ECHO SOUNDER

Echo : a sound caused by the

reflection of sound waves from
a surface back to the listener.
Sounding : the action of
measuring the depth of a liquid

The term echo-sounder

describes a way of using
sound to measure
distances underwater.

SOLAS Requirement for carriage of

echo sounder
All ships of 300 gross tonnage and
upwards and passenger ships
irrespective of size shall, be fitted with
an echo sounding device, or other
electronic means, to measure and
display the available depth of water;

Basic Principle of echo sounder

A Short pulse of Sound energy (acoustic
Pulses) are transmitted vertically down
from the ship and reflected back as echo
after striking seabed.
The time taken for the return of echo
depends upon the depth of water and
speed of sound through water.

 Speed of sound through water is

taken as 1500 m/s for calculation
purpose
How ever velocity of sound in water
can vary approx 1445-1535 m/sec
depending upon temperature and
salinity.

 The echo-sounder times how long the

pulse of sound takes to travel to the
sea bed and back up to the ship.
The depth of the water can be
calculated using the formula:
Distance = Time/2 X Speed Of
Sound In Water

Parts Of Echo Sounder

Basically an echo sounder has following

parts:
Display unit
Transducer
Pulse generator
Amplifier
Recorder

Display Unit
This is located on the navigational bridge
.The display unit can be a paper recording
type or digital type. The main function is to
record and display the depth after
measuring .

Pulse Generator
This produces electrical pulses which
are send to transducer .
The pulse generator can be
integrated into display unit or
completely separated depending upon
manufacturer

Transducer
This is located at the bottom of ship in a tank
known as transducer compartment . The
transducer converts electrical pulses into sound
waves (acoustic energy ) at a frequency of 12 khz
to 200 khz . An internal clock starts at this time.
These pulses are directed towards the seabed
with the help of transducer and when pulses are
reflected back from seabed , the transducer
converts the reflected sound waves into electrical
pulses.

Amplifier
The electrical signals received from transducer
are passing through an amplifier to increase
the strength of received signal.
The internal clock notes the time when pulse is
returned and so the time taken in measured.

Block Diagram

What is ranging ?
In an echo sounder the stylus is rotating with
certain constant speed and transmission takes
place when the stylus passes the zero mark.
When higher range scale is selected, the
transmission will still take place when the
stylus comes to zero. But the stylus speed is
reduced because the stylus has to remain on
the paper for longer period of time since the
echos are returning from greater depths.
This system is known as RANGING .

Ranges are
0 - 100 mtrs
0 200 mtrs
0 300 mtrs
0 400 mtrs
and so on.
Since the same length of paper now covers a
larger depth the graduations become closer and it
becomes difficult to read the depth accurately.
PHASING arrangement is used to avoid this.

What is phasing ?
PHASING
is a method used in echo sounder to determine
depth of the sea bottom. In this method the
speed of the stylus is kept constant and the
range scale is changed from 0-100 mtrs , 100200 mtrs , 200-300 mtrs and so on. It is
important that the echo sounder range changed
and regularly checked.

Errors in Echo sounder

Stylus Speed Error.

Velocity of Propagation Error
Multiple echoes
Zero Line Adjustment Error
Pythagoras Error
Thermal and density Layers
Aeration

Stylus Speed Error.

This is occurred due to the changes in the
speed of the Stylus.
The speed of stylus is such that the time
taken by the stylus to travel from top to
bottom on chart is same as the time taken
by sound wave to travel twice the range is
selected .

Velocity of Propagation Error

The velocity of Acoustic waves vary
according to temperature, Pressure, or
Salinity Changes
The Salinity and Temperature have a
large effect on the Acoustic Waves.
The velocity taken for calculation of
acoustic waves is 1500 m/sec

Multiple

echoes

This is caused in the shallow water with a rocky

bottom due to some of the sound pulses
reflecting up and down between the ships keel
and the sea bottom before being recorded on the
display
The first echo is always the correct one.
Phasing Facility must be used to eliminate
multiple echoes, Eco Sounder must be started at
lowest scale.

Zero Line Adjustment Error

The Zero Line indicator

must be correct to get the
correct depth.

Pythagoras Error
This error is caused when two
transducer is fitted, The cause
of error is related to Spacing
between the Transmitting
Transducer and Receiving
Transducer.

Thermal and density Layers.

The Faint Layer caused due to the
return of the waves in each Ocean
Layers. These Layers are formed due
to the Different Salinity and
temperature. It Appears on the Graph
between Zero and Actual Depth.

Aeration
Presence of air bubbles below the
transducer gives rise to false echoes.
Air bubbles are normally caused
when a vessel goes stern , turbulence
when rudder is put hard over or due
to pitching when vessel is in light
condition.