Variable depth automated dynamic water profiler
First Claim
1. A method for dynamically monitoring at least one parameter of interest in a liquid environment using a hydrological probe which is attached to a cable mounted on a spool of a winching system, comprising:
- controllably unwinding a quantity of cable to lower a hydrological probe into a liquid environment at a series of increasing incremental distances away from the surface of the liquid;
obtaining first data measurements for at least one selected parameter of interest in the liquid environment at the selected distances;
subsequently controllably unwinding a quantity of cable to lower a hydrological probe into the liquid environment at the series of increasing incremental distances away from the surface of the liquid;
obtaining second data measurements forte at least one selected parameter of interest in the liquid environment at the selected distances after the first data measurements are obtained; and
monitoring the liquid environment to generate a time-dependent liquid profile of the at least one parameter of interest based on the first and second data measurements,wherein said first and second obtaining steps include taking a reading at the surface of the liquid in variable height liquid environments.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A winch-based system is used to raise and lower a hydrological probe into a water column to automatically dynamically obtain measurement data of a water column at incremental depths over selected time intervals. The winch-based system can be powered by a relatively low-power power source to cause the electric motor to controllably operate to wind and unwind the cable at a desired rate in a manner which can pause the upward and downward movement of the probe at incremental measurement depths. The disclosure also describes related systems. Additionally, a method for enhancing the life of a hydroglogical probe by storing the probe at an immersed subsurface depth is also described.
-
Citations
43 Claims
-
1. A method for dynamically monitoring at least one parameter of interest in a liquid environment using a hydrological probe which is attached to a cable mounted on a spool of a winching system, comprising:
-
controllably unwinding a quantity of cable to lower a hydrological probe into a liquid environment at a series of increasing incremental distances away from the surface of the liquid; obtaining first data measurements for at least one selected parameter of interest in the liquid environment at the selected distances; subsequently controllably unwinding a quantity of cable to lower a hydrological probe into the liquid environment at the series of increasing incremental distances away from the surface of the liquid; obtaining second data measurements forte at least one selected parameter of interest in the liquid environment at the selected distances after the first data measurements are obtained; and monitoring the liquid environment to generate a time-dependent liquid profile of the at least one parameter of interest based on the first and second data measurements, wherein said first and second obtaining steps include taking a reading at the surface of the liquid in variable height liquid environments. - View Dependent Claims (2)
-
-
3. A method for dynamically monitoring at least one parameter of interest in a liquid environment using a hydrological probe which is attached to a cable mounted on a spool of a winching system, comprising:
-
controllably unwinding a quantity of cable to lower a hydrological probe into a liquid environment at a series of increasing incremental distances away from the surface of the liquid; obtaining first data measurements for at least one selected parameter of interest in the liquid environment at the selected distances; subsequently controllably unwinding a quantity of cable to lower a hydrological probe into the liquid environment at the series of increasing incremental distances away from the surface of the liquid; obtaining second data measurements for the at least one selected parameter of interest in the liquid environment at the selected distances after the first data measurements are obtained; monitoring the liquid environment to generate a time-dependent liquid profile of the at least one parameter of interest based on the first and second data measurements; and storing the hydroglogical probe such that the probe is held immersed in the liquid environment at a level sufficient to inhibit marine fouling after each of the first and second obtaining steps.
-
-
4. A method for dynamically monitoring at least one parameter of interest in a liquid environment using a hydrological probe which is attached to a cable mounted on a spool of a winching system, comprising:
-
controllably unwinding a quantity of cable to lower a hydrological probe into a liquid environment at a series of increasing incremental distances away from the surface of the liquid; obtaining lint data measurements for at least one selected parameter of interest in the liquid environment at the selected distances; subsequently controllably unwinding a quantity of cable to lower a hydrological probe into the liquid environment at the series of increasing incremental distances away from the surface of the liquid; obtaining second data measurements for the at least one selected parameter of interest in the liquid environment at the selected distances after the first data measurements are obtained; monitoring the liquid environment to generate a time-dependent liquid profile of the at least one parameter of interest based on the first and second data measurements; and directing the hydrological probe into a guide tube disposed substantially vertically in the liquid environment at a series of increasing incremental distances away from the surface of the liquid so that the hydrological probe travels therein during the step of lowering. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8)
-
-
9. A method for dynamically monitoring at least one parameter of interest in a liquid environment using a hydrological probe which is attached to a cable mounted on a spool of a winching system, comprising:
-
controllably unwinding a quantity of cable to lower a hydrological probe into a liquid environment at a series of increasing incremental distances away from the surface of the liquid; obtaining first data measurements for at least one selected parameter of interest in the liquid environment at the selected distances; subsequently controllably unwinding a quantity of cable to lower a hydrological probe into the liquid environment at the series of increasing incremental distances away from the surface of the liquid; obtaining second data measurements for the at least one selected parameter of interest in the liquid environment at the selected distances after the first data measurements are obtained; and monitoring the liquid environment to generate a rime-dependent liquid profile of the at least one parameter of interest based on the first and second data measurements, wherein the liquid environment comprises water) and wherein the incremental distances are incremental depths in a water column, and wherein the hydrological probe is held inside a guide tube as it travels up and down the water column. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11)
-
-
12. A method for dynamically monitoring at least one parameter of interest in a liquid environment using a hydrological probe which is attached to a cable mounted on a spool of a winching system, comprising:
-
controllably unwinding a quantity of cable to lower a hydrological probe into a liquid environment at a series of increasing incremental distances away from the surface of the liquid; obtaining first data measurements for at least one selected parameter of interest in the liquid environment at the selected distances; subsequently controllably unwinding a quantity of cable to lower a hydrological probe into the liquid environment at the series of increasing incremental distances away from the surface of the liquid; obtaining second data measurements for the at least one selected parameter of interest in the liquid environment at the selected distances after the first data measurements are obtained; monitoring the liquid environment to generate a time-dependent liquid profile of the at least one parameter of interest based on the first and second data measurements; and automatically measuring the water level of the surface of the water proximate in time to said first and second obtaining steps.
-
-
13. A method for dynamically monitoring at least one parameter of interest in a liquid environment using a hydrological probe which is attached to cable configured to be wrapped around a spool of a winching system comprising:
-
controllably winding a quantity of cable from the winching system to raise a hydrological probe in a liquid environment at a series of increasing incremental distances above the bottom of the liquid; obtaining first data measurements for at least one selected parameter of interest in the liquid environment at the selected distances; repeating said winding step and then obtaining second data measurements for the at least one selected parameter of interest in the liquid environment at the selected distances after the first data measurements are obtained; and monitoring the liquid environment to define a time-dependent liquid profile of the at least one parameter of interest based on the first and second data measurements, wherein the winching system is powered by a battery which has a useful service life of at least 30 days when said first and second obtaining steps are performed so as to obtain at least about 4 measurements of the water column during a 24 hour period, wherein said liquid environment is a body of water, and wherein said first and second obtaining steps are automatically carried out so as to generate data measurements at about 3 hour intervals, wherein the intervals at which the data measurements are obtained are decreased or increased based on an in situ measurement of local conditions. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
-
-
23. A method for dynamically monitoring at least one parameter of interest in a liquid environment using a hydrological probe which is attached to cable configured to be wrapped around a spool of a winching system comprising:
-
controllably winding a quantity of cable from the winching system to raise a hydrological probe in a liquid environment at a series of increasing incremental distances above the bottom of the liquid; obtaining first data measurements for at least one selected parameter of interest in the liquid environment at the selected distances; repeating said winding step and then obtaining second data measurements for the at least one selected parameter of interest in the liquid environment at the selected distances after the first data measurements are obtained; monitoring the liquid environment to define a time-dependent liquid profile of the at least one parameter of interest based on the first and second data measurements, wherein the winching system is powered by a battery which has a useful service life of at least 30 days when said first and second obtaining steps are performed so as to obtain at least about 4 measurements of the water column during a 24 hour period, and directing the hydrological probe to travel up and down the water column inside a guide tube, wherein the liquid environment comprises a water column, and wherein the incremental distances are incremental depths in a water column, and wherein the data measurements of said first andsecond obtaining steps comprise dwelling at a measurement depth at about every 0.5 m from the bottom of the water column to the water level surface. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25)
-
-
26. A method for dynamically monitoring at least one parameter of interest in a liquid environment using a hydrological probe which is attached to cable configured to be wrapped around a spool of a winching system comprising:
-
controllably winding a quantity of cable from the winching system to raise a hydrological probe in a liquid environment at a series of increasing incremental distances above the bottom of the liquid; obtaining first data measurements for at least one selected parameter of interest in the liquid environment at the selected distances; repeating said winding step and then obtaining second data measurements for the at least one selected parameter of interest in the liquid environment at the selected distances after the first data measurements are obtained; monitoring the liquid environment to define a time-dependent liquid profile of the at least one parameter of interest based on the first and second data measurements; and automatically measuring the water level of the surface of the water column proximate in time to said first and second obtaining steps.
-
-
27. A method for dynamically monitoring at least one parameter of interest in a liquid environment using a hydrological probe which is attached to a cable mounted on a spool of a winching system, comprising:
-
controllably unwinding a quantity of cable to lower a hydrological probe into a liquid environment at a series of increasing incremental distances away from the surface of the liquid using a motor with a torque of about 50 lb-in or less; obtaining first data measurements for at least one selected parameter of interest in the liquid environment at the selected distances; subsequently controllably unwinding a quantity of cable to lower a hydrological probe into the liquid environment at the series of increasing incremental distances away from the surface of the liquid, using the motor with about 50 lb-in of torque or less; obtaining second data measurements for the at least one selected parameter of interest in the liquid environment at the selected distances after the first data measurements are obtained; and monitoring the liquid environment to generate a time-dependent liquid profile of the at least one parameter of interest based on the first and second data measurements, wherein the winching system is configured as a compact non-floating assembly that is mountable to a fixed structure located in a body of liquid, and wherein, in use, the battery is externally accessible, and wherein said first and second obtaining steps include taking a reading at the surface of the liquid in variable height liquid environments. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30)
-
-
31. A method for dynamically monitoring at least one parameter of interest in a liquid environment using a hydrological probe which is attached to cable configured to be wrapped around a spool of a winching system comprising;
-
controllably winding a quantity of cable from the winching system to raise a hydrological probe in a liquid environment at a series of increasing incremental distances above the bottom of the liquid using a motor having about a 1/90 or lower horsepower rating; obtaining first data measurements for at least one selected parameter of interest in the liquid environment at the selected distances; repeating said winding step and then obtaining second data measurements for the at least one selected parameter of interest in the liquid environment at the selected distances after the first data measurements are obtained; and monitoring the liquid environment to define a time-dependent liquid profile of the at least one parameter of interest based on the first and second data measurements, wherein the motor is powered by a 12V battery, and wherein the motor is about a 1/1200 HP, 50 lb-in, 0.45 rpm rated motor, wherein the winching system is configured as a compact non-floating assembly that is mountable to a fixed structure located in a body of liquid, and wherein, in use, the battery is externally accessible, and wherein said first and second obtaining steps include taking a reading at the surface of the liquid in variable height liquid environments. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
-
-
37. A method for dynamically monitoring at least one parameter of interest in a liquid environment using a hydrological probe which is attached to cable configured to be wrapped around a spool of a winching system comprising:
-
controllably winding a quantity of cable from the winching system to raise a hydrological probe in a liquid environment at a series of increasing incremental distances above the bottom of the liquid; obtaining first data measurements for at least one selected parameter of interest in the liquid environment at the selected distances; repeating said winding step and then obtaining second data measurements for the at least one selected parameter of interest in the liquid environment at the selected distances after the first data measurements are obtained; and monitoring the liquid environment to define a time-dependent liquid profile of the at least one parameter of interest based on the first and second data measurements, wherein the winching system is powered by a battery which has a useful service life of at least 30 days when said first and second obtaining steps are performed so as to obtain at least about 4 measurements of the water column during a 24 hour period, wherein said obtaining steps include taking a reading at the surface of the liquid in variable height liquid environments.
-
-
38. A method for dynamically monitoring at least one parameter of interest in a liquid environment using a hydrological probe which is attached to cable configured to be wrapped around a spool of a winching system comprising:
-
controllably winding a quantity of cable from the winching system to raise a hydrological probe in a liquid environment at a series of increasing incremental distances above the bottom of the liquid; obtaining first data measurements for at least one selected parameter of interest in the liquid environment at the selected distances; repeating said winding step and then obtaining second data measurements for the at least one selected parameter of interest in the liquid environment at the selected distances after the first data measurements are obtained; and monitoring the liquid environment to define a time-dependent liquid profile of the at least one parameter of interest based on the first and second data measurements, lowering the probe to a subsurface storage position adjacent the bottom of the liquid environment being analyzed during periods of inactivity, and wherein the steps of raising and lowering are carried out to wind and unwind about 30–
80 feet of cable,wherein the winching system is powered by a battery which has a useful service life of at least 30 days when said first and second obtaining steps are performed so as to obtain at least about 4 measurements of the water column during a 24 hour period. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40)
-
-
41. A method for dynamically monitoring at least one parameter of interest in a liquid environment using a hydrological probe which is attached to cable configured to be wrapped around a spool of a winching system comprising:
-
controllably winding a quantity of cable from the winching system to raise a hydrological probe in a liquid environment at a series of increasing incremental distances above the bottom of the liquid; obtaining first data measurements for at least one selected parameter of interest in the liquid environment at the selected distances; repeating said winding step and then obtaining second data measurements for the at least one selected parameter of interest in the liquid environment at the selected distances after the first data measurements are obtained; and monitoring the liquid environment to define a time-dependent liquid profile of the at least one parameter of interest based on the first and second data measurements, wherein the winching system is powered by a battery which has a useful service life of at least 30 days when said first and second obtaining steps are performed so as to obtain at least about 4 measurements of the water column during a 24 hour period, wherein the liquid environment is a water environment, and wherein the method further comprises storing the hydrological probe after said first and second obtaining steps when not in use such that it is held immersed in the liquid environment at a level sufficient to inhibit marine fouling.
-
-
42. A method for dynamically monitoring at least one parameter of interest in a liquid environment using a hydrological probe which is attached to cable configured to be wrapped around a spool of a winching system comprising:
-
controllably winding a quantity of cable from the winching system to raise a hydrological probe in a liquid environment at a series of increasing incremental distances above the bottom of the liquid; obtaining first data measurements for at least one selected parameter of interest in the liquid environment at the selected distances; repeating said winding step and then obtaining second data measurements for the at least one selected parameter of interest in the liquid environment at the selected distances after the first data measurements are obtained; monitoring the liquid environment to define a time-dependent liquid profile of the at least one parameter of interest based on the first and second data measurements, wherein the winching system is powered by a battery which has a useful service life of at least 30 days when said first and second obtaining steps are performed so as to obtain at least about 4 measurements of the water column during a 24 hour period; and directing the hydrological probe into a guide tube disposed substantially vertically in the liquid environment at a series of increasing incremental distances away from the surface of the liquid so that the hydrological probe travels therein during the step of lowering. - View Dependent Claims (43)
-
Specification