Irrigation nozzle assembly and method
A long throw Pop-Up Irrigation Nozzle assembly has no oscillating or rotating parts and includes a cylindrical body having a fluid inlet and a sidewall defining at least one fluidic circuit configured to generate a selected spray pattern when irrigation fluid flows through the body. In order to throw long distance, droplet velocity, droplet size and droplet initial aim angle determine the throw to provide a low precipitation rate (“PR”) for fluidic sprays. The nozzle assembly and method of the present invention achieve a PR of 1 in/hr or less and good spray distribution with a scheduling coefficient (“SC”) of about 1.5 without utilizing any moving components to provide a significantly more cost effective nozzle assembly, as compared to prior art rotator nozzles.
1. A pop-up irrigation nozzle assembly with no oscillating parts, comprising:
(a) a housing having a fluid inlet and a sidewall having an exterior surface defining at least a first port providing fluid communication between said housing's fluid inlet and said sidewall's exterior surface, said housing being configured to receive irrigation fluid in said inlet;
(b) a first fluidic circuit carried within said first sidewall port, wherein said first fluidic circuit has an inlet configured to receive irrigation fluid from said housing's inlet and an outlet configured to generate a selected spray pattern having a first fan angle when the irrigation fluid flows into said first fluidic circuit's inlet;
wherein said selected spray pattern achieves a Precipitation Rate (PR) of one inch per hour or less and a Scheduling Coefficient (SC) of 1.5 or less.
2. A pop-up irrigation nozzle assembly with no oscillating parts, comprising:
(a) a housing having a fluid inlet and a sidewall having an exterior surface defining at least a first port providing fluid communication between said housing's fluid inlet and said sidewall's exterior surface, said housing being configured to receive irrigation fluid in said inlet;
(b) a first fluidic circuit carried within said first sidewall port, wherein said first fluidic circuit has an inlet configured to receive irrigation fluid from said housing's inlet and an outlet configured to generate a selected spray pattern having a first fan angle when the irrigation fluid flows into said first fluidic circuit's inlet;
wherein said housing sidewall's exterior surface defines a second port providing fluid communication between said housing's fluid inlet and said sidewall's exterior surface; and
said irrigation nozzle assembly further comprising a second fluidic circuit carried within said second sidewall port, wherein said second fluidic circuit has an inlet configured to receive irrigation fluid from said housing's inlet and an outlet configured to generate a selected spray pattern having a second fan angle when the irrigation fluid flows into said second fluidic circuit's inlet.
3. The irrigation nozzle assembly of claim 2 , wherein said second fluidic circuit is dimensioned to be slidably received in said second port.
4. The irrigation nozzle assembly of claim 3 , wherein said second fluidic circuit is slidably removable from said second port; and
said irrigation nozzle assembly further comprises a fluid-blocking blank configured to be slidably received within said second sidewall port, wherein said fluid-blocking blank prevents flow of irrigation fluid from said housing's inlet through said second port.
5. The irrigation nozzle assembly of claim 2 , wherein said second port is spaced radially from said first port, to provide a combined spray pattern comprised of said first fluidic circuit's fan angle plus said second fluidic circuit's fan angle.
6. The irrigation nozzle assembly of claim 2 , wherein said housing sidewall's exterior surface also defines a third port providing fluid communication between said housing's fluid inlet and said sidewall's exterior surface; and
said irrigation nozzle assembly further comprises a third fluidic circuit carried within said third sidewall port, wherein said third fluidic circuit has an inlet configured to receive irrigation fluid from said housing's inlet and an outlet configured to generate a selected spray pattern having a third fan angle when the irrigation fluid flows into said third fluidic circuit's inlet.
7. The irrigation nozzle assembly of claim 6 , wherein said third fluidic circuit is dimensioned to be slidably received in said third port.
8. The irrigation nozzle assembly of claim 7 , wherein said third fluidic circuit is slidably removable from said third port; and
said irrigation nozzle assembly further comprises a second fluid-blocking blank configured to be slidably received within said third sidewall port, wherein said fluid-blocking blank prevents flow of irrigation fluid from said housing's inlet through said third port.
9. The irrigation nozzle assembly of claim 6 , wherein said third port is spaced radially from said first port and said second, to provide a combined spray pattern comprised of said first fluidic circuit's fan angle plus said second fluidic circuit's fan angle plus said third fluidic circuit's fan angle.
10. The irrigation nozzle assembly of claim 9 , wherein said third port is spaced radially from said first port by 120 degrees and from said second port by 120 degrees, to provide a combined spray pattern covering 360 degrees, wherein said first fluidic circuit's fan angle, said second fluidic circuit's fan angle and said third fluidic circuit's fan angle each provide a uniform spray pattern over 120 degrees.
11. The irrigation nozzle assembly of claim 6 , wherein said housing sidewall's exterior surface also defines a fourth port providing fluid communication between said housing's fluid inlet and said sidewall's exterior surface; and
said irrigation nozzle assembly further comprises a fourth fluidic circuit carried within said fourth sidewall port, wherein said fourth fluidic circuit has an inlet configured to receive irrigation fluid from said housing's inlet and an outlet configured to generate a selected spray pattern having a fourth fan angle when the irrigation fluid flows into said fourth fluidic circuit's inlet.
12. The irrigation nozzle assembly of claim 11 , wherein said fourth fluidic circuit is dimensioned to be slidably received in said fourth port.
13. The irrigation nozzle assembly of claim 12 , wherein said fourth fluidic circuit is slidably removable from said fourth port; and
said irrigation nozzle assembly further comprises a third fluid-blocking blank configured to be slidably received within said fourth sidewall port, wherein said fluid-blocking blank prevents flow of irrigation fluid from said housing's inlet through said fourth port.
14. The irrigation nozzle assembly of claim 11 , wherein said fourth port is spaced radially from said first port, said second port and said third port, to provide a combined spray pattern comprised of said first fluidic circuit's fan angle plus said second fluidic circuit's fan angle plus said third fluidic circuit's fan angle and said fourth fluidic circuit's fan angle.
15. The irrigation nozzle assembly of claim 14 , wherein each of said first, second, third and fourth ports are spaced radially in quadrants by 90 degrees, to provide a combined spray pattern covering 360 degrees, wherein said first fluidic circuit's fan angle, said second fluidic circuit's fan angle, said third fluidic circuit's fan angle and said fourth fluidic circuit's fan angle each provide a uniform spray pattern over 90 degrees.
16. An irrigation nozzle assembly with no oscillating parts, comprising:
(a) a housing having a fluid inlet and an exterior surface defining at least a first port providing fluid communication between said housing's fluid inlet and said sidewall's exterior surface, said housing being configured to receive irrigation fluid in said inlet;
(b) a first fluidic circuit carried within said first port, wherein said first fluidic circuit has an inlet configured to receive irrigation fluid from said housing's inlet and an outlet configured to generate a selected spray pattern having a first fan angle when the irrigation fluid flows into said first fluidic circuit's inlet;
(c) wherein said first fluidic circuit comprises an insert that is dimensioned to be slidably received in said port; and
(d) wherein said housing sidewall's exterior surface defines a second port providing fluid communication between said housing's fluid inlet and said sidewall's exterior surface; and said irrigation nozzle assembly further comprising a second fluidic circuit carried within said second sidewall port, wherein said second fluidic circuit has an inlet configured to receive irrigation fluid from said housing's inlet and an outlet configured to generate a selected spray pattern having a second fan angle when the irrigation fluid flows into said second fluidic circuit's inlet.
17. The irrigation nozzle assembly of claim 16 , wherein said selected spray pattern achieves a Precipitation Rate (PR) of one inch per hour or less and a Scheduling Coefficient (SC) of 1.5 or less.