Tunnel Sensors

www.tunnelsensors.com

AIRFLOW – Air Velocity and Direction Monitor for

Tunnels

AIRFLOW
AIRFLOW-T

Installation Manual V2.6

Tunnel Sensors Ltd – Furlong House, Crowfield, Brackley, Northamptonshire, NN13 5TW United Kingdom

© Tunnel Sensors 2014

All technical details and specifications are subject to change without notice
 AIRFLOW – Air Velocity and Direction Monitor - Installation Manual

Contents

Contents........................................................................................................... 1

Warnings .......................................................................................................... 2
General Warnings ........................................................................................ 3

Product Overview............................................................................................. 5

Physical Installation ......................................................................................... 7

Choosing location ......................................................................................... 7
Airflow direction and turbulence ................................................................ 8
Accessibility ............................................................................................ 10
Water ...................................................................................................... 10
Temperature ........................................................................................... 12
Cable Lengths......................................................................................... 12
Protective Earthing.................................................................................. 12
Fixing details .............................................................................................. 12

Electrical Installation ...................................................................................... 14

Protective earth bonding requirement ........................................................ 15
Cable specification ..................................................................................... 16
Cable glands and ferrite tubes.................................................................... 17
Connectors overview .................................................................................. 17
Installation wiring ........................................................................................ 19
Notes on DC power supply connection ................................................... 19
Notes on bus comms (RS485) connection.............................................. 19
Notes on analogue output connection..................................................... 19
Notes on alarm relay contact connection ................................................ 19
Notes on cable screen bonding connections .......................................... 19
Notes on protective earth bonding connection ........................................ 20
AIRFLOW Wiring Diagram ...................................................................... 20

Revision Control............................................................................................. 21

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 AIRFLOW – Air Velocity and Direction Monitor - Installation Manual

Warnings
Throughout the manual the following symbols are used to highlight the
potential dangers when installing, operating and servicing the instruments.

Caution; Care must be taken, refer to specific

instructions.

Warning; Risk of electric shock.

Protective Conductor Terminal.

Recycle Responsibly.

Attention; observe precautions for handling electrostatic

sensitive devices.

Note: Highlights a specific instruction or operating procedure.

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 AIRFLOW – Air Velocity and Direction Monitor - Installation Manual

General Warnings

Each section of the manual outlines the specific warnings for that part of the
process or procedure. Below are some general guidelines that should be
followed at all times:-

 The instrument is particularly vulnerable during transportation and

manual handling. Always transport the instrument in its original
packaging and handle with utmost care.

 Prior to use, the equipment should be stored in its original

packaging in a dry and sheltered area.

 Applications vary and all installations will involve a degree of

application engineering which is the responsibility of the
customer, not Tunnel Sensors.

 All installations and connections must be made by suitably

qualified and experienced electrical / mechanical engineers with
proper regard to good practice and compliance with applicable
legislation.

 The instrument contains sensitive transducers and electronics and

must be protected from physical shock, vibration and exposure to
moisture at all times. Always handle with care, replace lids and
covers when not in use and protect from water ingress.

 The instrument contains sensitive electronics which are vulnerable

to ESD and therefore care should be taken to avoid making
contact with electronic circuit boards & components. Use ESD
handling precautions.

 All electrical work must be carried out with the power to the
instrument OFF i.e. it must be isolated from any source of voltage.
Failure to do so could result in equipment failure, injury or death.

 Do not make or break electrical connections whilst power is

connected to any instrument. “Hot plugging” as this is known,
may damage the electronics and require a circuit board to be
replaced. This is NOT covered under warranty.

 Always calculate potential voltage drop when specifying the type /

length of connecting cables, taking care to allow for the output
tolerance of any power supply. The supply voltages indicated in

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 AIRFLOW – Air Velocity and Direction Monitor - Installation Manual

this manual are those required at the point of connection to the

instrument.

 The cables to and from the instrument carry sensitive electronic

signals which can be affected by RFI and EMI, so care should be
taken to run the cables away from high voltage power cables, high
frequency signal cables, or switch gear cabling. Ideally any cables
connecting to the instrument, or between instrument components,
will follow an independent route and will not be installed in
bundles or cable trays with other cabling.

 The ferrite tubes supplied must be fitted on all cables that enter /
exit the instrument. They should be located outside the enclosure,
but immediately adjacent to the cable entry glands.

 The instrument must be properly bonded to a local protective

earth. Protective earthing is essential, not just as a safety
precaution, but also to maintain the instruments compliance with
European safety directives and CE marking.

 A warranty certificate is provided with each order. Failure to follow

the procedures outlined in this manual, unless specifically
instructed to do otherwise, could invalidate the warranty.

 Read the manual in full before proceeding. If in doubt contact your

local distributor, or Tunnel Sensors, direct.

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 AIRFLOW – Air Velocity and Direction Monitor - Installation Manual

Product Overview

The AIRFLOW tunnel monitor measures the speed and direction of air in
tunnels. These measurements can be used as part of an air quality
management system within a tunnel or other confined space.

The AIRFLOW monitor is a self-contained transceiver that is designed to be

mounted on the tunnel wall. It consists of a square enclosure base, which is
populated with four ultrasound transceivers, and a reflection “roof” which is
suspended over the ultrasound transceivers.

The AIRFLOW is an intelligent sensor that can operate as a “stand-alone”

monitor without the need for a control unit. In this configuration power, and all
SCADA interface connections, are made directly to terminals inside the
AIRFLOW enclosure on the tunnel wall. Set-up and control of the instrument is
performed using the supplied AIRFLOW Utility software installed on a PC
(usually a laptop).

Ultrasound signals are emitted from the transceivers and bounced off the
“roof”. The reflected signals are then received again by the transceivers. The
time taken for the ultrasound to travel over this reflected path is accurately
measured. Changes in this measured transit time correlate to changes in the
speed of air between the transceiver and the roof. Combining measurements
from all four (4) transceivers allows the direction of the air movement to be
calculated.

The standard AIRFLOW monitor can be set up to report the speed and
direction of air in two perpendicular axes. The AIRFLOW-T version
incorporates an external temperature measurement.

The AIRFLOW can be installed with a TSCU (Tunnel Sensors Control Unit),
which is an OI (Operator Interface) that consists of a numeric / directional
keypad, a two line LCD display and a terminal compartment. The TSCU is
capable of communicating with up to eight (8) separate instruments (of mixed
types) on the same bus.

The keypad and display on the TSCU combine to form an interface which can
be used to setup and control any connected instrument with similar
functionality to the PC based Utility software supplied with each instrument.

The TSCU is an optional extra and is not included with a standard AIRFLOW,
but can be ordered separately.

Both the AIRFLOW and the optional TSCU offer a variety of industry standard
interface options. Scalable analogue outputs are available in the form of
isolated 0, 2 or 4-20mA current loops. Digital outputs are available in the form

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 AIRFLOW – Air Velocity and Direction Monitor - Installation Manual

of relay contacts and can be configured separately as service alarm,

programmable level alarm, or direction indicator.

Serial communications channels are available in both the AIRFLOW and the
TSCU. RS232 and/or RS485 (full or half duplex) are available as standard. The
AIRFLOW can output ModBus (over RS485) direct from the instrument. A USB
connection is also available. Contact Tunnel Sensors if you have any specific
requirements for serial comms.

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 AIRFLOW – Air Velocity and Direction Monitor - Installation Manual

Physical Installation

All installations and connections must be made by

suitably qualified and experienced electrical /
mechanical engineers with proper regard to good
practice and compliance with applicable legislation.

The instrument contains sensitive transceivers and

electronics and must be protected from physical
shock, vibration and exposure to moisture at all
times. Always handle with care, replace lids and
covers when not in use and protect from water
ingress.

The instrument contains sensitive electronics which

are vulnerable to ESD and therefore care should be
taken to avoid making contact with electronic circuit
boards & components. Use ESD handling
precautions.

Physical installation consists of:

1. Choosing a location for the AIRFLOW.

2. Fixing the AIRFLOW to the wall.

Choosing location

Points to be considered:

 Airflow direction and turbulence

 Accessibility/clearance
 Water
 Temperature
 Cable lengths
 Protective Earthing

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 AIRFLOW – Air Velocity and Direction Monitor - Installation Manual

Airflow direction and turbulence

Airflow direction and turbulence and the most important considerations in
choosing a location for the AIRFLOW monitor.

The AIRFLOW can be set-up to measure air speed and direction in two
perpendicular axes, known as the U-axis and V-axis. There is a small arrow on
the plastic transceiver base which indicates the direction of the U-axis. Ideally
the instrument should be orientated with this arrow pointing along the bore of
the tunnel in the direction of the typical airflow, as illustrated in the drawing
below.

Air travelling in the direction of this arrow will be reported as a positive U-axis
velocity. Air travelling in the opposite direction will be reported as a negative
U-axis velocity.

The measurement that is made by the AIRFLOW monitor is a point

measurement. However, in most cases the installation is intended to return a
measurement representative of the general airflow in the tunnel as a whole.

For this reason you should choose a location for the AIRFLOW monitor that is
likely to have an even, representative airflow, with no likelihood of significant
aerodynamic interference.

Consider mounting the AIRFLOW high up on a straight section of the tunnel

where there are no intrusions (such as gantries, signs, jet fans etc.).

Try to mount the Head at least 4 bore diameters away from any bends,
changes in bore diameter, or the entrance/exit of a tunnel.

Never mount the Head near jet fans (particularly in the line of their exhaust) as
they will introduce intense peak air velocities and considerable turbulence.

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AIRFLOW – Air Velocity and Direction Monitor - Installation Manual

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 AIRFLOW – Air Velocity and Direction Monitor - Installation Manual

Accessibility
Accessibility and clearance should be considered carefully when locating the
AIRFLOW.

The AIRFLOW is a protrusion into the bore which will inevitably reduce the
clearance between traffic and tunnel. It may be that the AIRFLOW reduces the
lateral clearance, headroom, or both - so ensure that clearance between the
heads and the traffic flow has been calculated carefully before settling on an
installation point.

Human access is not often required, but inevitably there will be a requirement
for light maintenance, so human accessibility should be considered.

The AIRFLOW should be mounted on the tunnel wall as high as possible, in

order to minimise the effect of air turbulence from passing vehicles however, it
should be low enough to be accessed by a service engineer with just an
ordinary ladder. The minimum recommended height is 3.0m above the road
surface. Avoid mounting the unit at an excessive height, on the roof of the
tunnel, or over traffic.

Water
Water is not usually in abundance in tunnels, but road spray can be a problem,
and seepages can sometimes run across the inner surfaces of the tunnel.
Tunnels are often internally “washed” also.

Whilst the Head has an IP65 (NEMA-4X) rating, it is essential that water (or
any other liquid) does not build up on the inner surface of the “roof”. This
surface is used to reflect the ultrasound signals and any build up on this
surface could affect performance.

For this reason the AIRFLOW should never be mounted “upside down” i.e. with
the roof suspended below the main enclosure body. The head should ideally
be mounted on its side.

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AIRFLOW – Air Velocity and Direction Monitor - Installation Manual

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 AIRFLOW – Air Velocity and Direction Monitor - Installation Manual

Temperature
Temperature is usually a relatively constant level throughout a tunnel, but you
should choose a location for the AIRFLOW that will not exceed the ambient
operating temperature range of -20°C to +70°C.

Cable Lengths
When using with a TSCU, the interconnection cable which carries RS485
communications can also provide 24Vdc power from the TSCU to the
AIRFLOW. The length of this cable is then limited by the potential voltage drop
likely to occur on the 24Vdc supply over the cable length. Always calculate the
potential voltage drop when specifying the type/length of this cable, taking care
to allow for the output tolerance of the power supply. The 24Vdc supply to the
AIRFLOW must not fall below 20Vdc.

Alternatively, separate power supplies can be used for both the TSCU and the
AIRFLOW, in which case voltage drop is no longer the limiting factor, and the
maximum cable length from the TSCU to the AIRFLOW is 1km.

The route that any cables take to reach the AIRFLOW should be planned
carefully, and may well have an influence on the location ultimately chosen for
the AIRFLOW.

Protective Earthing
The AIRFLOW has a Protective Earth Bonding Point (an M5 stud) on the
outside of the main enclosure, alongside the cable gland entries. A heavy duty
earth cable, with a proper crimped eyelet fitting, should be attached to this stud
and connected to an electrically verified local Earth.

Proper connection to a local Earth potential should be given consideration

when choosing a location for the AIRFLOW.

Fixing details

The AIRFLOW head has four (4) mounting lugs designed to accept a 10mm
diameter fitting. Ideally the AIRFLOW will be bolted to a solid wall using M10
wall bolts.

The following page details the fixing requirements for the AIRFLOW monitor.

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AIRFLOW – Air Velocity and Direction Monitor - Installation Manual

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AIRFLOW – Air Velocity and Direction Monitor - Installation Manual

Electrical Installation

All electrical work must be carried out with the power

to the instrument OFF i.e. it must be isolated from
any source of voltage. Failure to do so could result in
equipment failure, injury or death.

All installations and connections must be made by

suitably qualified and experienced electrical /
mechanical engineers with proper regard to good
practice and compliance with applicable legislation.

The instrument contains sensitive transducers and

electronics and must be protected from physical
shock, vibration and exposure to moisture at all
times. Always handle with care, replace lids and
covers when not in use and protect from water
ingress

The instrument contains sensitive electronics which

are vulnerable to ESD and therefore care should be
taken to avoid making contact with electronic circuit
boards & components. Use ESD handling
precautions.

Do not make or break electrical connections whilst

power is connected to any instrument. “Hot
plugging” as this is known, may damage the
electronics and require a circuit board to be replaced.
This is NOT covered under warranty.

Always calculate the potential voltage drop when

specifying the type / length of this cable, taking care
to allow for the output tolerance of the power supply.
The stated voltage supply is that at the point of
connection at the instrument.

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 AIRFLOW – Air Velocity and Direction Monitor - Installation Manual

The cables to and from the instrument carry sensitive

electronic signals which can be affected by RFI and
EMI, so care should be taken to run the cables away
from high voltage power cables, high frequency
signal cables, or switch gear cabling. Ideally any
cables connecting to the instrument, or between
instrument components, will follow an independent
route and will not be installed in bundles or cable
trays with other cabling.

The ferrite tubes supplied must be fitted on all cables

that enter / exit the instrument. They should be
located outside the enclosure, but immediately
adjacent to the cable entry glands.

The instrument must be properly bonded to a local

protective earth. Protective earthing is essential, not
just as a safety precaution, but also to maintain the
instruments compliance with European safety
directives and CE marking.

Protective earth bonding requirement

An independent protective earth conductor must be connected between the

earth bonding stud (M5) on the underside of the enclosure (see illustration
below) and a verified electrical earth potential.

Protective earth
Bonding stud

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 AIRFLOW – Air Velocity and Direction Monitor - Installation Manual

Cable specification

The standard AIRFLOW is a single component instrument, with no requirement

for interconnection between components, and therefore no cables are supplied
with the instrument.

The specification of cables and wires necessary to connect power and other
interface connections to the AIRFLOW is therefore a matter for the customer.
However, all cables should have an individual core size of between 0.518mm²
(20AWG) and 2.08mm² (14AWG), as this is the acceptable range for the
terminals employed on the circuit boards inside the AIRFLOW.

All cables and wires must be suitable for their load.

All cables must have an external diameter in the range 6-12mm, as this is the
acceptable range for the cable glands employed in the instrument.

It is recommended that for ModBus (RS485) and analogue output wiring,

individually screened twisted pair cable, such as Belden 9873 (6 core,
screened pair, 20AWG), is used.

The illustration below highlights the key criteria for cable specification

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 AIRFLOW – Air Velocity and Direction Monitor - Installation Manual

Cable glands and ferrite tubes

All connecting cables must enter the instrument enclosure by passing through
the cable glands provided. Cable glands should be tightened onto the cable
correctly to achieve a water tight seal.

Any unused cable gland entries must be sealed by inserting the rubber sealing
bungs provided and tightening the cable gland onto the bung to achieve a
water tight seal.

The ferrite tubes supplied must be fitted to all cables that enter the instrument
enclosure. The tubes must be fitted externally, but immediately adjacent to the
cable gland. The illustration below demonstrates the preferred method for
securing the ferrite tubes in place.

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 AIRFLOW – Air Velocity and Direction Monitor - Installation Manual

Connectors overview

The illustration below gives an overview of the connections available inside the
AIRFLOW.

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 AIRFLOW – Air Velocity and Direction Monitor - Installation Manual

Installation wiring

Notes on DC power supply connection

The voltage requirement for the DC supply is +24Vdc +/-10%. Check that this
voltage is achieved at the terminals inside the instrument.

Notes on bus comms (RS485) connection

The bus comms connection offers RS485 serial communications that can be
configured to operate in full duplex mode by fitting links LK9 and LK10 across
the bottom two pins; or half duplex mode by fitting links LK9 and LK10 across
the top two pins.

In half duplex mode the instrument can be configured to communicate using

either DSL or ModBus protocol, as required. See the Operators Manual for
details of switching between the two. Individual screened twisted pair cable is
recommended for this connection.

Where the AIRFLOW is used in a one-to-one configuration i.e. one (1) ModBus
master device (such as the optional TSCU) communicating with just one (1)
AIRFLOW, the “last head” links, LK11 and LK12, must be fitted.

When fitted, these links introduces 120R termination resistors across the
RS485 conductors (RS485A/B and RS485Y/Z).

Where more than one AIRFLOW is connected back to a single ModBus master
device in a “daisy chain” fashion, the “last head” links should only be fitted on
the last AIRFLOW in the chain i.e. the instrument at the opposite end of the
daisy chain from the ModBus master device.

Notes on analogue output connection

The isolated current loop analogue output must only be connected to a passive
input. Connection to a powered input will damage components on the LUMIOS
circuit boards. Individually screened twisted pair cable is recommended for this
connection. 0-20mA, 2-20mA or 4-20mA operation is a software option and
can be set via the Utility Software.

Notes on alarm relay contact connection

The alarm relays used in the AIRFLOW are rated at 3A @ 30Vdc.

Notes on cable screen bonding connections

All cables should be screened where possible. Cable screens must be bonded
to the marked M5 stud on the inside of the enclosure.

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 AIRFLOW – Air Velocity and Direction Monitor - Installation Manual

Note: Cable screens must be bonded at the AIRFLOW end only. They must
not be bonded to any other device or connected in any way at the opposite end
of the cable.

Notes on protective earth bonding connection

It is essential that the enclosure is bonded to a local protective earth
connection, as described earlier in this section and shown on the wiring
diagram.

AIRFLOW Wiring Diagram

This diagram includes details of all connections necessary for basic
functionality, and also shows the terminal assignments for all output and
interface connections.

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 AIRFLOW – Air Velocity and Direction Monitor - Installation Manual

Revision Control

Revision
Version Date Revision Details Author
V1.6 06/03/2008 Add revision table Paul Jones
V1.7 11/06/2008 Correct connector and link definition tables on pages 20, Paul Jones
21, and 30 to reflect the dual analogue capability and also
correct LKx annotation
V1.8 04/09/2008 Correct Walk-up Comms with OI link table (LK0 should read Paul Jones
LK9)
V1.9 15/10/2009 Remove data tables for wiring connections and link Paul Jones
positions, as customer feedback indicated that these were
confusing and superfluous in light of the wiring diagrams,
which are considered to be clearer.
V2.0 28/01/2010 Change the way cable is specified and length referenced; Paul Jones
update wiring diagrams for clarity
V2.1 30/07/2010 Updated the recommended installation position. Colin Edge
V2.2 25/05/2011 Corrected errors in the text, drawings updated to remove D Dominic Sheedy
type connector and labeling changed for ‘Analogue
Outputs’.
V2.3 25/07/2012 Drawings and text updated to show external USB Dominic Sheedy
connection.
V2.4 29/08/2013 Major update. New warnings section. Dominic Sheedy
V2.5 06/03/2014 Major update including many illustrations. Paul Jones
V2.6 02/04/2014 Text correction (removed the word LUMIOS). Dominic Sheedy

All technical details and specifications are subject to change without notice

© All content copyright of Tunnel Sensors 2014

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