Water level sensor and water level detection system

Abstract

The utility model discloses a water level sensor and a water level detection system. The technical problems that an existing water level detection system is prone to being interfered by the environment and high in manufacturing cost are mainly solved. The detection body is used for being arranged at the water bottom position of a water area to be detected, and the electrode is correspondingly connected with the detection body and used for applying current to the detection body and correspondingly detecting the resistance change of the detection body. The detection body is an ecological concrete pouring piece doped with carbon fibers. The water level sensor and the water level detection system disclosed by the utility model are low in cost and high in working reliability, and are not interfered by conditions such as water quality and electromagnetic signals.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of water level detection technology, specifically to a water level sensor and a water level detection system. Background Technology

[0002] Water level monitoring is a crucial component in hydrological monitoring, water conservancy projects, environmental management, and disaster prevention and mitigation. It involves measuring the change in the height of a water body (such as a river, lake, reservoir, or ocean) relative to a reference point using specific technologies. Real-time monitoring of water surface height provides fundamental data support for water resource management, flood warning, ecological environmental protection, and industrial process control.

[0003] With the continuous advancement of sensor technology, data processing algorithms, and communication technology, water level detection methods are becoming increasingly diversified, and their application scenarios are becoming more widespread. The inventors are aware of a traditional float-type water level gauge, which uses a float to rise and fall with the water level, thereby driving a mechanical or electronic sensor to output a signal. While simple in structure and low in cost, float-type water level gauges are easily affected by water flow impacts and lack operational stability. Furthermore, the inventors are aware of an optical water level gauge, which utilizes the refraction or reflection characteristics of light at the liquid surface to achieve non-contact detection of water level changes through a photoelectric sensor. This is suitable for transparent or low-turbidity liquids, but its monitoring accuracy is easily affected by liquid color and air bubbles, making it difficult to achieve optimal results for water body detection in outdoor environments, and its cost is high. Additionally, capacitive water level sensors detect water shortages by sensing differences in capacitance values ​​at different water levels. Its limitation is that there cannot be any magnetic fields or metal around the sensor during use, otherwise interference will occur, affecting the final detection accuracy.

[0004] The information disclosed in this background section is intended only to enhance the understanding of the background technology of this disclosure and should not be construed as an admission or in any way implying that the information constitutes prior art known to those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of at least one of the above technical problems, this disclosure provides a water level sensor and a water level detection system, which aims to solve the technical problems of existing water level detection systems being susceptible to environmental interference and having high costs.

[0006] According to one aspect of this disclosure, a water level sensor is provided, comprising a detection body disposed at the bottom of a water body to be detected, and an electrode correspondingly connected to the detection body and used to apply current to the detection body and correspondingly detect changes in the resistance of the detection body; the detection body is an eco-concrete casting doped with carbon fiber.

[0007] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the detection body is a disc-shaped structure with a circular or polygonal cross-section.

[0008] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the electrodes are fixed or pre-embedded at both ends of the detection body.

[0009] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the electrode is a conductive sheet or a conductive mesh.

[0010] According to another aspect of this disclosure, a water level detection system is provided, comprising the water level sensor described above, a detection circuit electrically connected to the electrodes of the water level sensor and having an output port, a power supply electrically connected to the detection circuit, a control unit communicatively connected to the output port, and a wireless communication unit communicatively connected to the control unit for communicating with a cloud or terminal device.

[0011] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the detection circuit includes a voltage divider module and a buffer isolation module with the corresponding voltage divider voltage of the voltage divider module as input; the buffer isolation module includes a voltage follower.

[0012] In some embodiments of this disclosure, filter capacitors are electrically connected between the output ports.

[0013] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the control unit is a microcontroller, and the output port is electrically connected to the I / O port of the microcontroller.

[0014] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the wireless communication unit includes a 4G communication module or a WiFi communication module.

[0015] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the power source includes a battery and a solar panel electrically connected to the battery.

[0016] One or more technical solutions provided in this disclosure embodiment have at least one of the following technical effects or advantages: The water level sensor is cast from eco-friendly concrete mixed with carbon fiber. Through direct contact with the water body, when the external water level changes, the stress on the water level sensor also changes accordingly. This stress change causes a change in the resistance of the water level sensor, and thus, by obtaining the resistance value of the water level sensor, water level information corresponding to that resistance value can be obtained. Since the resistance value of the water level detection element is only affected by its own stress change and is not affected by external magnetic fields or other signals, the accuracy and reliability of water level detection can be effectively improved. In addition, the water level sensor uses industrial solid waste as the matrix material of the water level detection element, which can effectively reduce the cost of the sensor and is also beneficial to environmental protection. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the water level detection system in one embodiment of this application.

[0018] In the above diagram, 1 represents the water level sensor. Detailed Implementation

[0019] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "vertical," "horizontal," "clockwise," and "counterclockwise," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this application. Furthermore, the terms "connection" and "linkage" in this application, unless otherwise specified, include both direct and indirect connections (linkages).

[0020] The programs involved or relied upon in the following embodiments are all conventional or simple programs in this technical field. Those skilled in the art can make conventional choices or adaptive adjustments according to specific application scenarios.

[0021] To better understand the technical solution of this application, the above technical solution will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0022] To address the issues of the accuracy and reliability of traditional water level sensors being easily affected by the surrounding environment and their relatively high cost, this example discloses a water level sensor, which includes a detection body positioned at the bottom of the water body to be detected.

[0023] Specifically, the detection body of the water level sensor is cast from eco-concrete mixed with carbon fiber in a corresponding mold. The carbon fiber is uniformly mixed with and distributed within the eco-concrete, thereby strengthening the structural integrity of the detection body while utilizing the conductivity of the carbon fiber to detect water level. Furthermore, at different water levels, the water pressure on the detection body varies. This stress difference causes changes in the resistance of the carbon fiber mixed in the detection body, resulting in a corresponding increase or decrease in resistance as the water level changes. By observing the change in resistance and using a pre-determined resistance-water level reference curve, the water level corresponding to different resistance values ​​can be obtained, thus achieving the effect of water level measurement.

[0024] In this embodiment, solid waste such as blast furnace slag and fly ash are used as raw materials to generate eco-concrete through geopolymerization. This achieves waste reuse while reducing the consumption of natural resources and lowering the environmental costs of waste treatment. Furthermore, compared to traditional concrete materials, geopolymers made primarily from blast furnace slag and fly ash consume less energy during production, effectively avoiding the generation of large amounts of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide. In addition, this example incorporates 0.1% to 2.0% (by mass) of carbon fiber (based on the mass of solid waste) into the eco-concrete, using mechanical stirring to ensure uniform mixing of the carbon fiber and geopolymer, resulting in full dispersion of the carbon fiber within the geopolymer. This improves the overall performance and uniformity of the material, contributing to enhanced accuracy and reliability in subsequent testing. Moreover, by incorporating a certain amount of carbon fiber into the eco-concrete, the tensile strength of the eco-concrete is effectively increased, while the flexibility of the testing substrate is improved, allowing it to better adapt to deformation under stress and reducing the risk of brittle fracture. On the other hand, the conductivity of carbon fiber changes when it deforms. When the external water level changes, water at different heights will generate different degrees of stress on the detection body doped with carbon fiber. This stress change will cause the carbon fiber to deform, which in turn will cause the resistance of the detection body to change. Thus, the purpose of water level detection can be achieved based on the one-to-one correspondence between the different resistance values ​​and the water level height.

[0025] Specifically, in this example, the detection body has a disc-shaped structure with a thickness of 50mm. This disc-shaped structure increases the contact area between the detection body and the water, thereby improving the detection body's ability to sense water pressure and ensuring the reliability of the detection results. Furthermore, the disc-shaped structure makes it easy to place the detection body on the bottom of the water body to be tested, facilitating construction. In other embodiments, the cross-section of the detection body is polygonal, such as a square disc shape.

[0026] To apply voltage to the detection body and obtain the resistance change of the detection body, electrodes are respectively set at both ends of the detection body to electrically connect the detection body to the corresponding external detection circuit. Power is supplied to the detection body through the electrodes, and the resistance change information of the detection body is obtained. To avoid the electrodes adversely affecting the stress on the detection body and thus the accuracy and reliability of the detection results, in this embodiment, the electrodes are conductive sheets, specifically copper sheets, and are fixedly connected to the two end faces of the detection body after casting. In other embodiments, the electrodes are pre-embedded, embedded in the detection body during casting at positions corresponding to both ends of the detection body. Furthermore, in other embodiments, considering the material difference between the electrodes and the detection body, to ensure the firmness of the electrodes embedded in the detection body, the electrodes are conductive meshes, respectively arranged at both ends of the detection body. The mesh structure of the conductive mesh enhances the pre-embedding strength of the electrodes and can also serve as internal ribs of the detection body to increase its structural strength.

[0027] In addition, this example also discloses a water level detection system, see [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 1 It includes the aforementioned water level sensor 1, whose two electrodes are each provided with lead wires for connecting the water level sensor to the detection circuit. During water level detection, the water level sensor is securely placed on the bottom of the water area to be detected to obtain water pressure. See details below. Figure 1 In this example, the detection circuit includes a voltage source to provide a stable voltage to the water level sensor. Additionally, the detection circuit includes a voltage divider module consisting of resistors R1 and R2 connected in series. Thus, the voltage source, water level sensor, resistors R1 and R2 form a loop. When the water level in the monitored area changes, the water pressure at water level sensor 1 changes, causing a change in the sensor's resistance. This change in resistance causes a change in the voltage across the sensor's electrodes. According to Kirchhoff's voltage law, the voltage across resistor R2 is affected by this change in the water level sensor's voltage. Therefore, this example uses the voltage across resistor R2 to reflect the change in the water level sensor's resistance, achieving the voltage divider effect through the voltage divider module. See also... Figure 1 The detection circuit in this example also includes a buffer isolation module. Specifically, this buffer isolation module includes a voltage follower Q1. In this example, the voltage follower is an LM358 operational amplifier, which provides buffer isolation between the water level sensor and the output, i.e., the subsequent control unit. Additionally, the detection circuit has an output port for connecting to the control unit. Filter capacitors C1, C2, and C3 are also provided between these output ports to filter out noise. The detection circuit outputs the analog signal reflecting the resistance change of the water level sensor—the output of the voltage follower—to the control unit via the output port, where the signal is processed.

[0028] Specifically, in this embodiment, the control unit includes an STM32C8T6 microcontroller. The output port of the detection circuit is electrically connected to the I / O port of the microcontroller, which can convert the input analog signal into a corresponding digital signal. Furthermore, to facilitate real-time acquisition of current water level information, the control unit is connected to a wireless communication unit. In this embodiment, the wireless communication unit includes a 4G communication module, which transmits the detection information from the water level sensor to a terminal device or the cloud via 4G signals for storage or retrieval. In other embodiments, the wireless communication unit includes a WiFi communication module, enabling remote data transmission via WiFi.

[0029] In some other embodiments, considering that the water area to be detected is far from the shore and the power supply line laid over a long distance suffers severe line loss, the power supply in the detection circuit of the water level detection system in this example is specifically a solar power module, which includes a solar panel floating on the water surface through a float, and a battery electrically connected to the solar panel and located at the float. The battery is covered with a waterproof layer, thereby storing excess electrical energy through the battery, thereby ensuring the normal power supply of the detection circuit.

[0030] Although some preferred embodiments of this application have been described, those skilled in the art, upon learning the basic inventive concept, can make other changes and modifications to these embodiments. Therefore, the appended claims are intended to be interpreted as including the preferred embodiments as well as all changes and modifications falling within the scope of this application.

[0031] Obviously, those skilled in the art can make modifications and variations to this application without departing from the spirit and scope of its inventive concept. Therefore, if such modifications and variations to this disclosure fall within the scope of the claims of this application and their equivalents, this application also intends to include such modifications and variations.

Claims

1. A water level sensor, characterized in that, It includes a detection body positioned at the bottom of the water body to be tested, and electrodes connected to the detection body to apply current to the detection body and detect changes in the resistance of the detection body; the detection body is an eco-concrete casting doped with carbon fiber.

2. The water level sensor according to claim 1, characterized in that, The detection body is a disc-shaped structure with a circular or polygonal cross-section.

3. The water level sensor according to claim 1, characterized in that, The electrodes are fixed or pre-embedded at both ends of the detection body.

4. The water level sensor according to claim 1 or 3, characterized in that, The electrode is a conductive sheet or a conductive mesh.

5. A water level detection system, characterized in that, It includes the water level sensor as described in claim 1, a detection circuit electrically connected to the electrodes of the water level sensor and having an output port, a power supply electrically connected to the detection circuit, a control unit communicatively connected to the output port, and a wireless communication unit communicatively connected to the control unit for communicating with the cloud or terminal device.

6. The water level detection system according to claim 5, characterized in that, The detection circuit includes a voltage divider module and a buffer isolation module that takes the corresponding voltage divider voltage of the voltage divider module as input; the buffer isolation module includes a voltage follower.

7. The water level detection system according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that, The output ports are electrically connected to each other.

8. The water level detection system according to claim 5, characterized in that, The control unit is a microcontroller, and the output port is electrically connected to the I / O port of the microcontroller.

9. The water level detection system according to claim 5, characterized in that, The wireless communication unit includes a 4G communication module or a WiFi communication module.

10. The water level detection system according to claim 5, characterized in that, The power source includes a storage battery and a solar panel electrically connected to the storage battery.

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