An anemometer is a device that measures the wind’s properties, like Wind speed, direction, and pressure. It’s been around for hundreds of years, with varying levels of accuracy. With advances in technology, today’s high-speed anemometer can be very precise.

Anemometers have a wide range of applications in various fields. Some Anemometers measure wind power for renewable energy projects. They also help meteorologists predict the weather by differentiating between high and low-wind conditions, especially during storms.

There are different types of anemometers, and some are more common than others. Finding the right anemometer can be daunting. Learn more about the types of anemometers with widespread use.

Cup Anemometers

The cup anemometer is one of the oldest and simplest types of anemometers. It measures wind speed by counting the number of rotations a set of cups makes. Cup anemometers can be a simple handheld wind meter or mounted on a tower or pole.

Vane Anemometers

This type of anemometer measures wind speed by using vanes, which are similar to propellers attached to either a stationary or rotating shaft. The wind moves the vanes around it and starts rotating the shaft. A sensor then records this action.

Windmill Anemometers

Windmill anemometers work like cup anemometers. It looks similar to a windmill, but it has an axis that runs parallel to the wind direction instead of perpendicular to it. It has an aerovane that helps keep the axis in the correct direction. The aerovane has a tail and a propeller to measure the speed and direction of the wind.

Laser Doppler Anemometers

This type of high-speed anemometer uses the Doppler effect to measure wind. The device uses light split into two beams. When one beam enters the anemometer, the light reflected off air particles is used to calculate the velocity.

Hot-Wire Anemometers

Also called thermal anemometers, hot-wire anemometers can measure both wind speed and wind pressure. These work by heating a wire to a set temperature and then measuring how quickly the wire cools down. This tells us how fast the wind is moving and in which direction it is going.

Ultrasonic Anemometers

This is one of the most complicated types of anemometers. It uses sound waves to calculate wind speed. These anemometers are highly sensitive to slight wind changes and are weather resistant.

Pressure Anemometers

These anemometers measure wind pressure. They have several subtypes:

• Plate anemometers use the wind’s compression to a spring to measure its actual force.
• Pressure tube anemometers work by measuring the difference between the air pressure when the wind is blowing into a tube and when it’s blowing across a tube.
• Pitot tube anemometers are multifunctional pressure tube anemometers that measure not just air pressure but also air velocity, airflow, and temperature.

Get Your Anemometers From a Trusted Name

Are you looking to buy a handheld anemometer? The best for you depends on your needs and what type of data you want to collect. Comptus is here to help make sense of them all and find the perfect one for your specific application. Contact us today and request a quote.

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