If we want to roll-out a huge number of watermonitoring-sensors, we will need technological solutions that provide a reliable measurement without the need for frequent time consuming visits by field technicians.
Thats's why we at Olpas focus so much on proving a reliable measurement in combination with longer maintenance intervals.
When developing a sensor for the nuclear industry, a focus on limiting maintenance actions is paramount.
Olpas is able to provide these longer maintenance intervals thanks to its unique ultrasonic measurement technology. A technology originally developed for the nuclear industry where every maintenance action is extremely costly.
But the longer maintenance intervals are also very useful when rolling out sensors in hard to access areas. Being remote (open waters or environmental monitoring) or being hard to access (storm overflows or underground sewers). And longer maintenance windows also facilitate a reliable measurement in water with high (organic) loads (sludge or iron sludge).
The "trick" we use to extend our maintenance interval is not due to additional automated physical cleaning (so no wipers and no pressured air), because these also have a lot of disadvantages. Wipers have to be replaced quite often, and they tend to cause material build-up in open waters and sewers.
The ultrasonic Olpas measurement technology, allows a once-per-season 10 minutes maintenance schedule. And no need for automated wipers.
This Olpas sensor for monitoring sediment loads in open water, is on a once-per-season maintenance schedule. So 4 times a year a field technician checks for biofouling and removes the buildup of organic material (including in this case (probably) midge larvae, indicating a high organic load).
In the meantime, no drift was noticed in the measurements of the sensor.