Hydrometric services for coal.

Meteor Communications has been awarded a framework contract by the Coal Authority to supply a range of hydrometric services, dataloggers and sensors to enable the continuous monitoring of mine water.

They successfully bid for Lot 3 of the Hydrometry Framework, which is comprised of 7 lots and will run for four years with an estimated total budget of £400,000 (€466k).

“Meteor are delighted to have been selected by the Coal Authority for this framework contract,” explains Meteor’s MD Matt Dibbs. “Our systems and services are utilised across the UK by the Environment Agency, Water Utilities and Consultants and it’s great to be able to bring our expertise to the Coal Authority.”

The Coal Authority seeks to enhance the future prospects for people and the environment in mining areas, and to contribute to the delivery of the British Government’s industrial strategy and the environmental, social and economic priorities of the British, Scottish and Welsh Governments. This includes managing the effects of past coal mining and dealing with mine water pollution and other mining legacy issues.

@MeteorComms @CoalAuthority @_Enviro_News #PAuto #Environment 

Ready for the floods?

Nigel Grimsley, Managing Director of OTT Hydrometry is urging those responsible for flood prevention and management to take action this summer to ensure they are protected before the arrival of severe weather. “Saturated soil and blocked channels contribute to the severity of flooding, but in many cases it is the location and intensity of rainfall that contributes to the speed with which flooding occurs. Early warning of intense rainfall events or blocked channels is therefore essential. Recent advances in technology mean that it is now relatively simple and low cost to set up advanced warning systems so that appropriate measures can be taken quickly and effectively,” he says.

“The early implementation of prevention and mitigation measures provides essential protection for valuable assets. For example, on a small scale, we have installed water level monitors in village streams that are prone to flooding during intense rain or when channels become blocked. On a larger scale, we have supplied 153 monitoring stations for the Harris County Flood Warning System in Texas, where flooding represents a major threat to life and property, so early warning of intense rainfall and rising water levels provide opportunities for mitigation and where necessary, evacuation.”

OTT’s latest flood warning systems provide easy access to monitoring data from PCs and smartphones. However, crucially, they are also able to automatically issue text or email alarms when rainfall or water levels approach dangerous levels, so that timely action can be taken.

 @OTTHydrometry #Environment

New compact portable hygrometer with fast response!

The new MDM50 portable hygrometer from Michell Instruments gives rapid dew-point measurements in compressed air – T95 to -35°C from ambient typically in less than 5 minutes. It has been designed to make spot checks of dew point in air and gases as simple and fast as possible. The key to the MDM50’s measurement speed is the new generation of sensing element, which also provides long-term stability and resistance to chemical contamination, making the MDM50 suitable for use in industrial settings where contamination could be an issue. As well as the chemically-resistant sensor and integrated particulate filter, the enclosure is rated to NEMA 6 (IP68) when the lid is closed. To ensure simple operation, the MDM50 is fully self-contained with an integrated sampling system within the compact case. Taking a measurement involves connecting to the sample gas with a Quick Connect or optional Swagelok tube fitting and turning on the instrument: the MDM50 automatically starts to measure the dew point of the sample gas. As well as its simplicity, the MDM50 is a practical instrument, offering a wide measurement range of ‑50 to +20°C dew point. It is light (4kg) and fully portable. The long battery life of 16 hours operation enables users to work in locations where there is no access to charging points with no need to worry their work will be cut short. The tough, durable case protects the sensor and sampling system from damage in demanding industrial conditions. As well as dew point in compressed air dryers, typical applications for the MDM50 include moisture measurements in medical gases, polymer chip dryers and instrument air. • Michell Instruments products are marketed in Ireland by Instrument Technology.

Telemetry export appointed!

Matthew Ellison, an expert in environmental monitoring with 15 years of experience in the development, installation and management of telemetry systems and networks has been appointed to OTT Hydrometry.

OTT recently acquired the company Adcon Telemetry, a manufacturer of advanced communications technologies, and Matthew has already worked closely with the Adcon products for many years. Simon Wills, OTT MD, says "Matthew is a perfect addition to our team because, as specialists in field monitoring instrumentation, we aim to provide customers with easy, low cost access to high quality environmental data, and the Adcon products, combined with Matthew’s expertise, enable us to offer flexible communications options to suit any application.”

Matthew is delighted to be able to advance his career whilst retaining involvement with the Adcon products. He says: “The most rewarding aspect of my work is finding the most effective way to implement fast data delivery to reduce the frequency of site visits and to inform decisions that help monitor and protect the environment.”

As a telemetry specialist Matthew has been involved in the development of a wide variety of industrial, environmental and agricultural monitoring networks. Water resources is an area of particular interest, so Matthew says he is “very excited about combining the versatility of Adcon telemetry with the breadth of OTT’s monitoring technology.”

Smart weather sensors

Specialist hydrometeorological instrumentation company OTT Hydrometry has a long history in the development of leading edge sensor technology and the latest additions to the company's family of weather monitoring instruments exemplify the company's focus on high levels of performance combined with both simplicity of use and minimal maintenance.

The newest version of the Pluvio2 offers the most advanced method for monitoring precipitation. Employing a highly accurate weighing mechanism, the device is able to monitor all types of precipitation up to 3000 mm/hour, so the main advantage of this technology is its ability to provide highly accurate data during high intensity rainfall. OTT has also launched a new version of the company's optical disdrometer the Parsivel2, which is a laser-based system that differentiates and classifies precipitation particles as drizzle, rain, sleet, hail, snow or mixed precipitation.

They have also launched new technologies for the measurement of wind speed and direction, air temperature, humidity and barometric pressure. Employing sonic anemometry, the wind sensor does not have any moving parts and as such offers high levels of reliability and low levels of maintenance. This sensor is available in two formats; the OTT SWS (Sonic Weather Sensor) for wind speed and direction and the OTT CWS (Compact Weather Sensor) which is a single unit with SDI-12 or RS-485 output for temperature, humidity, wind speed, wind direction and barometric pressure.

Commenting on the launch of the new smart sensors, OTT's UK Managing Director Simon Wills said:"Meteorological sensors are often deployed in remote locations and exposed to the most extreme weather. Our product development activity is therefore focused on finding technologies that are able to maintain high levels of performance with a low power requirement, but without a need for frequent maintenance or calibration. Our latest smart sensors reflect this strategy and provide us with even greater options for the remote monitoring systems and networks that we provide."