The smart sensor technology uses the integrated design of sensor and data recording device to deploy the probe in water body for a long time, such as groundwater monitoring wells, liquid storage tanks, rivers, reservoirs, water facilities and so on for data collection.
The development of intelligent probe technology is mainly focused on several aspects of the ability to enhance, including the integration of sensors and data logging devices, low-energy consumption, with two types of energy supply: battery or solar power supply, ability to work steadily in the more harsh, such as corrosive , extreme temperature, humidity, and easy probe calibration; data transmission and management, the probe system requires a strong software support, using Modbus and other communication protocols, through mobile phone signals, radio, network, cable to transmit data. The development of these capabilities allows the smart probe to be used in a variety of complex situations to provide users with sufficient data to support the project analysis.
Common types of smart probes are as follows:
- Pressure / temperature probe, measure and record the pressure, and converted into water table depth, and with a temperature monitoring function. Pressure sensor also come with signal transmission, data processing equipment, and supporting software, so that users are able to monitor comprehensive hydrological situation of site from remote. The application of the probe mainly includes groundwater level monitoring, river, tidal impact water level monitoring, pumping test and so on.
- Conductivity probe, also known as salt, or total dissolved solid monitoring probe, both pressure / water level monitoring function, also has the temperature monitoring ability; with pressure, temperature compensation function. The main application is to monitor changes in water quality, the impact of wastewater discharges, and salt intrusion monitoring.
- pH / redox potential probes, which are often integrated together in one probe for tracking changes and impacts of water quality. The main application is water quality monitoring for river and other environmental waters, and is widely used in tidal influence, salt intrusion, tracer experiment and sewage treatment.
- Ion-selective probe, can be applied to tracer experiments (bromide and temperature), brine intrusion research, tidal effects, sewage treatment of bromide emissions monitoring.
- Dissolved oxygen probe, it monitor the water dissolved oxygen content and temperature in real-time without need of any reagents. Monitoring dissolved oxygen is a primary means of determining whether water quality is affected. Applications include dam drainage monitoring, landfill leachate leak monitoring, groundwater remediation effects, sewage treatment facility operation, river water quality monitoring, and so on.
- Turbidity probe, to monitor the water turbidity, generally with temperature monitoring function. Water turbidity data can be used for river water quality monitoring and management, hydrological runoff research, dredging engineering monitoring, drinking water filtration monitoring, and groundwater research.
The monitoring of basic water quality parameters is part of the large environmental data that can replace the pollutant parameters that require specialized laboratory instruments for chemical analysis and to keep abreast of changes and trends in water quality in different areas of the monitoring area. Other environmental data such as weather, emissions readings, industrial operation and other information to be analyzed all long with smart sensor obtained data. The whole suite of various datasets would enable comprehensive decision making.
Source:
Coordinator: EnvGuide Team