Tips for a SUCCESSFUL customer evaluation of the SONATAX sc probe

(Important Note: This tip sheet DOES NOT take the place of reading the user manuals or instruction sheets. The
purpose of this sheet is to provide additional tips for a successful installation. For your convenience the part
numbers for the manuals are: SONATAX sc probe user manual DOC026.53.00117, Pivot mount installation
instructions DOC306.53.00144, Fixed Mount instruction sheet DOC306.53.00152, Rail Mount instruction sheet
DOC306.53.00153)

For all customer evaluations, we recomend the use of a sc1000 with the graphical display of the profile for
ease of set up. Be sure your sc1000 controller has software version 1.9 or higher or version 2.0 or higher for
the sc100.
Choosing the measurement location:
o Circular clarifiers: Mount probe on bridge approx. (0.5 to
0.66)*radius in direction of the flow. Do not mount probe too
close to inlet or outlet structure!
o If mounted on the tank edge the probe must be installed with a
0.5*r
distance to the edge according to the following equation:
0.66*r
r
distance to the tank edge = 8+(2*depth of tank in yards)
The formula provides a rough estimation on the distance
needed. Special tank characteristics may require other
distances.
The probe should be immersed at least 6 into the water. The actual depth of immersion has to be entered in
the Controller: Sensor Setup/Calibrate/Plunger depth. The probe may be immersed more than 6 but make
sure the actual depth of immersion is entered correctly in the controller. This is vital for accurate
measurements.
The depth of the tank is also entered in the controller: Sensor Setup/Calibrate/Bottom. For the actual depth of
the tank, DO NOT rely on the data given by operating personnel. Because the bottom of clarifier is often
sloped, they might give you the depth at the deepest point of the clarifer, not the actual depth beneath the
probe (on the slope). Double-check the depth of the tank, e.g. with the immersion depth of the sludge judge,
and the Reflex list of the Sonatax probe (Sensor Setup/Calibrate/Reflex list) right on the site of the
measurement. For details on the Reflexlist see pg. 15-16 of the user manual. Note: Two people are often
needed to determine the best location for the probe: one to immerse the probe 6 into the water in the position
on the bridge you are testing, and the other to stand next to and operate the controller by pressing Sensor
Setup/Calibrate/Reflex list.
A suitable measuring location will display only one reflection at 100% intensity on the reflex list. If you get
more than one reflection at various intensities, move the probe. If you cannot find a location that will display
only one reflection at 100% intensity, you will need to use the FADE OUT feature.
If the SONATAX sc probe must be installed in a location that has an interfering reflection (from a pipe,
beams or other supporting structures), the FADE OUT (Sensor setup/Configure/Fade-out) feature can be used
to blank out that specific depth (e.g. the exact height in which a pipe is installed underneath the probe), and it
will be completely ignored. This is done to avoid the possibility of this ultrasonic echo being misinterpreted as
the sludge level.
o The options BEGIN and END are only active if FADE-OUT is switched on
o BEGIN gives the upper limit for the area to be faded out
o END gives the lower limit for the area to be faded out
Leave the calibration factor at 1.0. The only time the factor would be changed is when you are measuring in a
medium other than watertherefore it should never be changed.
Suggested CLEAN INTERVAL (period of time between wiping) for primary clarifiers is 15 minutes; for
secondary clarifiers it is 30 minutes.
To show the display of the profile on the controller screen when working with an sc1000, tap the screen three
times (the first will display you the measurement from the last 24 hours, the second will display the
measurement from the last 7 days and the third will display the graphical profile).

The new SONATAX sc must be installed with new mounting hardware. The probe pivot and fixed point
mount assemblies used to mount the old OptiQuant Sludge Level probe cannot be used to mount the new
SONATAX sc probe.

Most of the applications should use the Automatic

Threshold with a recommended setting of 75%. As
shown in the graphic to the right, no matter how the
profile changes, the automatic threshold will track
75% of the strongest echo.

If you set the fixed threshold (possible settings from

0.1 to 50), no matter how the profile changes, the
threshold will track to the specific echo strength you
set as shown in the graphic at right. If the 75%
automatic threshold is not working for your
application, contact technical support for
assistance.

INACCURACY OF MANUAL MEASUREMENT

It is important to prove the inaccuracy of the core sampling
device (also known as a sludge judge) first to yourself
and then to the customer. This is necessary because the
online measurement of the sludge blanket level from the
SONATAX sc probe will be directly compared to the
results from the manual measurement. The operators will
expect them to match. If they do not, they will assume it is
the probe that is inaccurate.
Stand on the bridge directly beside the location of the
installed SONATAX sc probe. Take the core sampling
device and lower it to the bottom of the tank. When the
liquid fills to the surface level of the tube, lift out of the
water. Look for the level of the solids in the sample using
1-inch increments marked on the tube. To release the
sample, touch the pin extending from the bottom section
against a hard surface. This will open the valve to drain the
sample. Repeat this process three times in a row. You will
inevitably find the back-to-back measurements vary from
inches to several feet. If you want to MAKE the readings of
the sludge judge vary, immerse and pull out the sludge judge at slightly different velocities during different tests.
You may also vary the location where you use the sludge judge a little bit. This will demonstrate exactly what will
happen if different operators use this device. The results will vary from test to test. Try it!