Cup anemometers and propeller anemometers are both devices used to measure wind speed, but they differ in their principle of operation and construction.

Working Principle:

Cup anemometer: it uses one or more wind cups to measure wind speed. The cups are usually made of lightweight material and can rotate freely. When the wind blows through the cups, due to the interaction between the rotational resistance of the cups and the inertial force of the wind, the cups will rotate with a certain angular velocity. The greater the wind speed, the greater the angular velocity of rotation. By measuring the rotational angular velocity of the wind cup, the wind speed can be calculated.

Propeller anemometer: It uses a small propeller as a sensing component to measure wind speed. The propeller rotates when the wind blows over it. The speed of rotation of the propeller is directly proportional to the wind speed. By measuring the rotational speed of the propeller, the wind speed can be calculated.

Structure:

Cup anemometer: usually consists of a stand, wind cup, measurement circuit, etc.. The wind cup is the core component, which is used to feel the wind force and rotate. Measuring circuit includes sensor and signal processing circuit, which is used to measure the rotational angular velocity of the wind cup and convert it to wind speed output.

Propeller anemometer: usually consists of bracket, propeller, measurement circuit and so on. The propeller is the core component, which is used to feel the wind force and rotate. Measuring circuit includes sensor and signal processing circuit, which is used to measure the rotational speed of the propeller and convert it to wind speed output.

To summarize, cup anemometers and propeller anemometers differ in structure and working principle. A cup anemometer calculates wind speed by measuring the rotational angular velocity of the cup, while a propeller anemometer calculates wind speed by measuring the rotational velocity of the propeller. Their applications are also slightly different, with cup anemometers being more suitable for meteorological observations and environmental monitoring, while propeller anemometers are more suitable for aerospace and energy applications.

Weather Stations Catalog

Weather-Stations-Catalog-NiuBoL-2024.pdf