Radar Current Meter Series

24GHz Radar Current Meter Series

The core working principle of the radar current meter is based on the Doppler effect. The device emits high-frequency microwaves (typically in the 24GHz K-band) towards the water surface through an antenna. When the electromagnetic waves encounter the flowing water, they will be reflected by suspended particles, bubbles, or water ripples, forming echoes. Since the water body is in motion, the frequency of the reflected echoes will differ from the emission frequency, which is known as the Doppler shift. The magnitude of this shift is proportional to the surface flow velocity of the water, and the high-precision processor built into the device captures and analyzes this frequency shift signal, combined with the angle between the radar beam and the water surface normal, can accurately calculate the water flow speed. Some high-end devices also integrate liquid level measurement functions, using frequency-modulated continuous wave technology to simultaneously obtain water level information, combined with river section parameters, to further calculate the cross-sectional flow rate.

Main applications

The application of radar current meters has widely covered various fields such as water conservancy, environmental protection, municipal affairs, and industry, and is a key device in the modern hydrological monitoring system.

River flood control and hydrological monitoring: It is used to monitor the surface flow velocity of rivers and lakes in real time, combined with water level data to calculate the cross-sectional flow rate, providing key data support for flood warning, water resource scheduling, and flood control decision-making. For example, in the monitoring network of the Yangtze River Basin, it can achieve minute-level data updates, helping with flood peak prediction.

Urban flood prevention: In the event of heavy rain, portable devices can be quickly deployed at urban flood-prone areas to monitor the flow velocity of accumulated water, and link with traffic signals or drainage pumps to provide decision-making basis for emergency response and personnel evacuation.

Agricultural irrigation management: Deployed in main canals or branch canals of irrigation areas, it monitors the channel flow velocity in real time, helping managers optimize water distribution plans, significantly improving agricultural water use efficiency and achieving water conservation and efficiency enhancement.

Industrial and wastewater treatment: Used to monitor the inflow or outflow flow velocity at wastewater treatment plants or industrial discharge outlets. Its non-contact characteristic enables it to withstand high-concentration wastewater, oil, and corrosive media, ensuring stable data.

Hydropower station operation optimization: Installed in the tailwater channels of hydropower stations, it monitors the outflow velocity distribution, providing data reference for adjusting turbine output and improving power generation efficiency.

Engineering construction monitoring: During the construction of water-related projects such as railway bridges and cross-river dams, it can remotely monitor the impact of water flow on structures, ensuring construction safety. Product features

Compared to traditional contact-type measuring devices, the radar flowmeter, with its unique technical design, demonstrates significant advantages.

Non-contact measurement: The device does not need to be in direct contact with the water body, fundamentally avoiding problems such as sediment wear, floating objects entanglement, and water body corrosion. It is particularly suitable for dangerous environments with high sediment content, high pollution, or rapid currents, ensuring the safety of equipment and personnel.

High precision and reliability: The measurement accuracy can reach ±0.01m/s or ±1%, with a resolution as low as 0.001m/s, capable of accurately capturing the subtle changes in the water flow. The K-band radar wave has strong penetration power and can penetrate rain curtains and fog layers. Combined with an intelligent filtering algorithm, it can maintain stable data even in severe weather conditions such as heavy rain and strong winds.

Simple installation and maintenance: The equipment has a compact structure, and the handheld model typically weighs less than 3kg. The fixed installation requires minimal civil engineering work. There are no mechanical moving parts, achieving maintenance-free operation and significantly reducing the operation and maintenance costs throughout the entire life cycle.

Strong environmental adaptability: It has a high protection level of IP67 or IP68, a wide working temperature range (-30℃ to 70℃), and can operate stably in extreme climates and humid environments.

Low power consumption and flexible power supply: The equipment has extremely low power consumption and supports a wide voltage input range of 9-24V. The standby current can be controlled at the milliampere level, which is highly compatible with solar power supply solutions and meets the long-term monitoring requirements in remote areas without grid power.

Diverse data interfaces: It is equipped with standard digital interfaces such as RS485 and RS232, as well as 4-20mA analog output. Optional wireless transmission modules such as 4G and Beidou are also available, facilitating easy integration into various automated monitoring systems for remote real-time data transmission.