Flow Monitoring Basics

John Barton, P.E., Ph.D.

Stantec Consulting

June 16, 2010

84th OWEA Annual Conference, Columbus, OH
Flow Monitoring Basics

Where’s your Champion?

Having a Champion is a
Critical Success Factor.
Pipe Flow

For steady open channel flow

Q=VA
Volumetric Flow Rate equals the Average Advective
Fluid Velocity times the Cross-Sectional Area of the
flow perpendicular to the Velocity.

3
Pipe Flow

The velocity tells us the feet of water which passes a

point every second.

0ne foot
0ne foot

4
Calculating Area

 D

A d

 D  2d 
  2 arccos 
 D 
2
A
D
  sin  
8 5
Calculating Area
 D

For a 12” pipe flowing 4 inches deep, d

D = 12 in, d = 4 in

 12  2 ( 4 )  1
  2 arccos    2 arccos( )  141   2 . 46 rads
 12  3

D2 12 2
A  
  sin      
2 .46  sin( 2 .46 )  18 1 .83  33 .0 in 2

8 8

A = 33.0 in2 or 0.229 ft2

6
Calculating Flow
ft
At 2.0 sec

0ne foot
0ne foot

The volume every second is therefore,

Q=V A

7
Example Answer

12”

4”

For the 12” pipe flowing 4 inches deep at 2 feet per

second
Flow = 0.458 cfs
8
Pressure Sensor Level

Pa

Pa

Pa
Hw

Hw + Pa

9
Ultrasonic Sensor Level

1.5”

6.5”
12”

4”
4”

10
Level Level

Peak Level

During surcharge, area of

flow is constant, and
previous equations do not
apply. Peak Level
Average Daily Flow

11
Doppler Velocity Velocity

12
Doppler Velocity Velocity

The 1.0 MHz Ultrasonic Pulse is emitted by one sensor and recorded by the other

The faster the particle moves towards the probe, the higher the return frequency

The bigger the particle, the greater the strength of the return signal

13
Frequency Velocity

Courtesy of Teledyne, ISCO

14
Frequency Velocity

Velocity greater than 2.0 fps

hn hp

1.0 MHz
15
Frequency Slow Flow Velocity

Velocity less than 0.5 fps

1.0 MHz
16
Peak to Average Velocity

From the highest returned

frequency, the Peak Velocity is
calculated.

νp

0.25 MHz 17
Peak to Average Velocity

From the highest returned

frequency, the Peak Velocity is
calculated.

νp

0.25 MHz 18
Peak to Average Velocity

From the highest returned

frequency, the Peak Velocity is
calculated.

νp

0.25 MHz 19
Peak to Average Velocity

From the highest returned

frequency, the Peak Velocity is
calculated.

νp

0.25 MHz 20
Faraday Velocity Velocity

MMB

21
Faraday Velocity Velocity

MMB

22
Faraday Velocity Velocity

x x x x
x x x x
x x x x
2.5
x x x x
x x x 2.0
1.
5 x
x x x 1.0 x
0.5

Round Pipe
The Calibration Coefficient relates the Sensed
Velocity to the Average Velocity.
23
Equipment Type: SIGMA 910
Advantages
Cost Effective
Very easy to Use
Hard to lose data
Has a new Digital Probe

Disadvantages
Limited data storage (21 days)
Peak to average conversion
Does not work well in variable hydraulics
Does not work well in deeper flows
 Equipment Type: ISCO 2150

Advantages
Cost Effective (A little more than Sigma)
Easy to Use ( A little harder than Sigma)
Good wireless capabilities
Hard to lose data

Disadvantages
Low flows not accurate
Pressure transducer does not work during ramping
Pressure Transducer can Drift
Equipment Type: MMI Flo-Tote 3
Advantages
Works in very slow velocities
Works in churning water
Works in clear water

Disadvantages
Must be profiled to be accurate
Can be wrong and you don’t know it
Does not work well if flows do not
continually cover the probe
Equipment Type: ADS FlowShark
Advantages
Small velocity probe
Can be made to work even in ramping (Two Bands)

Disadvantages
Very Complicated
Multiple Databases
lif File Overwrite
BIN File Import
Ultrasonic and Velocity Pops
Pressure Transducer out of the Water
Requires velocity profiling!!!!!
Wet Season Response
When Do I Begin?
When Do I Begin?
Dry Season I/I response
Rain

I/I

Flow
When Do I Begin?
Wet Season I/I response RAIN

I/I

FLOW
 When Do I Begin?
Comparing Wet and Dry Seasons
SEASON MONTH RAINFALL 24 HOUR I/I
Dry Oct 1.23 in 0.4 MG
Wet Mar 0.97 in 2.5 MG

Barton 2005

Other studies show

I/I response
characterized by
two seasons
When Do I Begin?

Greater Response in March-May

Greater Total Rainfall
Larger Individual Storms
Dormant Vegetation

Dry Season Flows are only needed if you

are performing continuous simulations.

In which case, you should

monitor a full year.
When Do I Begin (Summary)?

Flow Monitoring Period

Optimal: January 1st – June 30th
Minimum: February 15th – May 30th

Backing up your Start Date

Installation and checking
Inspection
Contract or Training
Inspect First or just Install?
Purpose:
Make sure we have the best manhole.

Modeling
Objectives
Data Ease of
Quality Maintenance

Schedule
& Budget
Data Quality
What am I missing without upstream pictures?

36
Velocity – Hydraulic Jump

Look just out of Camera range

Move to new site or change equipment.

37
 Data Quality

Hydraulic Jump

Hydraulic
Jump
Supercritical Subcritical

Bend

38
 Data Quality

Hydraulic Jump

Hydraulic Subcritical
Supercritical
Jump
FLAP GATE

Probe

Effect of a Diversion Dam on Flow Regime

39
Inspection Summary

Number of Manholes
- 3-8 per location (average about 5)
- Inspect until two good found
Pictures
- Upstream: 3-5 pictures must be clear
- Downstream
- Manhole
- Site
Decision
- Make it in the office (review meeting)

Inspection Programs are a

Critical Success Factor
Potential Errors: Logistical

Experienced Personnel are

a Critical Success Factor
Field Crew Leader
Don’t Leave a site
until You can
demonstrate it is
working properly.
Field Services Manager

Keep the Field

Crews Working!!
Engineering QA/QC
Potential Errors: Data Level
Flow Data Velocity
Pipe Size
Base Flow
VI/I Bad Data Bad Data
Snow Melt
Miscalibrated
R Vrain Rain Data Silt
Distribution
Trib Area
Boundaries Pattern

Crossings Match
Calculations
Units Inflow cfs or mgd
Duration
ac or sf
Formulas
SI units
Level

Static Tank Prior to Deployment.

Level

Field Check of Level after Installment

Level

Subcritical

Supercritical

x
x Correct
PT

Lip of Pipe

Level measurements should be taken a couple of inches in front of the probe

at the location the velocity is measured. Level measurements behind or at
the probe are subject to flow pattern changes, particularly downstream
because of the lip of pipe .
Level Downstream Underestimated

When the flow changes from subcritical to supercritical,

level measurements made downstream or at the probe
will significantly underestimate the flow.
Velocity

ISCO’s Bubbler tube in

Lincoln, Nebraska
Velocity - Field Check
PVM works best in 3 or more
inches of flow. Profiles of flow
should be collected for 5” or
over.

Add Brake Line to MMI’s PVM

Velocity - Field Check

undo the current connection and add a new

curved connector, no disconnecting of wires

The Flowshark HV is more accurate and can work in lower flows. But it
needs to be modified to get in front of the probe
Velocity – Hydraulic Jump

Hydraulic
Jump
Supercritical Subcritical

Bend
Can I do it Myself?

Recommend Easy to Use Flow Monitors

Must have a Champion
- Must be capable
- Must really want to do it.
- Must inspire field crews to careful work
- Must not have other priority projects.
Should be planning to do ongoing flow monitoring.
Top Three Critical Success Factors

1.) Having a Champion

2.) Using Experience Personnel
3.) Having an Effective Inspection Program
Batteries
Energizer vs Duracell Battery Test
Isco 2150 with 15 second lev, vel & flow

Energizers (9.5 volts) Duracell Procell (10.0 volts)

12.0

11.5

11.0

10.5

10.0

9.5
volts

9.0

8.5

8.0

7.5

7.0

6.5

8 Tue 15 Tue 22 Tue 1 Sep 8 Fri 15 Fri 22 Fri

Aug 2000 8/3/00 3:00:00 PM - 9/22/00 4:00:00 PM
Questions?