Drip irrigation hose with emitters having different discharge rates

Abstract

An improved drip irrigation hose is provided. The hose has a water supply passage and a plurality of flow regulating channels manufactured into the hose that are smaller than the water supply passage. The flow regulating channels each comprise a predesignated geometry to provide a desired discharge rate at a given pressure, an inlet section comprising one or more openings connecting the water supply passage to that flow regulating channel, and an outlet section comprising one or more openings connecting that flow regulating channel to the exterior of the hose. The plurality of flow regulating channels have at least two different geometries to provide at least two different discharge rates at the given pressure. field. This invention has value to the irrigation designer in that it allows the designer to select emitter characteristics depending on the position of the emitter in the field.

1 . A drip irrigation hose having a water supply passage and a plurality of flow regulating channels manufactured into the hose that are smaller than the water supply passage, the flow regulating channels each comprising: 
 a predesignated geometry to provide a desired discharge rate at a given pressure, an inlet section comprising one or more openings connecting the water supply passage to that flow regulating channel, and an outlet section comprising one or more openings connecting that flow regulating channel to the exterior of the hose, wherein the plurality of flow regulating channels have at least two different geometries to provide at least two different discharge rates at the given pressure.    
     
     
         2 . A hose according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of flow regulating channels have at least two different heights to provide at least two different discharge rates at the given pressure.  
     
     
         3 . A hose according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of flow regulating channels have at least two different widths to provide at least two different discharge rates at the given pressure.  
     
     
         4 . A hose according to  claim 1 , having a first end for connection to a water supply source and a second end, wherein the flow regulating channels nearer the first end of the hose have geometries different from the geometries of the flow regulating channels nearer the second end of the hose so that, at a given pressure, the flow regulating channels nearer the second end have a greater discharge rate than the flow regulating channels nearer the first end of the hose, and so that, when the first end of the hose is connected to the water supply source, the discharge rates of the flow regulating channels are generally uniform over the length of the hose.  
     
     
         5 . A hose according to  claim 1 , wherein each flow regulating channel has a fixed geometry.  
     
     
         6 . A hose according to  claim 1 , wherein each flow regulating channel has a varying geometry.  
     
     
         7 . A hose according to  claim 1 , wherein the flow regulating channels each further comprise a turbulent flow section.  
     
     
         8 . A hose according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of flow regulating channels have turbulent flow sections having at least two different lengths to provide at least two different discharge rates at the given pressure.  
     
     
         9 . A method for providing generally uniform irrigation in a field comprising: 
 manufacturing a hose having first and second ends, a water supply passage and a plurality of flow regulating channels that are smaller than the water supply passage, the flow regulating channels each comprising: 
 a predesignated geometry to provide a desired discharge rate at a given pressure,  
 an inlet section comprising one or more openings connecting the water supply passage to that flow regulating channel, and  
 an outlet section comprising one or more openings connecting the flow regulating channel to the exterior of the hose,  
 wherein the flow regulating channels nearer the first end of the hose have geometries different from the geometries of the flow regulating channels nearer the second end of the hose so that, at a given pressure, the flow regulating channels nearer the second end have a greater discharge rate than the flow regulating channels nearer the first end of the hose;  
   placing the hose in the field with the first end of the hose connected to a water supply source; and    introducing water through the hose, whereby the discharge rates of the flow regulating channels are generally uniform over the length of the hose.    
     
     
         10 . A method for providing generally uniform irrigation in a field having different elevations, the method comprising: 
 mapping the topography of the field;    manufacturing a hose having first and second ends, a water supply passage and a plurality of flow regulating channels that are smaller than the water supply passage, the flow regulating channels each comprising: 
 a predesignated geometry to provide a desired discharge rate at a given pressure,  
 an inlet section comprising one or more openings connecting the water supply passage to that flow regulating channel, and  
 an outlet section comprising one or more openings connecting that flow regulating channel to the exterior of the hose,  
 wherein the plurality of flow regulating channels have at least two different geometries to provide at least two different discharge rates at the given pressure;  
   placing the hose in the field so that the flow regulating channels the produce higher discharge rates are positioned at higher elevations than the flow regulating channels that produce lower discharge rates; and    introducing water through the hose, whereby the discharge rates of the flow regulating channels are generally uniform over the length of the hose.    
     
     
         11 . A method for irrigating a field having different soil conditions, the method comprising: 
 manufacturing a hose having first and second ends, a water supply passage and a plurality of flow regulating channels that are smaller than the water supply passage, the flow regulating channels each comprising: 
 a predesignated geometry to provide a desired discharge rate at a given pressure,  
 an inlet section comprising one or more openings connecting the water supply passage to that flow regulating channel, and  
 an outlet section comprising one or more openings connecting that flow regulating channel to the exterior of the hose,  
 wherein the plurality of flow regulating channels have at least two different geometries to provide at least two different discharge rates at the given pressure;  
   placing the hose in the field so that the flow regulating channels having higher discharge rates are positioned near soil conditions where a higher discharge rate is desired and flow regulating channels having lower discharge rates are positioned near soil conditions where a lower discharge rate is desired; and    introducing water through the hose.    
     
     
         12 . A method for manufacturing a drip irrigation hose having a water supply passage and a plurality of flow regulating channels having a cross-sectional area smaller than that of the water supply passage, the improvement comprising varying the geometries of the flow regulating channels so that the plurality of flow regulating channels have at least two different geometries to provide at least two different discharge rates at a given pressure.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , comprising varying the heights of the flow regulating channels.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , comprising varying the widths of the flow regulating channels.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the flow regulating channel comprises a turbulent flow section.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , comprising varying the length of the turbulent flow section.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the hose is formed from a film having first and second margins that overlap each other, and further wherein the flow regulating channel is formed between the margins of the film.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , comprising varying the height of the flow regulating channel.