With water supply systems involving a lot of pipelines, water storage tanks and pumps, it’s important to have devices to monitor and control flow and levels for efficient and safe operation and management of the network. Depending on where you live, water may not be an abundant resource, leaks in pipe systems are unacceptable. Not only do they lead to wastage but also pose significant risks to structures and people’s health. You’ve probably heard of water damage in properties. Stagnant water can also be a breeding ground to harmful insects and bacteria. It’s wise to have sensors like pressure transducers in water supply critical systems.
What is a pressure transducer?
This is a unique type of pressure sensor that is well designed to take fluid measurements and do the conversion of the readings to analog or either digital electrical signal.
Pressure transducers leverage the piezoresistive effect. If you’ve got out of touch with your basic physics concepts, this simply means the device has a sensing element made of quarts to generate electric charge (voltage) when pressed. The voltage is then amplified and converted to an electrical output. Naturally, the signal output changes as the pressure being measured changes.
These measuring devices have lots of applications. They are basically useful anywhere pressure measurement is required, especially water supply systems. Here’s how:
Measuring level in storage tanks
Water supply systems comprise pipes and lift stations to help transport water from section to section. Naturally, engineers design these transportation systems to leverage gravity and reduce costs. But there are sections where gravity is not enough, lift stations comprising a submersible pump, a wet well and submersible pressure transducers come in handy.
The pressure transducer sits at the bottom of the wet well, monitoring water level and signaling a control system atop the well to turn the pump on or off when the pressure reaches a certain mark. This allows the tank to empty or fill accordingly without the need for human intervention.
Monitor flow rate in pipes to determine leak points
Pressure transducers such as these also help monitor flow in pipe systems to prevent leaks and other problems within the distribution network. As mentioned, leaks are undesirable, they waste valuable liquid and also damage structures when they escape to walls, floors or soil. Leaks can leave you with an unbearable renovation project. Pressure transducers can take differential pressure measurements between various sections of the applied network and help determine where a leak is occurring.
Controlling flow rate
Apart from monitoring flow rate to determine presence of leaks, pressure transducers also help determine whether flow rate needs to be increased or decreased by activating or deactivating pumps accordingly. If you operate a water distribution system, the last thing you want is disgruntled consumers due to low pressure in their properties.
Pressure sensors allow operators to monitor pressure at various zones and increase or decrease flow accordingly. In case increasing flow doesn’t raise the pressure, a leak may be to blame and the operator will determine how to proceed.
It saves a lot of time and labor because you wouldn’t need to go to the consumer and take pressure measurement then inspect the whole network for issues. The pressure transducer will let you know the flow rate and where to likely find an issue in case of a faulty system.
Measuring ground water depth
Apart from measuring levels in tanks and controlling flow rate in pipes, pressure transducers can also be used in ground water sources such as wells and boreholes to determine the depth of the water. This information is useful in determining the amount of water available in the well and making necessary arrangements in case the amount is not enough and needs to be complemented with another source.
Overall, pressure transducers are indispensable in water supply networks. They help determine water depth, compute flow rate and control valve opening and closing to increase or decrease flow rate accordingly. They also help monitor for leaks and other problems within the network
leading to quick repairs, reducing downtime, water loss, and structural damage.
MicroSensor Corp specializes in pressure sensors, including pressure transducers in various designs, including ODM, and OEM. We also make custom designs according to client specifications. Find what’s suitable on our products page, or feel free to let us know what you want exactly, and we will be happy to make it for you.
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