Thames measured by VEGA Radar
19 January 2010
From its source about a mile north of the village of Kemble, in the Cotswolds, the Thames flows 215 miles, down through London and out to the North Sea.
Erith pier provides an ideal site for monitoring the level of the Thames. The information gained is used in combination with other measurement stations along the river, as far out as Southend-on-Sea, to monitor and control the raising of the Thames Barrier and other sluices. Previously, inside the special cabin at the end of the pier, a pressure sensor mounted in a ‘stilling well’ was used, but the large amounts of silt that come down the river blocked it regularly, causing misreads of the river level.This meant the bottom of the stilling well had to be cleaned out by divers, an exercise which was both costly and dangerous, working under the pier. It was then replaced with a non-contact VEGAPULS 62 radar level transmitter with ranges up to 75m, mounted adjacent to the old stilling well. It looks down to the river surface inside a ‘hooped’ access ladder (see picture) and follows the water level right down, even through a grid at the bottom, with no issues of silt blockage, thus providing reliable data, saving costly maintenance work and reducing risk.
The narrow beam angle, false echo learn and intelligent echo processing handle any false reflections from the existing structure. The two-wire loop powered VEGA radar was installed almost two years ago and has worked reliably ever since, providing valuable data, to allow cross referencing of the river levels for traffic, barrier operations, harbour and navigation in the area, including Tilbury Docks. Further units have been purchased since to measure levels at a number of other sites along the Thames, including at the barrier itself.
Other Press Releases By This Company
- 18/01/2021 - Level and Pressure specialist VEGA invests in training centre and UK HQ
- 09/02/2018 - On the level, every mm counts
- 09/02/2017 - Not just 'Walking the Walk...'
- 18/10/2016 - It’s all in the price!
- 27/09/2016 - VEGA team steps up to the Plod Challenge!
- 13/04/2016 - Vegatruck has successful UK tour
- 21/03/2016 - Worlds first 80 GHz radar level sensor for liquids
- 15/01/2016 - Visit the VEGATRUCK on its tour of the UK
- 11/06/2015 - Narrow success for solids radar level sensor
- 07/05/2015 - Realising the flexibility of electronic differential pressure
- 07/05/2015 - Vegaflex: the standard for interface and level control
- 07/05/2015 - VEGAPULS 69 – The new radar sensor for bulk solids
- 08/05/2014 - Level Radar at Aston Martin works.
- 21/11/2013 - VEGA get interactive on water
- 20/08/2013 - Innovation Award for VEGAFLEX GWR Sensor
- 07/08/2013 - VEGA UK team feels the heat for charity!
- 19/04/2013 - 100,000 bulk solid radar sensors from VEGA installed worldwide
- 01/02/2013 - World first for tuning fork level switch
- 18/09/2012 - VEGA launch new Guided Wave Radar
- 05/09/2012 - Apps, Tools and more from Vega
- 19/04/2012 - VEGA PROTRAC nucleonic gauging systems
- 20/02/2012 - Let VEGA take the pressure
- 22/09/2011 - VEGAPASS and VEGAMAG
- 13/06/2011 - VEGA launch New remote monitoring solution for level and pressure
- 20/04/2011 - VEGA level radars help deliver £12M savings at TATA
- 25/05/2010 - VEGA DP transmitter features remote housing
- 16/06/2009 - New VEGA signal conditioner with host of solutions
- 20/05/2009 - BP use SIL 2 VEGA radars for floating roof high level
- 02/04/2009 - VEGA non-contact radar level measurement
- 10/12/2008 - Renewing energy with every turn takes its toll
- 04/11/2008 - PACTware™ on the road again
- 23/09/2008 - Europe's Largest Newsprint Paper Machine Prints 400,000 tons Annually
- 12/09/2008 - VEGA TDR gets remote housing
- 12/09/2008 - New ATEX approved radiation survey meter from VEGA
- 12/06/2008 - Vibrating level switches for bulk solids up to 150 °C
- 07/04/2008 - Flush pressure transmitter, buy on-line, 2 day delivery
- 09/11/2007 - New VEGA level and pressure webshop extra 5% off offer!