How to Measure Water Current of Kelaoluo River?

1. Where is Kelaoluo River?

The Kelaoluo River is a major river in its own region. It is bound to be located in a region boasting natural beauty and various geographical peculiarities.

It would travel either through valleys, making out its path between hills and mountains. The scenery there could range from grass meadows to pieces of wood forests that it touches. There might also be different forms of river life, including different kinds of fish, amphibians, various invertebrates, which is also a key component within the local ecosystem. In addition, it will set the tone for how various species of plants and animals utilize habitats.

At least some minimal settlements or villages could dot its course from a human presence point of view. Locals could depend on the Kelaoluo River for a variety of day-to-day needs, including for quenching their thirst, irrigation, or even fish for food. It can provide all forms of communication in large sections where other modes of travel and transportation are lacking, either by boats or simple rafts to be able to move along the length of the river.

2. What is the Flow Rate of the Kelaoluo River like?

The Kelaoluo River has significant importance both ecologically and in the lives of the local community. Its flow rate is subject to various influencing factors.

Seasonal changes have a notable impact. During the wet season, with more rainfall or snowmelt in its upstream areas, the river has an increased flow. The water level rises, and the current becomes stronger, often carrying more sediment and debris downstream. This can lead to changes in the shape of the riverbed and the width of the river channel.

Conversely, during the dry season, the flow rate decreases. The river might get shallow and narrow, and the current becomes slower. Even during such periods, it supports the basic ecological functions and the water needs of the local people. Further, the size of its tributaries, topography of its basin, and human-induced activities related to water management in the area also influence its flow characteristics.

3. How to Measure Water Current of Kelaoluo River?

There are several methods available for measuring the water current of the Kelaoluo River.

Velocity Meter Method: This is a traditional way that involves using mechanical or electrical velocity meters. These meters are placed at specific points within the river, usually attached to fixed structures like bridges or moorings. The mechanical ones generally act on the principle of rotation of a part induced by water flow, where the speed of rotation is proportional to the water velocity. This, however, needs to be installed at several locations and at different depths in order to obtain an accurate record of the general flow, which is pretty cumbersome and time-consuming.

Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) Method: ADCP is one of the advanced and proficient measurement methodologies. It uses acoustic waves that can measure the velocity at many points within a water column simultaneously. By issuing sound pulses and analyzing the Doppler shift of reflected signals, it can create a complex profile of the water current all the way from the water surface to the river bottom. Thus, this method allows accurate and detailed analysis of the Kelaoluo River flow as compared to the velocity meter method. The ADCPs can be mounted on boats or fixed structures near the river for data collection.

Buoy Method: In this method, a buoy with sensors is set on the surface of Kelaoluo River. While the buoys are drifting with the flow, they can measure the surface current, including direction and speed. However, it mainly focuses on the surface layer and lacks the ability to provide detailed information about the flow at deeper levels of the river.

Of these, the ADCP method has gained more support because it can give widespread and detailed data with comparatively less effort and in lesser time than other methods.

4. How do ADCPs using the Principle of Doppler Work?

The ADCPs work based on the principle of Doppler. During the measurement of Kelaoluo River current, an ADCP transmitted acoustic pulses through the water. These pulses interacted with certain particles in the water, mainly sediment particles and small water organisms.

Due to the Doppler effect, the frequency of the reflected sound waves changes while these particles are in motion. The frequency of the reflected waves is higher if the particles are moving towards the ADCP and lower if they are moving away. By precisely measuring this frequency shift and applying advanced algorithms, the ADCP profiler calculates the velocity of the water at different points within its measurement range.

Furthermore, from the analysis of the reflected signals' phase differences from various directions, the ADCP meter will also be able to tell the direction of the flow. The result will be very accurate velocity profiles that will illustrate the water flow at a depth-wise and across different sections of the river.

5. What is needed to accomplish high-quality measurement of currents in the Kelaoluo River?

In the process of high-quality measurement, the Kelaoluo River currents have to fulfill certain requirements for the measuring equipment.

The materials of the equipment shall be reliable to stand the ambient conditions of the river, water splash, temperature difference, possible impact. Small size and small mass are desired, knowing that the river may stand in a location with hard access. Such characteristics facilitate transportation and laying of the equipment.

Another important aspect is the low power consumption. Power supply can be limited in the regions close to the Kelaoluo River, so the equipment must be able to work long with low power consumption to ensure continuous and reliable data collection. Cost-effectiveness is also an important consideration. With the need for comprehensive and long-term measurements, having access to affordable equipment without compromising quality is essential.

In the casing of the ADCP flow meter, titanium alloy would be an excellent choice. For this purpose, titanium alloy is very corrosion-resistant, which is quite important since the equipment will always be in contact with the river water. It also has a good strength-to-weight ratio, allowing for a durable casing while keeping the equipment relatively lightweight. This helps protect the internal components and facilitates handling during deployment and retrieval.

6. How to Choose the Right Equipment for Current Measurement?

When choosing the right equipment for current measurement of the Kelaoluo River, two main aspects need to be considered.

The HADCP, dependent upon the usage purpose for horizontal cross-section measurement, has a fitting performance, though. The flow velocity can be measured across a horizontal plane to have more important information concerning water flow laterally across a river. Vertical cross-sectioning could best be handled with the vertical ADCP current profiler because in the vertical cross-section ADCPs, it will also ensure the flow velocity measurement right from the surface down the bed of the river along the vertical line. This would assist in making very accurate analysis regarding its characteristics concerning flow vertically.

Different frequencies are suitable for different water depths in terms of frequency. For example, the ADCP of 600 kHz is appropriate for a water depth within 70 m. It can give an accurate measurement in the relatively shallower parts of the Kelaoluo River. Meanwhile, an ADCP with a frequency of 300 kHz is more appropriate for water depths up to 110 m and can handle the deeper sections of the river where the flow patterns may be more complex.

Teledyne RDI, Nortek, and Sontek are well-recognized ADCP current meter brands. A Chinese ADCP brand highly recommended is China Sonar PandaADCP. It has an all-titanium alloy casing with great resistance to wear and tear, corrosion, among others. And the cost performance is very good. Check out more on its official website: https://china-sonar.com/.

Here is a table with some well known ADCP instrument brands and models.