Integrated radar water level gauge

Abstract

The utility model discloses an integrated radar water level gauge which comprises a shell, a solar power supply module, an acquisition processing communication module and a radar sensing distance measuring module. The device is highly integrated, self-powered, self-acquisition, self-transmission and self-alarm can be completed without wiring, and an embedded real-time operating system is used as a software support platform, so that the device integrally presents an intelligent and complete working mode, can be independently used without being connected with an external device, is extremely low in installation cost, can be quickly put into use, and is very convenient to use. The comprehensive water level monitoring service function integrating the functions of water level monitoring, transmission, warning and the like is achieved, and innovative practice responding to sensor intelligence is achieved; meanwhile, due to the totally-enclosed integrated design, the equipment has extremely few joints, has extremely high waterproof, moistureproof, dustproof, anti-creeping, anti-vibration performance and the like, and can be used in various severe water level monitoring environments.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model belongs to the technical field of water level measurement, and in particular relates to an integrated radar water level meter. Background Art

[0002] Water level refers to the depth of the water body. Water level measurement has a wide range of applications in the water conservancy engineering industry and can play an important role in flood control and drainage, river and lake management, port construction, water resources scheduling and management, hydropower projects, river sand mining, reservoir management and other occasions.

[0003] Due to the importance of water level monitoring, water level measuring devices have been developed for many years. At present, common water level measuring devices on the market include pressure water level gauges, bubble water level gauges, float water level gauges, ultrasonic water level gauges, radar water level gauges, etc. From the perspective of usage, they can be divided into "contact water level gauges" and "non-contact water level gauges". Pressure water level gauges, bubble water level gauges, and float water level gauges are contact water level gauges, that is, water level gauges that need to be immersed or partially immersed in water to be used. The working principle of this type of sensor is simple, and the manufacturing and installation costs are often relatively small. However, the limitation of contact water level gauges is that the water level measurement device will be greatly affected by the water environment when it is working. For example, when the probes, pores and other structures of pressure water level gauges and bubble water level gauges are blocked by silt or debris, it will have a great impact on the measurement accuracy and reduce the service life; for example, float water level gauges not only require well logging, but can only adapt to low-sand river sections with gentle water flow and stable slopes, and the use scenario is very limited. In contrast, non-contact devices have almost no problems in this regard. Although they require additional installation costs, they have a wider range of applications, longer service life, easier subsequent maintenance, and more stable and excellent durability and reliability. Therefore, they are now widely used in water level monitoring situations.

[0004] The most typical devices of non-contact water level meters are ultrasonic water level meters and radar water level meters. The principles of the two are similar. Both use brackets to install the equipment above the water surface. The antenna emits a narrow pulse wave downward, passes through the attachments and reaches the water surface, and then is reflected back. The reflected pulse is received again by the antenna system. The antenna system calculates the time difference between the round trip accurately and finally calculates the water level value. Because the working principle is actually to measure the distance from the sensor to the water surface, there are almost no requirements for the water environment such as suspended matter, floating objects, and sediments. The difference is that the ultrasonic water level meter sends ultrasonic waves, while the radar water level meter sends radar waves. Ultrasonic waves are sound waves, while radars are electromagnetic waves. This is the biggest difference between the two. The penetration ability and directionality of ultrasonic waves are much stronger than electromagnetic waves, but ultrasonic waves are mechanical waves. They need to be emitted by vibration and need to be transmitted with the help of a transmission medium. Therefore, they will be affected by environmental factors such as temperature, steam content, foam on the water surface, pressure, fog in the air, and dust. However, electromagnetic waves can be measured without the aid of a propagation medium. They have a wide range of applications for media, temperatures, pressures, etc. and can be applied to various measurement sites. Especially after the emergence of high-frequency radars, the accuracy and other performance of radar water level meters have been further improved. Therefore, radar water level meters are more stable in use and have a wider range of applications.

[0005] The working principle of the radar water level meter requires it to be suspended in the air and perpendicular to the water surface for measurement. In current industrial measurement applications, the radar water level meter needs to be installed on the ground next to the water body using a column, a crossbar fixed to the column, a clamp fixed to the crossbar, and other components. In order for the water level meter to be put into normal use, at least the following components need to be installed on the column at the same time:

[0006] (1) Power supply system. Common power supply methods for water level meters are mains power supply and solar power supply. Mains power supply requires applying for wires from the State Grid and connecting the water level meter on the column to the wires; solar power supply requires installing solar panels on or near the column and connecting them to the water level meter with wires.

[0007] (2) Telemetry terminal, which is used to collect measurement data, calculate and process data, and transmit water level values ​​to servers and other upper-level devices.

[0008] (3) Other auxiliary modules such as antennas and batteries.

[0009] All devices on the column are connected by cables. In addition to connecting to the solar panel, the water level meter must also be connected to the telemetry terminal, server and other equipment through the serial port cable. The line connection is relatively complicated. Due to the existence of physical interfaces and seams, the internal equipment is greatly affected by the external environment. In severe weather such as heavy rain, there is a risk of water entering the interfaces, connections, and seams, causing single or even multiple devices to leak and short-circuit. For this hidden danger, the current common response is to make the installation columns and crossbars hollow, then hide all wiring inside the column, and wrap the joints with waterproof tape. The installation cost is huge, and the requirements for materials, labor, and money are very high. It is still not reliable and increases the difficulty of subsequent operation and maintenance.

[0010] The radar water level meter currently on the market and its actual application method in industry are equivalent to using radar water level meter, telemetry terminal, power supply system and other equipment to establish a water level monitoring station. Although it can ensure the normal operation of the water level meter, it is very rigid, and the cost of procurement, construction planning, installation and wiring, and subsequent maintenance is very high. On the other hand, in water conservancy projects, water level monitoring is usually used in pump stations, gate stations, rivers, reservoirs, sewage treatment plants, irrigation areas and other places, and the monitored water level values ​​may be related to the automatic linkage control of equipment such as pump groups and gates. The design of the "water level monitoring station" currently used makes the realization of the water level monitoring function actually rely on the coupling relationship between different equipment such as sensor equipment, power supply equipment, acquisition equipment, and transmission equipment. When connected to a large automatic control system, water level monitoring will become a very unstable functional area. The failure of any equipment may cause the water level monitoring function to fail to be realized normally. While troubleshooting is inconvenient, it may also affect the normal operation of other subsystems. The fundamental reason is that the current water level sensors have not been able to break the shackles of traditional sensor thinking. The function of the sensor itself only includes measuring information through various physical means, and in practical applications, it needs to be used in conjunction with other equipment. The market should respond to the requirements of intelligent sensors and make innovations. The development direction of radar water level meters should reduce the coupling and dependence of joint use with other equipment, strengthen the breadth and depth of functions on the basis of basic sensor measurement, improve the practical applicability and operational reliability of the equipment, and ensure that the water level monitoring function area in various automation systems can be stable and operate normally. Utility Model Content

[0011] The main technical problem solved by the utility model is to provide an integrated radar water level meter. The device itself is highly integrated and can complete self-power supply, self-collection, self-transmission and self-alarm without wiring. The embedded real-time operating system is used as the software support platform, so that the device as a whole presents an intelligent and complete working mode. It can be used independently without connecting to external devices. The installation cost is extremely low and it can be put into use quickly. It realizes a comprehensive water level monitoring business function that integrates water level monitoring, transmission, alarm and other functions. It is an innovative practice of responding to the intelligence of sensors. At the same time, the fully enclosed integrated design makes the device have very few seams, and has extremely high waterproof, moisture-proof, dust-proof, anti-leakage, anti-vibration and other properties, and can be used in various harsh water level monitoring environments.

[0012] In order to solve the above technical problems, a technical solution adopted by the utility model is: to provide an integrated radar water level gauge, including a shell, a solar power supply module, a collection and processing communication module and a radar sensing and ranging module, the shell is a square hollow structure and the top is set to be an opening, the shell is provided with a top cover at the opening, the solar power supply module includes a first PCB board, a power charging management integrated circuit, a solar panel, a charging controller and a battery, the first PCB board is integrated with a power charging management integrated circuit and a charging controller, the top cover is provided with a solar panel, the battery is arranged on one side of the shell, and the bottom of the shell on one side of the battery is also provided with a plurality of mounting screws, the collection and processing communication module includes an RS485 conversion circuit, a 4-20mA conversion circuit, an NB-IoT module, a LoRa module, a collection module, a core microprocessor and a Flash memory integrated on a second PCB board, the radar sensing and ranging module includes a transmitter, a receiver, a radar antenna, a heat dissipation module and a signal processing and transmission unit integrated on a third PCB board, the first PCB board, the second PCB board and the third PCB board are distributed in parallel from top to bottom on the other side of the shell and are supported and fixed to the bottom of the shell by a plurality of fixing screws.

[0013] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the solar cell panel, the charging controller and the storage battery are electrically connected, and the solar cell panel and the storage battery are electrically connected to the power charging management integrated circuit respectively.

[0014] In a preferred embodiment of the utility model, the acquisition module is respectively connected to the RS485 conversion circuit, the 4-20mA conversion circuit, the NB-IoT module and the LoRa module for communication, the acquisition module is correspondingly connected to the core microprocessor, and the core microprocessor is correspondingly connected to the Flash memory.

[0015] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the power charging management integrated circuit and the signal processing and transmission unit are respectively connected to the core microprocessor.

[0016] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, an aviation plug and a communication transmission antenna are also provided on the side of the shell on one side of the first PCB board.

[0017] In a preferred embodiment of the utility model, the battery is provided with a partition vertically fixed to the bottom of the shell on one side of the third PCB board, and the partition is provided with a threading hole.

[0018] The beneficial effects of the utility model are as follows: the utility model points out an integrated radar water level meter, the device itself is highly integrated, and can complete self-power supply, self-collection, self-transmission, and self-alarm without wiring, and uses the embedded real-time operating system as the software support platform, so that the device as a whole presents an intelligent and complete working mode, and can be used independently without connecting to external devices. The installation cost is extremely low, and it can be put into use quickly, realizing a comprehensive water level monitoring business function that integrates water level monitoring, transmission, alarm and other functions, and is an innovative practice of responding to the intelligence of sensors; at the same time, the fully enclosed integrated design makes the equipment have very few seams, and has extremely high waterproof, moisture-proof, dust-proof, anti-leakage, anti-vibration and other properties, and can be used in various harsh water level monitoring environments. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present utility model, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the description of the embodiments. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present utility model. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative work, among which:

[0020] Figure 1 It is a structural schematic diagram of a preferred embodiment of an integrated radar water level gauge of the utility model;

[0021] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the installation of a preferred embodiment of an integrated radar water level gauge of the utility model;

[0022] Figure 3 It is a planar microstrip antenna array of a preferred embodiment of an integrated radar water level gauge of the utility model;

[0023] Figure 4 This is a module structure diagram of a preferred embodiment of an integrated radar water level gauge of the utility model;

[0024] Figure 5 This is a software main thread flow chart of a preferred embodiment of an integrated radar water level meter of the utility model. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention are described clearly and completely below. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of them. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0026] See also Figure 1 Combination Figure 2-Figure 5 As shown, the embodiment of the utility model includes:

[0027] An integrated radar water level meter comprises a housing 1, a solar power supply module, a collection and processing communication module and a radar sensing and ranging module.

[0028] The shell 1 is a square hollow structure with an opening at the top to facilitate the installation of internal components. The shell 1 is provided with a top cover 2 at the opening for top packaging. The shell 1 is made of 5mm thick ABS material, which can reduce the overall weight of the device while ensuring that the device can work normally in a wide range of ambient temperatures from -40℃ to 93℃. The shell 1 has few overall seams and its protection performance reaches IP67. When in use, the side with the solar panel 4 faces upward, and the radar antenna of the radar sensing and ranging module faces downward.

[0029] The solar power supply module includes a first PCB board 3, a power charging management integrated circuit, a solar panel 4, a charging controller and a battery 5. The first PCB board 3 is integrated with a power charging management integrated circuit and a charging controller. The top cover 2 is provided with a solar panel 4. The top cover 2 is provided with a reserved hole for the back lead of the solar panel 4 to be electrically connected with the charging controller and the battery 5. The solar panel 4 is an ultra-thin laminate encapsulated with PET, with a specification of 5.3 watts, slightly larger than the top cover 2. The solar panel of this material is only 3mm thick, light in weight, with a certain degree of flexibility, and can perfectly fit the fuselage with a very small seam. The battery 5 is arranged on one side of the housing 1. The battery 5 is a lithium battery with a specification of 25 ampere hours, which is used to power the internal components. The solar panel 4, the charging controller and the battery 5 are electrically connected, and the solar panel 4 and the battery 5 are respectively electrically connected with the power charging management integrated circuit. Through the design of the solar power supply module, the device uses solar energy when there is sunshine and charges the battery 5 at the same time. When there is no sunshine, the electric energy stored in the battery 5 is used, thus achieving maintenance-free self-powered energy.

[0030] The acquisition and processing communication module includes an RS485 conversion circuit, a 4-20mA conversion circuit, a NB-IoT module, a LoRa module, an acquisition module, a core microprocessor and a Flash memory integrated on the second PCB board 6. The acquisition module is respectively communicated with the RS485 conversion circuit, the 4-20mA conversion circuit, the NB-IoT module and the LoRa module, the acquisition module is correspondingly connected to the core microprocessor, and the core microprocessor is correspondingly connected to the Flash memory.

[0031] It supports RS485 serial communication and 4-20mA analog communication, can output RS485 and 4-20mA signals, and supports wireless communication through NB-IoT module, LoRa module, etc.

[0032] The RS485 conversion circuit supports RS485 serial communication, can output RS485 signals, and supports MODBUS RTU communication protocol. The RS485 conversion circuit contains an RS485 conversion chip and its peripheral circuits to convert the TTL level serial port signal output by the core processor into an RS485 level signal. The RS485 conversion chip is a half-duplex high-speed transceiver. The IC contains a driver and a receiver with a fail-safe circuit. It has a spiral rate limiting driver that can reduce EMI and reflections caused by mismatched terminal cables and achieve error-free data transmission up to 10Mbps. Each driver output and receiver input has ±15kV electrostatic discharge (HBM) (ESD) impact protection. The receiver has a 1 / 8 unit load input impedance, allowing up to 256 devices to be connected to the bus.

[0033] The 4-20mA conversion circuit supports 4-20mA analog communication and can output 4-20mA signals. The 4-20mA output circuit includes an ADC analog-to-digital conversion chip and its peripheral circuits, which are used to convert the data output by the core processor into a 4-20mA analog signal. The conversion process can resist various signal interferences and has high conversion accuracy.

[0034] The NB-IoT module is used to send the data packaged by the core microprocessor to the specified IP address. After the NB-IoT module is powered on, it is initialized according to the set IP address, transport layer protocol, network port and other parameters, then obtains the time and establishes a SOCKET, and tries to establish communication with the server; after successfully establishing communication with the server, it is transmitted to the server and other host computers through the 4G operator network. When the network signal is not good, it can automatically switch down to 3G and 2G networks to ensure the continuity of data transmission. After receiving the receipt message, the NB-IoT module passes it to the core microprocessor, and the core microprocessor determines that the data transmission is successful. If the device is set to sleep time, the microprocessor will turn off the power of the NB_IoT module after receiving the receipt message, so that it enters the power-off state to reduce power consumption.

[0035] The NB-IoT module has the function of automatic recovery from abnormalities. If communication with the server fails three times in a row, it will automatically initialize, reload relevant files, and prepare each module to work again to enter the normal working state and reestablish communication. The NB-IoT module also has the function of resuming transmission after disconnection. If the module suddenly loses power or the communication network is suddenly disconnected during data transmission, the NB-IoT module will continue to transmit the untransmitted message when it is powered on / connected to the network next time. The host computer and the NB-IoT module will perform CRC check during each data transmission. The NB-IoT module can use CRC check to determine whether the message is fully transmitted. If the transmission is interrupted or the message is lost, it will automatically retransmit.

[0036] The LoRa module and its peripheral circuits work together to transmit the measured data processed by the core microprocessor to the outside through wireless data transmission. The LoRa module supports users to set the communication key by themselves, so that the transmission information cannot be read by attacks, which greatly improves the confidentiality of user data and supports the air wake-up function. The LoRa module has a watchdog design. Once the LoRa module works abnormally, the LoRa module will restart automatically and can automatically resume work according to the previous parameter settings. The communication distance between LoRa modules is about 3 kilometers in open places and about 1 kilometer in places with more obstructions. The communication range can be expanded by installing LoRa modules on site and configuring parameter relay networking. For multiple LoRa modules to communicate with each other, they need to be configured to the same frequency and coding rate, and the same encryption key can be used when encryption is required. The LoRa module can use the LoRaWAN protocol by default, or it can be programmed into a custom protocol. According to the communication protocol, each LoRa module should be configured as a send or receive mode, and the communication method between them should be determined.

[0037] The LoRa module supports communication methods such as transparent transmission, directional transmission, broadcast and data monitoring. Transparent transmission can directly transmit data to devices with the same address and the same channel; directional transmission refers to the transmission of data to the specified device pointed to by the address and channel by configuring parameters such as address, channel, baud rate, etc. The sender and receiver do not need to be in the same address or channel; broadcast and data monitoring refer to point-to-many transmission methods, which can allow the transmitted data to be received by modules with any address on the same channel, thereby playing the role of broadcast monitoring, and has high application value in more complex water level monitoring systems. When switching communication modes, the LoRa module will automatically switch the format of the sent message according to different communication modes, and there will be no possibility of mistransmission or communication conflict. In actual applications, external devices such as serial communication and Wifi can also be used to monitor and verify data transmission.

[0038] LoRa is a low-power, long-distance wireless communication technology based on spread spectrum technology. It uses efficient frequency shift keying (FSK) modulation as the physical layer and Chirp pulse modulation coding technology to increase the data link budget, thereby ensuring low power consumption during long-distance wireless communication; at the same time, LoRa communication also has higher anti-interference capabilities.

[0039] LoRa has a wide range of applications in directional transmission and channel monitoring. When the host computer reloads the LoRa module and configures the communication address, the device can read the remote parameter configuration and download the data packet through LoRa to achieve the purpose of remote device upgrade and management.

[0040] The radar sensing and ranging module includes a transmitter, a receiver, a radar antenna, a heat dissipation module and a signal processing and transmission unit integrated on the third PCB board 7, and the power charging management integrated circuit and the signal processing and transmission unit are respectively connected to the core microprocessor.

[0041] The radar sensor ranging module measures water level based on PCR pulse coherent radar technology, using 24GHz millimeter radar waves as carrier signals, with an emission angle of about ±7°. The transmitter is a PCR radar transmitter, which can compress the radar wave to be transmitted into a very narrow pulse. The width of this pulse is only a few nanoseconds, and the energy is very strong. After this compressed pulse is transmitted to the surface of the object (when it encounters the interface between two different dielectric constants), it will be reflected back to form an echo signal, which is received by the radar antenna and transmitted to the receiver. The signal processing and transmission unit performs a series of signal processing such as sampling, frequency conversion, amplification, filtering, analog-to-digital conversion, etc. on the echo signal. Based on the principle of pulse coherence, the time interval and phase difference between the transmitted pulse and the received pulse are accurately identified, so as to obtain the time difference from the transmission of the radar wave to the echo, that is, the flight time of the ToF radar wave. The radar transmits and receives about 80 times per second by default, and accurately calculates the time difference from the transmitted wave to the received echo by calculating the mean. Finally, the analog signal is converted into a standard level digital signal for processing, calculation and correction calculation, and finally the distance between the device and the measured water surface is obtained.

[0042] 1) The transmitter can generate radar waves and compress the radar waves to be transmitted into extremely narrow high-power radio frequency energy pulses, and then transmit the energy pulses through the radar antenna.

[0043] 2) The receiver can receive the reflected echo and do some simple processing, such as low-noise differential amplification and narrow-band amplification of the received weak echo signal to prevent the subsequent signal processing and transmission unit from being unable to identify the too weak signal. Then the echo signal is sent to the signal processing and transmission unit for further processing.

[0044] 3) Radar antenna refers to a planar microstrip antenna array composed of planar microstrip antennas. The planar microstrip antenna refers to a rectangular planar antenna soldered on a PCB board based on photolithography technology, which is composed of components such as microstrip laying patches, feeding networks and dielectric substrates. The radar antenna is a planar microstrip antenna array composed of 68 planar microstrip antennas and basic electrical components. It is shared by both transmission and reception. It is responsible for transmitting radar waves, that is, transmitting the energy signal given by the transmitter; it is also responsible for receiving echoes, that is, receiving the reflected energy signal back to the receiver. The radar antenna uses a high-speed switching device to switch between the two working modes of "transmit" and "receive". Although a single microstrip antenna can complete the process of transmitting and receiving radar waves, the multi-beam planar microstrip antenna array has the characteristics of high gain, low side lobes, and good directivity, so that higher measurement accuracy can be obtained. The radar antenna is oriented downward, which is convenient for transmitting and receiving millimeter-wave radars.

[0045] 4) The signal processing and transmission unit is an integrated circuit composed of precision logic chips and electrical components, which can optimize the signal step by step and finally transmit it to the core microprocessor of the device. The signal processing and transmission unit can eliminate unnecessary signal clutter and interference, and strengthen the echo signal generated by the measured target. Through the precision logic circuit, the error generated by the signal during the transmission process is very small. The signal processing and transmission unit finally converts the radar wave from analog to digital, and transmits it to the core microprocessor for further algorithm recognition and water level calculation.

[0046] 5) The heat dissipation module is a motor fan, which is used to prevent the high-frequency radar wave from being too hot and thus causing damage to the module. The heat dissipation module transfers the heat on the PCB board of the radar sensor ranging module by rotating the fan, thereby achieving a cooling effect.

[0047] This radar sensing and ranging working mode achieves higher resolution and stronger penetration through high-frequency, short-wavelength, narrow-beam, and high-energy millimeter radar waves; at the same time, it uses advanced logic circuits for signal transmission and processing, combined with the signal optimization and recognition algorithm programmed into the core microprocessor, to achieve higher resolution in water level measurement, allowing the equipment to obtain accurate measurement data, and the ranging accuracy can be controlled within 2mm.

[0048] Using the mature 24GHz millimeter radar wave as the carrier signal, the technology and sales market are mature, and it can be applied to most common water level measurement occasions. It has low power consumption and price, and can achieve the best cost performance while high-precision ranging. It adopts a modular design, in which the transmitter can be replaced with a transmitter that transmits 77GHz, 79GHz, and 80GHz millimeter waves. The higher frequency millimeter wave can obtain information such as the position, speed, and even shape of the measured water surface, and realize more accurate detection and identification of the target object, which can adapt to water level measurement occasions with higher requirements.

[0049] The core microprocessor packages the water level data according to the transmission protocol and transmits it to the acquisition module. The acquisition module decides which data transmission module to send the water level data to based on the user's data transmission requirements, sends data to the 4-20mA conversion circuit, sends a MODBUS request instruction to the RS485 conversion circuit, sends data to the NB-IoT module, or sends a request instruction to the LoRa module.

[0050] The core microprocessor uses an industrial-grade 32-bit microprocessor as the core of the device, and all modules are electrically connected to the core microprocessor. The core processor is developed through embedded software programming and is responsible for all data calculations and processing operations, including:

[0051] 1) Identify echo

[0052] The working principle of radar waves determines that when they encounter the interface between two different dielectric constants, they will rebound and receive echoes, but this echo may be "false" for water level measurement. For example, smoke, fog, dust, bubbles, floating objects on the water surface, obstructions in the environment, and complex working conditions may all cause false echoes, which are common interference factors for water level measurement equipment. By programming the algorithm of the core microprocessor, the echo signal can be compared with the transmitted signal, and the characteristic parameters of the echo signal such as reflectivity, waveform period, waveform amplitude, and waveform peak can be combined to form multiple conditions to comprehensively judge whether the received echo signal is reflected from the measured water surface, thereby eliminating false echoes and screening out the correct echo signal reflected from the measured water surface, thereby eliminating interference and improving measurement accuracy.

[0053] 2) Water level calculation

[0054] The core microprocessor can receive the standard level signal measured and processed by the radar sensor ranging module, perform calculations on it, obtain the distance between the device and the water surface, and then calculate the water level value.

[0055] Water level = low level - air height

[0056] "Water level" is the measured value, which indicates the height or depth of the water body, and refers to the vertical distance from the surface of the water body to the bottom.

[0057] The "low position" indicates the distance from the bottom of the water body to the device. The low position can be measured when the device is installed and used for the first time, or it can be simply entered through the configuration parameters; at the same time, the microprocessor will automatically correct the calculated low position value during the zero calibration process.

[0058] “Altitude” refers to the distance from the equipment to the water surface, which is directly measured by the equipment.

[0059] In addition, correction calculations should also be performed. Ideally, the radar water level meter needs to measure perpendicular to the surface plane of the water body, but in actual applications, this may not be achieved due to installation restrictions such as terrain and industrial environment. At this time, correction calculations are required. Correction calculations include offset angle correction, irregular bottom surface correction, etc. Correction methods include zero point correction, coefficient correction, known water level reference point correction and mean correction. For the abnormal fluctuation of the calculated value, based on its characteristics of not conforming to the Gaussian distribution, it is proposed to use median average filtering to reduce random errors. The microprocessor will automatically correct the value according to the actual application situation, and then obtain the most accurate water level value.

[0060] 3) Data Packaging

[0061] The core microprocessor packages the calculated water level values ​​according to the transmission protocol or agreement, such as the water resources monitoring data transmission protocol, and sends them to the acquisition module.

[0062] 4) Working mode

[0063] The core microprocessor receives and reads the device working mode settings from the user, including timed self-reporting, call-test reporting, etc., and also includes a hybrid mode that integrates timed self-reporting, call-test reporting, and automatic additional reporting. The device's working mode is highly customizable. Users can set parameters such as acquisition frequency, reporting cycle, additional reporting cycle, additional reporting conditions, etc. The core microprocessor reads the instructions and controls the radar sensor ranging module to perform corresponding operations according to the corresponding settings.

[0064] 5) Fault alarm

[0065] The core microprocessor supports water level over-limit alarm and equipment operation alarm. Water level over-limit alarm means that users can set alarm limits for the equipment. When the monitored water level exceeds the limit range, the core microprocessor can upload the alarm message to the server and other host computers to let users know the water level alarm information. Equipment operation alarms include equipment failure alarms and communication network abnormality alarms. In industrial measurement situations, electromagnetic interference is often the main reason for the hardware and software of the equipment to freeze and freeze. Therefore, the core microprocessor has two built-in watchdog circuits (independent watchdog and window watchdog), which use independent external clocks and chip internal clocks respectively. They can monitor the operation faults of the equipment hardware and software and automatically send alarms and reset protection. Communication network abnormality alarm means that the core microprocessor uploads the measured water level value to the server and other upper systems through the acquisition module and then through various communication systems; when the information fails to be sent for three consecutive times (settable), the microprocessor can determine that the communication network is abnormal and issue corresponding alarm prompts.

[0066] 6) Low power mode

[0067] The core microprocessor can read user settings and automatically enter low power consumption mode, and can sleep according to the sleep cycle set by the user.

[0068] 7) Automatic reporting

[0069] When the water level is monitored to rise continuously or rapidly, the core microprocessor can judge the situation and control the equipment to automatically increase the acquisition frequency and cycle to ensure the continuity and immediacy of water level monitoring.

[0070] 8) Data storage management

[0071] The core microprocessor is connected to the Flash memory, and can transfer the processed data to the Flash memory for storage, and can call, view, delete, and set the data in the Flash memory to automatically overwrite when the memory is full.

[0072] 9) Remote Management

[0073] This device has NB-IoT and LoRa wireless communication modules, which enable the device to support remote configuration parameters. The core microprocessor can read the parameters configured by the user for the device, and can remotely download the data packets sent by the host computer through the wireless communication module, thereby realizing remote management of the device and optimizing the operation and maintenance mode.

[0074] Flash memory refers to an external memory with a capacity of 256Mb, which can store water level values ​​and support the call of stored data for viewing and management. When the content capacity is full, it can be set to automatically overwrite the latest data or manually clear it.

[0075] The first PCB board 3, the second PCB board 6 and the third PCB board 7 are distributed in parallel from top to bottom on the other side of the housing 1 and are supported and fixed to the bottom of the housing 1 by a plurality of fixing screws 8 to ensure the orderly installation of each PCB board.

[0076] The side of the housing 1 on one side of the first PCB board 3 is also provided with an aviation plug 9 and a communication transmission antenna 10. The RS485 signal, 4-20mA signal, DC input power supply and other cables led out of the internal mainboard are integrated into the aviation plug 9, and the aviation plug 9 can be connected to play the role of power supply and wired signal transmission. The advantage of the aviation plug 9 is its high reliability in industrial applications. It has good waterproof, dustproof, flame retardant, pressure-resistant, shock-resistant, anti-falling and other properties, which can effectively ensure the safe use of the equipment and extend the service life of the equipment. At the same time, the design of the physical interface of the aviation plug 9 encapsulation improves the flexibility of equipment maintenance and operation. The communication transmission antenna 10 does not include a planar microstrip array antenna, but refers to an antenna that expands the communication transmission distance of NB-IoT and LoRa, which is fixed on the outside of the fuselage and located next to the aviation plug 9. The communication transmission antenna 10 is a passive device and does not increase the power of the signal. In wireless communication transmission, the communication transmission antenna 10 can effectively concentrate energy, narrow the lobe, narrow the reading range, and radiate or receive outward, thereby expanding the communication distance. In a typical embodiment of the present application, the communication transmission antenna 10 is a rubber stick antenna with a gain of 3dB.

[0077] The battery 5 is provided with a partition 11 vertically fixed to the bottom of the housing 1 on one side of the third PCB board 7 to prevent other components from being damaged due to leakage of the battery 5. The partition 11 is provided with threading holes 12 to allow various components to be connected across the partition 11. The bottom of the housing 1 on one side of the battery 5 is also provided with a plurality of mounting screws 13 to facilitate the bottom installation of the entire device.

[0078] In practical applications, the radar water level meter is suspended vertically above the water surface. To achieve this effect, a column 14 should be used to install it in the monitoring occasion. The column 14 should be fixed on the horizontal ground. The column 14 is fixedly connected to the clamp, and the clamp is fixedly connected to the L-shaped bracket 15. The radar water level meter is fixed on the L-shaped bracket 15. The radar antenna at the bottom of the radar water level meter extends out of the base of the L-shaped bracket 15 to prevent blocking the transmission and reception of radar wave signals. According to the location requirements of the measuring point in actual application, the L-shaped bracket 15 can be directly fixed to the column 14 without the clamp, and a cross arm 16 can be installed on the column 14, and the L-shaped bracket 15 and the radar water level meter are installed on the cross arm. According to the needs of actual application, a lightning rod 17 can be installed on the top of the column 14 at the same time. When there is no special need for serial communication, the equipment can be installed without any external wiring after installation, and the water level can be independently measured by solar energy and transmitted to the server and other equipment through the wireless communication system; if there is a need for serial communication, the water level meter can be connected to the interface led out by the aviation plug 9 with a cable for communication.

[0079] To sum up, the utility model points out an integrated radar water level meter, the device itself is highly integrated, and can complete self-power supply, self-collection, self-transmission, and self-alarm without wiring, and uses the embedded real-time operating system as the software support platform, so that the whole device presents an intelligent and complete working mode, and can be used independently without connecting to external devices. The installation cost is extremely low, and it can be put into use quickly, realizing a comprehensive water level monitoring business function that integrates water level monitoring, transmission, alarm and other functions, and is an innovative practice of responding to the intelligence of sensors; at the same time, the fully enclosed integrated design makes the equipment have very few seams, and has extremely high waterproof, moisture-proof, dust-proof, anti-leakage, anti-vibration and other properties, and can be used in various harsh water level monitoring environments.

[0080] The above description is only an embodiment of the present invention, and does not limit the patent scope of the present invention. Any equivalent structure or equivalent process transformation made using the contents of the present invention specification, or directly or indirectly applied in other related technical fields, are also included in the patent protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An integrated radar water level gauge, characterized in that: The invention comprises a shell, a solar power supply module, a collection and processing communication module and a radar sensing and ranging module. The shell is a square hollow structure and the top is set to be an opening. The shell is provided with a top cover at the opening. The solar power supply module comprises a first PCB board, a power charging management integrated circuit, a solar panel, a charging controller and a battery. The first PCB board is integrated with a power charging management integrated circuit and a charging controller. The top cover is provided with a solar panel. The battery is arranged on one side of the shell. A plurality of mounting screws are also arranged on the bottom of the shell on one side of the battery. The collection and processing communication module comprises an RS485 conversion circuit, a 4-20mA conversion circuit, an NB-IoT module, a LoRa module, a collection module, a core microprocessor and a Flash memory integrated on a second PCB board. The radar sensing and ranging module comprises a transmitter, a receiver, a radar antenna, a heat dissipation module and a signal processing and transmission unit integrated on a third PCB board. The first PCB board, the second PCB board and the third PCB board are parallelly distributed on the other side of the shell from top to bottom and supported and fixed on the bottom of the shell by a plurality of fixing screws.

2. The integrated radar water level gauge according to claim 1, characterized in that: The solar cell panel, the charging controller and the storage battery are electrically connected, and the solar cell panel and the storage battery are electrically connected to the power charging management integrated circuit respectively.

3. The integrated radar water level gauge according to claim 1, characterized in that: The acquisition module is respectively connected to the RS485 conversion circuit, the 4-20mA conversion circuit, the NB-IoT module and the LoRa module for communication, the acquisition module is correspondingly connected to the core microprocessor, and the core microprocessor is correspondingly connected to the Flash memory.

4. The integrated radar water level gauge according to claim 1, characterized in that: The power supply charging management integrated circuit and the signal processing and transmission unit are respectively connected to the core microprocessor.

5. The integrated radar water level gauge according to claim 1, characterized in that: An aviation plug and a communication transmission antenna are also provided on the side of the shell on one side of the first PCB board.

6. The integrated radar water level gauge according to claim 1, characterized in that: The battery is provided with a partition plate vertically fixed to the bottom of the shell on one side of the third PCB board, and the partition plate is provided with a threading hole.

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