System and method for more efficient automatic irrigation based on a large number of cheap humidity sensors and automatic faucets

摘要

The present invention provides an irrigation system with cheap humidity sensors and cheap automatic faucets preferably by using at the end nodes of the system low water pressure, so that much less force is needed to open and close the local waterway, and then either using simple electrical valves that do not require engines, or using for example mechanical sensors based on a bi-material of two or more materials which expand differently when they become wet, thus converting the difference of the expansion into convenient movement. Another possible variation, instead of mechanical sensors and valves, is to use for example a preferably synthetic material that tends to behave like a normal root preferably at the edge of each side channel, so that the “root” counter-balances the water supply and reaches equilibrium with it when the soil becomes wet enough, based preferably on asymmetric capillary materials.

主权项

1. A system for efficient automatic irrigation, comprising:
at least one main pipe for connection to a source of water at high pressure; a plurality of side channels branching off from said at least one main pipe for carrying water at considerably lower pressure compared to the main pipe; a low pressure automatic valve disposed in each of said side channels for dispensing of water from a side channel in which the valve is disposed; and a humidity sensor connected to each said automatic valve and disposed adjacent the valve, for controlling dispensing of water from the side channel in which the humidity sensor and the automatic valve are disposed; wherein the low pressure automatic valve includes an asymmetric capillary material for achieving equilibrium between dispensed water supply and earth being watered when a desired level of humidity of the earth is reached, including at least one of: an asymmetric capillary material based on an asymmetric shape of the pores of the capillary material; an asymmetric capillary material having asymmetric pores that are narrower at a side adjacent the water supply than at a side adjacent the soil; an asymmetric capillary material based on small capillary tubes which are narrower at a side adjacent the water supply; an asymmetric capillary material having at least one of static negative charge or more oxygen on a side adjacent the water supply; an asymmetric capillary material having V-shaped pores; an asymmetric capillary material made from a gradient of different materials, so that the materials adjacent the water supply have higher capillarity; an asymmetric capillary material based on materials which are more hydrophilic on a side adjacent the earth and more hydrophobic on a side adjacent the water supply; an asymmetric capillary material which is at least one of asymmetric capillary carbon membrane, asymmetric polysulfone membrane, and asymmetric ceramic membrane; asymmetric capillary materials inserted into a bottom of cut parts or plants that need to develop new roots and thus act as artificial roots, helping to nourish the plants until the plants develop their own real roots; and a plurality of asymmetric capillary materials with different degrees of asymmetry, so that various choices are used for various desired levels of humidity.