The Vector 3D current meter collects high-resolution velocity and pressure data in rapidly changing environments. Based on processing schemes originally developed for the Nortek Acoustic Doppler Velocimeter, the system electronics integrates unique Doppler velocity measurements with standard sensors such as temperature, pressure, tilt, and compass. State-of-the-art power management and miniaturized electronics combine in a compact single-canister design that is suitable for real time operation or self-contained deployments. The Vector supports burst sampling, where data are sampled rapidly for a short period of time before it "sleeps" to preserve battery power and recorder memory. The Vector samples pressure at the same time as the 3D velocity. All other sensors are sampled at 1 Hz. The Vector comes with a complete suite of Windows® 2000/XP software for deployment planning, real time data collection and data retrieval. As an option, the post processing program ExploreV is available to review, process and interpret your Vector. The processing includes spectral analysis, coordinate transforms, and calculation of complex turbulence parameters.
Applications
 The Vector is designed with turbulence and wave measurements in mind. Typical applications include wave orbital studies bottom boundary layers, ocean engineering, coastal studies, river turbulence, etc. In addition, the Vector is used whenever a distinct and small sampling volume is required. The water quality is of little importance as long as there are enough particles in the water - the Vector works equally well in typical ocean surface water and in the high sediment suspensions found near the coast or in rivers.
The system response when submerged is near instantaneous, making wave crest measurement possible as the probe moves in and out of the water. Nortek shipped the first Vectors in 1999. Today, it is being used by scientists and engineers at renown oceanographic institutions in more than 10 countries worldwide. Please contact Nortek for a detailed customer reference list.
Key Specifications
Velocity:
- Sampling rate: 1–64Hz output rate, internal ping rate: 100–250Hz
- Sampling volume: Height: 0.5–2cm, diameter 1.5cm
- Distance to sampling volume: 0.15m
- Velocity accuracy: 0.5% of measured value ± 0.1cm/s
- Acoustic frequency: 6.0MHz
Sensors:
- Compass (fluxgate, works in both vertical orientations)
- Tilt (Liquid level, max 30° tilt)
- Pressure (Piezoresistive, resolution better than 0.005% of full scale)
- Temperature (Resistive)
Data Communication:
- I/O: RS232 and RS422.The software supports most commercially available USB–RS232 converters
- Baud rate: 300–115200
- User control: Handled via WIN32 software or ActiveX components
Data Recording
- Capacity: 2 MB, upgradable to 26, 82 or 154MB
- Data record: 24 bytes at sampling rate + 28 bytes per second
Mechanical:
- Weight in air (fixed stem): 5 kg, in water (fixed stem): 1.5 kg
- Electronics housing: 75 mm in diameter, about 500 mm long
- Materials: Plastic (Delrin) housing and titanium probe.
- Standard depth rating is 300m
User choices:
- Probe mounted on fixed stem or on 2-m flexible cable
- Range for pressure range (default is 20 m)
- Recorder size (default is 2 Mb, 26, 82, and 154 MB available)
- External battery housing (5, 10, or 20 times standard battery capacity)
- Internal wiring harness (RS232+synch+analog out, RS422+synch, or RS232+analog in)
Detailed specifications can be found in the Vector brochure (PDF)
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