UK Focus - Water/Wastewater ix Radar Water Level Sensor Undergoes River Thames Trial
Environment Agency hydrologists have recently trialled a new radar water level sensor at a site by Molesey Lock on the River Thames near Hampton Court Palace. The sensor was installed during October 2008 and initial results indicate that significant time and cost savings are possible with the new technology.
Water level measurements are taken at Molesey Lock for onward transmission to the Environment Agency's offices via PSTN telephone and inclusion in the national archive. However, alarms are set for low and high water level so that the lock keeper can manage the river for the river users; many valuable floating homes are moored in the area. If the river gets too low these homes will bottom out which could cause considerable damage.
Prior to the installation of the radar sensor, data was provided by a shaft encoder that recorded water level in a specially constructed stilling well which had been installed approximately 300m upstream of the lock, on the other side of the river to the telemetry outstation. This meant that the data transfer cable had to pass under the river and Agency staff had to walk back and forth between the sensor and the outstation to set the head level for example.
The radar sensor was installed very close to the outstation which allows the Environment Agency to set the levels that the sensor is measuring more accurately in the outstation. Radar sensors avoid the necessity for capital works to install a stilling well and can be installed quickly and simply.
The radar sensor at Molesey Lock scans every 30 seconds providing values for screen display on site. It also logs a reading every 15 minutes for transmission via the telemetry outstation.
Radar sensors are ideal for contact-free water and liquid level monitoring in difficult to measure and remote locations or those which are subject to flooding. Simon Wills, Managing Director at OTT Hydrometry (UK) the company which supplied the sensor says, “This technology offers a number of extremely attractive features which make it suitable for a wide variety of applications. For example, it has a wide measurement range up to 35 metres with +/- 1cm accuracy across the entire range and offers a number of communication options including RS232, RS484, SDI12, or 4-20 mA. Importantly, it employs pulse radar rather than a frequency modulated wave, which means that high levels of accuracy are still possible but power consumption is extremely low which means that the sensor can operate from a solar or wind powered battery system in almost any location.”
The Molesey Lock sensor is mains powered but the Environment Agency has recently purchased a further sensor and plans to install a solar powered station for comparison with a shaft encoder sensor.
Commenting on his experience with the radar sensor the Environment Agency's Rikk Smith says, "We have been very pleased with this sensor because it was quick and easy to install and we have not had to touch it since it was installed over five months ago.”
Reader Reply Card no 243 TOC Analyser Improves NLS Lab Speed and Versatility
A new TOC IL550 analyser from Hach Lange (Germany) is helping the Environment Agency’s National Laboratory Service (NLS) to increase sample analysis turnover and improve efficiency levels at its inorganic laboratory in Nottingham.
The analyser is used for the determination of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and total organic carbon (TOC) in sewage, river, leachates, effluents and groundwater samples.
TOC analysis is vitally important in applications ranging from power generation, wastewater, drinking water, surface water and ultrapure water, to agricultural soils, contaminated land and food. Hach Lange analysers therefore offer a range of options designed to meet every need.
A key feature of the IL550 is particle tolerance in liquids. The autosampler needle has a large
internal diameter and the sample is injected directly via the pneumatic port into the furnace – this eliminates blockages, cross-contamination or leaks because there is no septum or valve. This also removes the need to filter waste water samples because the IL550 measures the TOC of both liquid and solid particulates in a sample. Samples are also stirred prior to injection to ensure homogeneity.
Through a national network of laboratories, the NLS team of scientists and support staff provide a dedicated service to waste and water industry professionals, environmental consultants and local authorities throughout the U.K.
Much of the analytical work performed by the NLS is for regulatory purposes, so it is vitally important that fast, accurate, reliable results are produced and in order to tailor analytical services to customer needs, NLS laboratories employ a sophisticated range of the latest laboratory instruments.
Richard Yates, Inorganic Analysis Team Leader at the NLS, said: “The high calibration range of the IL550 reduces the number of over-range repeat analyses we have to perform, thereby saving valuable lab time and improving the sampling process.
“We have numerous requirements from clients to analyse samples containing particulates and so the IL550 is ideal for this along with the more routine samples. In addition, the instrument is very easy to use and meets our required limit of detection.”
With the IL550, digestion takes place at up to 950o to an unrivalled 1300o direct contact with the sample. Reader Reply Card no 244
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Reader Reply Card no 245 C and the solids module is able to increase the temperature C. The UV version is equipped with a high-energy UV lamp, which offers the advantage of
Annual Buyers Guide 2009
IET
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