Drop test measuring system and method(s) of use thereof

1. A method of implementing a drop test measuring system at a water treatment facility implementing a sand filter in a basin, the method comprising:

providing a drop test measuring system, the system including:

a control module; and

a liquid level measuring device operatively connected to the control module, the liquid level measuring device consisting of a pressure transducer;

placing the liquid level measuring device in the basin at a location proximate to a top of the sand filter and upstream of a gravity flow of a liquid through the sand filter;

receiving a first electrical signal related to a first pressure measurement from the pressure transducer;

converting the first electrical signal to a first data, the first data including information related to the first pressure measurement and a time the pressure measurement was received;

receiving a second electrical signal related to a second pressure measurement from the pressure transducer;

converting the second electrical signal to a second data, the second data including information related to the second pressure measurement and a time the second pressure measurement was received;

sending a first digital signal including the first data and the second data to a remotely located smart device; and

calculating (i) a first liquid level based on the first pressure measurement, (ii) a second liquid level based on the second pressure measurement, and (iii) a first flow rate through the sand filter based on (a) the first liquid level, (b) the second liquid level, (c) the time the first pressure measurement was received, and (d) the time the second pressure measurement was received.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the smart device is preprogrammed with information about the water treatment facility, the sand filter, and dimensions of the basin.

3. The method of claim 1 , the method further including the steps of:

receiving a third electrical signal related to a third pressure measurement from the pressure transducer;

converting the third electrical signal to a third data, the third data including information related to the third pressure measurement and a time the third pressure measurement was received;

sending a second digital signal including the third data to the remotely located smart device; and

calculating (i) a third liquid level based on the third pressure measurement, and (ii) a second flow rate through the sand filter based on (a) the third liquid level, (b) the second liquid level, (c) the time the third pressure measurement was received, and (d) the time the second pressure measurement was received.

4. The method of claim 3 , the method further including the steps of:

receiving a fourth electrical signal related to a fourth pressure measurement from the pressure transducer;

converting the fourth electrical signal to a fourth data, the fourth data including information related to the fourth pressure measurement and a time the fourth pressure measurement was received;

sending a third digital signal including the fourth data to the remotely located smart device; and

calculating (i) a fourth liquid level based on the fourth pressure measurement, and (ii) a third flow rate through the sand filter based on (a) the third liquid level, (b) the fourth liquid level, (c) the time the third pressure measurement was received, and (d) the time the fourth pressure measurement was received.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the control module consists essentially of:

a processor;

a nonvolatile storage;

random-access memory;

a network interface; and

a device interface.

6. The method of claim 1 , the method further including the step of:

comparing the first flow rate to an upper and lower boundary of an acceptable flow rate through the sand filter.

7. The method of claim 6 , the method further including the step of:

determining the sand filter needs maintenance when the first flow rate is outside the upper or lower boundary of the acceptable flow rate.

8. The method of claim 1 , the method further including the steps of:

continuously calculating a new flow rate upon receiving new digital signals from the control module;

comparing the new flow rate to an upper and lower boundary of an acceptable flow rate through the sand filter; and

determining the sand filter needs maintenance when the new flow rate is outside the upper or lower boundary of the acceptable flow rate.

9. The method of claim 1 , the method further including the steps of:

continuously calculating a new flow rate upon receiving new digital signals from the control module;

storing the newly calculated flow rates;

generating a graphical display of the newly calculated flow rates; and

updating the graphical display when new flow rates are calculated.

10. A method of implementing a drop test measuring system at a water treatment facility implementing a sand filter in a basin, the method comprising:

providing a drop test measuring system, the system consisting of:

a control module; and

a liquid level measuring device operatively connected to the control module, the liquid level measuring device including a pressure transducer;

placing the liquid level measuring device in the basin at a location proximate to a top of the sand filter and upstream of a gravity flow of a liquid through the sand filter;

receiving a continuous electrical signal from the pressure transducer, the electrical signal related to a pressure measurement;

at predetermined time intervals, converting the electrical signal to data, the data including information related to a pressure measurement and a timestamp indicating the time the electrical signal was received;

continuously sending a digital signal including the data to a remotely located smart device; and

continuously calculating a current flow rate based partially on (i) a first liquid level based on a pressure measurement having an earlier timestamp, (ii) a successive liquid level based on a pressure measurement having a later timestamp, and (iii) a difference in time between the earlier timestamp and the later timestamp.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the first timestamp is within a predetermined range of the second timestamp.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the predetermined range is 1 to 6 seconds.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the predetermined range is 1 to 10 seconds.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the predetermined range is 1 second to 5 minutes.

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein the control module includes information about dimensions of the basin and a range of acceptable flow rates through the sand filter in the data sent to the smart device.

16. The method of claim 10 , wherein the smart device is preprogrammed with information about dimensions of the basin and a range of acceptable flow rates through the sand filter.

17. The method of claim 10 , the method further including the steps of:

generating a graphical display of the calculated flow rate; and

updating the graphical display when new flow rates are calculated.

18. The method of claim 10 , wherein the pressure transducer is submerged in a liquid in the basin.

19. The method of claim 10 , wherein the control module is located outside of the liquid.

20. A method of implementing a drop test measuring system in a basin of a water treatment facility implementing a sand filter, the method comprising:

by a user, installing a pressure transducer in the basin at a location proximate to a top of the sand filter and upstream of a gravity flow of a liquid through the sand filter;

by a user, operatively connecting the pressure transducer to a control module, the control module in wireless communication with a remotely located smart device;

by the control module, receiving a continuous electrical signal from the pressure transducer, the electrical signal related to a pressure measurement;

by control module, at predetermined time intervals, converting the electrical signal to data, the data including information related to a pressure measurement and a timestamp indicating the time the electrical signal was received;

by the control module, continuously sending a digital signal including the data to a remotely located smart device; and

by the smart device, continuously calculating a current flow rate based partially on (i) a first liquid level based on a pressure measurement having an earlier timestamp, (ii) a successive liquid level based on a pressure measurement having a later timestamp, and (iii) a difference in time between the earlier timestamp and the later timestamp.