Irrigation system with freeze protection and method

Abstract

Apparatus and method are provided herein for causing and controlling the injection of antifreeze material into a water line of an irrigation system. The irrigation system comprises an antifreeze supply unit including an antifreeze storage container containing a liquid antifreeze coupled to a water line of the irrigation system. A control unit is coupled to the antifreeze supply unit. The control unit is configured to cause the antifreeze supply unit to inject at least some of the liquid antifreeze from the antifreeze storage container into the water line. The control unit can cause the antifreeze supply unit to inject the liquid antifreeze from the antifreeze storage container in response to temperature data received from a sensor unit or in response to user input at the control unit.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An irrigation system comprising:
 an antifreeze supply unit coupled to a water line of the irrigation system, the antifreeze supply unit including a storage container containing a liquid antifreeze; and   a control unit in communication with the antifreeze supply unit, the control unit being configured to send a signal to the antifreeze supply unit and the antifreeze supply unit being configured to inject at least some of the liquid antifreeze from the antifreeze storage container into the water line in response to receiving the signal from the control unit.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a pump configured to inject at least some of the liquid antifreeze into the water line, the pump being housed at least in part within the antifreeze supply unit. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the control unit includes a visible status indicator indicating whether the liquid antifreeze has been injected into the water line. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising an injection port positioned between the antifreeze supply unit and the water line, the injection port including one of a one-way injection valve and a check valve. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a pressure reducing valve coupled to and positioned between the antifreeze supply unit and the water line, the pressure reducing valve being configured to control a pressure and a flow rate of the liquid antifreeze during winterization. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a control valve coupled to the water line, the control unit, and the antifreeze supply unit, the control valve being configured to any one of permit and restrict flow of at least one of water and the liquid antifreeze through the water line. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to initiate injection, from the antifreeze supply unit, of at least some of the liquid antifreeze into the water line at a concentration based on at least one of temperature values stored in the control unit, water temperature data received by the control unit from at least one water temperature sensor, air temperature data received by the control unit from at least one air temperature sensor, and manual user input. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one of a temperature sensor, pressure sensor, and flow sensor coupled to the water line and the control unit, the temperature sensor being configured to send to the control unit temperature data for at least one of water in the water line and ambient air, the pressure sensor being configured to send to the control unit pressure data for at least one of water and the liquid antifreeze in the water line, and the flow sensor being configured to send to the control unit flow rate data of at least one of water and the liquid antifreeze in the water line. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the control unit is programmed to include at least one temperature trend having a lower threshold based on a geographical location of the control unit. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising an indicator coupled to the water line and configured to measure flow in the water line, and provide a signal when the flow in the water line fluctuates, the signal being at least one of a visible signal, an audible signal, a display on a screen, and a wireless signal. 
     
     
         11 . A control unit for controlling an irrigation system comprising:
 a memory storing temperature thresholds of at least one of air and water temperatures associated with a geographical location of the irrigation system, the memory including at least a lower temperature threshold;   an output configured to be in communication with an antifreeze supply unit including an antifreeze storage container coupled to a water line of the irrigation system; and   a processor coupled to the memory and the output;   wherein the processor is configured to generate a signal at the output upon a determination by the processor that at least one of air and water temperature approaches the lower temperature threshold, the signal being configured to cause the antifreeze supply unit to inject at least some of the liquid antifreeze from the antifreeze storage container into the water line.   
     
     
         12 . The control unit of  claim 11 , wherein the processor of the control unit is configured to generate the signal in response to a manual user input. 
     
     
         13 . The control unit of  claim 11 , wherein the control unit configured to receive at least one of air temperature and water temperature data from at least one sensor coupled to at least one of the control unit and the water line. 
     
     
         14 . The control unit of  claim 11 , wherein the memory includes an upper temperature threshold and the processor is configured to provide a signal at the output upon a determination by the processor that at least one of air and water temperature approaches the upper temperature threshold, the signal configured to cause the liquid antifreeze to be at least in part purged from the water line. 
     
     
         15 . The control unit of  claim 14 , wherein the memory of the control unit stores historical values of the at least one of the air and water temperatures associated with the geographical location of the irrigation system, the processor being configured to analyze, in view of the stored historical values, the at least one of the air temperature data and water temperature data received from the at least one sensor. 
     
     
         16 . The control unit of  claim 11 , wherein the control unit forms a part of a main irrigation controller that controls flow through the water line. 
     
     
         17 . The control unit of  claim 11 , wherein the control unit is configured to be removably coupled to a main irrigation controller that controls flow through the water line. 
     
     
         18 . The control unit of  claim 11 , wherein the processor of the control unit is configured to provide a signal at the output to one of start and interrupt at least one of a supply of water into the water line and an injection by the antifreeze supply unit of the liquid antifreeze into the water line. 
     
     
         19 . The control unit of  claim 11 , wherein the processor of the control unit is configured to generate a signal at the output to control flow rate of injection by the antifreeze supply unit of the liquid antifreeze into the water line. 
     
     
         20 . The control unit of  claim 11 , wherein the control unit includes a visible status indicator indicating whether the liquid antifreeze has been injected into the water line. 
     
     
         21 . A method for controlling an irrigation system comprising:
 outputting a signal from a control unit of an irrigation system comprising a water line and an antifreeze supply unit coupled to the water line and including an antifreeze storage container containing a liquid antifreeze, wherein the control unit comprises a processor and memory containing instructions executable by the processor;   receiving the signal at the antifreeze supply unit; and   injecting, responsive to the signal received at the antifreeze supply unit, at least some of the liquid antifreeze from the antifreeze storage container of the antifreeze supply unit into the water line.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising receiving, at the control unit, at least one of air and water temperature data from at least one sensor unit. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the outputting the signal is responsive to manual user input. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the antifreeze supply unit includes a pump coupled to the antifreeze storage container and wherein the injecting the at least some of the liquid antifreeze further comprises initiating the pump. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the injecting at least some of the liquid antifreeze further comprises the control unit receiving flow rate data from at least one flow rate sensor, and controlling, via the processor of the control unit, speed of the pump based on the flow rate data received from the at least one flow rate sensor. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the injecting at least some of the liquid antifreeze further comprises the control unit receiving pressure data from a pressure sensor coupled to the water line, and interrupting the injecting of the liquid antifreeze into the water line responsive to the pressure data received from the pressure sensor. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising programming the control unit with at least one historical temperature trend having an upper threshold and a lower threshold based on a geographical location of the control unit. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising outputting from the control unit, at least one of a signal that interrupts flow of at least one of water and the liquid antifreeze through the water line, and a signal to purge at least some of the liquid antifreeze from the water line. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the signal to purge at least some of the liquid antifreeze from the water line is responsive to one of manual user input and temperature data received by the control unit from at least one temperature sensor. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising generating via at least one temperature sensor at least one of water and air temperature data after the injecting at least some of the liquid antifreeze from the antifreeze storage container of the antifreeze supply unit into the water line, and causing the antifreeze storage container of the antifreeze supply unit to inject additional liquid antifreeze into the water line responsive to the temperature data received by the control unit from the at least one temperature sensor.