Flow Probe | Features & Benefits | Global Water

Hello. I'm Insley, a product manager for Xylem Analytics. In this video, I will be reviewing the features of the Global Water Flow Probe. The Flow Probe is a rugged and easy-to-use instrument for measuring the average water velocity in streams, rivers, and open channels. It includes a propeller sensor, an aluminum telescoping handle with a staff gauge, a display unit, and a lithium battery that lasts up to five years. The Flow Probe display unit is self-contained and sealed, designed for use in harsh outdoor environments. It is shock-resistant and will float if dropped during use.

The propeller is protected inside a 2-inch diameter housing. This design keeps debris from clogging the propeller, helping avoid interruptions in your sampling day. If the propeller needs to be cleaned, it can be easily removed, cleaned, and replaced onto the Flow Probe. The Flow Probe's display shows the instantaneous and average velocities detected by the propeller in feet or meters per second. The display can also show the minimum or maximum velocity and a timer indicating how long measurements are taken.

You can store up to 30 sets of data points on the Flow Probe for review later. It is important to remember that stream flow velocity can vary throughout the flow's cross-section because of friction between the water and the substrate, surges in velocity, turbulence, and large obstructions. To account for this, the Flow Probe can be moved slowly and smoothly through the water during average velocity measurements. For larger streams and rivers, the cross-sectional area can be divided into subsections, about 1 to 3 feet wide, and a vertical flow profile can be obtained.

The telescoping handle makes monitoring from a boat, bridge, or deeper water easy. The Flow Probe can be deployed in as shallow as 2 inches of water and has an accuracy of 0.1 feet per second in water with a velocity between 0.3 and 20 feet per second. With a floating, watertight display unit, a simple, rugged design, and ease of use, the Global Water Flow Probe is ideal for water velocity field studies. If you'd like to find out more, please visit ysi.com/flow-probe..