US 12,464,991 B2
System for regulating the flow rate of a liquid and corresponding regulation method
Arno Drechsel, Lienz (AT)
Assigned to Komet Austria GmbH, Lienz (AT)
Appl. No. 17/629,700
Filed by Arno Drechsel, Lienz (AT)
PCT Filed Dec. 23, 2021, PCT No. PCT/IB2021/062240
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jan. 24, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2022/137193, PCT Pub. Date Jun. 30, 2022.
Claims priority of application No. 102020000032216 (IT), filed on Dec. 23, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0309471 A1, Oct. 5, 2023
Int. Cl. A01G 25/16 (2006.01); B05B 12/08 (2006.01); A01G 25/09 (2006.01)
CPC A01G 25/16 (2013.01) [B05B 12/085 (2013.01); A01G 25/092 (2013.01)] 10 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system (1) for regulating a flow rate of a liquid (F) in an irrigation plant, comprising:
at least one pipeline (5) for feeding the liquid (F);
at least one drop pipe (6) connected to said at least one pipeline (5);
at least one regulation device (7) connected to a respective drop pipe (6) and associated with a distribution device (8) having a nozzle (10);
wherein each regulation device (7) comprises a continuous regulating valve (12) and a local electronic control unit (13) for varying pressure and flow rate of the liquid that is sent to said nozzle (10);
wherein said continuous regulating valve (12) comprises a pipe section (14) made of an elastically yielding material connected to said drop pipe (6) and a valve member (15) adapted to transversely interact with said pipe section (14) to deform said pipe section and vary a flow area (S) thereof; and
wherein a program is installed in said local electronic control unit (13), configured to control a movement of said valve member (15) and to vary the flow rate downstream of each drop pipe (6); and
a sensor associated with said local electronic control unit (13) to detect abnormal operation and malfunctioning of said at least one regulation device (7) and to perform preventive maintenance,
wherein said valve member (15) is operatively coupled to an electric motor (33),
wherein said sensor comprises an encoder associated with said electric motor (33) for controlling a direction of rotation thereof and an electrical measuring system configured to detect a current absorption required by said electric motor (33) to move said valve member (15),
wherein said electric motor (33) is operably coupled to said valve member (15) to move said valve member between a fully open position, in which the flow area (S) of said pipe section (14) does not change, and a fully closed position, in which said electric motor presses said pipe section (14) and blocks a flow of the liquid (F),
wherein said program comprises an initial calibration routine automatically actuated each time said regulation device (7) is switched on to initially move said valve member (15) into said fully open position and then to measure a supply current of said electric motor (33) for a stroke of said valve member (15) toward the closed position,
wherein said local electronic control unit (13) is associated with a memory unit configured to store required pressure values (PREQ) corresponding to a diameter (D) of the nozzle (10), said regulation device (7) comprising an antenna (45) for bidirectional communication with said memory unit associated with said electronic control unit (13), and
wherein said memory unit, said antenna (45), said electronic control unit (13) and said sensor are installed on a single electronic board (46).