To determine the water level in the wells, special devices are used - level gauges. The design of these devices can be both simple and quite complex. Measurements using borehole level gauges in most cases are carried out using signal electrical contact. However, there are similar devices on the market with a different operating principle.
Level gauge device
The simplest modern devices of this group are metal structures, consisting of:
Winches
frame;
cable with marking.
Winches in different level gauges can be plastic or steel. Instrument cables are marked through the meter. Level gauges are placed on water with the help of special roller hooks. The contact of the device with the pipe is ensured by connecting to the clamp. It is necessary to lower the device into the shaft so that its cable does not come into contact with the pipe.
When the electrode touches water on the coil of the borehole level gauge, the indicator light comes on and an audible signal sounds.
Types of appliances
There are many types of instruments for measuring liquid levels . The simplest ones are visual, float and buoy. More complex designs are radar, ultrasound and radioisotope level gauges. The most convenient to use are hydrostatic and electronic devices. The device models of the latter variety and has been described above.
In addition to the principle of operation, devices for this purpose can be classified into:
The best brands of level gauges
Various companies supply similar equipment to the Russian market: both domestic and foreign. For example, if necessary, in specialized stores or via the Internet you can purchase devices of such brands as USK-TE, NivoPRESS, V egaflex and Waterpilot. Borehole level gauges of all these types are of quite good quality. They earned very good reviews from consumers.
Models USK-TE
Level gauges of this brand are domestic development and are produced by several Russian companies. Actually USK-TE models are used to determine the water level in wells with metal casing pipes. But on the market there is also an option USK-TE2, designed for mines with polyethylene. The minimum well diameter for these instruments is 15 mm. This, of course, is a very good indicator.
The complete set of electric contact borehole level gauges of this brand includes:
manual coil on the frame (can be made of ordinary steel or corrosion resistant);
a cable, the length of which, depending on the modification, can be 35-1000 m;
contact sensor with weighting agents;
alkaline batteries;
yardstick.
These devices are marketed in easy-to-carry backpacks.
Instrument manufacturers
These devices are released, as already mentioned, by several companies. For example, USK-TE level gauges supplied to the market by PKF Deus LLC manufacturer deserved good reviews . The head office of this company is located in Yekaterinburg. In addition to downhole level gauges, she is engaged in the manufacture of many other varieties of industrial devices - ducts, expansion joints, valves, etc.
Also, the USK-TE devices are manufactured by the Sverdlovsk plant SZTOiM. In addition to USK-TE, this company supplies to the market borehole wireline electrical contact level meters U SP-E, USK-TL, EU. Also available are hydrogeological tape roulettes of the RGLM and RGL brands. All products of this manufacturer are of good quality and are popular with consumers.
Best modification
USK-TE level gauges are marked depending on the length of the cable. The most popular modification of this brand is USK-TE 100. This device is on the market in the region of 10-13 thousand rubles. On the cable, like all other modifications, this device has copper marks. They are located with a step of 1 m. The electrode diameter at USK-TE 100 is 20 mm, and the coil wires are 0.35 mm. The device is powered by two AA batteries. Indication in the model is provided both sound and light.
Cable model USK-TL
These models can be used for wells of any purpose, cased and uncased. To measure the water level when using USK-TL devices, a special clapper-board is lowered into the shaft onto the cable. You can use these devices for wells and wells with a diameter of 20 mm or more. The device is installed above the shaft, after which the cable is released. When the lot hits the water, a characteristic cotton is heard.
Among the advantages of devices of this brand, among other things, it is worth attributing the fact that with their use it is possible to measure the depth of the well itself. In operation, these devices are very simple. In order to start using them, no special training is required.
Previously, USK-TL models were very popular and were widely used. However, now employees of surveying companies still prefer to use more modern instruments. About one of them - USK-TE - we spoke above. The design of USK-TL is extremely simple. However, hearing cotton while measuring is still quite difficult. The specialist when using such a device has to listen.
Manufacturer of Waterpilot FMX Downhole Gauges
Reliable devices of this brand are supplied to the Russian market by the German company Endress + Hauser GmbH + Co. KG. This company was founded in Lorrah in February 1951. Initially, her specialization was only the sale of level gauges. The first devices sold by the company were then popular French Tektor and Testor. Later, the company began to manufacture its own devices.
Back in the 80s of the last century, practically no one knew about this company in Europe . Its production capacity was very small. However , in the 90s the company began to grow by leaps and bounds and soon grew into a global company with more than 4,000 employees.
Currently, the company owns divisions on all six continents of the planet. Its staff consists of more than 12 thousand employees, both in production and in sales.
Best Modification - Waterpilot FMX167 Downhole Gauge
Under this brand, several varieties of level gauges are supplied to the domestic market . For example, if necessary, you can purchase options for FMX 160, 165, 21, etc. But the most popular model is still the high-quality and user-friendly Waterpilot 167. The advantages of this modification are primarily reliability and stability. The FMX167 can be used to measure both the water level in the well and the effluent. Its body diameter is 22 mm.
Some modifications of the Waterpilot 167 downhole level gauge have an additional option for measuring water temperature. In any case, the buyer can order the supplier to install it additionally.
Main advantages of Waterpilot Fmx167
The advantages of this device, among other things, include the fact that it has as many as nine fixed pressure measurement ranges. Also the advantages of the Waterpilot Fmx167 borehole level transmitter (manufacturing country - Germany) are:
high resistance to aggressive environments;
the presence in the design of a sealed cable sensor;
high resistance to overloads.
Electronics of this model is reliably sealed. Among other things, the design of Waterpilot Fmx167 includes a compensation system with 2 filters, which provides reliable protection from various kinds of adverse weather conditions. The long life of this downhole cable level gauge is also determined by the presence of built-in surge protection. The cost of the Waterpilot 167 level gauge in the market is about $ 500.
NivoPRESS Level Gauges: Manufacturer
These devices are supplied to the market by the Hungarian company NIVELCO zRT. This company was founded not too long ago - in 1982, the entrepreneur Andre Sölös. Currently, the business of this businessman is continued by his son - Tamas Sölös. The staff of this company totals only 150 people. However, the company continues to grow dynamically. Over the entire period of its existence, it has already sold more than 6 million surveying instruments. The main specialization of this company is the production and sale of devices designed to measure the level of water and other materials.
The lineup
This company supplies two types of electronic downhole level gauges to the Russian market - NivoPRESS N and D. Both of these modifications are designed primarily for continuous measurement of hydrostatic pressure in mines in terms of level.
The design of these sensors includes a special membrane connected to the sensor element. The latter, depending on the modification, may have a semiconductor or capacitive principle of operation. Place both of these downhole level gauges as close to the bottom of the shaft as possible. The characteristics they have are as follows:
Level gauges of this brand are manufactured in a sturdy steel case. They can be used to measure not only water, but also various kinds of chemical solutions. The cost of the level gauges of this manufacturer is quite low.
Instrument manufacturer Vegaflex
These micropulse radar level gauges are produced by the Russian company VEGA INSTRUMENTS LLC, which is the official representative of the German companies VEGA Grieshaber KG and Intra Automation GmbH. The head office of the company is located in Moscow. This company specializes in the manufacture of precisely instruments designed to measure the levels of liquids and bulk materials.
Features of Vegaflex Level Gauges
To AK and NivoPRESS N, devices from this manufacturer belong to the group of continuous devices. They consist of an electronic unit mounted on the tank, a cable probe immersed in a liquid or granular medium, as well as a rod along which electromagnetic pulses propagate. V egaflex 81 from this manufacturer is used to measure the level of water and other chemically neutral liquids .