Echo Sounder

Echo sounder
 PRINCIPLE:
 Measuring the time taken by a sound wave to travel
from the ship to the sea bed and back again
 Sound vibrations transmitted at the rate of -600 per
minute. Beam width of 12-25 degrees
 D= V x t/2
 V=velocity of sound wave in sea water = approx
1500m/sec
Echo Sounder
 Transmission frequency used in echo sounders is

generally between 30 to 55 Khz which is termed as
ultra sonic frequency.
 PRF: pulse repetition freq – no. of pulses
transmitted per second.
 This determines the max depth which can be
measured.
Echo sounder
 PULSE LENGTH:
 The duration of the pulse determines the resolution of
the equipment. Between 0.2ms and 2ms,
 Discrimination (D) between echoes is D=V x L in mtrs.
 1500 x 0.5 x 10-3mtrs = 0.75mtrs
 1500 x 2 x 10-3mtrs = 3 mtrs
 Short pulse length is superior when the objects to be
displayed are close together in water.
 The pulse length varies with range scale and for shallow
depth short pulse is used while for greater depth long
pulse is used.
Echo sounder
 Propagation Characteristics of Acoustic wave

 Velocity of acoustic wave in sea water affected by
 temperature, salinity and pressure.
 V= 1505m/sec at 16degs C and 3.4% salinity
 Depth indicated in fresh water is about 3% higher than sea
water.
 Reflective surface of the sea bed
 Frequency of transmission: Higher the freq, greater
attenuation
 Beam width- Larger beam width, attenuation is more
 Attenuation: depends on various factors
 Angle of incidence: Energy is more when vertical transmission
Echo sounder
 TRANSDUCER: convert electrical energy to acoustic

energy during transmission and to convert “vice
versa” during reception.
 Large ships have two transducers – fwd and aft.
Echo sounder
 Electrostricitive transducer-(piezostrictive) works on

the basic principle of piezo electric effect- When an
alternating voltage is applied , the crystal starts
vibrating or oscillating.
 Generally only one transducer is used for
transmission and reception of signals and is always
mounted as pierced hull.
Echo sounder
 Magnetostrictive transducer: -works on principle of

magnetostriction. When a bar of Ferro-magnetic material
(Nickel) is wound with a coil in which an alternating
current is applied, the length of the material will always
contract irrespective of the direction of the current and it
comes back to its original length when current becomes
to zero.
 This transducer is fitted in a water tank. The vibrations
are transmitted to the seabed through the ship’s hull
plate and echoes received through the hull plate. Two
transducers are used for Tx and Rx. It is fitted as
internal installation.
Echo sounder
 Comparison: Internal installation over pierced hull:

 Advantages:
 Ship’s hull is not cut hence continuity of hull is
maintained.
 The transducer can be fitted and repaired without
dry-docking.
 Choice of frequency is not limited.
Echo sounder
 Disadvantages:
 Only 15% of the power output is passed through the
ship’s hull.
 The losses occurs twice per sounding hence huge
amplification required
 To measure shallow depths, two transducers are
required as the energy absorbed by the hull plate
during transmission persists for certain period of time
and when the echoes from shallow depth return, they
are affected by this persisting vibrations.
 When transmitting, some of the energy is reflected
back by the hull plate. The thickness of the hull plate in
relation to the wavelength is critical and the choice of
frequency becomes limited.
Echo sounder
 Echometer depth indication by neon lamp flash

 Echograph: depth recorded by stylus on paper.
Stylus rotating with a constant speed.
 Advantages: permanent recording, rate of change of
depth visible,
 All echoes visible.
 LED Display of depth with repeaters.
Echo Sounder
 Depth Recording
 RANGING: Stylus speed is reduced for higher

ranges.
 PHASING: stylus speed is constant but transmission
point is advanced. Different sensors for different
range scales.
Echo sounder
 Controls:
 On-Off Switch, Range Selector, Paper speed control,
Gain Control, Draught Setting, Fix Marker,
Transducer selection, Shallow depth Alarm setting.
Echo sounder
 ERRORS:
 Velocity of propagation- Changes in temperature,
salinity or pressure.
 Stylus Speed Error – supply voltage fluctuation
 Thermal and Density Layers – a faint line will appear
between zero and actual depth.
 Pythagoras error – more in shallow depth
Echo sounder
 CROSS NOISE: Gain/sensitivity too high

 AERATION: Due to air bubbles, turbulence.- astern,
alteration etc
 Zero Line Adjustment error-
 Multiple Echoes- first echo is the correct depth. Start
with lower scale when phasing facility is provided
Echo sounder
 AERATION: Air bubbles in the water are caused by

the vibration and echoes caused by these air bubbles
appear as dots. This is called aeration. The density
of air bubbles varies at different parts of the ship.
The echoes before reaching the receiver can suffer
tremendous loss and thereby no echoes appear
because the acoustic energy has to pass twice
through this layer of air bubbles. Sometimes the
aeration is so high when ship is going astern, drastic
and sudden alteration of course etc.
Echo sounder
 CROSS NOISE: If the sensitivity of the amplifier is high,

just after the zero marking a narrow line along with
several irregular dots and dashes appear and this is
called cross noise. This is caused as part of the
transmitted energy is picked up directly by transducer. In
addition when aeration is present, the reflection from
these air bubbles may also result in cross noise. If the
intensity of the cross noise is high, it will completely
mask the shallow water depths. To avoid this, the
amplification should be less immediately after
transmission and increase gradually so that the weak
echoes returning from the deep water should e marked
with sufficient clarity. It is done automatically by swept
gain control circuit.
Echo sounder
 Velocity of propagation
 The velocity of sound changes when temperature,
pressure and salinity changes. The change in
pressure has very little effect whereas change in
temperature and salinity influence more on the
velocity of the acoustic wave. The depth can be
corrected to true depth from the Tables of the
velocity of Sound in pure water and sea water- refer
NP 139(HD 282).
Echo sounder
 Stylus Speed Error –

 The stylus is rotating with a certain constant speed
and the speed of the stylus is such that the time
taken for the stylus to travel from top to bottom is
exactly equal to that for a acoustic pulse to travel
twice the distance of the range selected. Due to
supply voltage fluctuation, the speed of the stylus
motor changes and the depth recorded will be
inaccurate. It should be checked periodically and
adjusted as per the instruction given in the manual.
Echo sounder
 Thermal and Density Layers

 The density of water varies with temperature and
salinity which will tend to form different layers. It is
possible for echoes to return from the surface of
these layers and a faint line will appear between zero
and actual depth.
Echo sounder
 Zero Line Adjustment error
 If the zero adjustment is not correct, the depth
recorded will not be correct.
Echo Sounder
 Multiple Echoes
 The echo may be reflected a number of times
between the keel and the sea bed, thereby giving
multiple depth marks on the record, in such a case,
the first echo is the correct depth. The correct range
has to be selected to get the actual depth. A higher
range could indicate the depth due to the multiple
echoes and mislead the user with dangerous
consequences. Hence, the Echo sounder must be
started at minimum range scale when phasing
facility is provided
Echo sounder
 Pythagoras error –
 The error is found when two transducers are used-
one for transmission and one for reception. The error
can be determined by the formula
e= d-√(d2 – x2 /4) where d is recorded depth and x is
spacing between two transducers. The error is more
dangerous in shallow depth. The error is negligible
when one transducer is used because the speed of the
ship is much less than the speed of the acoustic wave.
Echo sounder
Echo sounder

Echo Sounder

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Echo sounder

 Transmission frequency used in echo sounders is

 Propagation Characteristics of Acoustic wave

 TRANSDUCER: convert electrical energy to acoustic

 Electrostricitive transducer-(piezostrictive) works on

 Magnetostrictive transducer: -works on principle of

 Comparison: Internal installation over pierced hull:

 Echometer depth indication by neon lamp flash

 RANGING: Stylus speed is reduced for higher

 CROSS NOISE: Gain/sensitivity too high

 AERATION: Air bubbles in the water are caused by

 CROSS NOISE: If the sensitivity of the amplifier is high,

 Stylus Speed Error –

 Thermal and Density Layers

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