LOGINSavonia University of Applied Sciences acquired an extensive stormwater monitoring system from Masinotek
Masinotek has provided a measurement and data management system for the monitoring of stormwater sites in the city of Kuopio. In its new HuLa project, Savonia University of Applied Sciences is developing and researching stormwater quantity and quality management as well as long term monitoring. Masinotek's total delivery covers radar-based flow meters, pressure sensors that monitor the stormwater levels and rain meters that monitor precipitation. The stormwater flow and other relevant parameters are collected in real time in an Internet-based EMMI environmental monitoring system developed and maintained by Masinotek.
Radar sensors accurately measure open channel flow
The most important and newest type of sensor supplied by Masinotek for the project is the open channel radar flowmeter. The sensor can accurately measure both the channel flow and the water level at the same time. Masinotek's microwave radar sensor, which utilizes the Doppler effect, communicates the measured data via a serial bus protocol to a GSM data logger. The GSM data logger sends the measurement results to the EMMI software developed by Masinotek. The Masinotek radar flowmeter is suitable for use in the Kuopio project for flow measurements of both smaller individual stormwater pipelines as well as wider urban streams.
Flow measurements with pressure sensors
Masinotek has also supplied high-precision pressure sensors for the Savonia project. The pressure sensors are connected to the same GSM data logger, which also collects rain data from the flow measurement point. The reading of the pressure sensors can be calibrated first with the flowmeter radar at the same point so that later with the pressure sensor alone it is possible to monitor the flow rates even without a continuous radar sensor. The high precision pressure sensor also automatically compensates for the effect of barometric pressure. The data is delivered in real time to the EMMI software, where the results are converted into surface height and flow values by EMMI's algorithm calculation function.
Monitoring local weather improves overall understanding
As one of the key parts of the project, Masinotek has also supplied two real-time rain sensors. Normally, the rain sensor stores rainfall data only once an hour. During periods of precipation, the rain sensor automatically intensifies the measurement interval so that the amount rain is recorded with an accuracy of 0.2 mm from the moment the rain begins to fall. In this way, heavy rain showers for shorter measurement periods as well as changes in rainfall intensity can be collected even in small areas. The rain gauges provide pulse data to the data loggers and through this data all the results in the form of milimeters can be connected to the common graphs of EMMI.
Climate change is increasing the need for stormwater systems
Savonia University's goal is to develop monitoring of both stormwater volumes and stormwater quality during a long-term project. During the project, relevant data from other sources can also be integrated into Masinotek's EMMI system. In practice, it is therefore possible to connect up to hundreds of different measuring points to the same EMMI software. These data can be sourced from external open interface sources, and laboratory analysis results, and continuous water quality measurement sensors via application program interfaces.
Savonia's HuLa project is a key place for Masinotek to follow the forefront of stormwater monitoring. The progress of climate change will pose more and more challenges for flood and stormwater management in the near future. The cooperation with Savonia University of Applied Sciences will enable Masinotek to better serve industry, cities and municipalities in stormwater management and monitoring activities through the project's research data and analysis results.