Configuration of a Self-Heated Double Wheatstone Bridge for 2-D Wind Sensors

Abstract

A self-heated double Wheatstone bridge configuration for a 2-D wind sensor is presented. Without a central heating element, eight thermistors are symmetrically arranged in two orthogonal directions, and four of them in each direction make up a Wheatstone bridge. The eight thermistors simultaneously act as the heating sources and temperature sensing elements. By applying the constant current supply to the bridge, the terminal voltage across the bridge and the bridge output voltage are utilized to measure the wind speed and direction, respectively. The 2-D wind sensor has been simulated numerically and fabricated directly on the ceramic substrate. Experiments demonstrate that the measured speed varies from 0 to 40 m/s with an error less than ±2 m/s while the measured direction spans from 0° to 360° with an error less than ±3° after calibration. The double bridge configuration greatly simplifies the measurement and control circuits for the 2-D wind sensor.