Controlling Erosion & Dust: FT-QX9 Meteorological System for Hydropower Spoil Management

During the construction of hydropower stations, a large amount of waste soil and stone slag generated requires specialized sites for stacking, which are known as spoil disposal sites of hydropower stations. As auxiliary facilities for engineering construction, spoil disposal sites are located near mountains and waters. They need to consider both the proximity for reducing transportation costs and the avoidance of ecological damage to the surrounding areas. However, without effective supervision, heavy rainfall can easily trigger debris flows due to erosion, and wind-driven dust can pollute the air. These environmental risks are all related to meteorological conditions.

Aiming at the special environment of spoil disposal sites, meteorological monitoring should focus on four core elements. First is rainfall monitoring: by recording rainfall intensity and cumulative rainfall, it can predict potential landslide hazards. Second is wind speed and direction monitoring: especially in windy weather, it is necessary to grasp the diffusion direction of dust. Temperature and humidity monitoring is used to analyze the physical changes inside the spoil heap: high temperature and dryness can easily cause spontaneous combustion, while a humid environment may lead to soil softening. Finally, air pressure monitoring, combined with other data, can provide early warnings of extreme weather.

The FT-QX9 Meteorological monitoring system launched by Fengtu IoT is particularly suitable for complex working conditions like spoil disposal sites. This monitoring equipment adopts a modular design, integrating nine types of meteorological sensors, including ultrasonic anemometers, high-precision temperature and humidity probes, tipping bucket rain gauges, etc. The sensor housing is made of ASA engineering plastic with anti-aging treatment on the surface, enabling use in acid rain and salt spray environments.

For data transmission, the system offers multiple options. In areas with good signals, GPRS can transmit data in real time. In network-blind areas, data can be stored locally first. The device is equipped with a solar power supply system combined with a large-capacity lithium battery, ensuring normal operation even during 15 consecutive rainy days, thus solving the power supply problem in remote areas. With such a monitoring system, managers of hydropower stations can master "weather codes" to layout preventive measures in advance and protect the ecological safety of spoil disposal sites.