Investigating site characteristics, Flow hydraulics – ADS Environmental Services FlowShark QR 775003 A2 User Manual

Page 60

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Sensor Installation and Connection 3-3

Investigating Site Characteristics

Before beginning installation activities, conduct a thorough

investigation of hydraulic and site conditions.

Flow Hydraulics

The hydraulics of a site directly affect the monitor's ability to

accurately measure flow depth and velocity. The following

characteristics indicate when a site exhibits hydraulic conditions

favorable for effective flow monitoring activities:

Smooth Flow with Central Peak Velocities

The

potential site should exhibit minimal ripples or waves. Choppy

or foamy flow will adversely affect sensor accuracy. Bulging

pipe joints, curves upstream, or pipes merging upstream can

contribute to choppy and off-center peak flows.

Absence of Significant Silt Buildup at Pipe Bottom

Silt present at an otherwise favorable site must be accounted

for to obtain accurate flow measurements. Therefore, the field

crew must measure the silt depth with a ruler and record the

results in the Profile

®

software.

No Evidence of Surcharging

Debris present on ladder

rungs or joints in the manhole may indicate the site experiences

surcharging. If this occurs on a regular basis, consider finding

an alternate location for monitoring the flow.

Relatively Quiet Pipe

A monitoring point in a pipe

experiencing loud noises, such as active drop connections, can

adversely affect the accuracy of ultrasonic depth measurements.

Flow Traveling at Least One Foot Per Second

Slower

flows enable debris to settle in the pipe, limiting the accuracy

of flow measurements.

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