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BucketFlow – Water Flow Rate Calculator

August 1, 2013 in AppStore, BucketFlow, iOS | Leave a comment

Water by the Bucket!
As a companion to my NotchFlow App I have just released the free BucketFlow App. Where as NotchFlow measure water flowing over a V-notch weir, BucketFlow measures water flow by timing how long it takes to fill a fixed sized container.

In addition to calculating the flow, BucketFlow also estimates the population that could be supported by a given flow-rate using one of five predefined per capita water usage profiles.

However if that is not what you want, BucketFlow can perform its calculations three different ways:

  • Flow and population calculated from a given fill-time
  • Fill-time and population calculated from a given flow
  • Fill-time and flow calculated from a given population

Additional information about the App can be found on the BucketFlow website

Picture it
Here are some screen shots of the BucketFlow App:

BucketFlow Calculations

Calculations
BucketFlow Preferences

Preferences
BucketFlow Information

Information

The Calculations screen shows the flow (238 l/hr) and population (57) being calculated when a container (1l) fills in a given time (15s). But the calculation screen also allows the other two calculation types to be easily selected.

The Preferences screen shows the three main configurable preferences:

  • The units system: Metric, Imperial and US
  • The per capita daily water consumption profile
  • The size of the container being filled

The Information screen shows the wide range of information and design notes built into BucketFlow.

Source of my inspiration
The idea for this App came about while attending the EWB USA South East conference last year. As part of a session on mixing concrete, the flow rate of a garden hose was being estimate by timing the filling of a bucket with a stop watch and then doing a manual calculation. When I saw this a light bulb went off in my head as I saw how I could adapt my NotchFlow App to do the timing and calculation in one. It’s amazing how a little practical experience can stimulate the mind – and in hind-sight I think that I should have written BucketFlow before NotchFlow.

Adios
I hope people find this App useful, and I look forward to releasing my next App!

Ciao, Peter