AN INTEGRATED WIND SPEED AND WIND DIRECTION SENSOR

THE FEASIBILITY OF USING A CONVENTIONAL 3-CUP ANEMOMETER AND A HEATED THERMISTOR TO OBTAIN WIND SPEED AND WIND DIRECTION IS PROPOSED. THE TECHNIQUE ONLY REQUIRESKNOWLEDGE OF MONITORING THE ROTATION RATE OF THE ANEMOMETER AND DETERMINING THE PEAK RESPONSE OF A HEATED THERMISTOR WHICH IS EXPOSED TO THE FLOW ONCE WITH EACH REVOLUTION OF THE CUP ANEMOMETER VIA A SENSING PORT. THE TECHNIQUE DOES NOT REQUIRE ABSOLUTE STABILITY OF THE MAGNITUDE OR SHAPE OF THE SIGNAL GENERATED BY THE HEATED THERMISTOR. IF THIS INSTRUMENT PROVES TO HAVE ADEQUATE SENSITIVITY AND ACCURACY, IT COULD BE EASILY CONSTRUCTED, RELATIVELY INEXPENSIVE, AND WOULD LEND ITSELF TO LOW POWER CONSUMPTION.