Underground water monitoring device based on buoyancy driving

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of water resource monitoring, and discloses a buoyancy-driven underground water monitoring device, which comprises a shell, a monitoring assembly and a mechanical induction triggering mechanism, the shell is used for being fixed in a wellhead of underground water to be monitored; the monitoring assembly comprises a static pressure water level probe, a microswitch and a data processing system, the static pressure water level probe is arranged in water, the microswitch and the data processing system are arranged in the shell, the static pressure water level probe and the microswitch are respectively connected with the data processing system through circuits, and a fixed contact, a movable contact and a trigger rod are arranged on the microswitch; the mechanical induction triggering mechanism comprises a spring, a water level induction assembly and a pushing assembly; mechanical threshold triggering and physical power-off design is adopted, a contact of the microswitch can be triggered to switch on a circuit according to water level changes, a data processing system is instantly powered on when the circuit is closed, sampling and data uploading are completed through the static pressure water level probe, the data processing system is completely disconnected with a power supply in a non-triggering state, and nearly zero standby power consumption is achieved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of water resources monitoring technology, specifically a buoyancy-driven groundwater monitoring device. Background Technology

[0002] Existing groundwater monitoring devices generally adopt a timed sampling and reporting mode, typically relying on sensors such as hydrostatic level gauges to periodically collect water level data and transmit the data to the monitoring center via a built-in communication module. The operation of the entire system is highly dependent on a continuous and stable power supply, therefore batteries or solar power systems are often used to continuously power the equipment and communication modules.

[0003] However, when such systems are deployed in harsh environments such as arid regions, remote mountainous areas, plateaus, and forests where they are unattended or difficult to reach, this timed power collection and supply technology has a series of problems: 1. Low energy efficiency: The system is in a standby monitoring state in real time. Even if the water level being monitored does not change significantly, the timed sampling and frequent reporting still consume a lot of energy, resulting in a large power supply system, frequent maintenance and battery replacement, which is not conducive to long-term operation.

[0004] 2. Abundant redundant data: In the massive periodic data streams generated by the timing mechanism, most data points merely repeatedly represent the static or minor fluctuations in water levels, lacking special value for scientific research or early warning decision-making, resulting in a serious mismatch between the data utility and investment cost of the overall monitoring system. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide a buoyancy-driven groundwater monitoring device to solve the problems of high energy consumption, excessive data redundancy, lack of threshold discrimination ability, and poor long-term operational reliability in the process of timed collection of water level data by existing groundwater monitoring devices.

[0006] The technical solution of this invention is: A buoyancy-driven groundwater monitoring device includes a housing, a monitoring component, and a mechanical induction triggering mechanism. The housing is fixed inside the wellhead of the groundwater to be monitored. The monitoring component includes a static pressure level probe, a micro switch, and a data processing system. The static pressure level probe is placed in the water, while the micro switch and data processing system are housed within the housing. The static pressure level probe and micro switch are respectively connected to the data processing system via circuitry. The micro switch has a fixed contact, a moving contact, and a trigger rod. One end of the trigger rod is hinged to the micro switch body, and the moving contact is located on the trigger rod for contacting the fixed contact to connect the circuit during the rotation of the trigger rod. The mechanical induction triggering mechanism includes a spring, a water level sensing component, and a push-pull component. One end of the spring is connected to the trigger rod. The spring is connected to a rod, and the other end of the spring is connected to a mounting base fixed inside the housing to keep the fixed contact and the moving contact separated. The water level sensing assembly includes a float, a moving rod, and a position sensing unit. The float is placed in the water. One end of the moving rod is connected to the top of the float, and the other end of the moving rod extends into the housing and moves up and down with the float according to the water level. There are two sets of position sensing units, symmetrically arranged on the upper and lower sides of the moving rod. The push-close assembly is located inside the housing and between the two sets of position sensing units. When any set of position sensing units contacts the push-close assembly during the rise or fall of the water level, the push-close assembly pushes the trigger rod to close the moving contact and the fixed contact, thus instantaneously connecting the circuit. When the circuit is connected, the data processing system completes sampling and data uploading through the static pressure water level probe.

[0007] Preferably, as a further improvement of the present invention, the push-fit assembly includes an abutment rod, a guide support, a rack, a gear, and an arc-shaped push rod; the abutment rod is horizontally arranged, and one end of the abutment rod slides in contact with the side wall of the moving rod; the position sensing part is a wedge-shaped block, and two sets of wedge-shaped blocks are fixed on the side walls opposite the moving rod and the abutment rod, and are arranged symmetrically up and down; the guide support is connected to the abutment rod and is used to guide the abutment rod to move horizontally; the rack is fixed to the other end of the abutment rod; the gear is arranged above the rack and meshes with the rack, and the two ends of the gear axle are rotatably connected to the inner wall of the housing; the arc-shaped push rod is fixed to the gear axle through a connecting rod, and when the wedge-shaped block squeezes the abutment rod to make it move horizontally, the rack drives the gear to rotate and drives the arc-shaped push rod to push the trigger rod.

[0008] Preferably, as a further improvement of the present invention, one end of the abutment rod is connected to a roller, which contacts the side wall of the moving rod.

[0009] Preferably, as a further improvement of the present invention, the end face of the arc-shaped push rod that contacts the trigger rod is a spherical surface.

[0010] Preferably, as a further improvement of the present invention, the guide support includes a hanger rod and a guide sleeve, the guide sleeve is horizontally arranged, and the outer wall of the guide sleeve is fixed to the inner top surface of the housing through the hanger rod, and the moving rod is slidably inserted into the guide sleeve.

[0011] Preferably, as a further improvement of the present invention, the pontoon is equipped with a counterweight.

[0012] Preferably, as a further improvement of the present invention, the interior of the housing is divided into an upper compartment and a lower compartment by a partition, the data processing system is disposed in the upper compartment, and the micro switch and mechanical induction trigger mechanism are disposed in the lower compartment.

[0013] Preferably, as a further improvement of the present invention, the data processing system includes a data acquisition module, a communication module, a control chip, and a power supply module, wherein the power supply module is electrically connected to the data acquisition module, the communication module, and the control chip respectively.

[0014] Preferably, as a further improvement of the present invention, the power module includes a solar panel and a battery, the solar panel is mounted and fixed on the top of the housing, the solar panel and the battery are electrically connected, and the battery is electrically connected to the data acquisition module and the communication module respectively.

[0015] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are: 1. The device adopts a mechanical threshold triggering and physical power-off design. It is completely disconnected from the power supply when not triggered, achieving near-zero standby power consumption. It is only momentarily powered on when the water level crosses the set threshold to complete the data collection and reporting. The actual fluctuation of the water level triggers the sampling and reporting to realize a new monitoring sampling method, thereby significantly reducing the power supply scale requirements, enabling the power supply module to be miniaturized, and extending the operating life and cycle of the whole machine in the field, reducing the frequency of manual maintenance.

[0016] 2. Using the water level crossing a preset threshold as the sole activation condition, each reported data corresponds to a water level jump event, eliminating redundant information and invalid transmission, ensuring high signal-to-noise ratio and relevance of the data, facilitating efficient analysis and early warning response by the backend system, and improving the scientific nature and decision-making reference value of the monitoring results.

[0017] 3. By setting two sets of position sensors, the trigger threshold can be flexibly set for different water level fluctuation amplitudes, realizing bidirectional sensing triggering in both directions of water level rise and fall, thereby achieving accurate and reliable dynamic water level monitoring, which is especially suitable for long-term engineering applications in arid areas and complex geological conditions. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the main structure of a buoyancy-driven groundwater monitoring device according to the present invention.

[0019] Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional structural schematic diagram of an optimized scheme for a buoyancy-driven groundwater monitoring device according to the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0020] The following is combined with Figures 1-2 The specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below. In the description of the invention, it should be understood that the terms "center", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the expression, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation and structure, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of the present invention.

[0021] The terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature; in the description of the invention, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more.

[0022] Example like Figures 1-2 As shown, this embodiment of the invention provides a buoyancy-driven groundwater monitoring device, including a housing 1, a monitoring component, and a mechanical induction triggering mechanism.

[0023] The outer shell 1 is injection molded from high-strength modified polycarbonate material, and its outer surface is coated with a stone-like paint coating, which enhances its concealment during field deployment while providing excellent environmental resistance, such as corrosion resistance, UV resistance, and mechanical strength. The shell 1 is cylindrical for easy placement in the wellhead. It has a height of 420mm, an outer diameter of 210mm, and a wall thickness of 5mm. The internal space of the shell 1 is divided into an upper compartment 11 and a lower compartment 12 by a partition. The upper compartment 11 is the electronic data acquisition and power supply compartment, and the lower compartment 12 is the mechanical triggering compartment. A waterproof sealing gasket and a dust filter are installed between the two compartments to prevent water vapor and dust from entering the electronic unit. During installation, the shell 1 is fixed to the wellhead for monitoring groundwater using a suspension support frame 13.

[0024] The monitoring components include a static pressure water level probe 2, a micro switch 3, and a data processing system. The static pressure water level probe 2 is suspended in the water body of the well. The static pressure water level probe 2 adopts an IP68-level waterproof static pressure transmitter, which can reflect the changes in water level depth in real time. Combined with a mechanical trigger threshold, it realizes the dual functions of event-driven and precise measurement. The micro switch 3 is located in the lower compartment 12. The micro switch 3 is equipped with a fixed contact 31, a moving contact 32, and a trigger rod 33. One end of the trigger rod 33 is hinged to the body of the micro switch 3. The moving contact 32 is located on the trigger rod 33 and is used to contact the fixed contact 31 to connect the circuit during the rotation of the trigger rod 33. The data processing system is located in the upper compartment 11. The static pressure water level probe 2 is connected to the data processing system through a corrosion-resistant signal cable through a waterproof connector. The micro switch 3 is electrically connected to the data processing system.

[0025] The mechanical induction triggering mechanism is located in the lower compartment 12 and is used to trigger the contacts of the micro switch 3 to close the circuit according to the water level change. This allows the data processing system to be momentarily energized when the circuit is closed, and to complete sampling and data uploading through the static pressure water level probe 2. The mechanical induction triggering mechanism includes a spring 41, a water level sensing component 42, and a push-close component. One end of the spring 41 is connected to the trigger rod 33, and the other end of the spring 41 is connected to the mounting base fixed in the housing 1, which is used to keep the fixed contact 31 and the moving contact 32 separated. The water level sensing component 42 includes a float 421, a moving rod 422, and a position sensing part 423. The float 421 is placed in the water. One end of the moving rod 422 is connected to the top of the float 421, and the moving rod 422 moves... The other end of the rod 422 extends into the housing 1 and moves up and down with the float 421 according to the water level; there are two sets of position sensing units 423, symmetrically arranged on the upper and lower sides of the moving rod 422; the push-close assembly is arranged inside the housing 1 and between the two sets of position sensing units 423. When any set of position sensing units 423 comes into contact with the push-close assembly during the process of the water level rising or falling, the push-close assembly overcomes the elastic force of the spring 41 and pushes the trigger rod 33 to close the moving contact 32 and the fixed contact 31 to realize the instantaneous connection of the circuit. When the circuit is connected, the data processing system completes sampling and data upload through the static pressure water level probe 2. When the circuit is closed, the data processing system is instantly powered on to complete sampling and data upload. After sampling is completed, the power is immediately cut off to ensure that the power consumption is close to zero in the standby state.

[0026] In this embodiment, the "water level crossing threshold event" is used as the sole activation condition. The device is initially powered off and silent. When the water level rises or falls, the float 421 moves accordingly. The two sets of position sensing units 423 are set to realize the function of water level crossing the preset limit. Only when the water level crosses the preset limit, the push-and-close component pushes the trigger rod 33 to close the moving contact 32 and the fixed contact 31 to realize the instantaneous connection of the circuit, so that the main control acquisition and communication module is instantly powered on, automatically collects the current water level and uploads the data through the wireless module, and then the power is cut off to restore the ready-to-trigger state. The entire process requires no manual intervention, has a low probability of false triggering, and the two sets of position sensing units 423 can achieve bidirectional sensing and triggering in both directions of water level rise and fall. In the non-triggered state, due to the presence of spring 41, the fixed contact 31 and the moving contact 32 will remain separated, thereby completely disconnecting the circuit and achieving near-zero standby power consumption. It only instantly powers on to collect and report data when the water level undergoes a substantial change and reaches the set threshold, greatly reducing the dependence on the power supply module, effectively extending the operating life and cycle of a single deployment, and significantly reducing the frequency of maintenance.

[0027] In another embodiment of the present invention, as one implementation of the push-fit assembly, the push-fit assembly in this embodiment includes an abutment rod 431, a guide support member 432, a rack 433, a gear 434, and an arc-shaped push rod 435; the abutment rod 431 is horizontally arranged, and one end of the abutment rod 431 slides in contact with the side wall of the moving rod 422; the position sensing part 423 is a wedge-shaped block, and two sets of wedge-shaped blocks are fixed on the side walls of the moving rod 422 and the abutment rod 431 respectively, and are arranged symmetrically in the upper and lower parts; the guide support member 432 and the... A connecting rod 431 is connected to guide the horizontal movement of the connecting rod 431; a rack 433 is fixed to the other end of the connecting rod 431; a gear 434 is positioned above the rack 433 and meshes with the rack 433, and the two ends of the gear axle of the gear 434 are rotatably connected to the inner wall of the housing 1; an arc-shaped push rod 435 is fixed to the gear axle of the gear 434 through a connecting rod. When the wedge block squeezes the connecting rod 431 to make it move horizontally, the rack 433 drives the gear 434 to rotate and drives the arc-shaped push rod 435 to push the trigger rod 33.

[0028] In this embodiment, the two sets of wedge blocks can contact and press the end of the abutment rod 431 when the moving rod 422 rises or falls across a preset height. Under the limiting guidance of the guide support 432, the rack 433 is pushed to move to the left. During the movement of the rack 433, the gear 434 will rotate. During the rotation of the gear 434, the arc-shaped push rod 435 connected to its gear shaft will rotate synchronously and overcome the elastic force of the spring 41 to push the trigger rod 33, so that the moving contact 32 on the trigger rod 33 contacts and closes with the fixed contact 31 on the micro switch 3 to realize the instantaneous connection of the circuit, thereby immediately collecting data.

[0029] In another embodiment of the invention, in order to reduce friction and provide sensitive contact, a roller 5 is connected to one end of the abutment rod 431, and the roller 5 contacts the side wall of the moving rod 422.

[0030] In another embodiment of the present invention, in order to enable the end of the arc-shaped push rod 435 to contact the trigger rod 33 from different angles during the rotation process and maintain the accuracy of triggering, the end face of the arc-shaped push rod 435 that contacts the trigger rod 33 is a spherical surface.

[0031] In another embodiment of the present invention, as an optional implementation of the guide support 432, the guide support 432 in this embodiment includes a hanger rod and a guide sleeve. The guide sleeve is horizontally arranged, and the outer wall of the guide sleeve is fixed to the inner top surface of the housing through the hanger rod. The moving rod 422 slides through the guide sleeve.

[0032] In another embodiment of the present invention, considering that the elastic force of the spring 41 will be converted into the resistance of the moving rod 422 on the wedge block, it is difficult to lower the wedge block by the buoyancy of the moving rod 422 and the float 421 alone when the water level drops. Therefore, a counterweight is installed inside the float 421 to overcome the resistance of the spring, so that the moving rod 422 can ensure normal descent movement.

[0033] In another embodiment of the present invention, as one implementation of a data processing system, the data processing system in this embodiment includes a data acquisition module 61, a communication module 62, a control chip 63, and a power supply module 64. The data acquisition module 61 is a low-power microcontroller unit with local data storage function. The communication module 62 is a low-power wireless communication module capable of remote data transmission. The data acquisition module 61 and the communication module 62 are only momentarily powered on to complete sampling and uploading when triggered, and automatically powered off after sampling to ensure that the power consumption is close to zero in standby mode. The control chip 63 is a microprocessor control unit used to coordinate the working logic of the data acquisition module 61 and the communication module 62. When the trigger signal arrives, it determines the trigger state and generates control commands to realize the sequential control of acquisition, buffering, reporting, and power-off. The power supply module 64 is electrically connected to the data acquisition module 61, the communication module 62, and the control chip 63 respectively. The control chip 63 adopts an STM32L476 ultra-low-power 32-bit main control chip with embedded EEPROM local data buffer and an operating cycle set to no more than 25 seconds. The communication module 62 integrates NB-IoT and LoRa wireless transmission functions.

[0034] In another embodiment of the present invention, as one implementation of the power module 64, the power module 64 is powered by solar energy. The power module 64 includes a solar panel 641 and a battery 642. The solar panel 641 is mounted and fixed on the top of the housing 1. The solar panel 641 and the battery 642 are electrically connected. The battery 642 is electrically connected to the data acquisition module 61 and the communication module 62 respectively. Through the above settings, the monitoring device can be guaranteed to have a stable power supply under long-term field deployment conditions. The solar panel 641 is a 5W high-efficiency monocrystalline silicon solar panel, and the battery 642 is an 18650 type lithium battery pack (capacity ≥2600mAh), equipped with an intelligent charge and discharge protection circuit. Power supply is only provided by instantaneous conduction of contacts when mechanically triggered. Under normal circumstances, the power supply is completely physically disconnected from the main control, and the static leakage current is less than 1μA. In the fully charged state, a maximum of 120 data acquisition and uploads can be supported in a single operation.

[0035] The above-disclosed embodiments are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention. However, those skilled in the art will understand that various improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention, and all such improvements and modifications should fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A buoyancy-driven groundwater monitoring device, characterized in that, include: The casing is used to fix the wellhead of the groundwater to be monitored; The monitoring component includes a hydrostatic level probe, a micro switch, and a data processing system. The hydrostatic level probe is placed in water, and the micro switch and data processing system are housed inside a housing. The hydrostatic level probe and the micro switch are respectively connected to the data processing system via circuits. The micro switch is provided with a fixed contact, a moving contact, and a trigger rod. One end of the trigger rod is hinged to the micro switch body. The moving contact is located on the trigger rod and is used to contact the fixed contact to connect the circuit during the rotation of the trigger rod. The mechanical induction triggering mechanism includes: a spring, one end of which is connected to the trigger rod, and the other end of which is connected to a mounting base fixed inside the housing, for keeping the fixed contact and the moving contact separated; the water level sensing component includes: a float, placed in the water; a moving rod, one end of which is connected to the top of the float, and the other end of which extends into the housing and moves up and down with the float according to the water level; two sets of position sensing parts, symmetrically arranged on the upper and lower sides of the moving rod; and a push-close component, disposed inside the housing and located between the two sets of position sensing parts. When any set of position sensing parts contacts the push-close component during the rise or fall of the water level, the push-close component pushes the trigger rod to close the moving contact with the fixed contact, thereby instantaneously connecting the circuit. The data processing system completes sampling and data uploading through the hydrostatic water level probe when the circuit is connected.

2. The buoyancy-driven groundwater monitoring device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The push-fit component includes: The abutment rod is horizontally set, and one end of the abutment rod slides in contact with the side wall of the moving rod. The position sensing part is a wedge block. Two sets of wedge blocks are fixed on the side wall opposite the moving rod and the abutment rod, and are arranged symmetrically up and down. A guide support, connected to the abutment rod, is used to guide the horizontal movement of the abutment rod; A rack is fixed to the other end of the abutment rod; A gear is disposed above the rack and meshes with the rack, and the two ends of the gear shaft are rotatably connected to the inner wall of the housing; The arc-shaped push rod is fixed to the gear axle via a connecting rod. When the wedge block presses against the abutment rod to make it move horizontally, the rack drives the gear to rotate and drives the arc-shaped push rod to push the trigger rod.

3. The buoyancy-driven groundwater monitoring device according to claim 2, characterized in that, One end of the abutment rod is connected to a roller, which contacts the side wall of the moving rod.

4. The buoyancy-driven groundwater monitoring device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The end face of the arc-shaped push rod that contacts the trigger rod is spherical.

5. The buoyancy-driven groundwater monitoring device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The guide support includes a hanger rod and a guide sleeve. The guide sleeve is horizontally arranged, and the outer wall of the guide sleeve is fixed to the inner top surface of the housing through the hanger rod. The movable rod slides through the guide sleeve.

6. The buoyancy-driven groundwater monitoring device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The pontoon is equipped with a counterweight.

7. The buoyancy-driven groundwater monitoring device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the interior of the shell is divided into an upper compartment and a lower compartment by a partition, the data processing system is disposed in the upper compartment, and the micro switch and mechanical induction triggering mechanism are disposed in the lower compartment.

8. The buoyancy-driven groundwater monitoring device according to claim 7, characterized in that, The data processing system includes a data acquisition module, a communication module, a control chip, and a power supply module, wherein the power supply module is electrically connected to the data acquisition module, the communication module, and the control chip.

9. The buoyancy-driven groundwater monitoring device according to claim 8, characterized in that, The power module includes a solar panel and a battery. The solar panel is mounted and fixed on the top of the housing and is electrically connected to the battery. The battery is electrically connected to the data acquisition module and the communication module respectively.

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