Digital Wind Vane

Abstract: An anemometer is a device used for measuring the speed of wind, and is also a common weather station instrument used in meteorology. As the propeller anemometer makes propulsion when it is exposed to the opposite direction of wind which gives wind speed. The wind speed is calculated based on the number of rotations made by the propeller shaft; the rpm of the shaft can be measured using the Infineon’s 3D Magnetic Sensor 2Go kit. Thus the wind speed can be calculated using: wind speed = c x rpm, where ‘c’ is the propeller constant derived from its structure. Wind direction is commonly measured using wind vane pointing towards the wind direction. And the direction of the wind is determined by the tail of the propeller anemometer because it is designed in such a way to align parallel with wind direction. Infineon’s 3D Magnetic Sensor 2Go kit is used to sense the direction of the wind vane.

Design Steps: The step-by-step to design the digital wind vane is shown in the following steps.

Step 1: Selecting the parts

Plastic sheet of 5mm is cut in such a way that the ball bearing is to fit in the hole and the dimensions are maintained to fit the wind vane shaft and the 3d magnetic sensor.

Step 2: Place the ball bearing on the bearing mount side of the box and glue it. the shaft of the wind vane is to place in the inner diameter of the bearing.

Step 3: The designed parts for the wind vane are attached to make the anemometer. The 10cm diameter fan is placed on the shaft and a fin tail is attached to make the anemometer to point out the direction of the wind.

Step 4: Magnet is placed closer to the Infineon's 3D Magnetic Sensor 2GO kit to measure the angle made by the wind vane shaft.

Step 5: The overall step-up to measure the wind speed and direction using propeller anemometer is shown in the below figure.

Step 6: The anemometer is interfaced to the Laptop and linked to the GUI software to record the data. This digital sensor is more useful to acquire the digital data and can be handy device to the meteorologists.

Step 7: The GUI software is opened in the PC it view as shown in figure

Step 8: The 3D Magnetic Sensor 2GO is linked to the GUI software and start to record the data it has different viewing options to visualized the data in the GUI itself. Also the data can be saved to the .xls file for future analysis.

Step 9: Joystick view indicates the direction of wind flow which was measured by the 3D magnetic sensor.

Step 10: The angle made by the shaft with the wind direction is shown in the GUI in terms of polar coordinates which gives the wind direction from the sensor.

Step 11: data is visualized in linear momentum state

Step 12: The demonstration, measuring of data, saving in .xls file is shown in the following video.

In the present project idea, Wind speed is measured when magnet placed to propeller shaft and 3D magnetic sensor close to it, counts the rotation in a minute. Wind direction can measure when the other magnet paced to vane shaft and 3D magnetic sensor close to it, angle made by magnet to sensor is proportional to the wind direction. TLE493D magnetic sensor is used to measure the rpm and direction of the propeller which can ultimately derive the wind velocity which is very much useful to the meteorologist to map the winds. The wind maps are helpful for farmers, industrialists, forecasters, etc. As the TLE493D is a digital magnetic sensor so it is easy to interface MCU to record the data through I2C communication mode. Infineon’s 3D Magnetic Sensor 2Go kit is useful to design an anemometer device to measure both wind speed and direction. As the manufacture is providing free software GUI it is easy to visualize the data in real-time in graph or polar or joystick mode. The data can be saved digital for future analysis and share, if the TLE493D is interface to the IoT MCU then the device data can be monitor remotely by the meteorologists.

Conclusion: The wind vane designed for the anemometer to measure the wind direction in a particular area is useful to the industrialist to located their chummy to avoid more air pollution and their effect on humans, in agriculture to spray the pesticides wind direction is important parameter to measure, in weather forecasting by the meteorologists the direction of cyclones, storms are estimated to avoid loss of life and property. The Infineon's 3D magnetic sensor 2GO kit has the capability to record the data and visualize in GUI software in real-time. This tiny device can be used for handheld anemometers to measure wind speed and direction.