RU212458U1 - Overflow valve for hydroponic plant nutrition system - Google Patents

Abstract

The valve is designed to simplify the regulation of the liquid level in hydroponic plant growing systems while increasing the continuity of the circulation of the nutrient solution by ensuring the solution is filtered from large fractions, ensuring the required level of the nutrient solution in the tank, and protecting the nutrient solution from overflowing over the edge of the tank. The overflow valve for the hydroponic plant nutrition system includes a hollow cylindrical body divided into two parts by a rigidly fixed flange, the upper part adjacent to the flange is made with the possibility of changing its height by separating its parts, a thread and a fitting are made in the lower part of the body behind the flange. In this case, the upper part adjacent to the flange is divided into several parts by annular grooves and can be formed by a detachable connection from a set of annular fragments.

Description

The utility model relates to agriculture, namely to devices for growing plants by hydroponics.

Known hydroponic installation (RA Akopyan. Mechanization and automation of production processes in protected ground. M.: Kolos, 1969), including tanks of concentrated solutions, concentrate dispensers, a pump, a mortar pipeline and trays for placing plants.

However, this installation is not effective enough, since it does not allow adjusting the level of the supplied nutrient solution in different periods of the growing season.

Known hydroponic installation containing a rack placed on it with a tray with vessels for plants, which is connected via a pipeline equipped with a filter and a valve, with a solution tank equipped with a float valve, a level indicator and a stirrer, as well as a control unit associated with the valve and sensors humidity and level. It includes a mortar collector, which is connected to the mortar tank by means of a discharge pipeline equipped with a bactericidal filter with nano-sized particles, and a pump, while the mortar collector is connected to the sump by means of a drain pipeline equipped with a valve and a mechanical filter. The liquid level is provided by a liquid level sensor, which is a design that includes a certain number of parts, the reliability of which is inversely proportional to their number (RF patent No. 78400, IPC A01G 31/02 (2006.01)). The filter placed in the nutrient liquid drain system makes it difficult to clean it during operation; in case of clogging, it becomes necessary to stop the circulation of the nutrient solution.

An analogue to the claimed technical solution is the invention "FLOW-REGULATING VALVE AND PLANT CULTIVATION DEVICE" / "Control valve and device for growing plants" according to Japanese patent No. JP2019092397.

The present water flow control valve has a small external shape and can be attached to a narrow place, such as inside a plant growing device. The flow control valve 1 contains: the outer part of the circuit 10 containing the cavity 22; the inner part 11 of the pipe, located with a gap between it and the inner wall of the cavity 22; working part 12; the working part 15, which is engaged with the working part 12 and is located in the gap of the cavity 22; a sealing member 5 provided on the upstream side of the pipe inner 11; and a pressing member 6 for pressing the sealing member 5 on the upstream side of the pipe inner part 11 . The working part 15 is in contact with the sealing member 5, the working part 15 and the sealing part 5 have the same relationship as the cam and the cam follower; and by rotating the working part 12, the sealing member 5 moves in the direction of approaching and receding with respect to the inlet side of the inner part 11 of the pipe.

The valve is characterized by a complex design, which reduces its reliability, and also causes a high price of the product.

The closest to the claimed technical solution is the filling fitting offered for sale by Rospoddon (https://rospoddon.ru/collection/all), manufactured by Agrotechplast LLC, Russia. The filler fitting is a piece of pipe of different diameters, in the upper part of which there is a cylindrical filter mesh with through holes, in the middle part there is a sealing rubber, in the lower part there is a convex annular formation, which helps to fix the filler fitting in the insertion point.

Concepts and definitions used in the application:

A valve is a mechanism designed to open, close or regulate the flow of something when certain conditions occur (an increase in pressure in a vessel, a change in the direction of the flow of the medium in the pipeline).

Shell - an open cylindrical or conical structural element (such as a rim or drum, a ring, a short pipe) used in the manufacture of welded or wooden vessels, musical instrument resonators, hatch walls, etc.

Branch pipe - a piece of pipe, in tanks and other structures, for the removal of gas, vapor or liquid through it. Depending on the accepted type of connection, the free end of the pipe is provided with a flange, thread or socket.

Flange - a flat metal round, less often a square or rectangular product, with a hole in the center, for commutation with the end of the pipe.

Fitting - a branch pipe for connecting pipelines, containers, valves and other parts in gas and liquid systems, refers to a variety of fittings and short branch pipes.

The purpose of the claimed technical solution is to simplify the regulation of the liquid level in hydroponic plant growing systems while increasing the uninterrupted circulation of the nutrient solution by ensuring the solution is filtered from large fractions, ensuring the required level of the nutrient solution in the tank, and protecting the nutrient solution from overflowing over the edge of the tank.

The technical result is to increase the reliability and uninterrupted operation of hydroponic installations by reducing the number of failures in systems for maintaining the liquid level and its primary filtration from mechanical impurities, ensuring the required level of nutrient solution in the tank, and protecting against overflow of the nutrient solution over the edge of the tank. The valve provides a given level of nutrient solution in a pan, tray, pipe or any other container, while filtering large fractions of the root system, substrate and other contaminants after the nutrient solution supply is stopped, smooth drainage of the remaining nutrient solution is carried out through the filter windows to provide the root system with oxygen.

This goal is achieved in that the overflow valve for the hydroponic plant nutrition system includes a hollow cylindrical body, divided into two parts by a rigidly fixed flange; the upper part adjacent to the flange is made with the possibility of changing its height by separating its parts, while in the upper part in the place of contact with the flange through slots are made, and in the lower part of the housing behind the flange there are threads and annular thickenings. At the same time, the upper part adjacent to the flange, made with the possibility of changing its height by separating its parts, is divided into several parts by annular grooves. The upper part adjacent to the flange is made with the possibility of changing its height by separating its parts, formed by a detachable connection from a set of annular fragments.

The design of the utility model is illustrated by the following graphics:

in fig. 1 shows a general view of the valve;

in fig. 2 is a sectional view of the valve;

in fig. 3 shows an example of mounting the valve in a standard sump;

in fig. 4 is an enlarged view A of FIG. 3;

where:

1 - body,

2 - flange,

3 - grooves that determine the overflow level,

4 - through slots,

5 - thread,

6 - fitting with conical bulges, the extended part towards the center.

The overflow valve contains a housing (1) made in the form of a pipe segment of various diameters, the upper part of which is made with the possibility of setting its value: it can be small, setting a low level of overflow 1, medium - setting an average level of overflow 2, high - setting the level of overflow 3. The valve may contain more connectors, not limited to providing three standard levels of overflow. Ensuring the required level of overflow is achieved by removing the excess part of the pipe by breaking along the annular grooves (3) or by separating the composite pipe in the appropriate place.

In the part adjacent to the rigidly fixed flange (2), filtration through slots (4) are made. Behind the flange (2) a thread (5) is applied to the body, below it on the fitting (6) there are annular conical bulges with an extension to the upper part.

The overflow valve is installed by threading (5) into the bottom of the tray of the hydroponic multi-tiered rack in which the growing plants are placed. The flange (2) determines the insertion depth of the valve into the sump and fixes it to the bottom of the sump. A fitting (6) is connected to the plant's drain pipe to ensure the recirculation of the nutrient liquid. The use of a nipple facilitates installation for both assembly and detachment of the valve elements from the grower. To grow certain types of plants, it is necessary to provide an appropriate level of nutrient fluid. The ability to set the required level of liquid in the sump, tray, pipe, etc. is provided by the appropriate height of the upper part of the valve, which is set by removing its excess part along the groove lines (3), which makes it possible to drain the liquid when it reaches the set level. Three annular grooves are made on the valve, causing three detachable places that provide standard liquid levels necessary for growing this category of plants, depending on which the required amount of nutrient liquid and its level in the tank are determined. After determining the required liquid level, the excess part of the valve is removed by removing it along the corresponding groove, which weakens the valve in this place. Through slots (4), otherwise - windows, provide filtering of the nutrient solution from debris falling into it in the form of pieces of roots and leaves of grown plants, drain the nutrient solution and promote the recirculation of the liquid until it reaches the drain level.

Before using the valve, one of three or more operating levels of the valve is selected. Adjustment is carried out once by cutting off the top of the valve to one of the three required levels. In the case of using the valve in the third, highest level, no adjustment is required.

Further, with the help of a rubber gasket of the nut, the valve is fixed at the bottom point of the pallet, tray, pipe and tightened with the torque necessary to ensure the tightness of the connection.

When the nutrient solution is supplied to the pan, tray, pipe, the level of the solution rises, and the solution partially goes into the drainage through the filter windows. Since the rate of solution supply is higher than the rate of exit through the filter windows, the level gradually rises until it reaches the top of the valve, and the level stabilizes, since the upper opening of the valve has a capacity many times greater than the rate of solution supply. Stabilizing the level of the nutrient solution in the sump ensures even plant nutrition and protects the system from overflow. Even if all filter windows are clogged, the solution level will not rise above the top of the valve.

After the supply of the nutrient solution through the filtering windows is stopped, the nutrient solution goes into the drainage, while the solution is filtered from large fractions.

Then the cycle repeats.

The nutrient solution is a slightly aggressive medium, however, all plant components that come into contact with the solution must be made of materials resistant to it, for example, plastics: low-pressure polyethylene or corrosion-resistant metals - steel with an appropriate coating, copper, etc.

The valve can be manufactured using standard materials and equipment and is designed for a wide range of agricultural applications.

Claims (3)

1. An overflow valve for a hydroponic plant nutrition system, comprising a hollow cylindrical body divided into two parts by a rigidly fixed flange, the upper part adjacent to the flange is made with the possibility of changing its height by separating its parts, while in the upper part in the place of contact with the flange has filtration through slots, and in the lower part of the body behind the flange there is a thread and a fitting. 2. The overflow valve according to claim 1, characterized in that the upper part adjacent to the flange, made with the possibility of changing its height by separating its parts, is divided into several parts by annular grooves. 3. The overflow valve according to claim. 1, characterized in that the upper part adjacent to the flange, made with the possibility of changing its height by separating its parts, is formed by a detachable connection from a set of annular fragments.

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