IRRIGATION CONTROL VALVE AND SYSTEM

摘要

An irrigation control valve (10) has two movable members (34), (54) that can independently or in combination block the flow of water in a conduit (12), or be fully retracted of at some point in-between. A moisture sensitive element (32) is arranged to be placed in contact with the soil (30) and expands or retracts dependent on the moisture within soil (30) adjacent the moisture sensitive element (32). The moisture sensitive element (32) is connected or coupled to a moisture controlled member (34). Dependent on the moisture of the soil (30) adjacent the moisture sensitive element (32), the moisture controlled member (34) is moved further into the conduit (12) with increasing moisture in the soil (30). The moisture controlled member (34) and an electronically controlled member (54) are located adjacent each other at the conduit (12). The electronically controlled member (54) determines how far the moisture controlled member (34) needs to move in order to fully block the flow of water in the conduit (12). An electronic controller (36) is operable to determine the achieved level of moisture in the soil (30), by means of the electronically controlled actuator (40) and the electronically controlled member (54).