Let’s first review what an anemometer is before talking about the benefits of ultrasonic wind sensors and anemometers. An instrument used to measure air velocity is called an anemometer. There are several varieties, the most widely used one in weather stations being the wind cup anemometer. It is primarily made up of three empty parabolic cone cups that are fixed at a 120° angle on the bracket. The empty cup’s concave surface faces only one direction. A vertical rotating shaft holds the entire sensing component in place. The wind cup revolves around the shaft in response to wind, at a speed determined by the wind’s force.
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The basic working principle of an anemometer is its adoption of the calorimetric principle for wind speed measurement. The fundamental idea is to submerge a thin metal wire in the fluid and use current to heat it to a temperature greater than the fluid’s, so the metal The term “hotline” refers to the silk anemometer. A portion of the heat generated by the fluid will be removed from the metal wire when it flows through it vertically, causing its temperature to decrease. It can be inferred from the theory of forced convection heat exchange that the fluid’s velocity (v) and the amount of heat (Q) lost by the heating wire are related.
The wind speed sensor is an intelligent device that is easy to use, highly reliable, and performs well. In greenhouses, environmental protection, weather stations, and breeding grounds, it is widely applicable for measuring wind speed. There are numerous varieties of wind speed sensors, which can be further classified as ultrasonic, Hall effect electromagnetic, propeller, Pitot tube, hot wire, and electronic wind speed sensors. In contrast to the conventional wind speed meter, the ultrasonic wind speed sensor offers several functions, high measurement accuracy, and a relatively straightforward probe structure. It takes the place of the conventional wind speed and direction sensor in many applications. In some field precision measurement tasks, such as urban environmental monitoring, wind power generation, weather monitoring, bridges and tunnels, marine ships, aviation airports, various fan manufacturing industries, and exhaust system-required industries, people will choose ultrasonic wind speed sensors.
Anemometer benefits:
1. tiny size, minimal flow field interference;
2. Broad scope of applications. It works with both gas and liquid, and it can be applied to subsonic, transonic, and supersonic gas flow;
3. Excellent repeatability and high measurement accuracy. The probe’s slight interference with the flow field and the hot wire’s susceptibility to breaking are the hot wire anemometer’s drawbacks.
4. It can measure not only the average speed but also the pulsation and turbulence; it can measure not only the unidirectional motion but also the velocity components in multiple directions simultaneously.
The ultrasonic wind direction and speed sensor’s working principle
The ultrasonic time difference method is the primary means by which the ultrasonic wind speed and direction sensor measures wind direction and speed. The airflow speed in the direction of the wind will be superimposed on top of the sound propagation speed in the atmosphere. The ultrasonic wave will accelerate if its propagation direction aligns with that of the wind; if not, it will slow down. As a result, under fixed detection conditions, the wind speed function and the speed of ultrasonic propagation in the air can be found by calculation, yielding precise wind direction and speed.
Ultrasonic anemometer benefits:
In contrast to conventional wind speed and direction sensors, ultrasonic wind sensors don’t need to be calibrated on-site or maintained. It has a 360° angle limit, no start wind speed limit, and the ability to obtain wind speed and direction data simultaneously. It also has no moving parts, which reduces wear and extends service life. Finally, it uses random error recognition technology to ensure low measurement dispersion error even in strong winds, improving output stability.
The use of an ultrasonic wind sensor
1. The mining and industrial sectors can make use of ultrasonic wind direction and speed sensors. For instance, inadequate ventilation frequently results in mine accidents. Thus, in order to prevent risky circumstances in the future, we must comprehend more precise subterranean data in real-time;
2. The creation of new energy sources may benefit from the application of ultrasonic wind sensors. Certain vital equipment is highly vulnerable to variations in wind speed;
3. Tower cranes can make use of the ultrasonic anemometer. The crane will sound an alarm if strong winds interfere with its operations;
4. The field of meteorology can also make use of ultrasonic wind sensors.
Low accuracy and unstable wind speed and direction measurement are issues with traditional methods. The development of ultrasonic wind direction and speed sensors has allowed us to reliably gather data while also ensuring the security of people and property.
