Pressure compensating drip irrigation emitter

摘要

A pressure compensating drip emitter for controlling fluid flow through a hole in an irrigation line includes an enclosing sidewall that has two ends, surrounds a volume, and is formed with an internal ledge between the ends to support an elastomeric membrane. A pressure-reducing fluid passageway that is formed as a labyrinth is provided that includes an outer, annular portion that is in fluid communication with an emitter inlet and an inner annular portion that is in fluid communication with an emitter outlet. The membrane is deformable between a first low-pressure membrane configuration which allows fluid to bypass the inner annular portion in flowing from the outer portion to the outlet. In a second high-pressure membrane configuration, the deformed membrane covers the inner fluid passageway forcing the fluid to flow through both the outer and inner fluid passageway portions.

主权项

1. An emitter for establishing a pressure compensating, regulated fluid flow from an irrigation line, said emitter comprising:
an enclosing sidewall surrounding a volume, said sidewall having a first end, a second end and formed with a ledge therebetween; an inlet extending into said volume between said ledge and said first end of said sidewall and an outlet extending into said volume between said ledge and said second end of said sidewall; a fluid passageway formed as a labyrinth and having a first portion in fluid communication with said inlet and a second portion in fluid communication with said outlet, wherein the first portion of the fluid passageway follows an annular path having a radius, r1, and the second portion of the fluid passageway follows an annular path having a radius, r2, with r1>r2; and a membrane positioned in said volume between said second end of said sidewall and said ledge, said membrane covering the first fluid passageway portion and deformable between a first low-pressure membrane configuration in which fluid bypasses the second fluid passageway portion in flowing from the first fluid passageway portion to the outlet and a second high-pressure membrane configuration in which fluid flows through the second fluid passageway portion to the outlet.