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DEVELOPMENT AND TESTING OF MULTI-LEVEL TEMPERATURE PROBE FOR UNDERWATER APPLICATION IN WETLAND SYSTEMS
Abstract
Temperature variation in wetland systems is of great importance. Temperature exerts a strong influence on chemical and biological processes leading to water quality treatment and is therefore important for wetland designers trying to both calculate accurate rates of treatment as well as optimize wetland systems for pollutant removal. Temperature fluctuations can result in thermal inversions. Temperature measurements are important for understanding hydrological and ecological processes in wetlands. Temperature measurements in underwater conditions is challenging in terms of cost and thorough insulation for optimal performance. This work presents the design and development of a water-resistant, adjustable multi-sensor temperature probe for underwater temperature measurement. It consists of three digital sensors DS18B20 interfaced with Atmega 328P microprocessor. The system is equipped with a 20×4 LCD display which displays up to three temperature profiles at varied depths. Validation of the instrument with the hand-held mercury-in-glass thermometer at different temperature regimes showed a +/- 0.5 accuracy within a temperature range of -10oC to +85oC.