Sensors

A sensor is a time-varying variable which is used as a parameter for a control rule. A sensor may be a result of the ongoing simulation, or an external item read in a time series (e.g. observed data).

Sensors are added or deleted using the Append ‘+’ or Delete ‘-’ buttons above the overview table. A sensor cannot be added on the map.

Each sensor is identified using the data below.

ID. String identification of the sensor. It is used to identify the sensor if there are multiple sensors at the same location.

Type. Type of variable. The type ‘External’ may be used to read the variable in an external time series. When the sensor is a result of the simulation, its type can be:

·         Water level

·         Discharge

·         Velocity

·         Water depth

·         Area

·         Volume

·         Structure level

·         Concentration (only relevant for advection-dispersion and water quality simulations)

The sensor's location is defined using the data below:

Type. Six types are available:

·         Branch: for this location type, the location is defined with a branch name and chainage

·         Structure: for this location type, the location is defined at the location of a selected structure. This location type only applies to Discharge type of sensor.

·         Upstream structure: for this location type, the sensor is automatically located at the first calculation point upstream of a structure

·         Downstream structure: for this location type, the sensor is automati­cally located at the first calculation point downstream of a structure

·         Gridpoint: this type is only available for the Volume type of sensor, and indicates that the volume is to be considered in a single calculation point.

·         Storage: for this location type, the location is defined by a storage. This location type only applies to Water level type of sensor.

Branch name. Name of the river branch in which the sensor is located, when the location type is Branch.

Chainage. Chainage at which the sensor is located, when the location type is Branch. When the sensor type is Volume, both an upstream and a down­stream chainage have to be specified; these two chainages define the reach on which the total volume is considered.

Structure type. Identifies the type of structure, when the location type is either ‘Structure’, ‘Upstream structure’ or ‘Downstream structure’.

Structure. ID of the structure, when the location type is either ‘Structure’, ‘Upstream structure’ or ‘Downstream structure’.

Component. Component to be considered, when the sensor type is ‘Concen­tration’ (only relevant for advection-dispersion and water quality simulations).

Time series file. The time series containing the external data, when the sen­sor type is External. The button to the right may be used to either browse, create, edit or plot the time series.

Time series item. This field shows the name of the item selected in the time series.

Storage ID. Name of the storage in which the water level sensor is located, when the location type is Storage.