Ultrasonic Wind Speed and Direction Sensor

0～60 m/sTypical wind-speed range

0～360°Direction, no moving parts

RS485 / 4GModbus or wireless uplink

Heater optionalProbe anti-icing and anti-dew

Product overview and engineering role

The SimtoLink ultrasonic wind speed and direction sensor is for meteorological IoT. It measures a two-dimensional wind vector by ultrasonic time of flight, so there is no cup or vane to wear out. Digital timing and a vector sum keep the reading predictable across wide temperature, wide supply, and electrical noise. On site, watch for dew on the probes, salt film, and the gust filter, so averages and peaks line up with the WMO wind-vector practice. Terminals unplug. Critical chips have a watchdog and a redundant check. Signed firmware can be verified and rolled back for batch delivery and remote service.

A USB-C debug port and standard industrial connectors are fitted as standard, for an existing SCADA, energy, or IoT platform. SimtoLink supplies a southbound point-table template and northbound MQTT/HTTP examples so commissioning is shorter. Volume jobs can add enclosure silk-screen, harness length, protocol mapping, and a calibration certificate.

Reliability and field fit

Electrical safety and EMC work includes the salt-spray and vibration type tests that apply. Ports are protected against surge and reversed polarity. Reinforced grounding and a partitioned layout reduce ground-loop and common-mode pickup. A higher ingress rating and a corrosion-resistant coating are available for outdoor or coastal sites.

Settings can be loaded in a batch. Thresholds, and event video or waveform capture, depend on the model ordered. Configuration and firmware can be updated over the air. Acceptance on site is three steps: power-on self-test, time sync on the link, and a sample check. For metering or safety use, SimtoLink can help with a third-party metrology submission and type-test papers.

Key hardware parameters

The table is a typical build, for selection and for technical clauses. For a wider range, redundant power, or an intrinsically safe version, ask SimtoLink for the hardware specification and the installation and commissioning guide. Order codes in the same family can differ slightly. The nameplate and the documents shipped with the unit govern.

Parameter	Specification	Notes
Measurement principle	Ultrasonic time of flight (no moving parts)	2D or 3D probe array, by order code
Wind-speed range	0～60 m/s	Wide-range order codes such as 0～75 m/s
Wind-speed accuracy	±(0.2 + 0.03V) m/s (V is the indicated value, m/s)	Typical build; the factory calibration certificate governs
Direction range / resolution	0～360°; 1°	No mechanical angular dead zone
Direction accuracy	±2° (typical, @10 m/s)	Low-speed band follows the manufacturer curve
Start-up wind speed	≤0.1 m/s	Depends on mounting height and the filter window
Output update rate	1 Hz～10 Hz configurable	Platform and register map can be customized
Heating / anti-icing	Optional probe thermostatic heating	Cold snaps, coastal icing, and dew; check power and the supply circuit
Supply	AC 220V or DC 12～24V (by order code)	Isolated; leave power margin if the heater is fitted
Communications	RS485 Modbus RTU; 4G / NB-IoT optional	Wired uplink and cellular can be combined for redundancy
Ingress and environment	IP65～IP67; operating temperature -40～+70 ℃ (typical)	Explosion-proof housing optional; heating is recommended in extreme cold

Typical deployments

Three layouts that show up often on IoT jobs, for solution design and for judging return on investment:

Manufacturing and energy sites

Place the sensor on a production line or in a power room and hand process or energy readings to MES or EMS from the edge.

Municipal and utility sites

Scattered points and outdoor cabinets. Wide temperature and lightning protection fit water, gas, and street-lighting runs that are long and need a short delay.

Campuses and buildings

Tie the ultrasonic wind speed and direction sensor into campus energy management or building controls for sub-metering, alarms, and linked actions, with fewer manual rounds.

Installation, grounding, and maintenance

Confirm supply range and polarity before the sensor is energized. Measure bus voltage and breaker rating if the drawing is incomplete.
Use shielded twisted pair, grounded at one end, and do not lay it for a long distance in the same bundle as high-power cable.
On the bench, finish a two-way read and write and a threshold trip against the platform before the unit is moved to the mast.
Outdoor mounts need drainage and a path for air. Inspect the seal face on a schedule. Lightning-earth resistance must meet the local rule.
If the probe heater is ordered, check supply capacity, conductor cross-section, and the temperature-control strategy so the heater is not left at full power for long periods.
In long service, take a sample reading and archive logs every 6 months.

Ordering, documentation, and support

SimtoLink can issue the hardware specification, a dimension drawing, the wiring table, and a sample project. Volume orders can include a sample review and an inspector at the plant. Warranty and calibration follow the contract and the papers packed with the sensor.

Typical applications

The sensor fits strong wind shear on offshore platforms, turbine nacelles, and airports, and it can report vector and turbulence statistics. The scenes below differ in regulation and maintenance, and they sit alongside a met mast, lidar, or an aviation weather system.

Offshore wind and port operations

Several heights on a mast or tower give a wind profile and a shear index for yaw, lifts, and berthing windows. A heated, de-icing, salt-spray-coated build keeps peak speed and direction rate credible through a cold snap or heavy sea.

Airports and low-altitude aviation

Sites at the runway end, on the glide path, and in crosswind-sensitive zones feed AWOS, the tower, and the broadcast. Millisecond timestamps and NTP sync match ICAO and domestic aviation weather exchange formats for go-around and diversion decisions.

Chemical parks and flare stacks

Live wind speed and direction are boundary conditions for gas-dispersion and dense-gas settling models, and for evacuation routes and muster points. An explosion-proof housing, cable glands, and equipotential earth meet hazardous-area wiring, next to flammable and toxic gas probes.

Rail and viaduct wind monitoring

A crosswind alarm can advise a speed limit, a message sign, and the train-control system. A sliding average and a vector sum on the edge knock down gust spikes. Visibility, rainfall, and rail temperature can go up with the wind reading to the track department and the dispatch desk as one severe-weather plan.