Experimental investigations of a sphere anemometer: Wind tunnel and field tests

In our contribution we will compare the sphere anemometer and two standard sensors for wind energy and meteorology based on results from laboratory and atmospheric measurements. The sphere anemometer is a drag-based sensor for simultaneous wind speed and direction measurements. The new anemometer makes use of the velocity-dependent deflection of a lightweight sphere mounted on top of a flexible tube. The deflection of the sphere is detected by means of a highly sensitive light pointer, as used in atomic force microscopy. This allows for the detection of very small displacements and thus enables a high sensor resolution. In wind tunnel experiments the sphere anemometer, a 3D sonic anemometer and a standard cup anemometer were exposed to a turbulent wind field generated with a so-called active grid. All acquired data was compared to those of a highly resolving hot-wire probe. Moreover, the sphere anemometer and the two reference sensors were installed on two near-shore sites in the German Wadden Sea. Several month of data from these campaigns were analyzed regarding wind speed and direction measurements as well as durability and stability of the new anemometer.