Wind measurement apparatus based on 3D non-orthogonal ultrasonic sensor array

Abstract

The present invention provides a wind measurement apparatus based on 3D (three dimensional) non-orthogonal ultrasonic sensor array, the ultrasonic sensor array is composed of two group of ultrasonic sensors, which are centrosymmetrically located at opposite sides, and the angle formed by connecting any two ultrasonic sensors at a side to the symmetry point O is less than 90°, the arrangement of 3D non-orthogonal ultrasonic sensor array reduces the generation of turbulence, thus, the accurate wind speed and wind direction is obtained. In the mean time, the central channel is employed to obtain a reference wind speed v.sub.ref. Comparing the speed component v.sub.central along central channel of the wind under measurement with the reference wind speed v.sub.ref, if the difference is less than a present threshold, then computing module outputs the measurement results, or discards them, thus the wind measurement accuracy is further improved.

Claims

1. A wind measurement apparatus comprising: a three-dimensional (3D) non-orthogonal ultrasonic sensor array, and a processor and circuit configured to function as a computing module and a comparator, wherein: the 3D non-orthogonal ultrasonic sensor array includes at least eight ultrasonic sensors such that: a first at least four ultrasonic sensors are mounted at one side of the array, and the first at least four ultrasonic sensors are arranged where one ultrasonic sensor is at a center and other at least three ultrasonic sensors are grouped around the one ultrasonic sensor such that the at least three ultrasonic sensors form a equilateral triangle; a second at least four ultrasonic sensors are mounted at an opposite side of the array, and the second four ultrasonic sensors are arranged where one ultrasonic sensor is at the center and the other at least three ultrasonic sensors are grouped around the one ultrasonic sensor such that the at least three ultrasonic sensors form a equilateral triangle, the arrangement of the second four ultrasonic sensors being a centrosymmetric arrangement to the first at least four ultrasonic sensors; the symmetry point of the first at least four ultrasonic sensors and the second at least four ultrasonic sensors is O, the angle formed by connecting any two ultrasonic sensors at a side to the symmetry point O is less than 90°; the two central ultrasonic sensors respectively at two sides form a central channel; a non-central ultrasonic sensor at one side and its centrosymmetric ultrasonic sensor at the opposite side form a measurement channel such that at least three measurement channels are provided; the central channel is along a west-east direction or a south-north direction, the wind speed measured by central channel is v.sub.ref, the wind speeds measured by three measurement channels are v.sub.1,v.sub.2 and v.sub.3 respectively; the computing module is configured to: calculate the speed v, azimuth angle φ and pitch angle θ of the wind under measurement according to the wind speeds v.sub.1,v.sub.2 and v.sub.3, and determine the speed component v.sub.central along central channel of the wind under measurement according to the speed v, azimuth angle φ and pitch angle θ; the comparator is configured to: compare the speed component v.sub.central with wind speed v.sub.ref measured by central channel, in response to the difference of the speed component v.sub.central and wind speed v.sub.ref being less than a present threshold, determining that the calculation of the speed v, azimuth angle φ and pitch angle θ of the wind are correct, and outputting the calculated speed v, azimuth angle φ and pitch angle θ of the wind, and in response to determining that the calculation of the speed v, azimuth angle φ and pitch angle θ of the wind not being correct, discarding the calculated speed v, azimuth angle φ and pitch angle θ of the wind.

2. The wind measurement apparatus based on 3D non-orthogonal ultrasonic sensor array according to claim 1, wherein: the first at least four ultrasonic sensors are mounted at a northern side (N), the second at least four ultrasonic sensors are mounted at a southern side (S), and the symmetry point of the first at least four ultrasonic sensors and the second at least four ultrasonic sensors is O, and the angle formed by connecting any two ultrasonic sensors at a side to the symmetry point O is less than 90°.

3. The wind measurement apparatus based on 3D non-orthogonal ultrasonic sensor array according to claim 2, wherein: except for the central ultrasonic sensor at the northern side (N), the angle formed by connecting any two ultrasonic sensors at northern side (N) to the symmetry point O is 60°; the direction from the south (S) to the north (N) is taken as Y axis, the direction from the west (W) to the east (E) is taken as X axis, the direction from the lower (L) to the upper (U) is taken as Z axis; the first measurement channel is from the lower southwest to the upper northeast, a wind speed measured by the first measurement channel is v.sub.1, the second measurement channel is from the lower southeast to the upper northwest, a wind speed measured by the second measurement channel is v.sub.2, the third measurement channel is from the upper south to the lower north, a wind speed measured by the third measurement channel is v.sub.3; in response to the wind blowing from the south, all the measured wind speeds are positive where the Y axis is taken as a positive direction; the speed v, azimuth angle φ and pitch angle θ of the wind under measurement are obtained according to the following equations: $v=.Math.\stackrel{.fwdarw.}{v}.Math.=\sqrt{x^2+y^2+z^2}$ $\phi =\{\begin{array}{cc}\arctan \frac{y}{x}& \mathrm{if}x>0\\ 180°+\arctan \frac{y}{x}& \mathrm{if}x<0\mathrm{and}y\ge 0\\ -180°+\arctan \frac{y}{x}& \mathrm{if}x<0\mathrm{and}y<0\\ 90°& \mathrm{if}x=0\mathrm{and}y>0\\ -90°& \mathrm{if}x=0\mathrm{and}y<0\end{array}\theta =\arctan \frac{z}{\sqrt{x^2+y^2}}{v}_{\mathrm{ref}}=y\mathrm{where}\text{:}x=\frac{2\sqrt{3}}{3}\left(v_1-v_2\right),y=\frac{2\sqrt{3}}{98}\left(v_1+v_2+v_3\right),z=\frac{2}{3}\left(-2v_1+v_2+v_3\right).$

4. The wind measurement apparatus based on 3D non-orthogonal ultrasonic sensor array according to claim 1, further comprising: eight hollow threaded rods, two pieces of annular supporting plate, a horizontal supporting rod, a circuit box and a vertical supporting bracket, wherein: at least two pieces of annular supporting plates are located at northern side (N) and southern side (S) respectively, the at least two pieces of annular supporting plates are mounted vertically at the two ends of the horizontal supporting rod, the first at least four ultrasonic sensors are mounted at the northern annular supporting plate through four hollow threaded rods respectively, the second at least four ultrasonic sensors are mounted at the southern annular supporting plate though another four hollow threaded rods respectively, the circuit box has a horizontal hole at the upper part, the horizontal supporting rod passes the horizontal hole and is fixed to the circuit box, the lower end face of the circuit box is fixed to the upper end face of the vertical supporting bracket, and the lower end face of the vertical supporting bracket is fixed at an installation position.

5. The wind measurement apparatus based on 3D non-orthogonal ultrasonic sensor array according to claim 1, wherein each hollow threaded rod has 6 sections of threads, which correspond to 150 mm, 200 mm, 300 mm, 400 mm, 500 mm and 600 mm of transmitting distances, where the transmitting distances respectively correspond to a distance of two ultrasonic sensors of a channel, and the transmitting distance is adjusted by screwing different section of thread into a hollow threaded rod.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

(1) The above and other objectives, features and advantages of the present invention will be more apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 is a diagram of a traditional 3D (three-dimensional) orthogonal ultrasonic sensor array for wind measurement in prior art;

(3) FIG. 2 is a diagram of a horizontal plane for wind measurement in prior art;

(4) FIG. 3 is a structure diagram of a wind measurement apparatus based on 3D (three dimensional) non-orthogonal ultrasonic sensor array according to one embodiment of the present invention;

(5) FIG. 4 is a diagram of a 3D (three dimensional) non-orthogonal ultrasonic sensor array according to one embodiment of the present invention;

(6) FIG. 5 is a structure diagram of annular supporting plate according to one embodiment of the present invention;

(7) FIG. 6 is a structure diagram of a hollow threaded rod according to one embodiment of the present invention;

(8) FIG. 7 is a structure diagram of a empty circuit box according to one embodiment of the present invention;

(9) FIG. 8 is a structure diagram of a circuit box in which the circuit boards are installed according to one embodiment of the present invention;

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

(10) Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the similar modules are designated by similar reference numerals although they are illustrated in different drawings. Also, in the following description, a detailed description of known functions and configurations incorporated herein will be omitted when it may obscure the subject matter of the present invention.

Embodiment

(11) FIG. 3 is a structure diagram of a wind measurement apparatus based on 3D (three dimensional) non-orthogonal ultrasonic sensor array according to one embodiment of the present invention.

(12) In one embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, a structure diagram of a wind measurement apparatus based on 3D (three dimensional) non-orthogonal ultrasonic sensor array according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises a 3D non-orthogonal ultrasonic sensor array 1, eight hollow threaded rods 2-1, 2-2, . . . , 2-8, two pieces of annular supporting plate 3-1, 3-2, a horizontal supporting rod 4, a circuit box 5, a vertical supporting bracket 6, a computing module and a comparator. The 3D non-orthogonal ultrasonic sensor array 1 is composed of eight ultrasonic sensors 1-1, 1-2, . . . , 1-8. The computing module and the comparator are installed in circuit box 5 and not illustrated in FIG. 3.

(13) As shown in FIG. 4, the 3D non-orthogonal ultrasonic sensor array 1 comprises eight ultrasonic sensors 1-1, 1-2, . . . , 1-8, the first four ultrasonic sensors 1-1, 1-3, 1-5, 1-7 are mounted at one side, the arrangement of the first four ultrasonic sensors 1-1, 1-3, 1-5, 1-7 is that one is at the center, the other three around it and form a equilateral triangle.

(14) In the embodiment, As shown in FIG. 4, the first four ultrasonic sensors 1-1, 1-3, 1-5, 1-7 are mounted at northern side (N), the ultrasonic sensor 1-7 is at the center, the other three ultrasonic sensors 1-1, 1-3, 1-5 around it and form a equilateral triangle.

(15) The second four ultrasonic sensors 1-2, 1-4, 1-6, 1-8 are mounted at the opposite side, the arrangement of the second four ultrasonic sensors 1-2, 1-4, 1-6, 1-8 is that one is at the center, the other three around it and form a equilateral triangle, the arrangement of the second four ultrasonic sensors 1-2, 1-4, 1-6, 1-8 is the centrosymmetric arrangement of the first four ultrasonic sensors 1-1, 1-3, 1-5, 1-7.

(16) In the embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the second four ultrasonic sensors 1-2, 1-4, 1-6, 1-8 are mounted at southern side (S), the ultrasonic sensor 1-8 is at the center, the other three ultrasonic sensors 1-2, 1-4, 1-6 around it and form a equilateral triangle.

(17) The symmetry point of the first four ultrasonic sensors 1-1, 1-3, 1-5, 1-7 and the second four ultrasonic sensors 1-2, 1-4, 1-6, 1-8 is O, the angle formed by connecting any two ultrasonic sensors at a side to the symmetry point O is less than 90°.

(18) Except the central ultrasonic sensor 1-7, the angle formed by connecting any two ultrasonic sensors at northern side (N) to the symmetry point O is 60°, thus the ultrasonic sensors 1-1, 1-3, 1-5 and the symmetry point O form a regular triangular pyramid. Similarly, except the central ultrasonic sensor 1-8, the angle formed by connecting any two ultrasonic sensors at southern side (S) to the symmetry point O is 60°, thus the ultrasonic sensors 1-2, 1-4, 1-6 and the symmetry point O form another regular triangular pyramid.

(19) Two central ultrasonic sensors 1-7, 1-8 respectively at two sides (northern side and southern side) form a central channel, the other ultrasonic sensor 1-1, 1-3, 1-5 at one side (northern side) and its centrosymmetric ultrasonic sensor 1-2, 1-4, 1-6 at the opposite side (southern side) form a measurement channel, thus three measurement channels are obtained, where the central channel is along south-north direction (or the west-east direction), i.e. from the ultrasonic sensor 1-8 to ultrasonic sensor 1-7, the wind speed measured by central channel is v.sub.ref, the wind speeds measured by three measurement channels are v.sub.1, v.sub.2 and v.sub.3 respectively

(20) In the embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the direction from the south (S) to the north (N) is taken as Y axis, the direction from the west (W) to the east (E) is taken as X axis, the direction from the lower (L) to the upper (U) is taken as Z axis. The first measurement channel is from the lower southwest to the upper northeast, i.e. from the ultrasonic sensor 1-2 to ultrasonic sensor 1-1, a wind speed measured by the first measurement channel is v.sub.1. The second measurement channel is from the lower southeast to the upper northwest, i.e. from the ultrasonic sensor 1-4 to ultrasonic sensor 1-3, a wind speed measured by the second measurement channel is v.sub.2, The third measurement channel is from the upper south to the lower north, i.e. from the ultrasonic sensor 1-6 to ultrasonic sensor 1-5, a wind speed measured by the third measurement channel is v.sub.3. Thus the line connecting ultrasonic sensor 1-1 and ultrasonic sensor 1-3 is parallel to X axis, the line connecting ultrasonic sensor 1-2 and ultrasonic sensor 1-4 is also parallel to X axis. The third measurement channel is located on the vertical plane of Y-Z, so the wind speed v.sub.3 is unrelated to X axis. If the wind blows from the south, all the measured wind speeds are positive, i.e. taking direction of Y axis as positive direction.

(21) The computing module calculates the speed v, azimuth angle φ and pitch angle θ of the wind under measurement according to the wind speeds v.sub.1,v.sub.2 and v.sub.3, then the speed component v.sub.central along central channel of the wind under measurement is obtained according to the speed v, azimuth angle φ and pitch angle θ.

(22) In the embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the wind vector {right arrow over (v)} is:

(23) $\begin{array}{cc}\stackrel{.fwdarw.}{v}=\left[x,y,z\right]=\left[\frac{2\sqrt{3}}{3}\left(v_1-v_2\right),\frac{2\sqrt{3}}{9}\left(v_1+v_2+v_3\right),\frac{2}{3}\left(-2v_1+v_2+v_3\right)\right]& \left(4\right)\end{array}$

(24) Then, based on geometric knowledge, the speed v, azimuth angle φ and pitch angle θ of the wind under measurement can be obtained according to the following equations:

(25) $\begin{array}{cc}v=.Math.\stackrel{.fwdarw.}{v}.Math.=\sqrt{x^2+y^2+z^2}\phi =\{\begin{array}{cc}\arctan \frac{y}{x}& \mathrm{if}x>0\\ 180°+\arctan \frac{y}{x}& \mathrm{if}x<0\mathrm{and}y\ge 0\\ -180°+\arctan \frac{y}{x}& \mathrm{if}x<0\mathrm{and}y<0\\ 90°& \mathrm{if}x=0\mathrm{and}y>0\\ -90°& \mathrm{if}x=0\mathrm{and}y<0\end{array}\theta =\arctan \frac{z}{\sqrt{x^2+y^2}}{v}_{\mathrm{ref}}=y& \left(5\right)\end{array}$

(26) The comparator compares the speed component v.sub.central with wind speed v.sub.ref measured by central channel, if the difference of the speed component v.sub.central and wind speed v.sub.ref is less than a present threshold, the measurement results, i.e. the speed v, azimuth angle φ and pitch angle θ of the wind are correct, the comparator lets the computing module output the measurement results, or the measurement results are not correct, the comparator lets the computing module discard the measurement results.

(27) In the embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, two pieces of annular supporting plate 3-1, 3-2 are located at northern side (N) and southern side (S) respectively, and mounted vertically at the two ends of the horizontal supporting rod 4, the first four ultrasonic sensors 1-1, 1-3, 1-5, 1-7 are mounted at northern annular supporting plate 3-1 through four hollow threaded rods 2-1, 2-3, 2-5, 2-7 respectively, the second four ultrasonic sensors 1-2, 1-4, 1-6, 1-8 are mounted at southern annular supporting plate 3-2 though another four hollow threaded rods 2-2, 2-4, 2-6, 2-8, respectively.

(28) In the embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, the annular supporting plate 3-1 at the northern side has four threaded holes H into which the four hollow threaded rods 2-1, 2-3, 2-5, 2-7 are screwed respectively. As shown in FIG. 6, each hollow threaded rod has 6 sections of threads, which correspond to 150 mm, 200 mm, 300 mm, 400 mm, 500 mm and 600 mm of transmitting distances, i.e. the distance of two ultrasonic sensors of a channel. the transmitting distance can be adjusted by screwing different section of thread into a hollow threaded rod. the lower end of the hollow threaded rod in FIG. 6 is screwed into a hollow threaded rod, the upper end of the hollow threaded rod in FIG. 6 is mounted with a ultrasonic sensor.

(29) In the embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 7, the circuit box 5 has a horizontal hole 501 at the upper part, the horizontal supporting rod 4 passes the horizontal hole 501 and is fixed to the circuit box 5. The lower end face of the circuit box 5 is fixed to the upper end face of the vertical supporting bracket 6, and the lower end face of the vertical supporting bracket 6 is fixed at a installation position. The circuit board for computing module and the comparator, the main control board and the transmitting and receiving board for measuring wind speeds v.sub.1, v.sub.2, v.sub.3 and v.sub.ref installed in the circuit box 5. the main control board and the transmitting and receiving board are conventional, and not described herein.

(30) While illustrative embodiments of the invention have been described above, it is, of course, understand that various modifications will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. Such modifications are within the spirit and scope of the invention, which is limited and defined only by the appended claims.