GB2145914A

GB2145914A - Plant irrigation

Info

Publication number: GB2145914A
Application number: GB08420018A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Urrea Egmont Martinez
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1983-08-06
Filing date: 1984-08-06
Publication date: 1985-04-11
Also published as: GB8420018D0; GB8321274D0; ZA846052B

Abstract

A method for supplying liquid nutrient to a growing plant comprises inserting a porous ceramic tube or rod 10a in the plant stem or the ground adjacent the plant's roots, supplying the nutrient to the tube or rod and allowing it to permeate through the open pores thereof to supply the plant. The pore size is so chosen that the plant roots or cells thereof cannot invade the tube or rod. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Plant irrigation The invention relates to the supply of liquids such as water and dissolved nutrients in amounts adequate for growth to plants.

Various methods are known for irrigating plants such as a method utilising open water channels overflowing into areas of cultivation. This method suffers from wastage due to evaporation. Capillary wick systems have been tried which are impractical over large areas, and underground pipes with holes at intervals. The latter have the disadvantage that the pipes can be blocked by plant root systems if the plants are nearthe pipes and are wasteful of water if the plants are remote from the pipes. Also, iffertiliser is dissolved or suspended in the irrigation water, some ofthe fertiliser along with the waterwill not reach the plants and this waste fertiliser only serves to fertiliseweeds and other unwanted vegetation.

The present invention provides apparatusforsupplying liquidtoa plant comprising a bodywithin which said liquid may be received all or part of the walls of said body being porous and having pores of a size permitting said liquid and any nutrient dissolved or suspended therein to pass th rough said wall yet too small to allow said plants to pass into said body.

Preferably the body is adapted for insertion in the stem of the plant. Alternatively it may be located in the ground adjacent the roots ofthe plant.

Preferablythe pores are of an average width of 2-5,am desirably about 3am.

Desirably the body is of generally tubular shape, and has an inlet for liquid. The body may also have at least one outlet four liquid. In a modification the body may have a generally solid cylindrical shape. Grooves may be formed on the outer surface of the body.

The ceramictubes can be inserted into a pipeline running below ground level the ceramictubes being located near plant roots. Alternatively the ceramic tubescan be inserted intothestem of plants, one or more per plant, and the ceramictubes can be arranged on side branches in the pipeline. Control valves may be incorporated into the side branches to regulate the flow of nutrient into the plant stems.

The dimensions of the tubes are chosen to suit the size ofthe pipeline and the plantto be suppled.

Typically a tube in an underground pipeline may be of 13mm diameter and about 2" long with awall thickness of about 1 mm.

The present invention provides also a method of supplying liquid to at least one plant using a pipeline having, at locations near plants to be irrigated, a pbrous ceramic portion supplied with nutrients by said pipeline, said ceramic portion having open pores of a size permitting nutrients dissolved in said liquid to pass through buttoo small to allowthe plantto invade the pipeline. The liquid is preferably water.

The invention further provides a method of making an open-pored ceramic body comprising mixing unfired ceramic material with a finely divided powder of a material which will burn away at the firing temperatures encountered in firing the body, mould ingorotherwiseshapingthe body,andfiringthe body.

During firing, the powder and some of the carbon in the unfired ceramic material will burn away to leave the open pores.

The powder may be of any suitable material such as carbonaceous material but should not beonewhich produces large volumes of gas in decomposition.

Farinaceous products may be usedforthe powder, plain flour being particularly suitable. Desirably the flour is of extra fine grade, sieved to 3,am or less.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. lisa schematic cross section showing apparatus according to the invention, Fig. 2 is a schematic cross section showing alternative apparatus according to the invention, Fig. 3 is a schematic cross section showing an alternative end portion forthe apparatus shown in Fig.

2, Fig. 4 is a schematisflow diagram of a layoutfor apparatus supplying liquidstoa numberof plants utilising the apparatus shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

Fig. 5 is a schematic flow diagram of a further layout different to that shown in Fig. 4, and utilising the apparatus shown in Fig. 1.

The apparatus shown in Fig. 1 provides a tubular ceramic element 1 which is porous, having pores of average pore size 3,am, and end caps 12 to which the element is sealinglysecured by adhesive in liquid tight manner. The end caps 12 are provided with respectively an inlet tube 14 and an outlettube 16to each of which are connected lengths of plastics tubeing 18. The external diameter ofthe element is approximately 1 3mm and the wall thickness is approximately 1 mum. Waterwith plant nutrients dissolved therein flowthrough the plastics tubing and some escapesthrough the porous ceramicelement 10 into the surrounding soil to irrigate a plant 19 (Fig. 5) situated with its roots near to the ceramic element 10.

A "chain" of ceramic elements is preferably provided as shown in Fig. 5each element supplying a particular plant 19.

The apparatus shown in Fig. 2 is similar butforms part of a "branch" system as shown in Fig. 4, and is received in a hole bored in a plant stem 21, the diameter and length ofthe hole being chosen to suit the tube as closely as possible. Each porous ceramic element 1 0a is "blind" i.e. has an inlet 1 2a but no outletforfluid other than through the element's porouswalls. The ceramic element 10a may have an impervious plug 20 secured therein at one end to form a stop, oralternatively maybe moulded blind,for example with a rounded end 22 as shown in Fig. 3. A control valve 26, made of plastics material is provided in the tube 24 supplying the ceramic element 1 Orb so thatthe flow of water/nutrients to the element 1 Oa can be controlled.The branch tubes supplying element 10a are preferably supplied by one or more larger diameterfeeder lines 28.

In each case the porous ceramic element is made by mixing unfired ceramic material such as clay with finely sieved (down to 3ELm) m) plain flour, moulding or extruding the material into a desired shape such as a tube, andfiring the product, during which the flour is burned off leaving pores of a pore size up to 3,cm.

Various modifications may be made without departing from the scope ofthe invention. For example, the ceramic elements may be made using any suitable material other than flour, such as finely ground sawdust, coal dust, starch, ground vegetable peelings, waste paper and pulverised fuel ash.

In other modifications the tubular ceramic element is replaced by a porous rod ofthe same ceramic material orthetube or rod is provided with a grooved or fluted outersurface. Theshape, dimensions and configuration of the tube or rod is chosen such that it is most suitable for the particular use to which it is put.

Similarly the pore size may be varied preferably within the range 2-5,am. The pore size must be sufficiently small to prevent plant cells or roots invading the tubular element and thus stopping or limiting the flow of liquid therethrough.

Claims

1. Apparatus for supplying liquid to a plant comprising a body within which said liquid may be received, all or part of said body being porous and having pores of a size permitting said liquid and any nutrient dissolved or suspended therein to pass through said wall yet too small to allow said plantto pass into said body.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim l,in which the body is adapted for insertion into the stem of a plant.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which the body is adapted to be located in the ground adjacent the roots ofthe plant.

4. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, in which the pores of the body are of an average width of 2-5,t4m.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4, in which the average width ofthe pores ofthe bodyis3,um.

6. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, in which the body is of generally tubular shape, and has an inletfor liquid.

7. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, in which the body has an outlet four liquid.

8. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, in which the body is ofgenerallysolid cylindrical shape.

9. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8, in which the body has grooves formed on its outer surface.

10. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1,2 and 4to 9, in which the body is attached to the end of a side branch pipe leading from a main supply pipeline.

11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10, in which control valves are incorporated into the side branches to regulate the flow of nutrient into the plant stems.

12. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1,2 and 4to 11, in which the external diameter of the body is approximately 13mm.

13. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6 or7, in which the wall thickness ofthe tubular body is approximately imam.

14. Apparatusasclaimed in claim 1 orclaim 3, in which the body is tubular, has end fittings defining inlet and outlet connections and is inserted in an underground pipeline so located that the body is arranged adjacentthe roots of a plant.

15. A method of supplying liquid to at least one plant using a pipeline having, at locations near plants to be irrigated, a porous ceramic portion supplied with nutrients by said pipeline, said ceramic portion having open pores of a size permitting nutrients dissolved in said liquid to pass through too small to alfowtheplant to invade the pipeline.

16. A method of making an open-pored ceramic body comprising mixing unfired ceramic material with a finely divided powder of a material which will burn away atthe firing temperatures encountered in firing the body, moulding or otherwise shaping the body, and firing the body.

17. A method as claimed in claim 16, in which the powder is carbonaceous material which produces low volumes of gas an decomposition.

18. A methodaisdaimed in claim 17, in which the powder is plain flourwhich has been sieved to 3pm or less.

19. Apparatus for supplying liquid to a plant substantially as hereinbefore described with refer ence to the accompanying drawings.

20. Amethodofsupplying liquidtoa plant substantially as herein before described with refer ence to the accompanying drawings.

21. A method of making an open-pored ceramic body substrate as hereinbefore described.

22. Any novel subject matter or combination including novel subject matter herein disclosed, whether or not within the scope of or relating to the same invention as any of the preceding claims.