CHAPTER 1: THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND

This chapter presents the background of the study, its conceptual framework, the

problem and its significance, and the scope and delimitation of the study.

1.1 Introduction

Weather has been important to man even from the beginning. Many

significant weather events have affected mankind over the years. This is because

weather affects a wide range of man’s activities, including agriculture,

transportation and even leisure time.

Scientists have worked to develop meteorological sensors since the 1950s.

Modern technology has allowed the combination of several sensors into one

integrated weather station. In order to gather this measured data, manual

observation and recording of data is still employed which is highly error prone.

Using an automated version of this weather station to measure the rain level,

wind speed and direction is paramount to minimize equipment servicing and costs.

It can not only increase the reliability of measuring and recording data but can also

improve the timely availability of data.

1

1.2 Conceptual Framework

This study aims to design and construct an Automated Weather Monitoring System

to make weather monitoring easier. Figure 1 shows the conceptual framework of the

study.

The microcontroller continuously measure weather data that is then stored to the data

logger. Measured weather data is also accessible in a database management system

installed in a computer connected to the microcontroller via serial connection.

1.3 Statement of the Problem

This study aimed to design and construct an Automated Weather Monitoring

System. In doing this, the study had the following specific objectives:

a) To design and construct a computer-based, sensor-operated rain gauge,

anemometer and wind vane that can measure weather data accurately.

2

DATA LOGGER

ARDUINO MEGA

Figure 1. Conceptual Framework of AWMS

b) To create a computer application capable of updating its weather database, and also

display the real time measured data.

c) To store the measured data in a data-logger so as to enable the user to fetch data

whenever a complete log is required.

1.4 Significance of the Study

The large utility of automated weather monitoring in varied areas ranging from

agricultural growth and development to industrial development takes much

significance of conducting this study.

The weather conditions of a field can be monitored from a distant place by farmers

not needing them to be physical present in the area for them to know its climatic

condition. To cite for an example, it would be of great use in the war affected regions as

it would be too risky for farmers to visit their farm regularly as it would enable them to

monitor their farm from their home. Another is for weather observers to easily assess

the weather.

1.5 Scope and Delimitation

This study is delimited to the design and construction of a computer based

weather station that can simultaneously receive and store data.

Furthermore, it would conclude with the testing of functional prototypes and

the determination of the conditions necessary for the device to be economically

feasible.

3

1.6 Definition of Terms

Terms here are conceptually and operationally defined for better understanding of

the readers.

Aerovane – It is used to measure both wind direction and speed. The tail orients the

instrument into the wind for direction while the propellers measure the wind speed.

An anemometer or windmeter is a device used for measuring wind speed, and is a

common weather station instrument. The term is derived from the Greek word

anemos, meaning wind, and is used to describe any air speed measurement

instrument used in meteorology or aerodynamics.

DBMS- Database management systems (DBMSs) are specially designed software

applications that interact with the user, other applications, and the database itself to

capture and analyze data.

Precipitation - In meteorology, precipitation is any product of the condensation

of atmospheric water vapor that falls under gravity.

Rain Gauge - A rain gauge (also known as an udometer, pluviometer, or

an ombrometer) is a type of instrument used by meteorologists and hydrologists to

gather and measure the amount of liquid precipitation over a set period of time

4

CHAPTER 2: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES

In this review of previous studies and related literature, information is presented in

support of and in anticipation of the methodology and analyses presented in this study.

2.1 Weather

Weather is the state of the atmosphere, to the degree that it is hot or cold, wet or dry, calm or stormy, clear or cloudy.1 Weather, seen from an anthropological perspective, is something all humans in the world constantly experience through their senses, at least while being outside. There are socially and scientifically constructed understandings of what weather is, what makes it change, what effects it has on humans in different situations etc.2

Therefore weather is something people often communicate about. Today, the winds

and other weather variables are of equal concern and can have an even greater impact on

our modern, high-tech life style. Weather affects a wide range of man’s activities, including

agriculture, transportation and leisure time. Often the affects involve the movement of

gases and particulates through the atmosphere.

2.2 Weather Monitoring

To keep a continuous track of the various atmospheric factors which constitute weather at a

place is called weather monitoring.

2.2.1 History

Sensing the winds and weather has been important to man over the centuries.

Athenians built the eight sided Tower of the Winds in the first century B.C. in honour of the

1 Merriam-Webster Dictionary2 Crate, Susan A and Mark Nuttall (eds.) (2009). Anthropology and Climate Change: From Encounters to Actions. Walnut Creek , CA: Left Coast Press. pp. 70–86

5

eight gods of the winds. The Tower of the Winds stands to this day in the ancient agora, or

market, in Athens.3

Many significant weather events have affected mankind over the years. We know of

these because their effects have become part of history. Since much of history is a

recollection of a series of wars and battles,it is interesting to note that a well-known early

reference to the importance of the weather is from the Chinese philosopher Sun Tsu, who

said, “Know yourself and know your enemy, and victory is guaranteed. Know the terrain

and know the weather, and you will have total victory.” Much later in history, we know that

Napoleon’s invasion of Russia in 1812 was stymied when snow and cold weather came

earlier in the season than he and his generals had planned. This, combined with Russian

militia attacks, helped defeat the French, who invaded with 50,000 troops, and left with

only 20,000 survivors. One hundred thirty years later, this was repeated when Hitler’s

invasion of the Soviet Union was again foiled in part by brutally cold winter weather.

In the 20th century, large population migrations were brought about by adverse

weather conditions, including those of the Dust Bowl in the United States during the 1930s,

multiple Asian droughts throughout the century, and three significant periods of drought in

the sahel region of Africa. Individual events that killed and affected many people include

the great smog event in London in 1952, which killed 4,000 people in five days in

December, hurricane impacts on the coasts of the United States, from Galveston in 1900 to

Katrina, Rita and Wilma last year, and several notable blizzards.4

3 Encyclopedia Of Ancient Greece (ed. by Nigel Guy Wilson). Routledge (UK), 2006. ISBN 0-415-97334-1. Pages 214, 2154  Knutson, Thomas R. and Robert E. Tuleya (2004). Journal of Climate 17 (18): 3477–94

6

Man’s effect upon the environment has also been seen in the weather, in more

recent events, when the release of radioactive particles from the reactor accident at

Chernobyl, Ukraine, was detected by sensors outside of the Soviet Union, and traced back

to Chernobyl using sophisticated weather sensors and meteorological models. In a similar

fashion, local weather instruments were used to help estimate the impact of smoke and

soot from oil well fires set during the 1991 Gulf War.5

2.2.2 Present Day Monitoring Techniques

Modern weather monitoring systems and networks are designed to make the

measurements necessary to track these movements in a cost effective manner. This

requires that the total life-cycle cost of a monitoring system is minimized, and one way to

do this is to minimize or eliminate the maintenance of the weather monitoring system.

Using a solid-state system to measure the weather, including the wind speed and direction,

is paramount to minimize equipment servicing and costs.

The conventional weather monitoring system consisted of individual sensors to

measure one meteorological variable, each connected to a data collection device or

recorder. Modern technology has allowed the combination of several sensors into one

integrated weather station that can be permanently located at one site, or transported to a

site where localized weather is needed.

Scientists have worked to develop solidstate meteorological sensors since the

1950s. The first of these were sonic anemometers, which measure the time required for a

sound wave to travel from point A to point B. This time is affected by the speed of the wind

in a predictable and repeatable way. The earliest sonic anemometers were used to measure

5 Ibid p. 6

7

the small scale fluctuations of the winds caused by atmospheric turbulence. The earliest

sensors were not very stable and needed a great deal of maintenance to keep them

operating. Thus, since the turbulence is measured by subtracting a running mean value

from the data to determine the fluctuations, and since the means were unreliable, this was

a perfect use of this instrument. It is only in the past 10 to 15 years that the electronics

have become suitable for use in an instrument that is used for long term measurements of

the winds.

There have been other types of instruments developed to measure the winds

without moving parts. One of these is a thermal anemometer – an instrument that

measures the temperature of a small element in the sensor, and calculates the wind by

measuring the amount of energy carried away from the anemometer. These are often called

hot wire or hot film anemometers. Significant drawbacks of these sensors are that they are

very prone to contamination by dirt, and it is difficult to distinguish energy carried away by

the wind from cooling caused by the impact of raindrops and snowflakes. Another

technique used to measure the winds is to measure the vortices caused by a fixed shape

that is projected into the wind. These vortex shedding anemometers operate on the

principle that when a fluid flows around an obstruction in the flow stream, vortices are

shed from alternating sides of the obstruction in a repeating and continuous fashion. The

frequency at which the shedding alternates is proportional to the velocity of the flowing

fluid. Sensors downstream of the obstruction sense the presence of the Sensors

downstream of the obstruction sense the presence of the vortices and derive the wind

speed from them. These work well in pipes and ducts, but have not been successfully

implemented in the ambient environment.

8

2.2.3 Review of Weather Monitoring Techniques

A. Weather Monitoring by Satellite

The weather satellite is a type of satellite that is primarily used to monitor the

weather and climate of the earth. Satellites can be polar orbiting, covering the entire Earth

asynchronously, or geostationary, covering over the same spot on the equator.

The first weather satellite, Vanguard 2, was launched on February 17, 1959. It was

designed to measure cloud cover and resistance, but a poor axis of rotation kept it from

collecting a notable amount of useful data.

Meteorological satellites see more than clouds and cloud systems. City lights, fires, effects

of pollution, auroras, sand and dust storms, snow cover, ice mapping, boundaries of ocean

currents, energy flows, etc., and other types of environmental information are collected

using weather satellites. Weather satellite images helped in monitoring the volcanic ash

cloud from Mount St. Helens and activity from other volcanoes such as Mount Etna. Smoke

from fires in the western United States such as Colorado and Utah have also been

monitored.

Other environmental satellites can detect changes in the Earth's vegetation, sea

state, ocean color, and ice fields. For example, the 2002 Prestige oil spill off the northwest

coast of Spain was watched carefully by the European ENVISAT, which, though not a

weather satellite, flies an instrument (ASAR) which can see changes in the sea surface.

9

The first weather satellite to be considered a success was TIROS-1, launched by NASA on

April 1, 1960. TIROS operated for 78 days and proved to be much more successful than

Vanguard 2. TIROS paved the way for the Nimbus program, whose technology and findings

are the heritage of most of the Earth-observing satellites NASA and NOAA have launched

since then.

B. Weather Monitoring by Radar

Radar is used to take large scale weather imagery. Radar images allow

meteorologists to see up-to-the-minute weather observations of weather formations like

cloud systems, storm cells and hurricanes. Radar imagery is particularly useful in times of

emergency weather conditions as it provides live coverage of the weather, enabling more

accurate warning systems to be put in place.

Meteorologists use radar to monitor precipitation. It has become the primary tool

for short-term weather forecasting and watching for severe weather such as

thunderstorms, tornadoes, winter storms, precipitation types, etc. Geologists use

specialized ground-penetrating radars to map the composition of Earth's crust.

C. Weather monitoring by microcontroller

Computers play an integral role in modern weather monitoring, enabling more

accurate readings and record keeping.

Computers are usually used in conjunction with weather software and externally

introduced weather readings from satellites, radar readings or from computerized weather

instruments like modern anemometers and thermometers. Computers are used to display,

analyze, record and also predict weather patterns.

10

Computers using weather monitoring software and devices are also often linked to

control mechanisms, so that, for instance, when the temperature reaches a minimum level,

the computer switches on the heating in a house. (Windmill, 2004)

D. Weather Monitoring by Using Simple instruments

For centuries simple technology has been used to monitor weather changes. Basic

instruments like a weather vane or anemometer are used to measure wind speed and

direction---they are stillsome of the most widely used weather monitoring technologies

today. Thermometers, hygrometers, barometers and rain gauges are the basic tools of

monitoring weather, without which the more advanced technologies involved in weather

monitoring and prediction would be useless.

E. Wireless Zigbee Based Weather Monitoring system

In an industry during certain hazards is will be very difficult to monitor the parameter

through wires and analog devices such as transducers. To overcome this problem we use

wireless device to monitor the parameters so that we can take certain steps even in worst

case. Few years back the use of wireless device was very less, but due the rapid

development in technology, now-a-days, we use maximum of our data transfer through

wireless like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Wi-Max, etc. A wireless weather monitoring system which

enables to monitor the weather parameter in an industry or anywhere, can also be

designed by using Zigbee technology. The parameters can be displayed on the PC’s screen.

The system contains two parts. One is transmitter node and another one is receiver part

and both can be any number. The transmitter part consists of whether sensors,

microcontroller and Zigbee and the receiver part consist of a PC interfaced with Zigbee

11

through PC serial port. The system monitors temperature, wind speed, wind direction and

humidity with the help of respective sensors. The data from the sensors are collected by

the micro controller and transmitted to the receiver section through wireless medium.

2.3 The Aerovane

An aerovane is used to measure both wind direction and speed. The tail orients the

instrument into the wind for direction while the propellers measure the wind speed. An

aerovane indicates both the wind direction and wind speed or simply the wind velocity. It

is shaped like an airplane. The nose of the plane points to the direction from which the

wind blows and the rotation of the propeller measures the wind speed. The propeller shaft

is coupled to a small dynamo which generates current. The amount of current generated

depends on the rate of rotation of the propeller which depends on the speed of the wind.

The generated current activates a dial which gives a reading equivalent to the wind seed. 6

2.3.1 Estimation of wind

In the absence of equipment for measuring wind, the observations must be made by

estimation. The errors in observations made in this way maybe large, but, provided that the

observations are used with caution, the method may be justified as providing data that

would otherwise not be available in any way. If either temporarily or permanently the wind

data of some stations are obtained by estimation instead of measurement, this fact should

be documented in station records made accessible to data users.

2.3.2 Wind Speed and Direction

6 Common Weather Terms. National Weather Service- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

12

Wind speed describes how fast the air is moving past a certain point. This may be an

averaged over a given unit of time, such as miles per hour, or an instantaneous speed,

which is reported as a peak wind speed, wind gust or squall. Wind direction describes the

direction on a compass from which the wind emanates, for instance, from the North or

from the West.

Wind speed and direction are important for monitoring and predicting weather

patterns and global climate. Wind speed and direction have numerous impacts on surface

water. These parameters affect rates of evaporation, mixing of surface waters, and the

development of seiches and storm surges. Each of these processes has dramatic effects on

water quality and water level.

Wind speed is typically reported in miles per hour, knots, or meters per second. One

mile per hour is equal to 0.45 meters per second, and 0.87 knots.

Wind direction is typically reported in degrees, and describes the direction from

which the wind emanates. A direction of 0 degrees is due North on a compass, and 180

degrees is due South. A direction of 270 degrees would indicate a wind blowing in from the

west.

The measurement of wind speed is usually done using a cup or propeller

anemometer, which is an instrument with three cups or propellers on a vertical axis. The

force of the wind causes the cups or propellers to spin. The spinning rate is proportional to

the wind speed Wind direction is measured by a wind vane that aligns itself with the

direction of the wind.

2.4 The Rain Gauge

A rain gauge is an instrument used by meteorologists and hydrologists to

measure precipitation in a certain amount of time. It usually measures in millimeters. Rain

gauge is a meteorological instrument for determining the depth of precipitation (usually in

mm) that occurs over a unit area (usually one meter squared) and thus measuring rainfall

13

amount. One millimeter of measured precipitation is the equivalent of one liter of rainfall

per meter squared.

2.4.1 Principles of Measurement

Most rain gauges generally measure the precipitation in millimeters equivalent to

liters per square meter. The level of rainfall is sometimes reported as inches or

centimeters.

Rain gauge amounts are read either manually or by automated weather

station(AWS). The frequency of readings will depend on the requirements of the collection

agency. Some countries will supplement the paid weather observer with a network of

volunteers to obtain precipitation data (and other types of weather) for sparsely populated

areas.

In most cases the precipitation is not retained, however some stations do submit

rainfall (and snowfall) for testing, which is done to obtain levels of pollutants. Rain gauges

have their limitations. Attempting to collect rain data in a hurricane can be nearly

impossible and unreliable (even if the equipment survives) due to wind extremes. Also,

rain gauges only indicate rainfall in a localized area. For virtually any gauge, drops will stick

to the sides or funnel of the collecting device, such that amounts are very slightly

underestimated, and those of .01 inches or .25 mm may be recorded as a trace.

14

Another problem encountered is when the temperature is close to or below

freezing. Rain may fall on the funnel and ice or snow may collect in the gauge and not

permit any subsequent rain to pass through.

Rain gauges should be placed in an open area where there are no obstacles, such as

buildings or trees, to block the rain. This is also to prevent the water collected on the roofs

of buildings or the leaves of trees from dripping into the rain gauge after a rain, resulting in

inaccurate readings.

2.4.2 Types of Rain Gauge

Types of rain gauges include graduated cylinders, weighing gauges, tipping bucket

gauges, and simple buried pit collectors. Each type has its advantages and disadvantages

for collecting rain data.

A. Standard Rain Gauge

The standard NWS rain gauge, developed at the start of the 20th century,

consists of a funnel emptying into a graduated cylinder, 2 cm in diameter, which fits

inside a larger container which is 20 cm in diameter and 50 cm tall. If the rainwater

overflows the graduated inner cylinder, the larger outer container will catch it.

When measurements are taken, the height of the water in the small graduated

cylinder is measured, and the excess overflow in the large container is carefully

poured into another graduated cylinder and measured to give the total rainfall. In

locations using the metric system, the cylinder is usually marked in mm and will

measure up to 250 millimetres (9.8 in) of rainfall. Each horizontal line on the

cylinder is 0.5 millimetres (0.02 in). In areas using Imperial units each horizontal

line represents 0.01 inch.

15

B. Weighing Precipitation Gauge

A weighing-type precipitation gauge consists of a storage bin, which is

weighed to record the mass. Certain models measure the mass using a pen on a

rotating drum, or by using a vibrating wire attached to a data logger. The

advantages of this type of gauge over tipping buckets are that it does not

underestimate intense rain, and it can measure other forms of precipitation,

including rain, hail and snow. These gauges are, however, more expensive and

require more maintenance than tipping bucket gauges.

The weighing-type recording gauge may also contain a device to measure the

quantity of chemicals contained in the location's atmosphere. This is extremely

helpful for scientists studying the effects of greenhouse gases released into the

atmosphere and their effects on the levels of the acid rain. Some Automated Surface

Observing System (ASOS) units use an automated weighing gauge called the AWPAG

(All Weather Precipitation Accumulation Gauge).

C. Tipping Bucket Rain Gauge

The tipping bucket rain gauge consists of a funnel that collects and channels

the precipitation into a small seesaw-like container. After a pre-set amount of

precipitation falls, the lever tips, dumping the collected water and sending an

electrical signal. An old-style recording device may consist of a pen mounted on an

arm attached to a geared wheel that moves once with each signal sent from the

collector. In this design, the wheel turns the pen arm moves either up or down

leaving a trace on the graph and at the same time making a loud click. Each jump of

the arm is sometimes referred to as a 'click' in reference to the noise. The chart is

measured in 10 minute periods (vertical lines) and 0.4 mm (0.015 in) (horizontal

lines) and rotates once every 24 hours and is powered by a clockwork motor that

must be manually wound.

The tipping bucket rain gauge is not as accurate as the standard rain gauge

because the rainfall may stop before the lever has tipped. When the next period of

rain begins it may take no more than one or two drops to tip the lever. This would

16

then indicate that pre-set amount has fallen when in fact only a fraction of that

amount has actually fallen. Tipping buckets also tend to underestimate the amount

of rainfall, particularly in snowfall and heavy rainfall events. The advantage of the

tipping bucket rain gauge is that the character of the rain (light, medium, or heavy)

may be easily obtained. Rainfall character is decided by the total amount of rain that

has fallen in a set period (usually 1 hour) and by counting the number of 'clicks' in a

10 minute period the observer can decide the character of the rain. Correction

algorithms can be applied to the data as an accepted method of correcting the data

for high level rainfall intensity amounts.

Modern tipping rain gauges consist of a plastic collector balanced over a pivot.

When it tips, it actuates a switch (such as a reed switch) which is then electronically

recorded or transmitted to a remote collection station.

Tipping gauges can also incorporate weighing gauges. In these gauges, a

strain gauge is fixed to the collection bucket so that the exact rainfall can be read at

any moment. Each time the collector tips, the strain gauge (weight sensor) is re-

zeroed to null out any drift.

To measure the water equivalent of frozen precipitation, a tipping bucket

may be heated to melt any ice and snow that is caught in its funnel. Without a

heating mechanism, the funnel often becomes clogged during a frozen precipitation

event, and thus no precipitation can be measured. Many Automated Surface

Observing System (ASOS) units use heated tipping buckets to measure precipitation.

D. Optical Rain Gauge

These have a row of collection funnels. In an enclosed space below each is a laser

diode and a photo transistor detector. When enough water is collected to make a

single drop, it drops from the bottom, falling into the laser beam path. The sensor is

set at right angles to the laser so that enough light is scattered to be detected as a

sudden flash of light. The flashes from these photo detectors are then read and

transmitted or recorded.

17

E. Acoustic Rain Gauge

The acoustic disdrometer developed by Stijn de Jong is an acoustic rain

gauge. Also referred to as a hydrophone, it is able to sense the sound signatures for

each drop size as rain strikes a water surface within the gauge. Since each sound

signature is unique, it is possible to invert the underwater sound field to estimate

the drop-size distribution within the rain. Selected moments of the drop-size

distribution yield rainfall rate, rainfall accumulation, and other rainfall properties.

CHAPTER 3: PROJECT METHODOLOGY

3.1 Overview

This chapter outlines and reinforces the procedures necessary to fulfill the

objectives of this study.

The following are to be established in this chapter:

1) Describe the research methodology of the study.

2) Explain sufficiently each method to be employed (i.e., the schematic diagram,

materials used etc.)

3) Demonstrate the procedure used in the design, construction and collection of

data(i.e., testing and calibrating the output/prototype)

3.2 Project Management

Project Management describes the activities involved in organizing and managing

the overall project, and especially the stage of the implementation that the project is

currently in.

18

An illustration of the primary tasks that comprise this chapter follows. These tasks

are the steps that the proponents have used to ensure a timely and cost effective

implementation.

3.3 Strategy and Planning

This stage is concerned with organizing and structuring a ‘road-map’ for

implementation and developing a step-by-step approach to guide the team through the

completion of the project.

3.3.1 Problem Definition

In order to complete this stage of planning, one must first consider all the specific

objectives and scope of the project. Specifically, the objectives of the study are as follows:

a) To design and construct a computer-based, sensor-operated rain gauge,

anemometer and wind vane that can measure weather data accurately.

b) To create a computer application capable of updating its weather database, and also

display the real time measured data.

c) To store the measured data in a data-logger so as to enable the user to fetch data

whenever a complete log is required.

19

Figure 3.1

This project would conclude with the testing of functional prototypes and the

determination of the conditions necessary for the device to be economically feasible.

3.4 Project Design

The Analysis and Design stage is a process of diagraming the hardware and software

requirements of the project according to the desired features. The objective of this stage is

to develop and test a methodology that best suits all the requirements.

Aside from the reliability of the system design, the availability of materials and its

cost efficiency should also be considered.

For the prototypes, the proponents have made use of reed switches for

measurement of weather data. As for the microcontroller, they have used a gizDuino X

(Arduino Mega clone) which is capable to process the measurement and storing of data.

The data logging shield used in this project is an Adafruit pre-assembled data logging shield

with real time clock.

3.4.1 Automated Rain Gauge (ARG)

One of the most essential components of a weather station is the rain gauge. The

proponents have employed a Tipping Bucket Rain Gauge.

Hardware and Software Requirements

1. Precipitation Measurement

By using a tipping bucket rain gauge, rainwater level measurement would be

more convenient but not less reliable. The rain water will fall on the tilted tipping

buckets through a Teflon-coated funnel. The water will fill the bucket facing the

20

funnel opening. The bucket is calibrated to hold up to 0.1 inch of rainwater and will

tilt over as it reaches its limit. The water will be tilted over, while the other bucket

will be positioned facing the funnel opening. This will collect the new rain water.

Each time the bucket is tilted around the magnetic relay it will generate a

pulse. These pulses are counted in a microcontroller-based circuit to measure the

rainfall.

2. External Structure

The external structure of the device is highly critical to

provide accurate measurements. If the methods

previously stated are to be employed, the casing or the

exterior of the device should be compatible with the

electronic devices to be installed so that the total

functionality of the device is not compromised.

The proponents have used a 20 cm-diameter rain gauge.

Each tilt of the rain gauge is calibrated to 0.5 mm or 0.02

inches of water. Each bucket is positioned to collect 0.9739 cubic inches or 15.96 mL

of rainwater.

3.4.2 Automated Windmeter (AWM)

The measurement of wind speed is one of the most important factors in

weather prediction. Wind is the movement of air caused by uneven heating of the

earth’s surface. It occurs in light breezes that are locally generated due to heating of

21

Figure 3.1 Parts of the rain gauge.

an immediate landmass, to winds on a grand scale spanning continents caused by

solar heating.

Besides being used as part of a weather monitoring station there are many

other situations where measurement and knowledge of the wind condition helps in

decision-making such as pollution control, safety of tall structures, control of wind

turbines, studies on the effects of wind on crops, maneuvering of ships and aircraft

landing systems.

The AWM consists of an automated wind vane and an automated

anemometer.

Hardware and Software Requirements

1. The Wind Vane

The wind vane, wind direction dial (magnetic compass), the composition,

wind direction and show value to determine the location of the pointer by the

wind in the wind direction dial.

For the prototype, eight (8) reed switches are positioned as the directions

North (N), Northeast (NE), East (E), Southeast (SE), South, Southwest (SW), West

(W), and Northwest (NW). There is a magnet moving with the wind around these

switches as to close the loop at the corresponding direction. This is processed by

the microcontroller and is stored in the datalogger and is then sent to the

computer via serial communication.

2. The Anemometer

22

Using the traditional tricyclic rotating frame and a reed switch, the

microcontroller in the instrument sample to calculate the wind speed by

counting the number of revolutions over time. This number of revolution can be

translated to distance by computing for the circumference or angular distance

covered.

The specifications of the Automated Windmeter are as follows:

Anemometer Measuring range 0.00 to 20 m/s

Starting speed 0.56 m/s

Wind Vane Measuring Range 0 to 360 degrees, 16 position

Wind Direction given North Automatic

3.4.3 Microcontroller

The proponents have used an Arduino compatible controller, the gizDuino X

It is based on an ATMEGA1281 MCU, a family member of the ATMEGA1280 used in

Arduino Mega board. It offers 54 I/Os, 1 hardware SPI, 2- hardware UART with memory

capacities of 128K FLASH, 8K SRAM, and 4K EEPROM. Other hardware peripherals

additions inherited from ATMEGA1281 chip includes 3 additional timers, 10 additional

PWMs.

3.5 Materials

23

After defining the problem, considering the project objectives, sketching the

project design, the proponents are down to getting the materials needed for the

implementation of the design and hence the completion of the project.

Demonstrated in Table 1 is the list of materials used for the construction of the

device with their specifications.

Table 1

Materials Used for the Construction of the AWMS

Quantity Unit Specification

1 Piece gizDuino X

1 Piece Adafruit Assembled Data Logging Shield

10 Pieces Reed Switch

20 Pieces 6” Male-Male Jumper Wires

20 Pieces 6” Male-Female Jumper Wires

20 Pieces 6” Male-Female Jumper Wires

1 Piece Ogawa Seiki (OSK) Tipping Bucket Type Rain Gauge

1 Piece Anemometer

1 Piece Wind Vane

24

Figure 3.4 Reed switch: The reed switch is an electrical switch operated by an applied magnetic field

Pictures of Wind Vane, Anemometer and Rain Gauge

CHAPTER 4: PRESENTATION AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA

CHAPTER 5: SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

25