Greetings readers! Today we have a problem with the anemometer, which shows the wind speed and direction on the bridge. The readings were stuck in one direction (opposite to the wind). At this speed the wind is displayed correctly.
What is an anemometer?
An anemometer (or anemoscope) is a weather vane that consists of a generator, a synchronous motor, bearings, gear guides, rings and a brush device. All this can be said in one name - transmitter.
When the direction of the wind changes, the weather vane changes its position to the current angle, and at the same time the position of the synchronous motor changes.
An anemometer on a vessel is a device used to measure wind speed and direction. It is a crucial instrument for navigation and safety on ships, providing real-time data that helps in the following ways:
- Navigation: Accurate wind data helps in plotting the best course and optimizing fuel efficiency by taking advantage of favorable winds.
- Safety: Knowing the wind speed and direction is essential for ensuring the safety of the vessel, crew, and cargo, especially during adverse weather conditions.
- Sail Adjustments: For sailing vessels, anemometers are vital for adjusting sails to optimize performance and prevent damage from sudden gusts of wind.
- Weather Monitoring: It aids in monitoring and predicting weather conditions, helping the crew prepare for changes in the environment.
The anemometer typically consists of rotating cups or propellers that spin at a rate proportional to the wind speed. This data is then transmitted to the ship’s monitoring systems for analysis and decision-making.
As a result, receiver (transformer box) receives voltage and processes (according to the diagram - a transformer box), and the wind direction is displayed on the panel indicator.
Force of the wind measures using a propeller and generator. The voltage of the generator is converted and reads by the voltmeter, which displays the wind speed in meters/sec (or knots) on the panel indicator.
From the experience of maritime practice, you can immediately turn to the signal transmitter, because it is who continues the action of the aggressive marine environment, as well as the force of the wind. Most often the problem can be stored there. Therefore, first of all, let's open the weather vane junction box and see what happens to the synchronous motor and brushes.
As a result of an internal check of the anemometer, a problem was discovered with the half-coupling on the synchronous motor shaft, unscrewed mounting bolt (under the hex key). When the weather vane shaft rotated, the motor shaft stood still, so the position of the anemometer was stuck in one position.
Brushes are a group of thin hairs, which on old anemometers can severely lose their rigidity and intertwine with each other, which also leads to incorrect consequences.
The coupling was retightened, the brush device was cleaned of graphite dust. The readings began to change, but they were still incorrect (180˚ opposite).
Such systems must have a zero calibration. In this case, it can be found on the receiver board.
You must first fix the weather vane in the zero position so that it does not rotate. The propeller also needs to be fixed (not shown in the photo). You can use an assistant or a rope.
We switched the ZERO SET switch to the right and set the indicator to zero.
After this, the switch returned to its normal position and the weather vane was untied. As a result, the operation of the anemometer was recovered.
If it is not possible to set zero and the anemometer is accurately twisted by 180˚, then you can temporarily reverse the phase on the receiver.
This is a temporary emergency solution. Subsequently, it will still be necessary to correctly connect the phase and perform a zero calibration.
What other problems could be with the anemometer?
The most common problems that can occur with anemometers are the stuck of the bearings, burning out of the internal components (generator and synchronous motor), which results in the water inside the transmitter.
I also suggest that you read the manufacturer’s instructions for troubleshooting the anemometer.
Anemometer (anemoscope) model: Wind sensor (propeller type) AT-200. Heriana
If you had experience in repairing and operating this device, write in the comments to the article or in official groups of site on social networks.
No comments:
Post a Comment