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How ConductivitySensors WorkPrinciples and Practice in Water Quality Monitoring
June 23, 2020
Zack Henderson
YSI Product Manager
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How Sensors Work: 6-Part Series on Water Quality Monitoring
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Recordingavailable
Once a week, we will discuss why it is important to monitor critical water quality parameters.
Antifouling
Recordingavailable
Recordingavailable
Recordingavailable
June 23rdRecordingavailable
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Recordings Available
3
Miss the earlier presentations? Don’t Worry!
• How Anti-Fouling Works• How Algae Sensors Work• How Turbidity Sensors Work• How pH + ORP Sensors Work• How Dissolved Oxygen Sensors Work
www.xylem-analytics.asia
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GoTo Webinar
4
Audio SettingsMake sure you can hear us loud and clear
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Zack Henderson
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BACKGROUND
BS in International BusinessWright State University
• YSI Product Manager, EMS• 3 years at Xylem (YSI)• 10 years experience working with environmental monitoring
technology• Focus on water quality monitoring instruments
• EXO Sondes
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Overview
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I. What is Conductivity and Why is it Important?II. Differences between Conductivity, Specific Conductance, and SalinityIII. Principles: How Conductivity Sensors WorkIV. Practice: Real-World Monitoring
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What is ConductivityandWhy is it Important?
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Why do you monitor for conductivity?
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Do you know whatconductivity is?
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What is Conductance?
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• Conductance
• Substance’s Ability to Conduct Something
• Examples:• Substance = Solid, Liquid, Gas• Something = Heat, Electricity, Sound
Solid
Liquid
Gas
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What is Conductance?
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• Conductance
• Substance’s Ability to Conduct Something
• Example:• Substance = Water• Something = Electric Current
(through ions)
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What is Conductance?
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• Conductance = Inverse of Resistance• Ohm’s Law: V = IR
• Resistance (R) = Change in Potential (V) / Current (I)• R = V/I
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What is Conductance?
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• Conductance = Inverse of Resistance• Ohm’s Law: V = IR
• Resistance (R) = Change in Potential (V) / Current (I)• R = V/I
The potential difference (voltage) across an ideal conductor is proportional to the current through it.
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What is Conductance?
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• Conductance = Inverse of Resistance• Ohm’s Law: V = IR
• Resistance (R) = Change in Potential (V) / Current (I)• R = V/I
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What is Conductance?
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• Conductance = Inverse of Resistance• Conductance: k = 1/R
• Conductance (k) = Current (I) / Change in Potential (V) • k = I/V
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What is Conductance?
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• Conductance• Measured in Mhos or Siemens
• Mhos = Siemens• Mho is Ohm (unit of resistance) backwards
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What is Conductance?
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• Conductance• Measured in Mhos or Siemens
• Mhos = Siemens• Mho is Ohm (unit of resistance) backwards
• Ratio of Current (I) in a Conductor to the difference in Electric Potential, Voltage (V), between its ends
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What is Conductance?
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• Conductance• Measured in Mhos or Siemens
• Mhos = Siemens• Mho is Ohm (unit of resistance) backwards
• Ratio of Current (I) in a Conductor to the difference in Electric Potential, Voltage (V), between its ends
• Value dependent on cell geometry of conductor
?
??
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What is Conductivity?
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• Conductivity = Conductance per unit of conductor length
• Industry Standard = 1 cm• Conductance in siemens (S),
measured through a 1 cm cube of liquid
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What is Conductivity?
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• Conductivity = Conductance (S) per unit of conductor length (cm)
• Measurement Units = mS/cm or µS/cm• Milli- or Mircro-siemens per Centimeter
S mS µSSiemens | 1 S = 1 S 1,000 mS 1,000,000 µS
Millisiemens | 1 mS = 0.001 S 1 mS 1,000 µS
Microsiemens | 1 µS = 0.000001 S 0.001 mS 1 µS
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What is Conductivity?
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“Conductivity is the property of water,measured through a specific cell geometry,that allows it to conduct an electric current.”
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What is Conductivity?
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“Conductivity is the property of water,measured through a specific cell geometry,that allows it to conduct an electric current.”
What exactly allows water to conduct an electric current?
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What is Conductivity?
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• Ions!• Conductivity relates to the
concentration of ions in the water
• High ionic strength (ex. seawater) = higher conductivity
• Low ionic strength (ex. pure water) = lower conductivity
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What Influences Conductivity?
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• 2 Primary Factors that Impact Conductivity:
1) Inorganic Dissolved Compounds
2) Temperature
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What Influences Conductivity?
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• Inorganic Compounds• Increase Conductivity
• Anions:• Chloride, Nitrate, Phosphate,…
• Cations:• Sodium, Iron, Calcium,…
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What Influences Conductivity?
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• Organic Compounds• Not Conductive
• Oil• Phenol• Alcohol• Sugar
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What Influences Conductivity?
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• Temperature
• Conductivity is highly dependent on temperature varying with the nature of the ionic species present
• Affects:• Actual Conductivity
• Evaporation increases ionic concentration• Reported Conductivity
• Measured value higher/lower depending on sample temperature
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What Influences Conductivity?
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• Temperature
• Same amount of ions at different temperatures will read as different conductivity values 500 µS/cm
500 µS/cm
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What Influences Conductivity?
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• Temperature
• Same amount of ions at different temperatures will read as different conductivity values
• Cold Water = Lower Conductivity Reading• Warm Water = Higher Conductivity Reading
• Therefore, it is best to report conductivity at a particular temperature
550 µS/cm
450 µS/cm
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What is Conductivity?
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• Examples of typical conductivity:
1 mS/cm = 1,000 µS/cm
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Why Conductivity is Important?
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• Indicator of Water Quality• One of the Most Important and Widely
Measured Parameters!
• Conductivity can be used to:• Detect contaminants• Determine the purity of water
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Why Conductivity is Important?
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• Indicator of Water Quality
• Stream Example:• Two different contaminants
• Sewage introduced would increase the conductivity because of the presence of chloride, phosphate, and nitrate
• An oil spill would lower the conductivity
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Why Conductivity is Important?
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• Industrial applications to measure:• Ultrapure water• Concentrated salt solutions• Acids/Alkalis
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Why Conductivity is Important?
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• Industrial applications to measure:• Ultrapure water• Concentrated salt solutions• Acids/Alkalis
• Coastal environments to measure:• Salinity of brackish and seawater
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Why Conductivity is Important?
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• Industrial applications to measure:• Ultrapure water• Concentrated salt solutions• Acids/Alkalis
• Coastal environments to measure:• Salinity of brackish and seawater
• Fresh water rivers/streams/lakes to:• Detect agricultural runoff
• Pesticides and fertilizers increase the conductivity of water
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Why Conductivity is Important?
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• Industrial applications to measure:• Ultrapure water• Concentrated salt solutions• Acids/Alkalis
• Coastal environments to measure:• Salinity of brackish and seawater
• Fresh water rivers/streams/lakes to:• Detect agricultural runoff
• Pesticides and fertilizers increase the conductivity of water
• Detect stormwater runoff • Road Salts from winter snow melt can threaten
aquatic life sensitive to salt levels
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Why Conductivity is Important?
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• Factors into other parameters• Dissolved Oxygen
• Solubility of oxygen decreases as conductivity increases
• This means we get fish kills due to suffocation as a result of too much salt runoff
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Why Conductivity is Important?
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• Surrogates for Additional Parameters• Specific Conductivity• Salinity• Total Dissolved Solids (TDS)
• Resistivity• Water Density
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Differences between Conductivity,Specific Conductance,& Salinity
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Which conductivity-related parameter are you most interested in measuring?
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What is Conductance?
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“Conductance isthe property of water,that allows it to conduct an electric current.”
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What is Conductivity?
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“Conductivity isthe property of water,measured through a specific cell geometry,that allows it to conduct an electric current.”
As this relates to sensors,the measured conductance valueis normalized to 1 cm.
(Normalization occurs by way of the Cell Constant)
18 °C
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What is Specific Conductance?
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“Specific Conductance isthe property of water,measured through a specific cell geometry,at or compensated to a specific temperature,that allows it to conduct an electric current.”
As this relates to sensors,the measured conductivity valueis normalized to 25 °C.
(Normalization occurs by way of the Temp Coefficient)
25 °C
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What is Specific Conductance?
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• Specific Conductivity eliminates the influence of temperature
• Just focusing on the ions
• Determine if changes occur in ionic content of the sample at a glance
• Useful for comparing conductivity between different locations and/or different times
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• Specific Conductance = Conductivity measured at or compensated to 25 ° C
• Calculated using the measured Conductivity value with the measured Temperature value (T) and the Temperature Coefficient (TC)
• Conductivity = true conductivity• Specific Conductance = compensated conductivity
Differences between Conductivity and Specific Conductance
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What is Salinity?
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• Salinity = Concentration of Dissolved Salt in Water
• Proportional to Conductivity as it is related to the Ionic Content of Water
• More dissolved salts = higher ionic strength
• Key Factor in Global Ocean Circulation (Thermohaline Circulation)
• Caused by rising and sinking water masses due to variations in density
• Salinity/Temp/Pressure affect water density
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Differences between Conductivity & Salinity
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• How Salinity is Measured• Concentration of grams of salt per kilogram of
water (g/kg)• More commonly expressed as Parts Per
Thousand (ppt)
• Historically measured via chemical analysis• Titration and Evaporation
• Evaporating all of the water away from the samples• Time intensive and prone to errors• Not practical for many applications
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Differences between Conductivity & Salinity
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• How Salinity is Measured• Now more commonly with a conductivity
meter• Derived from conductivity and temperature
measurements
• Practical Salinity Scale 1978 (PSS-78) is unitless, but values are sometimes reported in psu (practical salinity units)
• psu = ppt
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Other Conductivity-Related Parameters
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• Resistivity = Inverse of Conductivity• Property of water, measured over a specific
length, that quantifies how much it resists electric current
• Unit:• ohms/cm
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Other Conductivity-Related Parameters
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• TDS (Total Dissolved Solids)• Measure of dissolved combined content of all
inorganic and organic substances present in water• Conductivity can be used as a rough estimate of the
amount of these substances are present• User must determine TDS Constant for the water at
the site of interest
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How Conductivity Sensors Work: Principles of Operation
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What range of conductivity values do you measure?
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How Conductivity Sensors Work
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I. Principles of Conductivity MeasurementII. Types of Conductivity CellsIII. Length & Area of ConductorIV. Cell ConstantV. Temperature CoefficientVI. How YSI Sensors Work
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How Conductivity Sensors Work
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• Principle by which instruments measure conductivity:
1. Electrodes are placed in the sample
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How Conductivity Sensors Work
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• Principle by which instruments measure conductivity:
1. Electrodes are placed in the sample2. Current is driven through the electrodes
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How Conductivity Sensors Work
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• Principle by which instruments measure conductivity:
1. Electrodes are placed in the sample2. Current is driven through the electrodes3. Resultant change in potential (voltage) is measured
k = I/V
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How Conductivity Sensors Work
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• Conductivity cell = sensing area
• Conductivity cells consist of electrode pairs to which a current is applied
• Voltage is measured and conductivity is calculated k = I/V
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Conductivity Cell Types
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• 2-Electrode Cell• Best for low-conductivity solutions• Susceptible to polarization
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Conductivity Cell Types and Polarization
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• 2-Electrode Cell• Best for low-conductivity solutions• Susceptible to polarization
• Polarization• Leads to artificially low values
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Conductivity Cell Types and Polarization
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• 2-Electrode Cell• Best for low-conductivity solutions• Susceptible to polarization
• Polarization• Leads to artificially low values• Can be reduced by:
• Alternating voltage
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Conductivity Cell Types and Polarization
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• 2-Electrode Cell• Best for low-conductivity solutions• Susceptible to polarization
• Polarization• Leads to artificially low values• Can be reduced by:
• Alternating voltage
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Conductivity Cell Types and Polarization
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• 2-Electrode Cell• Best for low-conductivity solutions• Susceptible to polarization
• Polarization• Leads to artificially low values• Can be reduced by:
• Alternating voltage• Renewing the electrode surface (platinizing
solution)
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Conductivity Cell Types and Polarization
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• 2-Electrode Cell• Best for low-conductivity solutions• Susceptible to polarization
• Polarization• Leads to artificially low values• Can be reduced by:
• Alternating voltage• Renewing the electrode surface (platinizing
solution)• Cannot be avoided in high ionic
concentrations
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Conductivity Cell Types
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• 4-Electrode Cell• Two voltage electrodes + two current
electrodes• Best for wider conductivity ranges• Compensated for scale or build-up on
electrodes• Minimizes the effects of polarization
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Length & Area of Conductor
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• Conductivity is the conductance per unit of conductor length
• Conductor = measured water or liquid in a cell ?
??
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Length & Area of Conductor
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• Conductivity is the conductance per unit of conductor length
• Conductor = measured water or liquid in a cell
• Industry Standard = conductance in siemens is measured across 1 cm cube of liquid at a specified temperature
• 1 cm cube = theoretical (ideal) conductivity cell• Cell = sensing area
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Length & Area of Conductor
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• Cell geometry affects the measured values
• BUT not every sensor is designed to measure precisely 1 cm cube of liquid
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Length & Area of Conductor
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• Cell geometry affects the measured values
• BUT not every sensor is designed to measure precisely 1 cm cube of liquid
• So… how do we account for this?
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Conductivity Cell Constant
69
• Cell Constant = (K)• Cell Geometry defines the Cell Constant• Formula: K = d/A
• Ratio of the distance (d) between the electrodes to the cross sectional area (A) of the electrodes
• d = distance between electrodes• ex. 1 cm
• A = area of electrode• L x W = 1 cm²
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Conductivity Cell Constant
70
• Cell Constant: K = d/A• d = distance between electrodes• A = area of electrode
• Example:• K = 1 cm/1 cm²
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Conductivity Cell Constant
71
• Cell Constant: K = d/A• d = distance between electrodes• A = area of electrode
• Example:• K = 1 cm/1 cm²• Cell Constant = 1/cm
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Conductivity Cell Constant
72
• Cell Constant: K = d/A• d = distance between electrodes• A = area of electrode
• Example:• K = 1 cm/4 cm²
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Conductivity Cell Constant
73
• Cell Constant: K = d/A• d = distance between electrodes• A = area of electrode
• Example:• K = 1 cm/4 cm²• Cell Constant = 0.25/cm
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Conductivity Cell Constant
74
• Cell Constant: K = d/A• d = distance between electrodes• A = area of electrode
• Example:• K = 2 cm/1 cm²
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Conductivity Cell Constant
75
• Cell Constant: K = d/A• d = distance between electrodes• A = area of electrode
• Example:• K = 2 cm/1 cm²• Cell Constant = 2/cm
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Conductivity Cell Constant
76
• Conductivity (ℵ) equals Conductance (k) multiplied by the Cell Constant (K)
• Formula: ℵ = k x K
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Conductivity Cell Constant
77
• Conductivity (ℵ) equals Conductance (k) multiplied by the Cell Constant (K)
• Formula: ℵ = k x K
• Example:• Observed Conductance = 100 µS (k)• Sensor Cell Constant = 0.25/cm (K)• ℵ = 100 µS x 0.25/cm
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Conductivity Cell Constant
78
• Conductivity (ℵ) equals Conductance (k) multiplied by the Cell Constant (K)
• Formula: ℵ = k x K
• Example:• Observed Conductance = 100 µS (k)• Sensor Cell Constant = 0.25/cm (K)• ℵ = 100 µS x 0.25/cm• Conductivity = 25 µS/cm
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Conductivity Cell Constant
79
• Cell Constant is relatively stable, but will drift with use over time
• Cell geometry changes occurs during use
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Conductivity Cell Constant
80
• Cell Constant is relatively stable, but will drift with use over time
• Cell geometry changes occurs during use• Even after cleaning, the cell is slightly different
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Conductivity Cell Constant
81
• Cell Constant is relatively stable, but will drift with use over time
• Cell geometry changes occurs during use• Even after cleaning, the cell is slightly different• Cell Constant must be updated to account for this
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Conductivity Cell Constant
82
• Cell Constant is relatively stable, but will drift with use over time
• Cell geometry changes occurs during use• Even after cleaning, the cell is slightly different• Cell Constant must be updated to account for this• This is why we calibrate
Cell Constant = Conductivity Cell
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Conductivity Cell Constant
83
• Cell Constant is relatively stable, but will drift with use over time
• Cell geometry changes occurs during use• Even after cleaning, the cell is slightly different• Cell Constant must be updated to account for this• This is why we calibrate
• Every time you calibrate, you update the cell constant to account for changes to the cell
• Track changes to the cell with calibration reports
Cell Constant = Conductivity Cell
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Temperature Coefficient
84
• Conductivity is strongly dependent on temperature• Can vary up to 3% for each change of 1 °C
• Temperature Coefficient = Percent change in conductivity for each degree change in temperature (%/°C)
• Temp Co varies depending on the sample(varies with sample; not with hardware like Cell Constant)
• Can be determined from:• Published data• Measurements of representative samples
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Temperature Coefficient
85
• Temp Co = %change in conductivity per 1 °C change• Example:
• Conductivity Standard Solution• At 25 °C, the solution reads 1,413 μS/cm
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Temperature Coefficient
86
• Temp Co = %change in conductivity per 1 °C change• Example:
• Conductivity Standard Solution• At 25 °C, the solution reads 1,413 μS/cm• At 26 °C, the solution reads 1,440 μS/cm
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Temperature Coefficient
87
• Temp Co = %change in conductivity per 1 °C change• Example:
• Conductivity Standard Solution• At 25 °C, the solution reads 1,413 μS/cm• At 26 °C, the solution reads 1,440 μS/cm
• 1440/1413 = 1.0191• Conductivity value increases by 1.91% per 1 °C change in temperature
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Temperature Coefficient
88
• Temp Co = %change in conductivity per 1 °C change• Example:
• Conductivity Standard Solution• At 25 °C, the solution reads 1,413 μS/cm• At 26 °C, the solution reads 1,440 μS/cm
• 1440/1413 = 1.0191• Conductivity value increases by 1.91% per 1 °C change in temperature
• Temp Coefficient = 0.0191• This is the default value for the YSI EXO and Pro Series Temp Coefficient• Allows for the calculation of Specific Conductance for easy comparison
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Temperature Coefficient
89
• Temp Co = %change in conductivity per 1 °C change• Example:
• Conductivity Standard Solution• At 25 °C, the solution reads 1,413 μS/cm• At 26 °C, the solution reads 1,440 μS/cm
• Temp Coefficient = 0.0191• This is the default value for the YSI EXO and Pro Series Temp Coefficient• Allows for the calculation of Specific Conductance for easy comparison
1440/1.0191(26-25)
1440/1.0191
~1413
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How Conductivity Sensors Work
90
Continuous Monitoring
ConductivitySensor
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How Conductivity Sensors Work
91
ConductivitySensor
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How Do Conductivity Sensors Work?
92
• EXO Conductivity (non-wiped)• Uses 4 nickel electrodes housed
inside the sensor tip
1. Sonde applies current to electrodes2. Current flows through the electrodes
and the sample3. Voltage change is measured4. ΔV (or simply “V”) has direct
relationship with conductivity of the sample
Cell Constant = 5.1/cm
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How Conductivity Sensors Work
93
ConductivitySensor
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How Do Conductivity Sensors Work?
94
• EXO Wiped Conductivity• Uses 4 graphite electrodes in the open
sensor tip
• Same principals apply• Different cell constant – accounts for
different range and accuracy• Open design is wipeable
Cell Constant = 0.469/cm
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Real World Application: Values, Limitations, and Best Practices
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What concerns you most about monitoring for conductivity?
96
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Conductivity Monitoring
97
I. Maryland DNR ApplicationII. Challenges with Continuous MonitoringIII. Choosing the Right Conductivity SensorIV. Choosing the Right Calibration StandardV. Best Practices: CalibrationVI. Best Practices: Sensor Maintenance
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Maryland DNR: Road Salt Study
98
• Impact of Road Salt of the Environment
• Stormwater carries accumulated salt into stormdrains and surface waters
• Maryland DNR deployed conductivity loggers upstream & downstream from Interstate 68
Maryland State Highway Administration
“Do Road Salts Cause Environmental Impacts?” [Maryland DNR]https://mde.state.md.us/programs/Marylander/Documents/2013_Stranko_Road_Salt_(final)_TMF_edits.pdf
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Maryland DNR: Road Salt Study
99
“Do Road Salts Cause Environmental Impacts?” [Maryland DNR]https://mde.state.md.us/programs/Marylander/Documents/2013_Stranko_Road_Salt_(final)_TMF_edits.pdf
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Maryland DNR
100
“Do Road Salts Cause Environmental Impacts?” [Maryland DNR]https://mde.state.md.us/programs/Marylander/Documents/2013_Stranko_Road_Salt_(final)_TMF_edits.pdf
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“Do Road Salts Cause Environmental Impacts?” [Maryland DNR]https://mde.state.md.us/programs/Marylander/Documents/2013_Stranko_Road_Salt_(final)_TMF_edits.pdf
Maryland DNR: Road Salt Study
101
• Impact of Road Salt of the Environment
• Maryland DNR Study:• Baseline SpCond = >100 µS/cm
(Upstream)• Highest SpCond spikes after snow fall
events (Downstream); then drops after high flow events
• Also observed increases in SpCond during summer low flow season
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Challenges with Continuous Monitoring
102
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Challenges with Continuous Monitoring
103
• Fouling!• Build-up over time• Affects sensor performance• Non-wiped sensor limitations
Conditioning Biofilms Colonization Barnacle Growth1 minute - 1 hour 1 hour - 24 hours 24 hours – 1 week 2 weeks – 1 month
O2 Fe2+Water Channels
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Challenges with Continuous Monitoring
104
“Fighting Fouling” [YSI Case Study]https://www.ysi.com/File%20Library/Documents/News%20Briefs/NB18_EXO_Wiped_CT_Case_Study.pdf
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Choosing the Right Conductivity Sensor
105
Sampling or Monitoring
ConductivitySensor
YSI.com/MultiLab
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Choosing the Right Conductivity Sensor
106
• EXO Conductivity Sensor (Non-Wiped)• Optimal for Sampling & Profiling
• Faster temperature response
• Measurement Range• 0 – 200,000 µS/cm
• Limitations with Long-Term Monitoring• Cannot be effectively wiped
ConductivitySensor
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Choosing the Right Conductivity Sensor
107
• EXO Wiped Conductivity Sensor• Optimal for Continuous Monitoring &
Long-Term Deployments • Wiper effectively cleans electrodes and
minimizes fouling
• Measurement Range• 0 – 100,000 µS/cm
• Not Designed for Rapid Profiling• Cell geometry and embedded thermistor
ConductivitySensor
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Choosing the Right Calibration Standard
108
• Which Standard do I Choose?
• Closest to your expected sample value
• YSI does NOT recommend calibrating below 1,000 µS/cm
• Why?• Recommend a minimum level of ionic
strength to achieve a reliable calibration: • Free from contamination• Good for the full range of the sensor
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Best Practices: Calibration
109
• Conductivity Standard is one of the easiest standards to contaminate
• Calibrate Conductivity First• Not required, but may help prevent
contamination from other standards• Keep it Clean
• Sensors, Probe Guard, Cal Cup• Remove wiper brush if necessary• Pre-rinse; triple rinse (best practice)
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Best Practices: Calibration
110
• Periodically Check Temperature• Check Reading in Dry Air
• Should be zero• Calibrate with Probe Guard Installed
• Should be in the same state as when its used• Make Sure Conductivity Cell is Fully
Submerged• Solution should reach the second fill line
• Agitate to Release Trapped Air Bubbles
Fill Line
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Best Practices: Calibration
111
• 1-Point Calibration• Things to Pay Attention To:
• Standard Value• Stability• Pre-Cal Value• Temperature
• Wait for Stabilization!
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Best Practices: Calibration
112
• 1-Point Calibration• Things to Pay Attention To:
• Standard Value• Stability• Pre-Cal Value• Temperature
• Wait for Stabilization!• Then Apply the Calibration
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Best Practices: Calibration
113
• 1-Point Calibration• Things to Pay Attention To:
• Standard Value• Stability• Pre-Cal Value• Temperature
• Wait for Stabilization!• Then Apply the Calibration
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Best Practices: Calibration
114
• Keep an eye on the Cell Constant with every calibration
• Shows how much the sensor is drifting
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Best Practices: Calibration
115
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Best Practices: Sensor Maintenance
116
• Clean After Each Use!• Warm soapy water and conductivity
cleaning brush• Hand soap or mild dish soap• For heavy fouling, soak in white vinegar• Use correct conductivity brush• Rinse thoroughly
• Storage• Can be stored wet or dry (short term)• Dry preferred for long-term storage
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Do you want someone from YSI to contact you to discuss conductivity sensors?
117