Ultrasonic Anemometer Passes Ice Free Operation Test

Last year, Lufft (Germany) released the robust Ventus ultrasonic wind sensor with corrosive resistant metal housing to the wind turbine industry. Already used in numerous environmental applications around the world. Lufft intelligent weather sensors are ideal for wind turbine applications in extreme environmental conditions such as a northern winter of offshore, according to the company.

The ultrasonic wind sensor is designed without mechanical parts like the traditional “cups and vanes”. The digital or analog output delivers instantaneous average, minimum, or maximum value with flexible measuring rate.

The Ventus ultrasonic wind sensor includes a 240W heater for use in cold weather climates. In late 2009, the Lufft wind sensor passed a military standardized ice test proving the Ventus wind sensor works well for ice-free operation. The test involved one hour of extreme cold followed by four hours of blowing rain at a temperature of –1.4 degrees C. The data quality remained positive througout the test.