 The Continental is a modern current profiler designed to get that extra range. At 190 kHz, you can measure the current profile in 200-m of water knowing that you are using technology designed in this millennium. Or you can choose the 470 kHz for 100-m range if this what you need. In either case, you get the full advantage of affordable prices, flexible hardware with extra sensor interfaces, titanium and plastic housings, and an excellent software suite to control the instrument in online or stand-alone applications. The Nortek power management is included in the Continental, allowing stand-alone deployments from 3–12 months depending on battery options and range requirements.
All models come standard with compass, tilt, pressure, and temperature sensors and a small internal recorder. Optional equipment includes larger recorders for longer deployment and external battery housings that do not interfere with the compass located in the low-profile Continental housing.
Applications
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The Continental is used both in online projects and in stand-alone applications. The most common use is in bottom or subsurface configurations where the instrument is mounted upward, profiling the current from the instrument to the surface. In addition to the current profiler, you would then need a third party deployment frame and possibly an acoustic release system if there is no other practical way of retrieving the instrument. The data collected during the deployment are all retrieved at the end of the deployment and displayed in programs such as Surge.
In buoy mounted applications, the data can be collected in real time and transmitted to a shore station using radio or satellite communication.
In 2D applications, the Continental is equipped with 2 beams rather than the standard 3. The instrument is mounted horizontally on the channel or pier wall and profiles the 2D current along a horizontal segment. This application is common for navigation channels and at the entrance of ports. The most common 2D instrument is the 470kHz model, with extra large transducers to ensure maximum range, even in shallow water.
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The data were collected from a subsurface buoy deployed 175m below the surface in Ofoten, Norway. The data shows the average currents over a 10-day period. The aim of the study was to better understand the migration of spawning herring, which shows up as a strong signal in the acoustic intensity data. Click on image to see an enlarged version.
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| In 2D applications, the Continental is equipped with 2 beams rather than the standard 3. The instrument is mounted horizontally on the channel or pier wall and profiles the 2D current along a horizontal segment. This application is popular in navigation channels and at the entrance of ports. The total profiling range is a function of the depth and transducer size, where deeper water and larger transducers give the longest range of reliable data. The most common instrument for the 2D system is the 470 kHz model, which comes with a choice of standard or extra-large transducers.
Nortek shipped the first Continentals in 2001. The new system now replaces all older 500 kHz NDPs – just like the popular 1 MHz Aquadopp profiler has replaced the 1.5 MHz NDP.
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| Key Features |
| Detailed specifications are provided in the PDF brochure. |
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| Recorder Parameters (standard): |
- 3D Velocity (East/North Up or X/Y/Z or Beam 1/2/3)
- Acoustic signal strength (Beam 1/2/3)
- Compass
- Tilt
- Temperature
- Pressure
- Battery voltage
- Status code
- Error code
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| Power: |
- Internal battery or external DC source. AC/DC converter comes standard with the instrument
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External Interface:
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- Two analog input channels (0–5V) can be powered and read by the Aquadopp and integrated into the standard data structure
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| Data communication: |
- I/O: RS232 or RS422 binary coomunication at baud rates of 300 to 115200. Binary and ASCII. The software supports most commercially available USB–RS232 converters
- User control: Handled via WIN32 software or ActiveX components
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| Data Recording: |
- 2 MB on the mother board, expansion cards available
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| Mechanical: |
- Delrin housing, titanium transducer cups
- Weight in air is 18.4 kg, in water approximately 13 kg
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| Options: |
- Non-standard range for pressure range
- Increased recorder size
- External battery housing
- Internal wiring harness for RS422 communication
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