Campbell Scientific SR50-L CSC Ultrasonic Distance Sensor - Manual (Page 8)

SR50 Sonic Ranging Sensor
2
Measurement Range: 0.5 to 10 meters
Accuracy:
±1 cm or 0.4% of distance to target
(whichever is greater)
requires external temperature compensation
Resolution: 0.1mm
Beam Acceptance Angle: Approximately
22 °
Operating Temperature: -45
°C to +50°C
Maximum Cable Length:
60 meters (SDI-12 & ASCII)
300 meters (Pulse train)
Cable Type:
Part number L9720, 4 conductor,
2-twisted pair, 22 AWG, Santoprene
Dimensions:
Length 31 cm
Diameter 7.5 cm
Weight: 1.3
kg
2. Introduction
The SR50 Sonic Ranging Sensor measures the distance from the sensor to a
target. The most common applications are measuring snow depths and water
levels. The sensor is based on a 50 kHz (Ultrasonic) electrostatic transducer.
The SR50 determines the distance to a target by sending out ultrasonic pulses
and listening for the returning echoes that are reflected from the target. The
time from transmissions to return of an echo is the basis for obtaining the
distance measurement. Since the speed of sound in air varies with temperature,
an independent temperature measurement is required to compensate the
distance reading. A simple calculation is applied to initial readings for this
purpose.
The SR50 is capable of picking up small targets or targets that are highly
absorptive to sound--such as low density snow. The SR50 can measure
multiple targets and it makes use of a unique echo processing algorithm to help
ensure measurement reliability. If desired, the SR50 can also output a data
value indicative of measurement quality (not available for pulse train output).
The SR50 was designed to meet the stringent requirements of snow depth
measurement which makes it well suited for a variety of other applications.
The rugged aluminum housing is built to withstand harsh environments and
offers several mounting options.