The Fulcrum3D Sodar measures wind speeds, direction, and inflow angle in 10m range bins from 40m to 200m, with optimal data capture in the range 50m to 150m which aligns with the operating range of modern wind turbines. Each range bin also provides a data quality assessment, and each 10 minute sample also provides other measurement statistics available on board.
You can listen to the sound pulse here - don’t forget to turn your speakers up!
The Fulcrum3D Sodar is unique in its design.
- A compact-beam mini Sodar which uses mechanically fixed beam angles to maximise accuracy and reliability of results. The beam geometry is optimised for use in both flat and complex terrain where traditional Sodars lose accuracy due to the variable wind vectors over the sensed air volume.
- The physically fixed beam angles eliminate errors introduced in electrically steered Sodars, where the steering frequency must be adjusted to take into account local temperature effects. In addition to eliminating temperature related errors, this minimises side lobes and therefore allows for a more compact system.
- The Fulcrum3D Sodar design also allows multi-beam sampling where all three beams can be sampled simultaneously. This effectively triples the sampling rate and can significantly improve data accuracy and availability.
- The Fulcrum3D Sodar is software defined and fully flexible – all the data analysis smarts are on the server-side rather than on-board the Sodar units, which means the operating algorithms and software upgrades can be remotely applied to ensure optimum results.
- Auxiliary sensors can be added and operating frequency changed to allow multiple units to be co-located without interfering with each other.
The Fulcrum3D Sodar is a portable unit, mounted on a standard box trailer, and powered by its own low-maintenance solar / battery system. It is supplied with on-board remote telemetry, meaning that it is a set-and-forget solution which reliably provides data to your desktop.
By covering the entire turbine area, Sodars have a significant advantage over traditional wind monitoring equipment using masts. Check out the other benefits here.