A system for growing plants, the system may include a substrate having one or more weakened areas or openings: one or more grow portions coupled to the substrate and situated at the one or more weakened areas or openings and having at least one seed or plant; and/or a fluid distribution portion coupled to the substrate and configured to provide fluid to the one or more grow portions. The system may further include a method of operation including one or more acts of: obtaining a weather forecast for a future time period; determining whether rain is expected during the future time period; and preventing, terminating, or restricting an irrigation cycle when it is determined that rain is expected during the fare time period. The restricting may restrict a flow of liquid during the irrigation cycle or shorten the irrigation interval.

A rotary atomizer is disclosed for the even distribution of a treatment fluid within a treatment chamber. The treatment fluid is delivered onto a rotating disk atomizer through multiple outlet ports. Fluid passages provide each outlet port with an even flow of treatment fluid at generally the same time and rate. This even and simultaneous flow of treatment fluid results in a more even distribution of treatment fluid on the seed that flows through the treatment chamber throughout the treatment cycle.

A control method for a two-component spray system having first and second pumps for separate fluid components includes registering a target spray pressure, registering a material-specific pressure factor margin, sensing an output pressure of the second pump, and identifying a failure condition in the event that the sensed output pressure remains further than the pressure factor margin from the target spray pressure for at least a threshold time.

Apparatuses for controlling gas flow are important components for delivering process gases for semiconductor fabrication. In one embodiment, a method of achieving improved transient response in apparatuses for controlling gas flow is disclosed. Specifically, by providing a command to the apparatus to deliver a predetermined mass flow rate at a future turn on time, the apparatus is able to pre-pressurize a P1 volume so that the response time of the apparatus is no longer dependent on the speed of the apparatus's control valves and the limitations of the control loop.

The disclosure relates to a coating agent valve (1) for controlling a flow of fluid of a coating agent mixture consisting of two coating agent components (H, SL), in particular a two-component paint consisting of a master batch (SL) and a hardener (H). The coating agent valve according to the disclosure (1) comprises a valve seat, a displaceable valve head (12), a valve drive (15) for displacing the valve head (12) and a displaceable valve needle (14, 20) which connects the valve drive (15) to the valve head (12) and moves the valve head (12) in correspondence with the valve drive (15). The disclosure provides for an automatic reduction in pressure in order to avoid excess-pressure damage upstream from the coating agent valve (1).

The present invention provides a system and method for maintaining desired pressure levels in an irrigation system when the flow rate available to the irrigation system is reduced below the system's required flow rate. According to a first preferred embodiment, the present invention teaches a method which includes the steps of: receiving and storing irrigation system information including sprinkler specifications, flow rates and pressure requirements; receiving and storing an irrigation plan to be executed including the target amount of an applicant to be applied to a target area; determining an available flow rate to the irrigation system; determining a required flow rate of the irrigation machine; comparing the available flow rate to the required flow rate to determine whether the available flow is sufficient for the system based on the sprinkler specifications; adjusting the pulse rate of the sprinklers to reduce the require flow rate to at least the available flow rate; and calculating and selecting a lower ground speed required to apply the target amount of applicant to the target area based on the selected pulse rate for the sprinklers.

An irrigation system includes a valve that controls the flow of water through a sprinkler head, and a flow sensor that measures the water flow rate through the sprinkler head. In some embodiments, the valve is adjusted until the flow sensor measures a water flow rate that matches a first predetermined water flow rate. This is a first position for the valve. The valve opening is adjusted again by a set amount or until the flow sensor measures a water flow rate that matches a second predetermined water flow rate. This is a second position for the valve. The first and second predetermined water flow rates each correspond to a throw distance the water stream discharged from the sprinkler head will travel. This relationship between the water flow rate and distance is based on empirical data for the sprinkler. A second equation relating the valve opening to water flow rate, for a given pressure, is then used to estimate the water effective pressure. In some embodiments, the first and second valve positions and the first and second water flow rates are used to estimate the effective pressure using the second equation.

A method of controlling a solenoid valve having a solenoid coil and a poppet includes energizing a first node to a first voltage, and coupling the first node to the solenoid coil and energizing the solenoid coil using a pulse-width-modulated (PWM) signal having a frequency and a duty cycle configured to regulate a current conducted through the solenoid coil to below an opening threshold. The method further includes energizing a second node to a second voltage with energy stored in the solenoid coil, and coupling the second node to the solenoid coil and energizing the solenoid coil using a DC signal configured to increase the current to above the opening threshold. The method further includes coupling the first node to the solenoid coil and energizing the solenoid coil using the PWM signal having a frequency and duty cycle configured to regulate the current to above a closing threshold.

A method dispenses and/or aspirates a predetermined volume of fluid from a chamber. The chamber includes a lower portion containing fluid and an upper portion containing gas. The method includes measuring an initial pressure in the upper portion and introducing or evacuating a known quantity of gas into or out of the upper portion. The volume of gas in the upper portion is determined based on the volume of gas introduced or evacuated from the upper portion and a measured change in pressure in the upper portion. An upper portion target pressure that will dispense or aspirate a predetermined volume of fluid is determined. A controllable valve is opened while the pressure in the upper portion of the chamber is monitored. Once the target pressure is reached, the predetermined volume of fluid has been dispensed or aspirated, and the controllable valve is then closed.

A powdery-material feeding device includes a hopper configured to reserve a powdery material, a transfer member configured to deliver and to discharge the powdery material fed from the hopper, a motor configured to drive the transfer member, a measuring instrument configured to measure a discharge amount of a powdery material delivered to be discharged by the transfer member, and a controller configured to control, while control according to the discharge amount of the powdery material measured by the measuring instrument is not conducted, a current applied to a coil of the motor to have a substantially constant amount, to control the discharge amount of the powdery material delivered to be discharged by the transfer member to have a required amount.