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Anemometer for a Study of Wind Gusts
R. H. Sherlock and M. B. Stout
Open Access
This paper describes the development of a new pressure-plate anemometer for researching the loading and strength of overhead power lines. Part of this research involves studying wind gusts at an experimental site, requiring accurate wind velocity measurements at multiple points to capture both horizontal and vertical cross-sections of the gusts. The goal was to record wind speeds exceeding 100 feet per second with high precision over very short time intervals. Existing anemometers were inadequate due to inertia errors, necessitating the development of a new device. The new anemometer uses a magnetic transmitter and oscillograph, features a natural vibration frequency of about 115 cycles per second, and can accurately record average wind velocities over intervals as short as one-eighth of a second. This minimized errors from tilting, temperature changes, and wind angle. The project, supported by the National Electric Light Association, aimed to measure wind forces on power lines and involved setting up an experimental pole line and obtaining comprehensive wind data throughout 1929.