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The AQUA-CJ station meets the need to measure data related to natural hazards, water management, and more. It is part of a measurement system that consists of two structural components:
The AQUA-CJ has multiple functions: powering the sensors if they do not have their own power supply, retrieving their data at regular intervals, recording it, processing it, and sending it back to the user…
The types of processing that can be performed using the AQUA-CJ station are very diverse and depend on the specific application: changing units, applying certain equations, performing scaling, and so on…
In water level measurement, for example, a water level sensor will measure the water level above it. The AQUA-CJ will allow this value to be referenced within a geodetic coordinate system. It will retrieve the measurement and format it according to the user’s needs.
Once it has collected and processed the data, the AQUA-CJ station can transmit it externally or store it until the user retrieves it. It can also use this data to trigger alarms or send alerts based on predetermined thresholds.
The AQUA-CJ data acquisition station is designed to record and transmit water level measurements at hydrometric stations. It enables measurements to be taken at regular intervals, particularly for networks such as Vigicrues, groundwater monitoring networks, and so on.
In this application, the AQUA-CJ station measures the water level at fixed intervals, records the data, and sends alerts based on predefined thresholds (for example, in the event of low water or flooding); it can also generate time series showing changes in river level, temperature, or other data depending on the selected sensors.
AQUA-CL is also used in the field of geotechnical engineering: it can be used to track ground movements, monitor potential rockfalls, and measure the tilt of a tower…
Depending on the sensors connected to it, the AQUA-CJ data logger can also be used for measuring water quality, suspended solids, and more. The applications are numerous.
The AQUA-CJ is a multi-protocol, multi-sensor station. Naturally, it easily adapts to all PARATRONIC sensors, but it is also compatible with the vast majority of sensors on the market.
In fact, the AQUA-CJ uses open standards: 4–20 mA analog input, SDI-12, RS-485, Modbus, and RS-232 inputs, as well as digital inputs and outputs…
The AQUA-CJ is a multi-protocol station, and the same applies to its data transmission: depending on the chosen medium (wired connections, 2G, 3G, 4G, radio, satellite, LoRaWAN, etc.), the AQUA-CJ can use various transmission protocols. This provides greater flexibility depending on the networks available on-site, your preferred communication methods, or specific recommendations for a sensitive site where security is a priority.
The AQUA-CJ has very low energy consumption, which allows it to be installed in completely isolated areas where there is no electrical connection. The AQUA-CJ station can operate solely on battery power, or even via solar panels.
This low power consumption is due to the onboard electronics, but above all to the wide range of adjustment options that allow for precise control of the power supply to the sensors and modems , etc. In short, the AQUA-CJ ensures that equipment is powered only when needed. By adjusting the configuration, you can manage energy usage perfectly and reduce consumption to the absolute minimum, which not only lowers your energy bill but also allows you to use your measurement system in remote locations.
The installation of the AQUA-CJ depends primarily on the type of application. In general, the AQUA-CJ is a data acquisition unit that comes in a “ready-to-use”. This electrical enclosure can be equipped with rails.
Once the station is installed, each sensor is wired to its dedicated input: analogue, digital or logic. As for the power supply, the station can be supplied alone, or integrated in one of the 3 different versions of the box, depending on the power supply:
- a stand-alone box with a 12V battery,
- a box with solar panel : solar controller and photovoltaic panel,
- a box with one of our AS2A power supplies connected to the 220V network.
A built-in modem supports multiple 2G/3G/4G communication protocols; Mini SIM, SMA connector…
A LoRaWAN card is also available.
Apart from maintenance related to cybersecurity requirements, AQUA-CJ does not require any special maintenance, with the exception of potential updates. Generally, these updates are not essential and are primarily intended to add new features to meet your evolving needs.
There may also be minor maintenance unrelated to the station: for example, in the case of a hydrological station, the sensor may need to be re-aligned from time to time.
If you haven’t set up data transmission, you’ll also need to come by from time to time to retrieve the data. To do this, you can connect a computer to the station via various connections (USB, Ethernet, Wi-Fi) using the modem card. The HMI also allows you to modify the configuration, but if you only want to retrieve the data, you can simply plug a USB flash drive into the port provided for that purpose. The station is equipped with a large color touchscreen that allows you to navigate through the menus, view certain data, and also save data to connected USB drives, for example.
The station's built-in Wi-Fi allows you to connect to it from a distance, especially in hard-to-reach locations.
Depending on your installation, the energy self-sufficiency of your AQUA-CJ station will vary significantly based on various factors:
Depending on the application, your AQUA-CJ data logger may not operate completely autonomously, especially if your application requires a high data transmission rate.
The most common application is a water level measurement station using radar. With transmissions every 15 minutes and a 12V, 60 Ah battery, the station can operate autonomously for several months (including sending alerts and regular transmissions via the modem).
The AQUA-CJ can provide you with a vast amount of information: since its configuration options are virtually endless, the possibilities are enormous (1 million).
The data transmitted depends on the sensors connected to your system. In particular, the AQUA-CJ can transmit the following information:
Our sales team is available to provide on-site consultation and suggest potential applications so you can process the data that best suits your needs. If you wish, our sales representatives can conduct a preliminary site visit to assess the type of measurement required, the time interval, etc., in order to recommend a power supply solution and select a battery or solar panel sized to your needs. They can also, if necessary, assist with configuring the AQUA-CJ and advise you on more advanced programming options.
Most of the time, the AQUA-CJ is used to transmit sensor data to an external system; this data is typically sent to a monitoring system (our web-based monitoring system or a system hosted by the customer). Thus, the data arrives on the server at fixed intervals to be archived. This archiving enables the generation of statistics, as well as real-time visualization of the data (the status of a watercourse, rainfall at a site, etc.), particularly within the context of an alert system.
The AQUA-CJ data acquisition station and its expansion cards were developed by our engineering department and are manufactured in France at our plant in Reyrieux.
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Paratronic
Industrial Zone Rue des Genêts
01600 REYRIEUX
T : +33(0) 4 74 00 12 70
F : +33(0) 4 74 00 02 42
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