Injector for polymer placement and a method therefore

A method of shooting slugs of liquid into soil, the steps including:

• delivering the liquid at pressure to an outlet,
• throttling the liquid adjacent the outlet to pulse the liquid,
• relieving the pressure generated when the liquid delivery is interrupted by throttling the liquid, and
• mixing the liquid at entry into a storage tank from two components including a polymer and water, the water supplied by a waterline accessing an interior of the storage tank, the waterline including flow dividing means causing water passing through the waterline to be divided into a first branch and a second branch, the first branch outputting water adjacent and parallel to an orientation of dry polymer exiting a nozzle within the storage tank for mixing before striking a surface of liquid within the storage tank, the second branch passing into the storage tank without contacting the dry polymer, pumping the liquid from the storage tank, and continuing to mix the liquid after entry into the storage tank with a turbulence generating means by directing a portion of liquid exiting the storage tank back into the storage tank at an elevated pressure.

A device for injecting hydrophillic polymer into soil to improve the ability of the soil to retain water, thereby minimizing the need for irrigation, comprising, in combination:

• a trailer,
• a storage tank carried on said trailer, said tank including a water inlet and a polymer inlet,
• means for mixing water and polymer in said storage tank, said mixing means including a waterline accessing an interior of said storage tank, said waterline including flow dividing means causing water passing through said waterline to be divided into a first branch and a second branch, said first branch outputting water adjacent and parallel to an orientation of dry polymer exiting a nozzle within said storage tank for mixing before striking a surface of liquid within said storage tank, said second branch passing into said storage tank without contacting the dry polymer,
• an outlet,
• delivery means interposed between said storage tank and said outlet,
• a return means interposed between said delivery means and said outlet and communicating with said storage tank for diverting mixed polymer and water back to said storage tank, said return means including a turbulence generating means generating turbulence at a return opening at said storage tank, said turbulence generating means inhibiting separation of the polymer from the water,
• and valve means interposed between said return means and said outlet to allow the mixed water and polymer to pass either through said outlet or back to said return means.

A device for injecting hydrophillic polymer into soil to improve the ability of the soil to retain water, thereby minimizing the need for irrigation, comprising, in combination:

• a trailer,
• a storage tank carried on said trailer, said tank including a water inlet and a polymer inlet,
• means for mixing water and polymer in said storage tank,
• an outlet,
• delivery means interposed between said storage tank and said outlet,
• a return means interposed between said delivery means and said outlet means and communicating with said storage tank for diverting mixed polymer and water back to said storage tank,
• and valve means interposed between said return means and said outlet to allow the mixed water and polymer to pass either through said outlet or back to said return means,
• wherein said storage tank includes a water inlet for receiving water therewithin, a hopper disposed on a top surface of said storage tank within which pulverulent material is adapted to reside, and means operatively connecting said water inlet and said hopper such that both operate in concert to distribute into said storage tank concommitantly upon need for additional material within said storage tank,
• wherein said storage tank includes a valve operatively coupled to said hopper and a valve operatively coupled to said water inlet said valves operating both said hopper and said water inlet in concert, and a nozzle means extending from said hopper to an interior of said storage tank oriented to dispense material from the hopper in an upper portion of said storage tank, and a first branch from said water inlet oriented to impinge upon output from said nozzle means to contact the output from said nozzle means and mix therewith,
• wherein said storage tank includes a drain at a lowermost portion thereof and said return inlet adjacent to said drain, said drain communicating with a pump which includes said means for delivering the liquid to said outlet under high pressure and said return means communicates with said return inlet,
• wherein said outlet includes a wheeled frame, a solenoid valve carried on said wheeled frame and operatively coupled to said liquid exiting said pump under high pressure, said solenoid valve including means for throttling the interval for which said solenoid valve remains closed and said solenoid valve remains open, and manifold means communicating with said solenoid valve and thereafter with a boom having dispensing means for distributing liquid therefrom,
• wherein said dispensing means includes a flexible section allowing play should said dispensing means contact immovable objects, and means to control the direction of liquid dispensed from said dispensing means should said dispensing means become diverted at said flexible means, and
• wherein said trailer includes a support platform elevated above terrain by means of a pair of wheels, a trailer tongue extending from one end of said trailer provided with a trailer hitch, said trailer further including first and second hose reels carried thereon, said first hose reel supporting a hose for feeding water to said storage tank, said second hose reel supporting a hose for liquid exiting said pump and adapted to be operatively coupled to said outlet.

A device for injecting a discrete quantum of liquid into porous media, comprising, in combination:

• a storage means within which the liquid resides,
• an outlet for distributing the liquid, the outlet located on a frame separate from said storage means and including means for independently locating the outlet with respect to said storage means,
• means for delivering the liquid from said storage means to said outlet under pressure,
• valve means interposed between said delivery means and said outlet to interrupt migration of the liquid from said delivery means to said outlet,
• and bypass means interposed between said delivery means and said valve means and communicating with said storage means to return the liquid to said storage means upon closing of said valve means, said bypass means including a turbulence generating means generating turbulence at a return opening at said storage means, said turbulence generating means inhibiting sedimentation of dissolved solids suspended within the liquid, wherein said trailer includes a support platform elevated above terrain by means of a pair of wheels, a trailer tongue extending from one end of said trailer provided with a trailer hitch, said trailer further including first and second hose reels carried thereon, said first hose reel supporting a hose for feeding water to said storage means, said second hose reel supporting a hose for liquid exiting said delivery means and adapted to be operatively coupled to said outlet.