Water quality testing equipment

Abstract

To provide a water quality testing device that is inexpensive and can ensure sufficient measurement accuracy. [Solution] The water quality testing device 1 comprises a plurality of water intake hoses 2 (2A to 2C) of different lengths, a plurality of pumps 3 (3A to 3C) attached to each of the plurality of water intake hoses 2 (2A to 2C), a water-based joint section 4 that connects each of the plurality of water intake hoses 2 (2A to 3C) to a measuring hose 8, and a sensor section 5 including a water-based sensor 36 that acquires water quality data of water (object to be tested) W through the measuring hose 8.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a water quality inspection device.

Background Art

[0002] As a conventional water quality inspection device, for example, there is an inspection device described in Patent Document 1. This conventional inspection device includes a sensor unit whose color tone changes reversibly by contacting an inspection target component contained in water, and a position defining unit that defines the position of the sensor unit within a predetermined region on the water surface or in the water.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] The inspection device described in Patent Document 1 mentioned above is configured assuming water quality inspection when discharging turbid water generated in civil engineering work or the like into public waters. The uses of water quality inspection devices are wide, and for example, in natural environments such as the sea, lakes, and rivers, devices for remotely monitoring the occurrence of red tides and the like are also being developed. In such water quality inspections in natural environments, it may be required to inspect waters with different water depths respectively.

[0005] Some commercially available products use a system where sensors for the middle and bottom layers are placed underwater, and data from these sensors is received by a telemetry device above the water. However, with such devices, the sensors are left underwater for extended periods, which can lead to problems such as the accumulation of dirt on the sensor's measurement surface, or in some cases, the attachment of organisms such as barnacles. Sensors placed underwater are generally expensive due to the need to ensure durability against water pressure, and their cost can increase further if they are equipped with wipers to remove deposits from the measurement surface in order to guarantee measurement accuracy.

[0006] This disclosure was made to solve the above-mentioned problems and aims to provide a water quality testing device that is inexpensive and can sufficiently guarantee measurement accuracy. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The gist of this disclosure is as follows:

[0008] [1] A water quality testing device comprising: a plurality of suction hoses of different lengths; a plurality of pumps attached to each of the plurality of suction hoses; a water-based joint section connecting each of the plurality of suction hoses to a measuring hose; and a sensor section including a water-based sensor that acquires data on the water quality of a substance to be tested through the measuring hose.

[0009] This water quality testing device uses multiple suction hoses and multiple pumps attached to each hose, all placed underwater to draw in water. The sample to be tested is then passed from each suction hose to a measuring hose via a joint above the water surface, thereby acquiring water quality data of the sample through the measuring hose. With this configuration, since the sensor is above the water surface, the adhesion of dirt or organisms such as barnacles to the sensor's measurement surface can be avoided, and there is no need to ensure durability against water pressure. Wipers to remove deposits from the measurement surface to ensure measurement accuracy are also unnecessary, resulting in an inexpensive system that can sufficiently guarantee measurement accuracy.

[0010] [2] The water quality testing apparatus according to [1], wherein the sensor unit is housed in a light-shielding housing. With such a configuration, for example, when acquiring data on the water quality of a test object by optical measurement, it is possible to suppress the inclusion of noise from natural light into the data.

[0011] [3] The water quality testing apparatus according to [1] or [2], wherein the sensor unit has a holding part that holds the measuring hose in a downward inclined position. This allows the object to be tested to flow continuously through the measuring hose without providing a water supply means such as a pump to the measuring hose.

[0012] [4] The water quality testing apparatus according to any one of [1] to [3], wherein the sensor part has a deformation part that deforms so that a part of the cross-sectional shape of the measuring hose is crushed at a point further inside than the water surface sensor. This makes it possible to suppress the formation of an air layer in the measuring hose at the measurement position of the water surface sensor when the object to be tested flows into the measuring hose from the joint part. By suppressing the formation of an air layer, the measurement accuracy of the water surface sensor can be further ensured.

[0013] [5] A water quality testing apparatus according to any one of [1] to [4], wherein a plurality of cylindrical cover members are arranged to surround the outside of each of the plurality of water intake hoses and the plurality of pumps. In this case, the cover members can protect the water intake hoses and pumps from dirt and the attachment of organisms. The cover members can also function as guides when positioning the water intake hoses and pumps in water.

[0014] [6] The joint portion has a bottomed box-shaped housing, the side of the bottomed box-shaped housing is provided with an opening for drawing the plurality of water intake hoses into the interior, the bottom of the bottomed box-shaped housing is provided with a fitting for connecting the measuring hose, and inside the bottomed box-shaped housing, each end of the plurality of water intake hoses is positioned to face the fitting. The water quality testing apparatus according to [1] to [5]. With this configuration, a plurality of water intake hoses and a measuring hose can be connected with a simple configuration. In addition, by positioning each end of the plurality of water intake hoses inside the bottomed box-shaped housing to face the fitting on the measuring hose side, it is possible to suppress the entry of air into the measuring hose.

[0015] [7] A water quality testing apparatus according to any one of [1] to [6], comprising a control device that controls the operation of the plurality of pumps and the surface sensors, wherein the control device sets a waiting time from when the pumps are activated until the surface sensors begin acquiring the data, according to the length of the plurality of suction hoses. In this case, the acquisition of data by the surface sensors can be started after the water accumulated in the suction hoses has been drained. Therefore, the measurement accuracy by the surface sensors can be further ensured.

[0016] [8] A water quality testing apparatus according to any one of [1] to [7], comprising a control device that controls the operation of the plurality of pumps and the water surface sensor, wherein the control device transmits the data from one cycle to an external device after one cycle of acquiring data on the water quality of the object to be tested from each of the plurality of water intake hoses has been completed. This process reduces the power consumption of the apparatus.

[0017] [9] A water quality testing apparatus according to any one of [1] to [8], comprising a control device that controls the operation of the plurality of pumps and the water surface sensor, wherein the control device enters a sleep state after one cycle of acquiring data on the water quality of the object to be tested from each of the plurality of water intake hoses is completed, until the start of the next cycle. This process reduces the power consumption of the apparatus. [Effects of the Invention]

[0018] According to the present disclosure, it is inexpensive and can sufficiently ensure measurement accuracy.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0019] [Figure 1] It is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a water quality inspection device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] It is a schematic diagram showing a water absorption hose and its peripheral configuration. [Figure 3] It is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a joint part. [Figure 4] It is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a sensor part. [Figure 5] It is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a sensor part. [Figure 6] It is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of a water quality inspection device. [Figure 7] It is a diagram showing an example of an implementation location of water quality inspection. [Figure 8] It is a diagram showing an example of spectral data acquired at the implementation location. [Figure 9] It is a diagram showing an example of meteorological data acquired at the implementation location. [Figure 10] It is a diagram showing an example of analysis of spectral data.

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0020] Hereinafter, with reference to the drawings, a preferred embodiment of a water quality inspection device according to one aspect of the present disclosure will be described in detail.

[0021] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a water quality testing device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. The water quality testing device 1 shown in Figure 1 is configured as a device for testing water quality in natural environments such as the sea, lakes, and rivers. In this embodiment, the water quality testing device 1 plays the role of a monitoring station for the presence or absence of red tide in a brackish lake, for example. Examples of water quality testing methods include optical measurement methods. Optical measurement methods include transmitted light measurement and scattered light measurement. In this embodiment, the water quality at a predetermined location is tested over a predetermined period of time by exciting the object to be tested (water W from a brackish lake) acquired at a predetermined location with an LED and measuring the chlorophyll fluorescence from diatoms that cause red tide.

[0022] As shown in Figure 1, the water quality testing device 1 is composed of multiple water intake hoses 2 (2A to 2C), multiple pumps 3 (3A to 3C), a joint 4, a sensor 5, and a control device 6. When conducting water quality testing, the water intake hoses 2 and pumps 3 are placed underwater, while the joint 4, sensor 5, and control device 6 are placed on the water surface, for example, using a raft R.

[0023] The water intake hose 2 is a component for drawing in water W, which is the object to be inspected. For example, a silicone hose can be used as the water intake hose 2. Using a silicone hose can suppress the attachment of dirt and organisms such as barnacles in the water.

[0024] Pump 3 is a device that draws water W through the suction hose 2 towards the joint 4. In the water quality testing device 1, each of the suction hoses 2 has a pump 3 attached to it. Specifically, pump 3A is attached to suction hose 2A, pump 3B is attached to suction hose 2B, and pump 3C is attached to suction hose 2C. The suction hoses 2 are constructed by connecting separate hoses at the base end and the tip end of each pump 3. In the water quality testing device 1, suction hoses 2A to 2C are provided with different lengths at the tip end of each pump 3 in order to draw water W at different depths. For example, the tip end of suction hose 2A is 0.5m, the tip end of suction hose 2B is 2m, and the tip end of suction hose 2C is 5m (see Figure 2).

[0025] In the water quality testing device 1, as shown in Figure 2, multiple cylindrical cover members 11 are arranged to surround the outside of each of the multiple water intake hoses 2 and multiple pumps 3. Examples of materials for forming the cover members 11 include polyvinyl chloride. In the water quality testing device 1, cover member 11A is arranged to surround the outside of the water intake hose 2A and pump 3A, cover member 11B is arranged to surround the outside of the water intake hose 2B and pump 3B, and cover member 11C is arranged to surround the outside of the water intake hose 2C and pump 3C. In the example in Figure 2, a rod-shaped support member 12 for supporting the pump 3 is passed through the inside of the cover member 11 along with the water intake hoses 2 and pump 3.

[0026] In the example shown in Figure 2, weights 14 (14B, 14C) are attached to the inside of cover members 11B and 11C, which cover the water intake hoses 2A and 2B that are longer than the cover member 11A. The weight 14B attached to cover member 11B is connected to the end of a fishing line 15B that is slightly longer than the water intake hose 2B. Similarly, the weight 14C attached to cover member 11C is connected to the end of a fishing line 15C that is slightly longer than the water intake hose 2C. The fishing lines 15B and 15C are engaged with the water intake hoses 2B and 2C by one or more engaging members 16. By using such weights 14B and 14C, the stability of the water intake hoses 2B and 2C in water can be increased.

[0027] The joint section 4 is the part that connects each of the multiple water intake hoses 2 to the measuring hose 8. As shown in Figure 3, the joint section 4 has a bottomed box-shaped housing 21 and is held at a higher position than the sensor section 5 on the raft R by a holding member (not shown) (see Figure 1). The housing 21 is made of a resin material such as polyvinyl chloride. The side portion 21a of the housing 21 is provided with an opening 22 for drawing in the multiple water intake hoses 2 (2A to 2C). The shape and dimensions of the opening 22 can be arbitrarily set as long as it is within a range that can draw in all of the water intake hoses 2.

[0028] A fitting 23 for connecting the measuring hose 8 (measuring hose 8A) is provided at the bottom 21b of the housing 21. The measuring hose 8A is connected vertically to the fitting 23. The bottom 21b of the housing 21 is, for example, shaped like a mortar, with a cone-shaped depression towards the center. The fitting 23 is positioned in the center of the deepest part of the bottom 21b. As a result, the water W drawn up by the suction hoses 2A~2C flows to the measuring hose 8A via the fitting 23.

[0029] In the joint section 4, the water intake hoses 2A to 2C, which are drawn into the interior of the housing 21 from the opening 22, extend toward the bottom 21b of the housing 21 so as to face the fitting 23. The direction in which the ends of the water intake hoses 2A to 2C face the fitting 23 is, for example, vertical. The ends of the water intake hoses 2A to 2C may extend to the part of the bottom 21b of the housing 21 that is bowl-shaped. In this case, it becomes possible to bring the water intake hoses 2A to 2C and the fitting 23 closer together, and it is possible to suppress the entry of air when water W from the water intake hoses 2A to 2C flows through the fitting 23 to the measuring hose 8A.

[0030] The housing 21 can take on various shapes, such as a rectangular parallelepiped or a cylindrical shape. The housing 21 may have a vertically elongated shape, with the direction in which the ends of the water intake hoses 2A to 2C face the joint 23 being the longitudinal direction. In this case, the water intake hoses 2A to 2C can be arranged vertically at a constant length inside the housing 21, allowing water W to flow smoothly from the water intake hoses 2A to 2C to the measuring hose 8A.

[0031] The sensor unit 5 includes a water sensor 36 that acquires data on the water quality of the object being inspected through a measuring hose 8. As shown in Figure 1, the sensor unit 5 is housed in a light-shielding housing 32. In the example in Figure 1, the control device 6 is located inside the housing 32 along with the sensor unit 5. Although not shown, the housing 32 also contains a power supply, weather sensors such as a temperature sensor, humidity sensor, and pressure sensor, and relay modules used to drive pumps 3A to 3C. Power generation equipment such as solar panels may be located outside the housing 32.

[0032] As shown in Figure 4, the sensor unit 5 comprises a light source 33, a filter 34, and a spectrometer 35. The light source 33, filter 34, and spectrometer 35 are arranged inside a housing 32 placed on the raft R, thereby constituting a floating sensor 36. In this embodiment, the light source 33 is a light source that outputs excitation light L1 to excite chlorophyll fluorescence. For example, a blue light-emitting diode can be used as the light source 33. The filter 34 is placed at any position between the measuring hose 8 and the spectrometer 35. The filter 34 cuts out the excitation light component from the light L2 generated from the water W flowing through the measuring hose 8 when irradiated with excitation light. The spectrometer 35 is a device that measures the intensity of light for each wavelength. The spectrometer 35 acquires spectral data of the light L2 generated from the water W flowing through the measuring hose 8 and outputs it to the control device 6.

[0033] The measuring hose 8 is a component for flowing water W, which is the object to be inspected, to the sensor unit 5. For the measuring hose 8, a silicone hose can be used, for example, similar to the water intake hose 2. As shown in Figure 5, the measuring hose 8A from the joint unit 4 is connected to the measuring hose 8B inside the housing 32 via a fitting 37A attached to one side surface 32a of the housing 32. The measuring hose 8B inside the housing 32 is connected to the drainage measuring hose 8C via a fitting 37B attached to the side surface 32b of the housing 32 opposite to the side surface 32a.

[0034] In this embodiment, the sensor unit 5 has a holding unit 41 that holds the measuring hose 8 in a downward-sloping position. In the example shown in Figure 5, the holding unit 41 is composed of a joint 37A on the side 32a and a joint 37B on the side 32b. The height of the joint 37A on the side 32a (height from the bottom surface 32c of the housing 32) is greater than the height of the joint 37B on the side 32b (height from the bottom surface 32c of the housing 32). As a result, the measuring hose 8B, which passes through the measurement position of the water surface sensor 36, is held within the housing 32 so as to be downward-sloping from the side 32a to the side 32b. With this configuration, even without providing a water supply means such as a pump to the measuring hose 8, the water W that flows from the joint unit 4 to the measuring hose 8A can be flowed to the measuring hose 8B and then discharged to the outside from the measuring hose 8C.

[0035] In this embodiment, the sensor unit 5 has a deformation unit 42 that deforms a portion of the cross-sectional shape of the measuring hose 8 so that it is crushed behind the surface sensor 36. In the example shown in Figure 5, the deformation unit 42 is located between the side surface 32b and the measurement position of the surface sensor 36. The deformation unit 42 has an opening 42a through which the measuring hose 8B is inserted. The cross-sectional shape of the opening 42a is, for example, a segmented circle shape in which a portion (the upper part) of the circle is cut off in an arc shape. As a result, the cross-sectional shape of the measuring hose 8B through which the opening 42a is inserted is such that its upper part is crushed in an arc shape.

[0036] Returning to Figure 1, the control device 6 is the part that controls the operation of the multiple pumps 3 and the surface sensors 36. The control device 6 is connected to the surface sensors 36 via wired or wireless means, enabling them to communicate with each other. The control device 6 also has a communication module that enables it to communicate with external devices via a network.

[0037] Physically, the control device 6 is a computer comprised of, for example, memory such as RAM or ROM, a processor (arithmetic circuit) such as a CPU, a communication interface, and a storage unit such as a hard disk. Examples of such computers include microcontrollers, personal computers, and smart devices (smartphones, tablet terminals, etc.). The computer may also be composed of an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) or an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit). The computer may also be configured to include a display unit such as a display. The computer performs various control functions by executing programs stored in memory using the CPU. The operation of the control device 6 will be described later.

[0038] Next, we will explain the operation of the water quality testing device 1 described above.

[0039] Figure 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the operation of the water quality testing device. As shown in Figure 6, the water quality testing device 1 is started at a fixed time every hour (step S01). The start time can be set arbitrarily. Here, for example, it is set to start at 10 minutes past the hour. After starting up, the water quality testing device 1 first acquires reference data (hereinafter referred to as "pump 0 data"). In acquiring the pump 0 data, the control device 6 keeps pumps 3A to 3C OFF, and with air present in the measurement hose 8, acquires and records spectral data using the surface sensor 36, and acquires and stores meteorological data using the meteorological sensor (step S02).

[0040] After acquiring pump 0 data, pumps 3A to 3C are driven sequentially to acquire and record data related to the water quality of water W (hereinafter referred to as "pump 1 data," "pump 2 data," and "pump 3 data"). In this embodiment, the acquisition and recording of pump 0 data to pump 3 data constitutes one data acquisition cycle. When acquiring each data, the control device 6 sets a waiting time from when pump 3 is activated until the surface sensor 36 starts acquiring data, according to the length of the multiple suction hoses 2. This waiting time is used to drain the water W that had accumulated in the multiple suction hoses 2 before pump 3 was activated.

[0041] In this embodiment, as described above, the length of the water intake hose 2A is 0.5m, the length of the water intake hose 2B is 2m, and the length of the water intake hose 2C is 5m. The waiting time from when the pump 3 is activated until the surface sensor 36 starts acquiring data is calculated considering the suction capacity and discharge capacity of the pump 3. As an example, the waiting time for acquiring data from pump 1 is set to 6 seconds, the waiting time for acquiring data from pump 2 is set to 9 seconds, and the waiting time for acquiring data from pump 3 is set to 13 seconds.

[0042] Furthermore, the control device 6 sets a waiting time after stopping the pump 3 following data acquisition. This waiting time is the time required to discharge any water W remaining in the measuring hoses 8A and 8B after the pump 3 has stopped, through the measuring hose 8C. For example, the waiting time after stopping pump 3A, pump 3B, and pump 3C are all set to 5 seconds.

[0043] To acquire data from pump 1, the control device 6 first turns on pump 1 (pump 3A) (step S03). Next, the control device 6 waits until a preset waiting time has elapsed (step S04). After the waiting time has elapsed, the control device 6 acquires and records spectral data using the surface sensor 36, and acquires and stores meteorological data using the meteorological sensor (step S05). After acquiring and storing the data, the control device 6 turns off pump 1 (pump 3A) (step S06) and waits until a preset waiting time has elapsed (step S07).

[0044] To acquire data from pump 2, the control device 6 first turns on pump 2 (pump 3B) (step S08). Next, the control device 6 waits until a preset waiting time has elapsed (step S09). After the waiting time has elapsed, the control device 6 acquires and records spectral data using the surface sensor 36, and acquires and stores meteorological data using the weather sensor (step S010). After acquiring and storing the data, the control device 6 turns off pump 2 (pump 3B) (step S11) and waits until a preset waiting time has elapsed (step S12).

[0045] To acquire data from pump 3, the control device 6 first turns on pump 3 (pump 3C) (step S13). Next, the control device 6 waits until a preset waiting time has elapsed (step S14). After the waiting time has elapsed, the control device 6 acquires and records spectral data using the surface sensor 36, and acquires and stores meteorological data using the weather sensor (step S015). After acquiring and storing the data, the control device 6 turns off pump 3 (pump 3C) (step S16) and waits until a preset waiting time has elapsed (step S17).

[0046] After completing one cycle of acquiring data on the water quality of the object to be inspected from each of the multiple water intake hoses 2, the control device 6 sends the data from that cycle to the external device. In this case, the control device 6 sends the data from pump 0 to pump 3 to the external device as one cycle's worth of data (step S18).

[0047] The data transmitted from the control device 6 to the external device may include not only spectral data and weather data, but also pump identification information, data indicating the exposure time in the spectrometer 35, and data indicating the radio wave intensity at the time of transmission. The external device may add information such as the date and time to the data received from the control device 6, and perform processes such as dark subtraction of the spectral data and wavelength conversion based on the spectral data after dark subtraction.

[0048] After data transmission, the control device 6 waits until a preset waiting time has elapsed (step S19). This waiting time corresponds to the time until the data transmission process is actually completed, and is set to, for example, 10 seconds.

[0049] Next, the control device 6 enters a sleep state until the start of the next cycle. First, the control device 6 acquires time information (step S20). The time information may be received from an external device or acquired from a clock built into the control device 6. Next, the control device 6 sets the sleep time based on the acquired time information (step S21). In this embodiment, in step S01, the device is started at 10 minutes past the hour. Therefore, the control device 6 sets the difference between the time acquired in step S20 and the next start time as the sleep time and enters a sleep state (step S22).

[0050] As explained above, in the water quality testing device 1, multiple suction hoses 2 and multiple pumps 3 attached to each of the suction hoses 2 are placed in the water to draw in water, and the water W from each suction hose 2 is passed through a joint 4 above the water to a measuring hose 8, thereby acquiring water quality data of the water W through the measuring hose 8. With this configuration, since the sensor is above the water, the adhesion of dirt or organisms such as barnacles to the sensor's measurement surface can be avoided, and there is no need to ensure durability against water pressure. Wipers to remove deposits from the measurement surface to ensure measurement accuracy are also unnecessary, and the device can be inexpensive and sufficiently accurate.

[0051] In this embodiment, the sensor unit 5 is housed in a light-shielding housing 32. With this configuration, when acquiring data on the water quality of water W by optical measurement, such as chlorophyll fluorescence measurement in this embodiment, it is possible to suppress the inclusion of noise from natural light into the data.

[0052] In this embodiment, the sensor unit 5 has a holding unit 41 that holds the measuring hose 8 in a downward-sloping position. This allows water W to flow continuously through the measuring hose 8 without the need to provide a water supply means such as a pump to the measuring hose 8.

[0053] The sensor unit 5 has a deformation section 42 that deforms a portion of the cross-sectional shape of the measuring hose 8 so that it is crushed at the point further inside than the water surface sensor 36. This prevents the formation of an air layer in the measuring hose 8 (in this case, measuring hose 8B) at the measurement position of the water surface sensor 36 when water W flows into the measuring hose 8 from the joint section 4. By suppressing the formation of an air layer, the measurement accuracy of the water surface sensor 36 can be further ensured.

[0054] In this embodiment, multiple cylindrical cover members 11 are arranged to surround the outside of each of the multiple water intake hoses 2 and the multiple pumps 3. In this case, the cover members 11 can protect the water intake hoses and pumps from dirt and the attachment of organisms. In addition, the cover members 11 can function as guides when placing the water intake hoses 2 and pumps 3 in water.

[0055] In this embodiment, the joint section 4 has a bottomed box-shaped housing 21. The side portion 21a of the housing 21 is provided with an opening 22 for drawing in a plurality of water intake hoses 2, and the bottom portion 21b of the housing 21 is provided with a fitting 23 for connecting a measuring hose 8. Inside the housing 21, each end of the plurality of water intake hoses 2 is positioned to face the fitting 23. With this configuration, the plurality of water intake hoses 2 and the measuring hose 8 can be connected with a simple configuration. In addition, by positioning each end of the plurality of water intake hoses 2 to face the fitting 23 on the measuring hose 8 side inside the housing 21, it is possible to suppress the entry of air into the measuring hose 8.

[0056] In this embodiment, the control device 6 sets a waiting time from when the pump 3 is activated until the surface sensor 36 starts acquiring data, according to the length of the multiple water intake hoses 2. In this case, data acquisition by the surface sensor 36 can start after the water W accumulated in the water intake hoses 2 has been drained. Therefore, the measurement accuracy of the surface sensor 36 can be further ensured.

[0057] In this embodiment, after completing one cycle of acquiring data on the water quality of the water W from each of the multiple water intake hoses 2, the control device 6 transmits the data from that cycle to an external device. This process helps to reduce the power consumption of the device.

[0058] In this embodiment, the control device enters a sleep state after completing one cycle of acquiring water quality data for water W from each of the multiple water intake hoses 2, until the start of the next cycle. This process helps to reduce the power consumption of the device.

[0059] The following describes an example of water quality testing using the water quality testing device 1 described above. In this example, the water quality testing device 1 was installed on the water surface of Lake Hamana, one of the brackish lakes (point A in Figure 7), and data on the water quality of the lake water (the object to be tested) was acquired over several days.

[0060] Figure 8 shows an example of spectral data acquired at the site. In Figure 8, the horizontal axis shows the date and time, and the vertical axis shows the ADC (Analog-to-Digital Converter) value of the spectral intensity at a wavelength of 680 nm. This ADC value is corrected based on the exposure time of the spectrometer. In the example in Figure 8, the ADC values ​​of the spectral intensity at a wavelength of 680 nm included in the spectral data are plotted for each of the pump 0 data to pump 3 data acquired periodically (for example, every hour).

[0061] Figure 9 shows an example of meteorological data acquired at the implementation site. In Figure 9, the horizontal axis shows the date and time, and the vertical axis shows temperature (°C), humidity (%), and atmospheric pressure (hPa). In the example in Figure 9, temperature, humidity, and atmospheric pressure data acquired periodically (e.g., every hour) are plotted. The horizontal axis of the meteorological data is the same as the horizontal axis of the spectral data. The meteorological data is transmitted to an external device in association with the spectral data. By comparing the spectral intensity contained in the spectral data with a threshold, and by monitoring the changes in spectral intensity, it is possible to determine whether or not a red tide is occurring at point A, or to predict the occurrence of a red tide at point A.

[0062] Figure 10 shows an example of spectral data analysis. In Figure 10, the horizontal axis shows wavelength, and the vertical axis shows the ADC value of spectral intensity. In the example in Figure 10, peaks are observed around 680 nm in the waveforms of pump 1 and pump 2 data, and peaks are observed both around 680 nm and around 740 nm in the waveform of pump 3 data. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0063] 1...Water quality testing device, 2(2A~2C)...Water intake hose, 3(3A~3C)...Pump, 4...Joint part, 5...Sensor part, 6...Control device, 8(8A~8C)...Measurement hose, 11(11A~11C)...Cover member, 21...Housing, 21a...Side part, 21b...Bottom part, 22...Opening, 23...Fitting, 32...Housing, 36...Water sensor, 41...Holding part, 42...Deformation part.

Claims

1. Multiple water intake hoses of different lengths, Multiple pumps attached to each of the aforementioned multiple water intake hoses, Each of the aforementioned multiple water intake hoses is connected to a measuring hose via a water-based joint section, A water quality testing apparatus comprising: a sensor unit including a water sensor that acquires data on the water quality of a substance to be tested through the aforementioned measuring hose; and a water quality testing apparatus.

2. The water quality testing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sensor unit is housed in a light-shielding casing.

3. The water quality testing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sensor unit has a holding unit that holds the measuring hose in a downward-sloping position.

4. The water quality testing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sensor portion has a deformation portion that deforms such that a part of the cross-sectional shape of the measuring hose is crushed at a position further inside than the water surface sensor.

5. The water quality testing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of cylindrical cover members are arranged to surround the outside of each of the plurality of water intake hoses and the plurality of pumps.

6. The aforementioned joint portion has a bottomed box-shaped housing, The side of the bottomed box-shaped housing is provided with an opening for drawing the multiple water intake hoses into the interior. A fitting for connecting the measuring hose is provided at the bottom of the aforementioned box-shaped enclosure. The water quality testing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, inside the bottomed box-shaped housing, each end of the plurality of water intake hoses is arranged to face the joint.

7. The system includes a control device that controls the operation of the plurality of pumps and the surface sensors, The water quality testing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the control device sets a waiting time from when the pump is activated until the surface sensor starts acquiring the data, according to the length of the plurality of water intake hoses.

8. The system includes a control device that controls the operation of the plurality of pumps and the surface sensors, The water quality testing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the control device transmits the data from one cycle to an external device after one cycle of acquiring data on the water quality of the object to be tested from each of the plurality of water intake hoses has been completed.

9. The system includes a control device that controls the operation of the plurality of pumps and the surface sensors, The water quality testing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the control device enters a sleep state after one cycle of acquiring data on the water quality of the object to be tested from each of the plurality of water intake hoses is completed, until the start of the next cycle.

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