In the fields of hydrological monitoring, urban drainage, and flood warning, accurately and reliably measuring flow in open channels (such as rivers, irrigation canals, and drainage pipes) is crucial. Traditional water level-velocity measurement methods often require sensors to be immersed in water, making them susceptible to damage from sediment, debris, corrosion, and flood impact. The emergence of the integrated hydrological radar flow meter, with its non-contact, high-precision, and multi-functional advantages, perfectly addresses these challenges and is increasingly becoming the preferred solution for modern hydrological monitoring.
I. What is an “Integrated” Flow Meter?
The term “integrated” refers to the consolidation of three core measurement functions into a single device:
- Velocity Measurement: Utilizes the radar Doppler effect principle by emitting microwaves toward the water surface and receiving echoes, calculating surface flow velocity based on frequency changes.
- Water Level Measurement: Employs Frequency-Modulated Continuous Wave (FMCW) radar technology, precisely measuring the distance from the sensor to the water surface by calculating the time difference between microwave transmission and reception, thereby deriving the water level.
- Flow Rate Calculation: Equipped with a high-performance processor, it automatically calculates instantaneous and cumulative flow rates using hydraulic models (e.g., velocity-area method) based on real-time measurements of water level and velocity, combined with pre-input channel cross-sectional shape and dimensions (e.g., rectangular, trapezoidal, circular).
II. Core Features and Advantages
- Fully Non-Contact Measurement
- Feature: The sensor is suspended above the water surface without direct contact with the water body.
- Advantage: Completely avoids issues such as sediment accumulation, debris entanglement, corrosion, and scouring, significantly reducing maintenance costs and sensor wear. Particularly suitable for harsh conditions like floods and sewage.
- High Precision and Reliability
- Feature: Radar technology offers strong anti-interference capabilities and is less affected by environmental factors such as temperature, humidity, and water quality. FMCW radar water level measurement accuracy can reach ±2mm, with stable velocity measurement.
- Advantage: Provides continuous, stable, and accurate hydrological data, offering a reliable basis for decision-making.
- Easy Installation and Maintenance
- Feature: Requires only a bracket (e.g., on a bridge or pole) to fix the sensor above the channel, aligned with the measurement cross-section. No need for civil structures like stilling wells or flumes.
- Advantage: Greatly simplifies installation engineering, shortens construction time, reduces civil costs and installation risks. Daily maintenance only involves keeping the radar lens clean, minimizing upkeep efforts.
- Integrated Functionality, Smart and Efficient
- Feature: The “integrated” design replaces traditional multi-device setups such as “water level sensor + flow velocity sensor + flow calculation unit.”
- Advantage: Simplifies system structure and reduces potential failure points. Built-in algorithms automatically perform all calculations and transmit data remotely via 4G/5G, LoRa, Ethernet, etc., enabling unmanned operation and remote monitoring.
- Wide Range and Broad Applicability
- Feature: Capable of measuring both low-speed flows and high-speed floods, with water level measurement ranges up to 30 meters or higher.
- Advantage: Suitable for full-period monitoring from dry seasons to flood seasons. The device will not be submerged or damaged due to sudden rises in water level, ensuring uninterrupted data collection.
III. Typical Application Cases
Case 1: Urban Smart Drainage and Waterlogging Warning
- Scenario: A major city needs to monitor the water level and flow rate of key drainage pipelines and rivers in real-time to respond to extreme rainstorms and initiate flood control and drainage emergencies promptly.
- Problem: Traditional submerged sensors are easily clogged or damaged by debris during heavy rains, and their installation and maintenance in wells are difficult and hazardous.
- Solution: Install integrated radar flow meters at key pipeline outlets and river cross-sections, mounted on bridges or dedicated poles.
- Outcome: The devices operate stably 24/7, uploading real-time flow data to the city’s smart water management platform. When flow rates surge, indicating increased waterlogging risk, the system automatically issues warnings, providing valuable response time. Non-contact measurement ensures accuracy even in debris-filled conditions, eliminating the need for personnel to enter hazardous areas for maintenance.
Case 2: Ecological Flow Release Monitoring in Hydraulic Engineering
- Scenario: Environmental regulations require hydropower stations and reservoirs to release a certain “ecological flow” to maintain downstream river health, necessitating continuous compliance monitoring.
- Problem: The release outlets feature complex environments with turbulent flows, making traditional instrument installation difficult and prone to damage.
- Solution: Install integrated radar flow meters above the discharge channels to directly measure the velocity and water level of the released flow.
- Outcome: The device accurately measures flow data unaffected by turbulence and splashing, automatically generating reports. This provides undeniable compliance evidence for water resource management authorities while avoiding the difficulties of installing equipment in hazardous areas.
Case 3: Agricultural Irrigation Water Measurement
- Scenario: Large irrigation districts require precise measurement of water extraction at various channel levels for volume-based billing.
- Problem: Channels contain high sediment levels, which can bury contact sensors. Field power supply and communication are challenging.
- Solution: Use solar-powered integrated radar flow meters installed on measurement bridges over farm channels.
- Outcome: Non-contact measurement ignores sediment issues, solar power solves field power supply problems, and wireless data transmission enables automated and precise irrigation water measurement, promoting water conservation and efficient use.
Case 4: Hydrological Station Construction for Small and Medium-Sized Rivers
- Scenario: Construction of hydrological stations in remote areas on small and medium-sized rivers as part of the national hydrological network.
- Problem: High construction costs and difficult maintenance, especially during floods when flow measurement is risky and challenging.
- Solution: Use integrated radar flow meters as the core flow measurement equipment, complemented by simple stilling wells (for calibration) and solar power systems to build unmanned hydrological stations.
- Outcome: Significantly reduces the civil engineering difficulty and construction costs of hydrological stations, enables automated flow monitoring, eliminates safety risks for personnel during flood measurements, and improves the timeliness and completeness of hydrological data.
IV. Summary
With its standout features of non-contact operation, high integration, easy installation, and minimal maintenance, the integrated hydrological radar flow meter is reshaping traditional methods of hydrological flow monitoring. It perfectly addresses measurement challenges in harsh conditions and is widely used in urban drainage, hydraulic engineering, environmental monitoring, agricultural irrigation, and many other fields. It provides robust data support and technical assurance for smart water management, water resource administration, and flood and drought prevention, making it an indispensable tool in modern hydrological monitoring systems.
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please contact Honde Technology Co., LTD.
Email: info@hondetech.com
Company website: www.hondetechco.com
Tel: +86-15210548582
Post time: Sep-02-2025