Evaluation of Water Level in Flowing Channels Using Ultrasonic Sensors

Tatiane Souza Rodrigues Pereira, Thiago Pires de Carvalho, Thiago Augusto Mendes and Klebber Teodomiro Martins Formiga
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Tatiane Souza Rodrigues Pereira: Post-Graduate Student of the Environmental Sciences Program (PPGCIAMB)—UFG, Goiânia 74605-220, Brazil
Thiago Pires de Carvalho: Post-Graduate Student of the Environmental Sciences Program (PPGCIAMB)—UFG, Goiânia 74605-220, Brazil
Thiago Augusto Mendes: Federal Institute of Education, Science, and Technology of Goias—IFG, Aparecida de Goiânia 74968-755, Brazil
Klebber Teodomiro Martins Formiga: School of Civil and Environmental Engineering (EECA)—UFG, Goiânia 74605-220, Brazil

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 9, 1-20

Abstract: Monitoring flow in channels is difficult, expensive, and potentially dangerous; hence, alternatives minimizing these factors are sought and indirect methods to measure the flow based on water-level information, among others, are employed. Ultrasonic sensors along with Arduino are widely used to monitor levels in reservoirs; however, the accuracy of this method in turbulent flow regimes has not been evaluated. Therefore, in this study, we evaluated the level of open channel flows using a combination of Arduino and ultrasonic sensors whilst considering turbulence. Additionally, we statistically compared the simultaneous measurements of levels obtained using five ultrasonic sensors with those of five rulers filmed individually along an artificial channel, for four permanent and two transient regimes. The results showed that the errors in measurements increased with increasing turbulence. These errors were within the range of hydraulic measurements (<0.020 m), indicating that the procedure is valid for experienced conditions. Therefore, the combination of Arduino and ultrasonic sensors is a technically and economically viable alternative. However, calibrating and validating the sensors for distances greater than 0.400 m should be performed with care because the bench tests performed in static conditions were limitedly accurate in measuring distances greater than 0.200 m.

Keywords: steady flow; transient flow; Arduino; HC-SR04 sensor (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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