Weather Monitoring 33


electronics and corrected by in-situ temperature compensation. This achieves precise weight measurements with incremental accuracy of 2 grams equal to 0.10 mm and provides an impressive resolution of 0,01 mm of precipitation. The load cell is insensitive to eccentric load that may occur for example, as a result of unsymmetrical distribution of snow in the buckets.


has a USB interface that is employed for configuration and monitoring either with a PDA or computer running the Pluvio Operating Program. This also provides convenient service access to the instrument.


Designed and built by OTT MESSTECHNIK in Germany, the OTT Pluvio2 complies with WMO guideline 306 No.8 and is built to high engineering standards to provide a long working life. Cost of ownership is minimised because there are no tipping buckets to clean and no filters to unblock; an annual maintenance check is all that is required. A calibration check can be performed with a calibration weight set according to ISO standards. OTT Pluvio2


The Pluvio design team has also taken into account the possibility of a need to repair the instrument, should damage or a fault occur in the field. The electronics unit can be easily removed and replaced on site and data loss and maintenance costs are reduced to a minimum, because it is not necessary for the whole gauge to be transported to a service laboratory.


One of the ways in which OTT MESSTECHNIK has been able to reduce the cost of OTT Pluvio2


has been to make the internal datalogger


can be supplied with one of the company's own low-power dataloggers or with an impulse, SDI -12, or RS 485 output. Many OTT customers purchase the OTT Pluvio² as part of an environmental monitoring system which may include other meteorological or hydrological sensors in conjunction with a datalogger, a field power supply and a data communication technology. Such systems can be configured prior to delivery so that monitoring can begin immediately.


optional. Many customers have their own loggers or simply wish to attach the OTT Pluvio2 reason OTT Pluvio2


As a specialist in environmental monitoring, OTT is able to offer a range of low power data communication technologies from hand held devices to GSM, radio or satellite transmitters.


Applications


The OTT Pluvio² is the preferred instrument in applications for which users require accuracy and reliability in all weather conditions. It is particularly popular in remote locations for which frequent visits would be impractical. These include national monitoring networks for


to an existing monitoring station, and for this


High precision OTT Pluvio2


load cell


meteorological forecasting and flood alerts, research, agriculture, irrigation, airports and many more.


The enhanced real-time data collection capabilities of the OTT Pluvio², providing both intensity and precipitation accumulation information, make the instrument an ideal tool in risk management for flood warnings and other weather related emergencies, particularly those involving extreme precipitation events.


Highly accurate precipitation data can be produced for climatological and synoptic purposes to facilitate the exchange of meteorological data with other weather services worldwide.


The Future


The OTT Pluvio² will continue to replace older technologies as the standard instrument for precipitation measurement. In Germany, for example, it is the method by which all others are judged. In the United States the Pluvio outperformed competing products in recent testing by several government agencies; the National Weather Service selected the Pluvio for use in key airport facilities, and the USGS has completed an extensive testing program to assist the National Atmospheric Deposition Program (NADP) in determining the appropriate precipitation gauge for the National Trends Network. The release of OTT Pluvio2


with a lower cost will enable many


countries to adopt the new technology, particularly those with extensive networks of TBRs with continuity of comparable data being preserved through the creation of appropriate comparative trials. In summary, Sir Christopher Wren invented the first TBR because he could see a need for automatic measurements and with the benefit of many decades of instrument design, at OTT we believe that if he was alive today he would heartily approve of the OTT Pluvio2


!


AUTHOR DETAILS Kurt Nemeth


OTT Messtechnik GmbH & Co. KG Ludwigstr. 16 87437 Kempten Germany Tel.: + 49 - (0)831 5617 - 0 Fax: + 49 - (0)831 5617 - 209 Email: info@ott.com


Weather Data Critical to Pollution Monitoring


We all know that accurate, relevant data is important to making the best management decisions possible. The quality of that data is even more relevant when monitoring sensitive sites, or trying to ensure increasingly stringent environmental licence conditions are met.


Questions such as; When do we need to be careful of emissions drift and put management strategies into place? How much rain have we had, will there be overflow or leachate issues to deal with? What were the evaporation rates last week? Your site will almost certainly experience weather conditions that will be quite different from what the weather bureau records. You will have your own micro-climate, with unique wind movement, rainfall, temperature and evaporation rates. With on site conditions that can vary wildly from the official reports, collecting on-site weather data is becoming increasingly important.


So how do you collect accurate, relevant and reliable weather data for your site? The answer is to install


your own Environdata (Australia) automatic weather station, to keep historical records, provide live data on demand, provide the information you need to be confident in the management decisions you make, with accurate records to back you up.


Not all weather stations are created equal. With an Environdata weather station - a true professional station - you will receive the quality you deserve, PLUS 10 years free phone and email support, high quality windows software, full system integration capability, quality backup, service and advice.


Reader Reply Card no 120 New Remote Rainfall Monitoring and Logging System


A new rainfall monitoring and logging system has been launched by Casella (UK) that records rainfall data, river levels and river flow from a single site or a national network of locations, and transmits the data by GSM/GPRS. The system can run autonomously for three years on its internal lithium battery saving the cost and manpower of frequent site visits for downloading and maintenance. Called the Hydro RT Rainfall Logging System, the product is specifically designed to access rainfall data from remote locations. Data transfer is GSM/GPRS based, and the system can trigger user defined alarms by SMS texts on parameters such as rainfall event and intensity. Additional software is available for larger networks of stations that will forward incoming alarms to mobile phones and email addresses, or automatically interrogate these outstations as required. The Hydro RT uses a high quality tipping bucket rain gauge housed in a rugged enclosure with sealed connectors. It is designed for durability, reliability and autonomy and is ideal for remote locations where access is difficult and time consuming. More information on the Hydro RT is available online.


Reader Reply Card no 121 Reader Reply Card no 122 AET October/November 2008


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44