Windpole Ventures LLC has teamed up with Garrad Hassan Americas to conduct a year-long comparative study of ultrasonic and cup anemometers. The test will take place at three locations in Illinois, Iowa and Indiana – areas where winter anemometer icing is known to be severe.
Both types of sensors will be unheated during the 12-month test duration. Boom configuration will be standardized and recommended by the third-party engineering firm. The tests will use a Lufft ultrasonic unit, which is expected to address the problem of cup damage from falling ice and lost data as ice freezes sensors.
After the field study, Garrad Hassan will submit a complete analysis of the results. The results will be queried on three parameters: data quality comparison, ice resistance during icing events, and common causes of failure for both mechanical and ultrasonic devices.
SOURCE: Windpole Ventures LLC
