deform, with the pressure of the liquid contained in the irrigation pipe, by sinking into the etching (8) of the part (1) so as to reduce the section of the circuit (8) and thus create a regulating effect on the flow rate of the dripper. In other words, the flow rate of the dripper, by this deformation of the part (2), remains more or less constant for a variation of pressure in the irrigation conduit varying from 1 to 4 bars.

 Figures 5 to 7 show another embodiment of a dripper according to the invention.

 Figure 5 shows a plan view of this embodiment1 characterized in that the engraving is arranged longitudinally. Figure 6 shows a cross-section along BB of Figure 5 showing a regular depth of the engraving (8). Figure 7 is a cross section along BB of Figure 5 showing an irregular depth of the circuit (8) advantageously trapezoidal.

 Figure (8) shows a third embodiment of a dripper comprising a conduit (8) according to the invention. Figure (8) relates to the plan view of Figure 5 and is presented as a cross section along BB showing a dripper made in one piece. Indeed the etching (8) arranged in a body (1) is covered by a part of it constituting by this embodiment, the irrigation pipe and the dripper. The assembly being assembled by gluing, welding or compression for example, in a sealed manner. The etching in these last two embodiments has the same characteristics as those described in the first embodiment described above, the difference is constituted by the difference in implantation of the hyper-turbulent duct in a circular shape relative to the implantation of this type of conduit in a linear form.

Claims (10)

R6VFNDICATIONS  1) Distributor or dripper for micro-irrigation of soils. comprising a body (1) itself comprising, an etching (8) defining a circuit, the walls (24) of which are composed of lugs (25) and (25 ') arranged on either side of the path, forming irregular intervals, defining narrow passage zones (22) alternated with wider passage zones (23). this etching (8) thus defined, when applied to a wall of a shutter body (2), forms therewith a hyper-turbulent duct (8) comprising a supply orifice (21) and a orifice evacuation (7) and is able to avoid obstructions by deposits of fine particles when the pressurized irrigation liquid supplying said conduit, is loaded.  2), dripper according to claim 1, characterized in that the narrow passage zones (22), when the irrigation liquid is under pressure create an acceleration of the liquid in these zones (22) causing a depression in the passage zones wider (23) creating in them a cyclone effect. The succession of these cyclone effects thus forming a hyper-turbulent conduit (8) avoiding the deposition of fine particles.  3) dripper according to claim 2 characterized in that the etching (8) made in the body (1) does not necessarily have a regular depth.  4) dripper according to claim 3 characterized in that the dripper can be of small size associable with drippers - of the short circuit type having a single or double orifice also called drippers of the "Button" type.  S) Dripper according to claim 4 characterized in that the dripper, when fixed on an irrigation pipe, has only a very slight projection on the wall of the pipe, allowing easy movement thereof for to be able to wind it,  for example, without the dripper catching on various obstacles.  6) Dripper according to claim 5 characterized in that the dripper has the possibility of extending its discharge orifice by a conduit.  7) Dripper according to claim 3 characterized in that the dripper is self-regulating.  8) Dripper according to claim 3 characterized in that the dripper has a form of self-cleaning.  9) Dripper 'according to claim33 characterized in that the dripper has only two parts.  10) Dripper according to claim 3 characterized in that the dripper can be made in one piece.  11) Dripper according to claim 9 and 10 characterized in that the depth of the etching (8) is of trapezoidal shape as shown in 'Figures 4 and 7.