Experimental Evaluation of a 3D-Printed Fluidic System for a Directional Anemometer

Area of Science:

• Mechanical Engineering
• Fluid Dynamics
• Instrumentation

Background:

• Traditional anemometers can be complex and expensive.
• A formalized principle exists for estimating wind velocity and incidence angle using differential pressures across a cylinder.
• Previous experimental validation of novel channel structures for this principle has been lacking.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose an evolution of a previously designed anemometer.
• To incorporate 3D printing for fabricating the fluidic channel structure.
• To experimentally validate two novel, theoretically predicted channel structures.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing a principle combining differential pressures measured across distinct cylinder diameters.
• Employing 3D printing for the fabrication of the fluidic channel structure.
• Integrating low-power commercial sensors for pressure readings.
• Conducting detailed experiments in a wind tunnel.

Main Results:

• Successful fabrication of the proposed anemometer using 3D printing.
• Experimental validation of two original channel structures.
• Demonstration of the device's capability to measure wind velocity and incidence angle.

Conclusions:

• The proposed 3D-printed anemometer is a cost-effective evolution of existing designs.
• The fabrication method is accessible to small enterprises and research labs.
• The experimental results confirm the theoretical predictions for the novel channel structures.