GB2253835A

GB2253835A - Distribution apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2253835A
Application number: GB9101470A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Aref Taidi
Original assignee: NEWERA COMPUTING Ltd
Current assignee: NEWERA COMPUTING Ltd
Priority date: 1991-01-23
Filing date: 1991-01-23
Publication date: 1992-09-23
Also published as: GB9101470D0

Abstract

A method and apparatus for distributing respective predetermined quantities of a consumable, such as water, to a plurality of entities, such as, irrigation points, comprises increments of the predetermined quantities of consumable being supplied to respective entities (11 to 16) in sequence, such that the entities (11 to 16) are supplied intermittently with consumable until the respective predetermined quantities thereof have been distributed to the entities (11 to 16). The invention is applicable particularly to irrigation systems, wherein water is supplied to irrigation points by sequential pulsing, but may also apply to the distribution of electricity, steam, or animal foodstuffs. <IMAGE>

Description

DISTRIBUTION OF CONSUMABLES DESCRIPTION This invention relates to the distribution of consumables (as hereinafter defined) and is especially, but not exclusively, related to the distribution of water in an irrigation system.

Throughout this specification, the term "consumable" is used to define any material, preferably a flowable material, which can be distributed from a source of the material to a plurality of locations for immediate or subsequent consumption (hereinafter referred to as "entities"), such materials including water for irrigation purposes, feedstuffs for feeding animals and steam for heating purposes. The term "consumable' may also be used to embrace electricity and other forms of energy which can be distributed to a plurality of the so-called "entities".

When a plurality of entities in a distribution system have to be provided with a predetermined quantity of a particular consumable during, say, a given period of time and make simultaneous demands for the consumable upon a common source thereof, there is sometimes a requirement to place the entities in a queue and to render the source available to them in turn and to each over a continuous period of time, to provide each entity with its total predetermined quantity of consumable in one go and to avoid exerting too great a demand upon the source for the particular consumable. Also, such a simultaneous demand upon the source can result in a substantial reduction of the consumable being distributed to each entity, thereby reducing the effectiveness of the distribution system in question.By allowing the entities to exert their respective total predetermined demands upon the source, one or a few at a time, for example, in a sequence, an instantaneous drain of consumables from the common source may be eliminated.

This arrangement is acceptable when circumstances permit the entities to wait their full turn in the queue. In some areas of industry, however, the only option available may be to increase the number of sources of consumable and to allocate a lesser number of entities to each source, to reduce waiting time at the respective entities. For example, in the horticultural industry, when many beds of plants require irrigation at the same time and only one source of water is available, the usual method employed is to supply the respective total predetermined quantities of water to the plant beds in turn, to avoid any substantial reduction in water pressure. This queueing arrangement may be unacceptable when twenty beds require irrigation twice a day for an hour at each time, which means that each bed can be irrigated approximately only once every two days.One solution to this problem might be to increase the number of water sources and to allocate fewer beds to each source. Not only is this an expensive exercise but also the original problem can arise once again if the number of beds is subsequently increased.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a method of and apparatus for distributing a consumable to a plurality of entities, which overcomes, or at least substantially reduces, the disadvantages associated with known distribution methods and systems discussed above.

Accordingly, one aspect of the present invention provides a method of distributing respective predetermined quantities of a consumable to a plurality of entities (as herein defined), wherein increments of the predetermined quantities of consumable are supplied to respective entities in sequence, preferably a given sequence, such that the entities are supplied intermittently with consumable until the respective predetermined quantities thereof have been distributed to the entities.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided apparatus for distributing respective predetermined quantities of a consumable to a plurality of entities, which apparatus comprises means arranged to supply increments of the predetermined quantities of consumable to respective entities in sequence, preferably a given sequence, thereby supplying the entities intermittently with consumable until the respective predetermined quantities thereof have been distributed to the entities.

Preferably, the respective predetermined quantities of consumable are distributed to the entities in a given time period which is set, advantageously, at a convenient period of, say, one day or a lower time span of a number of hours therewithin.

If, however, it is not possible to distribute all the predetermined quantities of consumable to the respective entities within that given time period, then it may be extended accordingly, in order to accommodate the total predetermined quantity of consumable to be supplied to the entities.

Preferably, also, only a single source of consumable is employed, such that not only is consumable supplied to each entity in an intermittent manner, over, say, a given period of time but also the demand upon such a single source is kept within reasonable limits, in that only one entity or, at most, a few of the total number of the entities is or are being supplied with consumable at any one time. This arrangement in accordance with the invention may be modified by employing two or more sources of consumable if, say, a single source is insufficient to supply the consumable in the necessary predetermined quantities to all entities within a reasonable time period.

The predetermined quantity of consumable to be supplied incrementally to each entity can differ from entity to entity and the duration of any given time intervals during which the consumable is so supplied, may differ from entity to entity. Indeed, the duration of any such given incremental time intervals for a particular entity might also be different, depending upon circumstances, for example, the predetermined quantity of consumable to be distributed to that entity within the predetermined time period, the number of associated time intervals available within that period, and the rate of distribution of the consumable to the entity.

In practice, the durations of the time intervals during which increments of the respective predetermined quantities of consumable are supplied to the respective entities within any predetermined time period, are of the order of seconds and need not necessarily be the same. However, such durations can be of the order of minutes or, in some special circumstances, hours, depending upon the particular operating conditions.

Changing the supply of the increments of predetermined quantity of consumable from one entity to another may or may not be simultaneous. In most practical circumstances, an intermediate delay is provided, to allow the system to "recover" between consecutive time intervals. This delay is particularly applicable to an irrigation method, to allow a finite time between entity changeovers, thereby providing sufficient time for the water pressure in the distribution pipes to settle down or "recover" before making the water supply available to the next entity in the sequence.

In irrigation apparatus in accordance with the invention, the entities may comprise valve-operable nozzles or other suitable means for the supply of water, the associated valves preferably being controlled in any required sequence by computer means programmed with the appropriate parameters and quantity sequences for supplying the respective predetermined quantities of. water to the nozzles or other water delivery means within any given time period.

A further aspect of the invention resides in a method of irrigation comprising distributing water (consumable) to a plurality of irrigation points (entities), wherein incremental pulses of water are supplied to respective irrigation points in sequence, such that the points are supplied with water on an intermittent, semi-continuous basis.

Yet another aspect of the invention resides in irrigation apparatus for distributing water to a plurality of irrigation points, wherein the apparatus comprises means arranged to supply incremental pulses of water to respective irrigation points in sequence, whereby the points are supplied with water on an intermittent, semi-continuous basis.

In order that the invention may be more fully understood, a method of irrigation and associated apparatus in accordance therewith, will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic representation of an irrigation system for a horticultural nursery; Figure 2 is a graph of water flow rate versus time relevant to one arrangement of the irrigation system of Figure 1; and Figure 3 is a graph of water flow rate versus time relevant to another arrangement of the irrigation system of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings, six plant beds as indicated generally at 1 in Figure 1, each of approximately 12 square metres in area and each capable of supporting 30 plants, each requires a predetermined quantity of 90 litres of water per day for sustained growth during the summer.

Each plant bed 1 to 6 is provided with an entity or irrigation point in the form of a valve-operable spray nozzle 11 to 16 for delivering a water spray to the bed, with the nozzles 11 to 16 being shaded/hatched accordingly.

Each nozzle 11 to 16 is communicable via distribution piping 17 and a respective supply valve V7 or V8 with at least one of two pressurised water sources S1, S2 on operation of an associated valve V1 to V6 preferably of the solenoid-operable type, with such valve operation being controlled by a suitably programmed computer C.

In initial use of the inventive irrigation apparatus shown in Figure 1, a group Ci of four of the plant beds 1 to 4 are planted out each bed requiring 90 litres of water per day to be delivered to it by its associated nozzle 11 to 14 over a summer daylight period of 15 hours extending from, say, 0600 hours (6am) to 2100 hours (9pm) each day, to support its thirty plants.

The computer C is programmed to open the nozzle valves V1 to V4 sequentially for an interval of 12 seconds per minute for each valve over that 15 hour period, whereby each bed 1 to 4 has 0.1 litres of water delivered to it per minute, with suitable adjustment of the source water pressure (flow rate) from water source SI only. Thus, in this particular arrangement, a single source S1 is used, which means that its supply valve V7 is open and the supply valve V8 of the other source S2 is closed. With this arrangement also, the computer C is programmed to maintain a further valve V9 open, which valve is located between nozzle valves V3 and V4.

Over each 15 hour daytime period, the predetermined quantity of 90 litres of water is delivered to each plant bed 1 to 4, this being represented in the graph of water flow rate versus time(t) shown in Figure 2 of the drawings.

In that graph, each incremental "pulse" 11' to 14' of water is shaded/hatched to correspond to the shaded/hatched nozzle 11 to 14 in Figure 1 and is of 12 seconds duration. Each cycle of 1 minute interval is represented by a train of four 12 second sequential water pulses 11' to 14' delivered to respective plant beds 11 to 14, the area of each pulse representing 0.1 litres of water.

Thus, from 0600 hours to 0601 hours and 0601 hours to 0602 hours each cyle of four water pulses 11' to 14' of 0.1 litres is delivered to respective plant beds 11 to 14, with the cycles repeating each minute until the end of the last cycle from 2059 to 2100 hours, when the valve-controlling computer C shuts down the water supply until the operation commences once again the following morning at 0600 hours.

Consecutive pulses 11' to 14' in the sequence are separated by three seconds, such that the "mark-space ratio" is 4:1 (12:3).

This so-called "downtime" of three seconds between successive water pulses 11' to 14', allows the water distribution system to recover after one nozzle has been shut down and before the successive nozzle is supplied with water. This downtime can be adjusted accordingly to suit particular operating requirements, as can the duration of the respective pulses 11' to 14' as will be described hereinbelow.

Such adjustment of the operating conditions of the inventive irrigation apparatus is controlled by suitable programming of the computer C.

Thus, it can be seen that this first arrangement of inventive apparatus and method provides each plant bed ii to 14 in group G1 with an intermittent, semicontinuous supply of water to provide the predetermined quantity of 90 litres per day to each bed over the 15 hour period. It is to be noted that this period can, of course, be adjusted to suit local operating conditions and the particular time of year.

This semi-continuous supply of water to the plant beds ii to 14 is more advantageous than the known methods whereby the predetermined quantity is delivered over one or two much longer intervals of time, such as, two half hour intervals at the beginning and end of the 15 hour daylight period, whereby the plants are starved of water for the majority of the time. Such an undesirable situation whereby plant growth can be inhibited for substantial periods of time, is eliminated, or at least substantially reduced, by putting into effect the inventive apparatus and method.

If, for instance, beds 5 and 6 are subsequently planted-out with 30 plants each, then the apparatus will then have to provide irrigation for each of those two additional planted-out beds in accordance with the inventive method.

In order to supply each bed 5 and 6 with its predetermined quantity of 90 litres of water per day over a period of 15 daylight hours, as in the case of the previous arrangement, water could be supplied to the respective nozzles 15, 16 from the water source S1, via associated valves V5 and V6, with valves V7 and V9 open and V8 closed, in 12 second intervals in sequence with the water pulses supplied to the initial four plant bed nozzles 11 to 14. However, such an arrangement would take longer than 15 hours to provide each of the six plant beds 1 to 6 with the predetermined quantity of 90 litres per day.

In accordance with the invention, therefore, the computer C is programmed or can be re-programmed to divide the six plant beds 1 to 6 into two groups G2 and G3, with the former group G2 comprising plant beds 1 to 3 and the latter group G3 comprising plant beds 4 to 6, as shown in Figure 1.

Also, the computer C opens the valve V8 associated with the water source S2 and closes valve V9, so that the source S2 now communicates with the distribution system via the piping 17, whereby two water sources Si and S2 are now available the former supplying nozzles 11 to 13 and the latter supplying nozzles 14 to 16.

The computer C is also programmed or can be reprogrammed to provide three sequential, incremental water pulses 11" to 13" and 14" to 16" per minute to respective plant beds 1 to 3 and 4 to 6 in groups G2 and G3. Each pulse is, again, 12 seconds long but the intermediate recovery time is now 8 seconds, such that the "mark-space ratio" is 3:2 (12:8).

In this arrangement, and with both water sources Si, S2 available, water pulses 11" and 14" are applied simultaneously to their respect plant beds 1 and 4, as are water pulses 12" and 15" to their respective plant beds 2 and 5, as well as 13" and 16" to their respective plant beds 3 and 6. This double cycle of three, 12 second water pulses per minute, with 8 second recovery times, is repeated during the given 15 hour period, such that 90 litres of water are delivered to each plant bed 1 to 6 per day.

Again, it is to be appreciated that this intermittent, semi-continuous supply of water to the plant beds 1 to 6 via respective computer-controlled valves V1 to V6, V7 and V8, and V9 is more advantageous than the known arrangements whereby predetermined quantities are delivered over one or two much longer intervals of time at, say, the beginning and end of the 15 hour daylight period, whereby the plants are starved of water for the majority of that time.

Once again, this 15 hour period can be adjusted to suit local operating conditions, as can the mark-space ratio of the sequential, incremental water pulses in each group G2 and G3. For example, the intermediate recovery time interval between consecutive, incremental water pulses could be reduced from 8 seconds to 3 seconds, whereby the total, predetermined time period over which each plant bed 1 to 6 is provided wlth 90 litres of water per day can be reduced from 15 hours to, say, ii hours 15 minutes, with the original markspace ratio of 4:1 (12:3). Thus, increasing the number of water sources and regrouping the entities (nozzles 11 to 16), can reduce the predetermined time period over which each plant bed 1 to 6 is supplied with its predetermined quantity of water per day.

Claims

1. A method of distributing respective predetermined quantities of a consumable to a plurality of entitites (as hereinbefore defined), wherein increments of the predetermined quantities of consumable are supplied to respective entitites in sequence, such that the entitites are supplied intermittently with consumable until the respective predetermined quantities thereof have been distributed to the entities.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the increments of the predetermined quantities of consumable are supplied to respective entities in a given sequence.

3. A method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the respective predetermined quantities of consumable are distributed to the entities in a given time period.

4. A method according to alim 3, wherein the given time period is set within a convenient period of, say, one day or a lower time span of a number of hourse.

5. A method according to claim 3 or 4, herein the given time period can be extended, in order to accommodate the total predetermined quantity of consumable to be supplied to the entities.

6. A method according to any preceding claim, whrein only a single source of consumable is employed.

7. A method according to any of claims 1 to 5, wherein two or more sources of consumable are employed.

a. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein the predetermined quantity of consumable supplied incrementally to each entity differs from entity to entity.

9. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein the duration of any given time intervals during which the consumable is supplied incrementally to each entity differs for entity to entity.

10. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein the durations of any time intervals during which the consumable is supplied incrementally to each entity differ.

11. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein an intermediate delay is provided between time intervals during which the consumable is supplied in incremental predetermined quantities to the entities.

12. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein the entities comprise valve-operable nozzles or other suitable means for the supply of water.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein the associated valves are controlled in any required sequence by computer means programmed to supply the respective predetermined quantities of water to the nozzles or other water delivery means within any given time period.

14. Apparatus for distributing respective predetermined quantities of a consumable to a plurality of entities (as hereinbefore defined), which apparatus comprises means arranged to supply increments of the predetermined quantities of consumable to respective entities in sequence, thereby supplying the entities intermittently with consumable until the respective predetermined quantities thereof have been distributed to the entities.

15. Apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said means is arranged to supply increments of tile predetermined quantities of consumable to respective entities in a given sequence.

16. Apparatus according to claim 14 or 15, wherein said means is arranged to distribute the respective predetermined quantities of consumable to the entities in a given time period.

17. Apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the given time period is set within a convenient period of, say, one day or a lower time span of a number of hours.

18. Apparatus according to claim 16 or 17, wherein the given time period is extendable, to accommodate the total predetermined quantity of consumable to be supplied to the entities.

19. Apparatus according to any of claims 14 to 18 including only a single source of consumable.

20. Apparatus according to any of claims 14 to 18 including two or more sources of consumable.

21. Apparatus according to any of claims 14 to 20, wherein said means is arranged to differ from entity to entity the predetermined quantity of consumable supplied incrementally to each entity.

22. Apparatus according to any of claims 14 to 21, wherein said means is arranged to differ from entity to entity the duration of any given time intervals during which the consumable is supplied incrementally to each entity.

23. Apparatus according to any of claims 14 to 22, wherein said means is arranged to differ the durations of any time intervals during which the consumable is supplied incrementally to each entity.

24. Apparatus according to any of claims 14 to 23, wherein said means is arranged to provide an intermediate delay between time intervals in which the consumable is supplied incrementally in predetermined quantities to the entities.

25. Apparatus according to any of claims 14 to 24, wherein the entities comprise valve-operable nozzles or other suitable means for the supply of water.

26. Apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the associated valves are controllable in any required sequence by computer means programmed to supply the respective predetermined quantities of water to the nozzles or other water delivery means within any given time period.

27. A method of irrigation comprising distributing water (consumable) to a plurality of irrigation points (entities), wherein incremental pulses of water are supplied to respective irrigation points in sequence, such that the points are supplied with water on an intermittent, semi-continuous basis.

28. Irrigation apparatus for distributing water to a plurality of irrigation points, comprising means arranged to supply incremental pulses of water to respective irrigation points in sequence, whereby the points are supplied with water on an intermittent, semi-continuous basis.

29. A method of irrigation substantially as hereinbefore described.

30. Irrigation apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompany drawings.