Hydromast sensor for large scale distributed flow sensing

Hydromast is a novel flow sensor inspired by fish lateral line mechanoreceptive organ –neuromast. If the biological neuromast is a microscopic receptor, the hydromast sensor is an upscaled version of this principle.

The working principle of hydromast is based on simultaneous pressure and acceleration measurements. The erect stem of the hydromast bends and vibrates in flow. The accelerations of the stem movement are modeled using the theory of flow induced vibrations and analysed to translate the vibrations into flow speed and direction values. The differential sensor information is modeled using the Pitot equation and also translated to flow speed values. Fusing those two sources of information together (from pressure fluctuations and accelerations) makes a redundant fault tolerant measuring device. Moreover, hydromasts can be used to create underwater sensor networks for distributed flow measurements. The advantages of this technology is low-cost, scalability, resilience, and the possibility of measuring near surfaces where acoustic methods do not work.

Hydromast datasheet

Hydromast distributed sensing has been used to classify flows in rivers (Keila river video)
Measuring wave action in at the bottom of the seabed (Pikakari video)
Measuring dynamics of thermocline on a continental slope (Keri video)

Hydromast sensor network is installed in Sillamäe harbour for safe navigation of the breathing ships, to Paldiski harbour for save navigation on the fairway and in contemporarily in several other harbours to investigate the impact of waves and currents to harbour structures.

Hydromast has been funded by:

LAkHsMI (Sensors for Large Scale Hydrodynamic Imaging of the Ocean) financed by European Union Horizon 2020 grant in 2015- 2019
Hydromast network installation in Sillamäe harbour has been supported by Prototron funding for creating functional prototypes.