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DIVISION S-1—NOTES

Rapid water flow instrumentation

^a Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68583-0915
^b School of Natural Resource Sciences, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68583-0915

* Corresponding author (jskopp1{at}unl.edu)

Measuring high flow rates for small quantities of water is useful when determining soil hydraulic properties. A system that measures such flow rates precisely and accurately is not currently on the market. We present a flow measuring system, which uses pressure transducers and a data logger. This flow system has three advantages over a scale: (i) an automated interface allows precise initiation and measurement of system response, (ii) the ability to measure intervals as short as a tenth of a second, and (iii) quick response. Tests show that the system is highly repeatable, accurate, and responsive. A direct comparison of the flow system and scale output collected simultaneously shows that the flow system was more responsive than the scale in the early stages of the test, though the total output of both was similar. The instrumentation is adaptable for both laboratory and field methods. The flow rate can be adjusted simply by changing the diameter of the cylinder used. The flow system is built from off-the-shelf parts, except the control circuitry, and can be built for less than $1000.