Hydroponic nutrient feeding and draining system
OwnerJohn H. Mossinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Hydroponic nutrient solution is fed to a growing bed by means of a pump withdrawing liquid nutrient solution from a supply reservoir located below the bed. The nutrient solution is rapidly drained from the bed when the pump is de-energized through a dump valve having no moving parts which bypasses the solution draining from the bed directly into the supply reservoir. The dump valve consists of a hollow body having at least one drain aperture. A stream of nutrient solution under pressure passes through a nozzle in the inlet of the valve body and is discharged into the outlet of the valve body. When the pump is de-energized, a major portion of the solution draining from the growing bed passes through the aperture and drains directly into the reservoir.
Claims1
A hydroponic growing system including:
- a. a nutrient solution supply reservoir;
- b. at least one hydroponic growing bed, the bottom of which is located higher than the normal level of nutrient solution in said reservoir;
- c. a conduit in fluid communication between the lower portion of said supply reservoir and the lower portion of said growing bed;
- d. a nutrient solution supply pump disposed in series in said conduit for withdrawing nutrient solution from said reservoir and introducing said solution into said growing bed in a first mode of operation when said pump is energized;
- and
- e. a dump valve in series in said conduit between said pump and said growing bed for rapidly draining nutrient solution from said growing bed into said nutrient solution reservoir, when said pump is de-energized in a second mode of operation, bypassing said pump, and dump valve comprising:
- i. a hollow body member having an inlet and an outlet,
- ii. a liquid nozzle member formed in said inlet for receiving nutrient solution under pressure from said pump in said first mode of operation and for discharging said solution into said outlet, and
- iii. means defining at least one aperture in said hollow body member intermediate of and in constant unobstructed communication with said inlet and said outlet for draining nutrient solution into said reservoir during said second mode of operation, bypassing said pump.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.