The use of acoustic dopp;er profiling in wastewater networks

Acoustic Doppler Profiling (ADP) has had widespread use in stream gauging since 2000. Typically the use of ADP technology has involved using portable instruments that have relatively quick deployment times, highly repeatable results with low measurement uncertainty. The use of ADP’s has in many instances as made velocity profiling of stream flows a redundant methodology. Over the past 3 years ADP’s has been developed as fixed installations for the measurement of stormwater and irrigation flows. However, their use in gravity wastewater systems is relatively unreported. In this article we report on our use of ADP’s in large gravity wastewater pipes in New Zealand with particular emphasis on ADP site installation, calibration and maintenance. Our findings indicate that although further development of ADP wastewater monitoring systems is required, the enhanced flow data accuracy means that this technology is the future of flow monitoring.