JP7526296B2 - Water management systems and pipelines - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a water management system and a pipeline.

There is a known water management system that uses a computer to control the opening and closing of the water supply and drainage valves in rice paddies, thereby managing the water supply and drainage in rice paddies (see, for example, Patent Document 1). This water management system compares the water temperature in the rice paddy measured by a water thermometer with the water temperature in the water supply pipeline measured by a water thermometer, and if the difference is below a predetermined value, it operates a water pump to replenish water to the water supply pipeline.

JP 2001-161192 A

When water supply to a water faucet begins, a phenomenon called air hammer may occur. Air hammer occurs when air remaining in the pipeline is compressed by the supplied water when water supply begins, and hits the water faucet with high pressure. Depending on the air hammer, there is a possibility that the water faucet may be destroyed. For this reason, care must be taken to prevent air hammer from occurring when water supply begins.

To prevent the occurrence of air hammer, for example, the water tap can be opened before water supply to the tap begins. However, because water taps are installed outdoors in fields, for example, the farm owner must go to the location of the water tap in the field to open it. This type of work is a burden for farmers and hinders efforts to reduce labor.

The present invention was made in consideration of these circumstances, and aims to prevent the occurrence of air hammer when starting water supply to a water tap in a field without manual intervention.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, one aspect of the present invention is a water management system including a water supply faucet that is installed to supply water supplied from a water supply source via a pipeline to a farm field, and a water management server, the water supply faucet including a faucet drive unit that drives the opening and closing of a faucet unit that is installed in a water flow path from the pipeline until the water supplied from the pipeline is discharged outside the water supply faucet, a water supply start detection unit that detects the start of water supply from the water supply source to the water supply faucet, and a water supply faucet control unit that controls the faucet drive unit to open the faucet unit in response to the start of water supply being detected by the water supply start detection unit in the water management server.

In one aspect of the present invention, the water management system further includes a first water sensor that detects water flowing from the water supply source to the water tap, and the water supply start detection unit may determine whether or not the supply of water has started based on the detection result of the first water sensor.

In one aspect of the present invention, in the water management system described above, the water faucet control unit may perform a closing control such that, after water is discharged from the water faucet as a result of the opening control, the faucet drive unit closes the faucet unit of the water faucet that is the subject of the opening control and is determined not to be used to supply water to a field.

In one aspect of the present invention, the water management system further includes a second water sensor that detects the water flowing through the water tap, and the water supply start detection unit may perform the water tap closing control when it determines that water is being discharged from the water tap based on the detection result by the second water sensor.

Another aspect of the present invention is a water management server that includes a communication unit that communicates with a water faucet that is provided to supply water from a water supply source through a pipeline to a farm field and includes a tap drive unit that drives the opening and closing of a tap unit that is provided in a water flow path until the water supplied from the pipeline is discharged to the outside, and a water faucet control unit that performs tap opening control so that the tap drive unit opens the tap unit in response to detection of the start of water supply from the water supply source to the water faucet.

As described above, the present invention has the effect of preventing the occurrence of air hammer when starting water supply to a water tap in a field without requiring manual work.

1 is a diagram showing an example of the overall configuration of a water management system according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a water supply faucet in the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a water supply faucet in the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a water sensor in the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a water management server according to the present embodiment. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the contents of water supply faucet management information in the present embodiment. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of a processing procedure executed by the water management server in this embodiment in relation to preventing air hammer. FIG.

The following describes an irrigation water management system according to one embodiment of the present invention with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 shows an example of the overall configuration of an irrigation water management system in this embodiment. The irrigation water management system of this embodiment manages water supply and drainage in multiple farm fields.

First, the water supply and drainage system of the field that the water management system corresponds to will be described with reference to the same figure. The same figure shows an example in which the water management system manages three fields FM-1, FM-2, and FM-3. The fields FM-1, FM-2, and FM-3 in this embodiment are, for example, rice paddies, and irrigation and drainage (water supply and drainage) are performed so that the water level is appropriate depending on the rice cultivation season.
In the following description, when there is no need to distinguish between the fields FM-1, FM-2, and FM-3, they will be referred to as the field FM. The number of fields FM that are managed by the irrigation management system of this embodiment is not particularly limited.

A water supply faucet 100-1 is provided in the field FM-1. The water supply faucet 100-1 is a facility that supplies irrigation water sent from a farm pond FP (an example of an irrigation water supply source) to the field FM-1 via a pipeline PL. The water supply faucet 100-1 is provided with a plug portion (valve) that opens and closes in a flow path until the irrigation water sent from the farm pond FP is discharged to the field FM-1, so that the amount of irrigation water sent from the farm pond FP to be supplied to the field FM-1 can be adjusted.
The field FM-1 is also provided with a drain plug 200-1. The drain plug 200-1 is a facility for draining water stored in the field FM-1. The drain plug 200-1 is provided with a plug portion (valve) that opens and closes in a water flow path leading to the discharge of water drawn up from the field FM-1, for example, into a pipeline, so that the amount of water discharged can be adjusted.

As in the case of field FM-1 above, field FM-2 is also provided with a water supply valve 100-2 and a drain plug 200-2. Field FM-3 is also provided with a water supply valve 100-3 and a drain plug 200-3.

In the following explanation, when there is no particular distinction between the water supply taps 100-1, 100-2, and 100-3, they will be referred to as water supply tap 100.In the following explanation, when there is no particular distinction between the drain plugs 200-1, 200-2, and 200-3, they will be referred to as drain plug 200.

The irrigation water management system of this embodiment is equipped with a wireless LAN (Local Area Network) router RT whose communication range is the area covering the fields FM-1, FM-2, and FM-3. The wireless LAN router RT is connected to a network NT, and the irrigation water management server 500 is connected to the network NT.

In this embodiment, the water supply taps 100 and drain plugs 200 of each field FM each have a network communication function compatible with wireless LAN. This allows the water supply taps 100 and drain plugs 200 of each field FM to communicate with the water management server 500 via the wireless LAN router RT and the network NT.

Water is supplied (irrigated) to each of the farm fields FM as follows: Water to be supplied to the farm fields FM is first drawn from, for example, a river RV via a pipeline to a farm pond FP, and is stored in the farm pond FP. The farm pond FP is a pond that stores water for irrigation.
Water stored in the farm pond FP is pumped up by a pump (not shown) and supplied to the pipeline PL by applying pressure. In the case of the figure, the pipeline PL branches into three routes, which are connected to water supply faucets 100-1, 100-2, and 100-3 provided in the fields FM-1, FM-2, and FM-3, respectively. As a result, water sent from the farm pond FP via the pipeline PL reaches the water supply faucets 100-1, 100-2, and 100-3. At this time, if the taps of the water supply faucets 100-1, 100-2, and 100-3 are open, water is supplied from the water supply faucets 100-1, 100-2, and 100-3 to the fields FM-1, FM-2, and FM-3, respectively, for irrigation.

In addition, in the water management system of this embodiment, water sensor 300-A (an example of a first water sensor) and water sensors 300-B1, 300-B2, and 300-B3 (an example of a second water sensor) are provided to control the water supply to fields FM-1, FM-2, and FM-3.

The water sensor 300-A detects water flowing from the farm pond FP to the pipeline PL. As a specific example, the water sensor 300-A is a flow rate sensor provided to detect the amount of water (flow rate) flowing in the pipeline PL at a portion of the pipeline PL close to the farm pond FP. The water sensor 300-A thus provided can detect the amount of water flowing from the farm pond FP into the pipeline PL in response to the supply of water from the farm pond FP.
The water sensor 300-A also has a network communication function compatible with a wireless LAN, so that the water sensor 300-A can communicate with the water management server 500 via the wireless LAN router RT and the network NT.

The water sensor 300-B1 is provided corresponding to the water supply tap 100-1 and detects the water flowing into the water supply tap 100-1. As a specific example, the water sensor 300-B1 is provided so as to detect the amount of water (flow rate) flowing in a portion of the pipeline PL connected to the water supply tap 100-1 close to the water supply tap 100-1.
For example, when the water faucet 100-1 is closed and no water flows through the water faucet 100-1, no water flows through the pipeline PL in the vicinity of the water faucet 100-1. Therefore, the water sensor 300-B1 in this case detects that the flow rate is zero.
In contrast, when the water faucet 100-1 is open and water is flowing through the water faucet 100-1, water also flows through the portion of the pipeline PL close to the water faucet 100-1. Therefore, the water sensor 300-B1 in this case detects a flow rate corresponding to the amount of water flowing through the water faucet 100-1.
In this manner, the water sensor 300-B1 can detect the water flowing through the water tap 100-1.
In addition, the water sensor 300-B1 and the water supply tap 100-1 are installed relatively close to each other. Therefore, the water sensor 300-B1 and the water supply tap 100-1 are configured to be able to communicate with each other by short-range wireless communication. As a result, the water sensor 300-B1 transmits detection information indicating the detection result to the water supply tap 100-1, and the water supply tap 100-1 can transmit the received detection information from the wireless LAN router RT via the network NT to the water management server 500. In this way, the water management server 500 can acquire the detection information of the water sensor 300-B1 through communication.

The method of short-range wireless communication between the water sensor 300-B1 and the water tap 100-1 is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, Bluetooth (registered trademark), ZigBee (registered trademark), or the like.
Since such short-distance wireless communication consumes little power, for example, the water sensor 300-B1 can be operated for a long period of time using a battery as a power source, which reduces the labor required for maintenance. Also, even if the power generated during the day by a solar cell is used as a power source by charging it, a small-capacity solar cell or rechargeable battery can suffice.

The water sensor 300-B2 is provided corresponding to the water faucet 100-2 and detects the water flowing into the water faucet 100-2. For example, the water sensor 300-B2 is also provided to detect the amount of water (flow rate) flowing in the pipeline PL in the vicinity of the water faucet 100-2.
The water sensor 300-B2 and the water supply tap 100-2 are capable of communicating with each other via short-range wireless communication. This allows the water management server 500 to obtain detection information of the water sensor 300-B2 from the water supply tap 100-2 via communication.

The water sensor 300-B3 is provided corresponding to the water supply tap 100-3 and detects the water flowing into the water supply tap 100-3. For example, the water sensor 300-B3 is also provided to detect the amount of water (flow rate) flowing in the pipeline PL in the vicinity of the water supply tap 100-3.
The water sensor 300-B3 and the water supply tap 100-3 are capable of communicating with each other via short-range wireless communication, which allows the water management server 500 to obtain detection information of the water sensor 300-B3 from the water supply tap 100-3 via communication.

The water management server 500 can use the detection information acquired from the water sensors 300-A, 300-B1, 300-B2, and 300-B3 as described above to perform water supply and drainage control for each of the fields FM-1, FM-2, and FM-3.

In the following explanation, when there is no particular distinction between the water sensors 300-B1, 300-B2, and 300-B3 corresponding to each water supply tap 100, they will be referred to as water sensor 300-B. Also, when there is no particular distinction between the water sensor 300-A corresponding to the farm pond FP and the water sensor 300-B corresponding to the water supply tap 100, they will be referred to as water sensor 300.

Furthermore, multiple water level sensors 400-1 are installed in the farm field FM-1. In the figure, an example in which four water level sensors 400-1 are installed is shown. Each water level sensor 400-1 detects (measures) the water level at the location where it is installed.
The water level in a field varies depending on the position in the field, for example. Therefore, when determining one water level corresponding to one field, it is preferable to place water level sensors at multiple different positions in the field and determine one representative water level based on the water levels detected by each water level sensor, in order to increase the reliability of the measurement results. In this embodiment, from this perspective, multiple water level sensors 400-1 are installed in the field FM-1.
Each water level sensor 400-1 is also capable of communicating with the water supply faucet 100-1 installed in the same farm field FM-1 by short-range wireless communication. This allows each water level sensor 400-1 to transmit information on the detected water level to the water supply faucet 100-1. Furthermore, the water supply faucet 100-1 can transmit the water level information received from each water level sensor 400-1 to the water management server 500 via the wireless LAN router RT and the network NT. In other words, each water level sensor 400-1 can transmit information on the detected water level to the water management server 500 via communication relayed by the water supply faucet 100-1.

Similarly, multiple water level sensors 400-2 are installed in the field FM-2. Each water level sensor 400-2 is capable of communicating with a water faucet 100-2 installed in the same field FM-2 by short-range wireless communication. This allows each water level sensor 400-2 to transmit detected water level information to the water management server 500 via the water faucet 100-2.
Additionally, multiple water level sensors 400-3 are installed in the field FM-3. Each water level sensor 400-3 is capable of communicating with a water faucet 100-3 installed in the same field FM-3 by short-range wireless communication. This allows each water level sensor 400-3 to transmit detected water level information to the water management server 500 via the water faucet 100-3. In the following explanation, when there is no particular need to distinguish between the water level sensors 400-1, 400-2, and 400-3, they will be referred to as water level sensor 400.

The water management server 500 can determine the water level in the field FM-1 using water level information received from each water level sensor 400-1 installed in the field FM-1, and can use the determined water level for water supply and drainage management in the field FM-1.
Similarly, the water management server 500 can use the water level information received from each water level sensor 400-2 installed in field FM-2 to determine the water level in field FM-2, and use the determined water level for water supply and drainage management in field FM-2.
In addition, the water management server 500 can use the water level information received from each water level sensor 400-3 installed in field FM-3 to determine the water level in field FM-3, and use the determined water level for water supply and drainage management in field FM-3.

The water management server 500 manages water supply and drainage (water supply and drainage management) in the fields FM-1, FM-2, and FM-3.
In managing water supply and drainage, the water management server 500 communicates with the water taps 100 in each field FM via the network NT and the wireless LAN router RT, thereby controlling the opening and closing of the taps 100. This allows the water management server 500 to individually control the water supply for each field FM.
The water management server 500 also communicates with the drain plugs 200 in each field FM via the network NT and the wireless LAN router RT, thereby controlling the opening and closing of the plugs in each drain plug 200. This allows the water management server 500 to individually control drainage for each field FM.

The field owner terminal 600-1 is a network terminal device used by the field owner (farmer) of the field FM-1. The field owner terminal 600-1 is, for example, a personal computer, a smartphone, a tablet terminal, etc. owned by the field owner of the field FM-1. Similarly, the field owner terminals 600-2 and 600-3 are network terminal devices used by the field owners of the fields FM-2 and FM-3, respectively. In the following explanation, the field owner terminals 600-1, 600-2, and 600-3 will be referred to as the field owner terminal 600 unless otherwise distinguished.
In the figure, an example is shown in which field owner terminals 600-1, 600-2, and 600-3 are provided for the fields FM-1, FM-2, and FM-3, respectively, in order to accommodate the cases in which the fields FM-1, FM-2, and FM-3 have different field owners. However, for the fields FM-1, FM-2, and FM-3 that have the same field owner, one field owner terminal 600 may be used in common.

An example of the configuration of the water supply faucet 100 will be described with reference to Figures 2 and 3. In each figure, the structure of the water supply faucet 100 is shown in a cross-sectional view of the water supply faucet 100 viewed from the side. In the water supply faucet 100, the water supply pipe 101 is a pipe through which water is supplied from the pipeline PL. As shown in the figure, the lower end side of the water supply pipe 101 is connected to the end of the pipeline PL. As a result, as shown by the arrow α in Figure 2, the water sent from the pipeline PL is supplied to the hollow portion 101a in the water supply pipe 101.

The discharge pipe 102 is attached to the upper end of the water supply pipe 101. The hollow portion 102a of the discharge pipe 102 is connected to the hollow portion 101a of the water supply pipe 101. In addition, at the connection portion between the water supply pipe 101 and the discharge pipe 102, the diameter of the hollow portion 101a of the water supply pipe 101 is larger than the stop valve ball 104, and the diameter of the hollow portion 102a of the discharge pipe 102 is smaller than the stop valve ball 104. In addition, the opening of the hollow portion 101a side of the hollow portion 102a of the discharge pipe 102 is tapered as shown in the figure, so that when the stop valve ball 104 rises to the opening of the hollow portion 102a, it is located in a position where it can block the hollow portion 102a as shown in the figure. In this embodiment, the stop valve ball 104 and the lower opening of the hollow portion 102a form a stopper portion.

A cup 103 is provided to cover the upper side of the discharge pipe 102. A hollow portion 103a is formed between the inside of the cup 103 and the discharge pipe 102. The hollow portion 103a serves as a path for the water discharged from the hollow portion 102a of the discharge pipe 102 to be discharged to the outside.

The stop valve ball 104 is a spherical member having buoyancy. As shown in the drawing, the stop valve ball 104 is provided in the hollow portion 101a.
The shaft 105 is provided so as to penetrate the cup 103 and the hollow portion 102a of the discharge pipe 102. The shaft 105 is movable up and down within a certain movable range by a plug drive unit 111 as shown by an arrow A in FIG.

The shaft portion 105 shown in FIG. 2 is, for example, in the uppermost position in the movable range. In this state, the pressure of the water supplied from the pipeline PL to the water supply pipe 101 causes the stop valve ball 104, which is a buoyant body, to rise to the state shown in the figure, so that the opening of the hollow portion 102a is blocked by the stop valve ball 104 (closed state). By being in this closed state, the water supplied from the pipeline PL to the water supply pipe 101 is not discharged outside the water supply valve 100.

On the other hand, the shaft 105 shown in Fig. 3 has been moved downward from the state shown in Fig. 2 as indicated by the arrow B in Fig. 3, and is in the lowest position within its movable range. In this state, the stop valve ball 104 is pushed down by the shaft 105 as shown in the figure. As a result, the stop valve ball 104 is in a state (open state) in which it is located lower than the hollow portion 102a in the hollow portion 101a.
By opening the pipe in this manner, the water supplied from the pipeline PL to the water supply pipe 101 passes through a water flow path formed by hollow portions 101a, 102a, and 103a, as indicated by the dashed arrow β in the figure, and is discharged to the outside of the water supply tap 100. In this manner, the water is supplied from the water supply tap 100 to the field FM. At this time, because a cup 103 is provided above the discharge pipe 102, even if the pressure of the water discharged from the hollow portion 102a is high, it is possible for the water to flow downward through the hollow portion 103a without being sprayed out upwards.

2 and 3, a case 110 is provided, for example, on the cup 103. The case 110 includes a plug driving unit 111, a control unit 112, a sensor-compatible communication unit 113, a server-compatible communication unit 114, and a power supply unit 115.
The plug drive unit 111 drives the plug unit to open and close. In other words, the plug drive unit 111 moves the shaft 105 in the vertical direction to change the state between a closed state in which the stop valve ball 104 closes the opening of the hollow portion 102a and an open state in which the stop valve ball 104 is located below the opening of the hollow portion 102a.
In addition, the valve driver 111 can adjust the gap between the opening of the hollow portion 102a and the stop valve ball 104 by changing the vertical position of the shaft portion 105 in the open state. This makes it possible to adjust the amount of water discharged from the water supply valve 100.

The tap drive unit 111 is configured to include, for example, a motor and a mechanism for moving the shaft 105 up and down in response to the rotation of the motor. For example, the mechanism for moving the shaft 105 up and down can be configured with a structure in which the shaft 105 is screwed into a predetermined location on the water tap 100 so that it can be moved up and down by rotation, and the shaft 105 is rotated in response to the rotation of the motor. Note that other structures can also be used for the mechanism for moving the shaft 105 up and down, and is not limited to the above example.

The control unit 112 controls the operation of the plug driving unit 111. To this end, the control unit 112 outputs to the plug driving unit 111, for example, a motor control signal for rotating the motor of the plug driving unit 111.
The control unit 112 also transmits and receives information via the sensor-compatible communication unit 113 to and from the water sensor 300 and the water level sensor 400 that are within the communication distance of the sensor-compatible communication unit 113. The control unit 112 also transmits and receives information via the server-compatible communication unit 114 to and from the water management server 500 over the network NT.

The sensor compatible communication unit 113 communicates with the water sensor 300 and the water level sensor 400 located within the communication distance range via short-range wireless communication.
The server-compatible communication unit 114 communicates with the water management server 500 via the network NT.

The power supply unit 115 supplies power to the plug driving unit 111, the control unit 112, the sensor-compatible communication unit 113, and the server-compatible communication unit 114. The power supply unit 115 includes, for example, a solar cell and a storage battery, and stores power generated by the solar cell during the day in the storage battery. The power supply unit 115 is configured to supply the power stored in the storage battery as a power source.
Alternatively, the power supply unit 115 may be configured to supply power from a battery of a specified standard, such as a secondary battery or a primary battery, and to be used so that the battery is replaced when the remaining battery charge becomes low.

An example of the configuration of the water sensor 300 will be described with reference to Fig. 4. As shown in the figure, the water sensor includes a communication unit 301 and a flow rate sensor 302.
The communication unit 301 communicates with the water taps 100 located within the communication distance range via short-range wireless communication.
The flow rate sensor 302 detects the flow rate of water at the location where the flow rate sensor 302 is attached. Information on the flow rate detected by the flow rate sensor 302 is transmitted by the communication unit 301 to the water supply tap 100 with which it is communicating.

An example of the configuration of the water management server 500 will be described with reference to FIG. 5. The water management server 500 in the figure includes a communication unit 501, a control unit 502, and a memory unit 503.

The communication unit 501 executes communication corresponding to the network NT. By being equipped with the communication unit 501, the water management server 500 can communicate with the water supply taps 100 and the drain taps 200 of each farm field FM from the network NT via the wireless LAN router RT.

The control unit 502 executes various controls in the water management server 500. The functions of the control unit 502 are realized, for example, by a CPU (Central Processing Unit) included in the water management server 500 executing a program.
The control unit 502 in this embodiment includes a water supply start detection unit 521 and a water tap control unit 522 as functional units related to control in response to the start of the supply of water from the farm pond FP.

The water supply start detection unit 521 detects that the supply of water from the farm pond FP to the water tap 100 has started based on the detection results of the water sensor 300-A. Specifically, the water supply start detection unit 521 receives flow rate detection information transmitted at regular intervals (e.g., from around one second to several seconds) from the water sensor 300-A installed corresponding to the farm pond FP, and monitors the flow rate indicated by the received flow rate detection information.

When water is not being supplied from the farm pond FP to the water faucet 100, no water flow occurs in the pipeline PL near the farm pond FP as detected by the water sensor 300-A. In this case, the water sensor 300-A detects that the flow rate is zero.
When a pump (not shown) is operated to pump water from the farm pond FP to the pipeline PL and water supply from the farm pond FP to the water faucet 100 begins, pressure is applied and water flows in the pipeline PL near the farm pond FP. At this time, the water sensor 300-A detects a flow rate value greater than zero. In other words, the water sensor 300-A detects that there is a flow rate.
Therefore, the water supply start detection unit 521 detects that water supply from the farm pond FP has started when the monitored flow rate changes from a zero state to a flow state (a flow rate value greater than zero).

When the water supply start detection unit 521 detects that the supply of water has started, the water supply tap control unit 522 performs control to open the tap so that the tap drive unit 111 in the water supply tap 100 opens the tap unit.
That is, when the water supply start detection unit 521 detects that the supply of water has started, the water tap control unit 522 sends an open control signal to all water taps 100-1, 100-2, 100-3 in each field FM (i.e., all water taps 100 that receive water supply from the farm pond FP) to open the taps.

As described above, the water tap control unit 522 performs the opening control, so that all water taps 100 that receive water from the farm pond FP have their taps open at a timing corresponding to the start of the supply of water from the farm pond FP.

If the valve of the water supply faucet 100 remains closed after the supply of water from the farm pond FP has begun, a phenomenon known as air hammer may occur, in which the air remaining in the pipeline PL is compressed and exerts excessive pressure on the water supply faucet 100. If air hammer occurs, the excessive pressure may damage the water supply faucet.

Therefore, as in this embodiment, if the water supply valve 100 is opened at a timing corresponding to the start of the supply of water from the farm pond FP, the air remaining in the pipeline PL is discharged to the outside through the water flow path in the water supply valve 100. This prevents the occurrence of an air hammer and also prevents damage to the water supply valve.
Furthermore, with the above configuration, the opening of the water supply tap 100 to prevent the occurrence of air hammer is performed without manual work under the control of the water management server 500. As a result, in this embodiment, labor is saved in preventing the occurrence of air hammer.

However, among the water taps 100 that have been controlled to be opened as described above, there may be some that are not actually being used to supply water to the field FM. For example, the soil conditions and crop growth differ for each field FM. Furthermore, the approach to growing crops differs depending on the land owner. Or, even in the case of a field FM that is left fallow, there is no need to supply water. For this reason, even during the same season, the need for water supply differs for each field FM, such that water supply should be provided to some fields FM but not to other fields FM.
Therefore, if all water supply taps 100 are left open to prevent the occurrence of air hammer when the supply of water from the farm pond FP begins, the following problems may occur.
In other words, if there is a field FM that should not be watered at the current time of year, water will be supplied to the field FM from the water supply tap 100 installed in this field FM. When such a problem occurs, it is troublesome for the owner of the field to go to the water supply tap 100 and manually close the water supply tap 100, which is not preferable in terms of labor saving.
Therefore, in this embodiment, for water taps 100 installed in a farm field FM where water should not be supplied, the water taps 100 are first opened by prior opening control to avoid the occurrence of an air hammer, and then returned to the closed state by control of the water management server 500.

For this reason, the water tap control unit 522 performs the following control after water is discharged from the water taps 100 as a result of performing the opening control. In other words, the water tap control unit 522 performs closing control so that the tap drive unit 111 closes the tap unit for the water taps 100 that are the subject of the opening control and that are predetermined not to be used to supply water to the field FM.
Specifically, after performing the above-mentioned opening control, the water faucet control unit 522 waits for the water supplied from the farm pond FP to be discharged from each of the water faucets 100 that are the subject of the opening control. Because the pipeline PL between the farm pond FP and the water faucet 100 has a certain physical length, it takes a certain amount of time for the water faucet 100 to start discharging water in response to the start of the supply of water from the farm pond FP.

At this time, the water supply tap control unit 522 receives flow rate detection information transmitted at regular intervals from the water sensors 300-B (300-B1, 300-B2, 300-B3) corresponding to all of the water supply taps 100 (100-1, 100-2, 100-3) that are the subject of the opening control, and monitors the flow rate indicated by the received flow rate detection information.
When water is not yet being discharged from the water supply faucet 100, there is no water flow in the pipeline PL near the water supply faucet 100 where the water supply sensor 300-B is installed. At this time, the water supply sensor 300-B detects that the flow rate is zero.
When water is being discharged from the water supply tap 100, water also flows in the pipeline PL near the water supply tap 100 where the water sensor 300-B is installed. At this time, the water sensor 300-B detects a flow rate value greater than zero. In other words, the water sensor 300-B detects that there is a flow rate.
Therefore, the water supply tap control unit 522 determines that water is being discharged from all of the water supply taps 100 that are the subject of the opening control when all of the flow rates detected by each of the water sensors 300-B have changed from zero to flow present.

Next, the water tap control unit 522 identifies, among the water taps 100 that are the subject of opening control, those that are determined not to be used for water supply. To this end, the water tap control unit 522 uses the water tap management information stored in the water tap management information storage unit 531 of the storage unit 503.

Fig. 6 shows an example of the water hydrant management information. The water hydrant management information in the figure corresponds to a case in which the water management server 500 manages the water supply and drainage of two fields that receive water supply from another different farm pond in addition to the water supply and drainage management of the fields FM-1, FM-2, and FM-3 shown in Fig. 1.
The water hydrant management information in FIG. 6 has a structure in which a farm pond ID, a water hydrant ID, and a usage flag are associated with each other.
The farm pond ID is an identifier assigned to each farm pond FP.
The water faucet ID is an identifier that uniquely identifies the water faucet 100. For example, in the figure, three water faucet IDs [F0001], [F0002], and [F0003] are associated with the farm pond ID [P0001]. This indicates that the three water faucets that receive water from the farm pond with farm pond ID [P0001] are the faucet indicated by the faucet ID [F0001], the faucet indicated by the faucet ID [F0002], and the faucet indicated by the faucet ID [F0003], respectively.
The farm pond ID [P0001] in the figure indicates the farm pond FP in FIG. 1, and the water faucet IDs [F0001], [F0002], and [F0003] respectively indicate the water faucets 100-1, 100-2, and 100-3 in the same FIG.

In the water hydrant management information in FIG. 6, farm pond ID [P0002] indicates another farm pond other than farm pond FP in FIG. 1 that supplies water to a field that is the target of water supply and drainage by the water management server 500. The water hydrant management information in FIG. 6 also indicates that two water hydrants, each assigned water hydrant IDs [F0011] and [F0012], receive water from the farm pond indicated by farm pond ID [P0002].

The use flag is a flag indicating whether or not the use of the faucet indicated by the associated faucet ID is permitted for supplying water to the field. Here, when the use flag is "1", it indicates that the use is permitted for supplying water to the field FM, and when the use flag is "0", it indicates that the use is prohibited for supplying water to the field FM. In the example of the figure, it is indicated that the faucet 100-1 (faucet ID [F0001]) and the faucet 100-2 (faucet ID = [F0002]) in FIG. 1 are permitted for supplying water to the field FM, but the faucet 100-3 (faucet ID = [F0003]) is prohibited for supplying water to the field FM. In other words, the faucet 100-3 is a faucet that is determined not to be used for supplying water.
It is also shown that the water faucet with the water faucet ID [F0011] and the water faucet with the water faucet ID [F0012] are both permitted to be used to supply water to the field.

The use flag in the water hydrant management information can be set from the field owner's terminal 600. For example, the field owner operates his/her own field owner's terminal 600 to have the field owner's terminal 600 access a website for setting up the water hydrant provided by the water management server 500. The field owner can then operate the accessed website from the field owner's terminal 600 to set whether to permit or prohibit the use of the water hydrant 100 in his/her own field FM. In this way, the settings made on the website are reflected in the water hydrant management information.

The water tap control unit 522 refers to the water tap management information and identifies, among the water taps 100 for which opening control has been performed, water taps 100 whose usage flags are "0." The water tap control unit 522 then transmits a closing control signal to the identified water taps 100 to close them.
The control unit 112 of the water tap 100 that receives the closing control signal controls the tap drive unit 111 to close the tap unit. As a result, after the opening control has been performed, water supply to the field FM continues from the water taps 100 for which water supply is permitted according to the water tap management information. On the other hand, water supply to the field FM is stopped for the water taps 100 for which water supply is prohibited according to the water tap management information. In this way, the water tap control unit 522 is configured to perform closing control when it determines that water is being discharged from the water tap 100 based on the detection result of the water sensor 300-B.

The memory unit 503 also stores various information used by the control unit 502. In this embodiment, the memory unit 503 includes a water hydrant management information memory unit 531. The water hydrant management information memory unit 531 stores water hydrant management information. As described above, the water hydrant management information indicates the settings for permitting or prohibiting water supply to the field FM for each water hydrant.

Next, an example of a processing procedure executed by the water management server 500 in this embodiment in relation to preventing air hammer will be described with reference to the flowchart in Fig. 7. Note that the processing shown in the figure is performed for one farm pond among the farm ponds (i.e., farm ponds whose farm pond IDs are stored in the water hydrant management information) that the water management server 500 monitors for the start of water supply. Therefore, the water management server 500 executes the processing shown in the figure in parallel for each farm pond whose farm pond ID is stored in the water hydrant management information.
Here, the processing in FIG. 5 will be described by taking as an example a case where the processing is performed on the farm pond FP shown in FIG.

The water sensor 300-A corresponding to the farm pond FP in FIG. 1 detects the flow rate of water in the pipeline PL near the farm pond FP. The water sensor 300-A then transmits detection information indicating the detected flow rate value to the water management server 500 at regular intervals. In addition, when transmitting the detection information, the water sensor 300-A includes in the detection information the farm pond ID [P0001] indicating the farm pond FP to which the water sensor 300-A corresponds.

Therefore, the water supply start detection unit 521 of the water management server 500 waits to receive detection information (i.e., detection information transmitted by the water sensor 300-A in Figure 1) including the farm pond ID [P0001] indicating the farm pond FP to be monitored for the start of water supply (step S101-NO).
The detection information transmitted from the water sensor 300-A may include, for example, a water sensor ID that uniquely identifies the water sensor 300-A, instead of the farm pond ID. In this case, the water management server 500 can uniquely identify the farm pond FP that the water sensor 300-A is detecting the flow rate by managing the farm pond ID of the farm pond FP and the water sensor ID of the water sensor 300-A in association with each other.
When detection information including the farm pond ID [P0001] indicating the farm pond FP is received (step S101-YES), the water supply start detection unit 521 acquires the flow rate value included in the received detection information (step S102).

Next, the water supply start detection unit 521 judges whether or not the supply of water from the corresponding farm pond FP has started based on the flow rate value acquired in the current step S102 and the flow rate value acquired in the previous step S102 (step S103). In making the judgment in step S103, for example, the water supply start detection unit 521 may judge whether or not the flow rate value acquired in the current step S102 has changed from a state in which the flow rate value acquired in the previous step S102 was zero to a state in which the flow rate value acquired in the current step S102 is greater than zero. In other words, in this case, control is performed to immediately open the water supply tap 100 in response to the detection of the flow rate of water from the farm pond FP.
It may be determined whether the flow rate value has changed from zero to a predetermined value greater than zero according to a predetermined margin value. It may be determined that the supply of water from the farm pond FP has started when, for example, a flow rate value greater than zero or equal to a predetermined value is continuously obtained a certain number of times from a state where the flow rate value was zero. In the above two configurations, it is possible to avoid erroneously determining that a temporary water flow in the pipeline PL caused by some reason has started to be the supply of water from the farm pond FP, and it is possible to improve the reliability of the determination result.

If it is determined that the supply of water from the farm pond FP has not started (step S103-NO), the water supply start detection unit 521 returns the process to step S101.
On the other hand, if it is determined that the supply of water from the farm pond FP has started (step S103-YES), the water tap control unit 522 executes the following process.

In other words, the water tap control unit 522 performs opening control for all water taps 100 that receive a supply of water from the farm pond FP that is the monitoring target (step S104). The opening control in step S104 is performed as follows.
First, the water faucet control unit 522 identifies a water faucet as a target for opening control. To this end, the water faucet control unit 522 acquires the water faucet ID associated with the farm pond ID of the farm pond FP that is the target of monitoring for the start of water supply from the water faucet management information stored in the water faucet management information storage unit 531.
Specifically, the farm pond ID of the farm pond FP to be monitored for the start of water supply in this case is [P0001]. Therefore, the water faucet control unit 522 in this case obtains the three water faucet IDs [F0001], [F0002], and [F0003] associated with the farm pond ID [P0001] from the water faucet management information. By obtaining the water faucet IDs in this way, the water faucets to be controlled to open are identified as the water faucets 100-1, 100-2, and 100-3. The water faucets 100-1, 100-2, and 100-3 identified in this way are the water faucets 100 that receive water supply from the farm pond FP to be monitored.
The water tap control unit 522 then transmits an open control signal to the water taps 100-1, 100-2, and 100-3 that have been identified as targets for open control as described above. In this manner, the open control in step S104 is performed.
In response to the above-described opening control, the control units 112 in the water taps 100-1, 100-2, and 100-3 control the tap drive units 111 so that the tap units are in an open state. As a result, all of the water taps 100 that are the subject of the opening control are in an open state.
Here, the open state of the water supply valve 100 by the opening control in step S104 may be set to be fully open (100% open). By setting the water supply valve 100 to be fully open, the stroke distance of the stop valve ball 104 becomes as small as possible, so that damage due to the air hammer phenomenon is further prevented.

As mentioned above, because the pipeline PL has a physical length, it takes a certain amount of time from the time when water supply starts on the farm pond FP side until the supplied water is actually discharged from the water tap 100.
Therefore, after all of the water taps 100 that are the subject of the opening control are opened as described above, the water tap control unit 522 waits for the water to be discharged from the water taps 100. To this end, the water tap control unit 522 performs the processes of steps S105 and S106 as follows.
That is, the water tap control unit 522 monitors the flow rates detected by the water sensors 300-B corresponding to all of the water taps 100 (step S105).
The water sensors 300-B1, 300-B2, and 300-B3 detect the flow rate in the pipeline PL near the water taps 100-1, 100-2, and 100-3, respectively, and transmit detection information including flow rate values indicating the detected flow rates to the water management server 500 via the water sensors 300-B1, 300-B2, and 300-B3 at regular intervals.
Furthermore, the detection information transmitted by the water sensors 300-B1, 300-B2, and 300-B3 includes the water tap IDs of the water taps 100-1, 100-2, and 100-3, respectively, as information indicating the corresponding water taps.

Then, in step S105, when detection information is received from any of the water sensors 300-B1, 300-B2, and 300-B3, the water supply tap control unit 522 obtains the flow rate value contained in the received detection information in association with the water supply tap ID contained in the same detection information. In this way, step S105 monitors the flow rate detected by the corresponding water sensor 300-B for each water supply tap 100 that is the target of opening control.

While monitoring the flow rate in step S105 as described above, the water tap control unit 522 determines whether or not water is being discharged from all of the water taps 100 that are subject to opening control (step S106).
For this purpose, the water supply valve control unit 522 need only determine whether or not all of the flow rates detected by each of the water sensors 300-B have changed from zero to greater than zero. If all of the flow rates detected by the water sensors 300-B have changed to greater than zero, this means that water supplied from the farm pond FP is being discharged from all water supply valves 100 that are subject to opening control and are in the open state.

If it is determined that water has not yet been dispensed from at least one of the water taps 100 that are the targets of opening control (step S106-NO), the water tap control unit 522 returns the process to step S105. That is, the water tap control unit 522 continues to monitor the flow rate in step S105 until it determines that water has been dispensed from all of the water taps 100 that are the targets of opening control.
On the other hand, if it is determined that water has been discharged from all of the water taps 100 that are the targets of the opening control (step S106-YES), the water tap control unit 522 proceeds to the following control. That is, the water tap control unit 522 proceeds to control to close the water taps 100 that are the targets of the opening control and that are prohibited from being used to supply water.
Therefore, the water tap control unit 522 first identifies water taps 100 that are prohibited from being used to supply water among the water taps 100 that are subject to opening control (step S107). For this reason, the water tap control unit 522 identifies water tap IDs with associated use flags of "0" among the water tap IDs of the water taps 100 that are subject to opening control stored in the water tap management information. By identifying the water tap IDs in this manner, the water taps 100 that are prohibited from being used to supply water are identified.
6, among the water tap IDs [F0001], [F0002], and [F0003], the usage flag associated with the water tap ID [F0003] is set to "0." Therefore, in this case, the water tap 100-3 indicated by the water tap ID [F0003] is identified as a water tap that is prohibited from being used to supply water.

The water supply valve control unit 522 then performs closing control on the water supply valves 100 identified in step S107 as those for which a water supply use prohibition has been set (step S108). That is, the water supply valve control unit 522 transmits a closing control signal to the water supply valves 100 identified in step S107 as those for which use for water supply is prohibited.
Among the water taps 100 that were opened by the opening control in step S104, the water taps 100 identified in step S107 receive the closing control signal. The water taps 100 that have received the closing control signal control the tap drive unit 111 so that the tap unit that was previously open is closed.
As a result, of the water taps 100 that are subject to opening control, those that are permitted to be used for water supply are maintained in an open state, and those that are prohibited from being used for water supply are closed. As a result, water is supplied to the field FM that needs water supply, while water is not supplied to the field FM that does not need water supply, enabling appropriate water supply management in accordance with the settings of the water tap management information.

In the above description, an example is given in which, in order to prevent air hammer, all water supply taps 100 corresponding to one farm pond FP are controlled to be in an open state.
However, to prevent air hammer, some of the water taps 100 corresponding to one farm pond FP may be controlled to be open, while the remaining water taps 100 remain closed. In this case, it is advisable to control every certain number of water taps 100 (for example, every other or every third tap) to be open so that the air pressure is not biased as much as possible among the water taps 100.
In this way, even if some of the water taps 100 corresponding to the farm pond FP are opened, the air pressure on the water taps 100 that are closed can be sufficiently reduced, preventing destruction by an air hammer. By limiting the water taps 100 that are opened among the water taps 100 corresponding to the farm pond FP to some in this way, the tap drive unit 111 does not have to operate for the water taps 100 that are not subject to control in the open state, so that it is possible to save the capacity of the secondary battery or primary battery in the power supply unit 115, for example.

In the description of the embodiments so far, the water sensor 300-A detects the flow rate of water flowing from the farm pond FP to the pipeline PL, and the water supply start detection unit 521 in the water management server 500 is configured to detect whether water supply from the farm pond FP has started based on the flow rate detected by the water sensor 300-A.
However, in this embodiment, for example, the water sensor 300-A may be configured to detect the flow rate and to detect whether or not water supply from the farm pond FP has started based on the detected flow rate. That is, the water supply start detection unit 521 may be provided in the water sensor 300-A. In this case, when the water supply start detection unit 521 of the water sensor 300-A detects that water supply from the farm pond FP has started, it transmits a water supply start notice indicating this to the water management server 500. The water supply valve control unit 522 in the water management server 500 may be configured to perform a water supply valve opening control in response to receiving the water supply start notice.
The water-supply start detection unit 521 may also be configured to monitor the operating state of a pump for sending water from the farm pond FP to the pipeline PL, and detect that water supply has started when the pump changes from a stopped state to an operating state. Alternatively, the water-supply start detection unit 521 may be provided in the pump. In other words, in this case, the pump itself may be configured to detect that water supply has started when it starts its own operation, and to transmit an operation start notification to the water management server 500.

In the above embodiment, the target of the closing control was a water tap for which the use flag was set to "0" in the water tap management information stored by the water management server 500. However, for example, the water supply start detection unit 521 may determine the water level of the field FM when the opening control was performed from the detection information of the water level sensor 400, and if the determined water level is equal to or higher than the water level designated in advance by the field owner, the water tap provided for the field FM may also be closed.

Furthermore, the structure of the water supply valve in this embodiment is not limited to the example shown in Figures 2 and 3, and other structures may be adopted.

In addition, a program for implementing the functions of the water management server 500 or the water tap 100 may be recorded on a computer-readable recording medium, and the program recorded on the recording medium may be read into a computer system and executed to perform the processing of the water management server 500 or the water tap 100. Here, "reading a program recorded on a recording medium into a computer system and executing it" includes installing the program into a computer system. The "computer system" here includes hardware such as an OS and peripheral devices. The "computer system" may also include multiple computer devices connected via a network including the Internet, WAN, LAN, dedicated lines, and other communication lines. The "computer-readable recording medium" refers to portable media such as flexible disks, optical magnetic disks, ROMs, and CD-ROMs, and storage devices such as hard disks built into a computer system. In this way, the recording medium storing the program may be a non-transient recording medium such as a CD-ROM. The recording medium also includes a recording medium provided inside or outside and accessible from a distribution server to distribute the program. The code of the program stored in the recording medium of the distribution server may be different from the code of the program in a format executable by the terminal device. In other words, as long as it can be downloaded from the distribution server and installed in a format executable by the terminal device, the format in which it is stored in the distribution server does not matter. The program may be divided into multiple parts, downloaded at different times, and then combined on the terminal device, or each of the divided programs may be distributed by a different distribution server. Furthermore, the "computer-readable recording medium" includes a memory that holds a program for a certain period of time, such as a volatile memory (RAM) inside a computer system that becomes a server or a client when a program is transmitted over a network. The program may also be a program for realizing part of the above-mentioned functions. Furthermore, the program may be a so-called difference file (difference program) that can realize the above-mentioned functions in combination with a program already recorded in the computer system.

100 (100-1, 100-2, 100-3) Water supply valve, 101 Water supply pipe, 101a Hollow section, 102 Discharge pipe, 102a Hollow section, 103 Cup, 103a Hollow section, 104 Stopcock ball, 105 Shaft section, 110 Case, 111 Stopcock drive section, 112 Control section, 113 Sensor-compatible communication section, 114 Server-compatible communication section, 115 Power supply section, 200 (200-1, 200-2, 200-3) Drain valve, 300 Water sensor, 301 Communication section, 302 Flow rate sensor, 400 (400-1, 400-2, 400-3) Water level sensor, 500 Water management server, 501 Communication section, 502 Control section, 503 Memory section, 521 Water supply start detection unit, 522 Water supply hydrant control unit, 531 Water supply hydrant management information storage unit, 600 (600-1, 600-2, 600-3) Farm owner terminal

Claims (7)

A water management system including a water supply faucet that is provided to supply water supplied from a water supply source via a pipeline to a farm field, and a water management server,
a valve driving unit that drives the opening and closing of a valve unit provided in a water flow path in the water faucet until the water supplied from the pipeline is discharged to the outside of the water faucet;
a pump for supplying water to the pipeline;
a water supply start detection unit that detects whether the pump is in a stopped state or an operating state as an operating state of the pump;
a water sensor installed to detect a flow rate of water supplied from the water source to the pipeline ;
a water supply faucet control unit that controls the faucet drive unit to open and close the faucet unit in the water management server,
The water supply tap further includes a power supply unit and a server-compatible communication unit,
The water sensor is configured to be capable of transmitting a detected flow rate of the water to the water management server,
The water supply start detection unit is configured to be able to transmit a notification corresponding to the detected operating state to the water management server.
Water management system. A water management system including: a water supply faucet provided for each of a plurality of farm fields so that water supplied from a water supply source through a first pipeline is branched into a plurality of second pipelines and the branched water is supplied to each of the plurality of farm fields; and a water management server,
a valve driving unit that drives the opening and closing of a valve unit provided in a water flow path until the water supplied from the second pipeline is discharged to the outside of the water faucet;
a first water sensor installed to detect a flow rate of water supplied from the water source to the first pipeline ;
A second water sensor is installed for each of the second pipelines to detect a flow rate of the water flowing through the corresponding second pipeline;
a water supply faucet control unit that controls the faucet drive unit to open and close the faucet unit in the water management server,
The first water sensor is configured to be capable of transmitting a detected flow rate of the water to the water management server ,
Each of the second water sensors is configured to transmit the detected flow rate of water to the water management server via a water supply tap of the corresponding field connected by short-range wireless communication.
Water management system. A water management system comprising: water supply valves provided for each of a plurality of farm fields, in which water is supplied from a water supply source via a first pipeline and branched into a plurality of second pipelines, the branched water being supplied to each of the plurality of farm fields; a drain valve for draining the water from the farm fields; and a water management server,
a valve driving unit that drives the opening and closing of a valve unit provided in a water flow path until the water supplied from the second pipeline is discharged to the outside of the water faucet;
a wireless LAN router having a communication range that covers an area of the farm field;
a first water sensor installed to detect a flow rate of water supplied from the water source to the first pipeline ;
A second water sensor is installed for each of the second pipelines to detect a flow rate of the water flowing through the corresponding second pipeline;
a water supply faucet control unit that controls the faucet drive unit to open and close the faucet unit in the water management server,
The water supply tap further includes a power supply unit and a server-compatible communication unit,
The drain plug further includes a server-compatible communication unit,
the water management server is capable of communicating with the first water sensor, the water supply valve, and the drain valve via the wireless LAN router ;
Each of the second water sensors is capable of communicating with the water tap of the corresponding field by short-range wireless communication.
Water management system. A water management system comprising: water supply valves provided for each of a plurality of farm fields, in which water is supplied from a water supply source via a first pipeline and branched into a plurality of second pipelines, the branched water being supplied to each of the plurality of farm fields; a drain valve for draining the water from the farm fields; and a water management server,
a valve driving unit that drives the opening and closing of a valve unit provided in a water flow path until the water supplied from the second pipeline is discharged to the outside of the water faucet;
a first water sensor installed to detect a flow rate of water supplied from the water source to the first pipeline ;
A second water sensor is installed for each of the second pipelines to detect a flow rate of the water flowing through the corresponding second pipeline;
a water supply faucet control unit that controls the faucet drive unit to open and close the faucet unit in the water management server,
The water supply tap further includes a power supply unit and a server-compatible communication unit,
The drain plug further includes a server-compatible communication unit,
the first water sensor, the water supply valve, and the drain valve are capable of communicating with the water management server and a farm owner terminal of a farm owner who owns the farm field via a network;
Each of the second water sensors is capable of communicating with the water tap of the corresponding field by short-range wireless communication.
Water management system. The water management system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, comprising water faucet management information in which an identifier of a water faucet is associated with an identifier of a water supply source from which the water faucet receives water, among identifiers of a plurality of water supply sources. A pipeline in which the flow of water is managed by the water management system according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
Water from a water supply source is sent to a water supply faucet that supplies water to a field provided with a water level sensor that detects the water level;
A pipeline is provided with a water sensor that detects the flow rate of water. The pipeline according to claim 6 , wherein the water supply valve is configured to change the discharge amount of the water by using a spherical water stop valve ball having buoyancy.

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