Since 2012 GO Systemelektronik runs an environmental measuring station on the Elbe in cooperation with the Hamburg Institute for Hygiene and Environment. Requirements of the European Union are increasingly shaping the environmental policy in Germany. Therefore the determination of the actual state of water, air and soil quality play a decisive role.
Only with the current state of the environmental conditions it can be determined, whether specified regulations are met and adhered to. These include for example regulations concerning waste and chemicals, or the Water Framework Directives and air quality guidelines.
The objective of the environmental station in Blankenese is to record various environmental parameters and make them available at any time via up-to-date data and communication technology. All necessary instruments are installed in a floating measuring station, which is situated directly on the river.
The station is equipped with the ISA UV/Vis spectrometer from GO Systemelektronik, which measures the parameters SAC254, Nitrate and COD (chemical oxygen demand). Furthermore, the dissolved oxygen is measured by one of GO Systemelektronik‘s galvanic sensor elements, which has an integrated temperature measurement. Moreover, the electrical conductivity is measured with an inductive sensor. The actual salt content is determined on basis of the measured conductivity, temperature and pressure, according to the UNESCO salinity formula. In addition, the pH value is determined. The phosphate concentration is measured by one of GO Systemelektronik's wet chemical BlueMon analyzers. Optionally, it would be possible to integrate fluorescence sensors for the determination of algae or chlorophyll.
Via the BlueGate cloud solution it is possible to access all measured data in real-time and are therefore always available. It is possible to select several sensors and to examine individual results. The BlueGate cloud solution also enables to send automatic alarm notifications over email or SMS. Furthermore, a remote access allows to remotely control and service the measuring station at any time.
All measurements take place in a specially developed measuring pot, which is equipped with an integrated automatic compressed air cleaning for the sensors. In addition, an automatic emptying of the measuring pot is built-in. A valve enables that the total volume of the measuring pot can be emptied out once a day. This ensures that any sediment is flushed out regularly and does not impact the sensors or the effluent. Thereby the service requirement is reduced to a minimum.
