Wind speed monitoring system
The wind speed monitoring system uses a rotor with a slit plate and single-core optical fiber to transmit wind speed information, employing multiple wavelengths and threshold levels to detect fiber breaks, reducing costs and simplifying maintenance.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2024-09-06
- Publication Date
- 2026-03-18
AI Technical Summary
Conventional wind speed monitoring systems using single-core optical fibers face challenges in distinguishing between fiber breaks and windless conditions, leading to high construction costs and labor-intensive inspections, and existing systems using two-core optical fibers are costly.
A wind speed monitoring system utilizing a rotor with a slit plate and anemometer that transmits rotational information via a single-core optical fiber, employing multiple wavelengths and threshold levels to differentiate between fiber breaks and windless conditions, with a relay device to relay information signals.
Reduces system construction costs and enables remote inspection of wind speed meters, allowing for accurate detection of fiber breaks regardless of distance, thereby simplifying maintenance and reducing labor requirements.
Smart Images

Figure 2026049139000001_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present invention relates to a wind speed monitoring system capable of monitoring wind speed from a remote location, and particularly to a wind speed monitoring system in which a monitoring device can acquire information from a wind speed meter using a single-core optical fiber and detect a wind speed value.
Background Art
[0002] Conventionally, as a wind speed monitoring system used for operation control of transportation means such as railways, there is known one including a wind speed meter having a rotor that rotates by receiving wind, and a monitoring device that calculates and outputs a wind speed value based on the rotation speed of the rotor. Generally, the wind speed meter and the monitoring device are often installed at distant locations. For example, in a wind speed monitoring system used for railway operation control, the wind speed meter is installed near a riverbed or near a tunnel exit, and the monitoring device is installed in an equipment room of each station (see Patent Document 1). In this case, the wind speed meter is installed at a location several kilometers to several tens of kilometers away from the monitoring device.
[0003] In a wind speed monitoring system used for railway operation control, the wind speed meter is regularly inspected. However, the conventional inspection of the wind speed meter has a problem that a large amount of labor is required because a plurality of inspectors go to the site where the wind speed meter is installed, remove the wind cups from the wind speed meter, output the wind speed value with a wind speed meter tester, and transmit it to a command room via a cable through a dedicated tester and a complicated operation. Therefore, the applicant of the present application has made an invention related to a remotely inspectable wind speed meter provided with a motor connected to a rotation shaft of a rotor via a one-way clutch and a remote inspection system for the wind speed meter, and filed a prior application (Patent Document 2).
Prior Art Documents
Patent Documents
[0004]
Patent Document 1
Patent Document 2
[0005] However, the wind speed monitoring system described in Patent Document 2 uses a two-core optical fiber to transmit information (measurement signals) from the anemometer to a remote monitoring device, which presents the challenge of high costs required to construct the system. Therefore, the inventors investigated a system for transmitting information from an anemometer to a monitoring device using a single-core optical fiber. As a result, they found that in the case of a single-core optical fiber, if the optical fiber is broken, the pulsed optical signal will not return even if the wind cup of the anemometer is rotating, indicating the possibility of a break. However, the phenomenon of the pulsed optical signal not returning also occurs in windless conditions, so it cannot be distinguished from a break.
[0006] In a wind speed monitoring system using a single-core optical fiber, if the optical fiber breaks, a non-pulsated optical signal is returned due to reflection from the cut surface, but the received light level is lower than when the fiber is intact. Therefore, we hypothesized that by using a predetermined threshold, we could determine whether or not the fiber is broken by comparing and determining whether the received light level is lower than the threshold. However, when we examined the threshold for determining a broken wire, it became clear that depending on the distance to the break point, it may not be possible to determine whether or not there is a break. The reason for this will be explained later in the description of the embodiment.
[0007] This invention addresses the above-mentioned problems and aims to provide a wind speed monitoring system that can acquire information from an anemometer using a single optical fiber to calculate wind speed values, thereby reducing the cost of system construction. Another object of the present invention is to enable the determination of whether or not there is a break in the cable, regardless of the distance to the break, in a wind speed monitoring system that transmits information between an anemometer and a monitoring device using a single optical fiber and determines whether or not there is a break using a threshold. [Means for solving the problem]
[0008] The invention described in this application solves the above problem, A rotor fixed to the end of a rotating shaft and rotating in one direction when exposed to wind; a slit plate fixed to the rotating shaft of the rotor and having multiple slits formed at equal intervals along the circumferential direction; and an anemometer capable of transmitting rotational information of the rotor based on the action of the slit plate to the outside. A monitoring device that transmits continuous light through a single-core first optical fiber toward the anemometer, receives the return light containing the rotation information through the first optical fiber, and calculates the wind speed value, A wind speed monitoring system equipped with, The aforementioned anemometer is The end of the first optical fiber or the second optical fiber whose optical path is continuous with the first optical fiber is arranged on one side of the slit plate such that its optical axis is perpendicular to the slit plate in the slit formation region. A light-reflecting means is arranged so as to face the end of the first optical fiber or the second optical fiber across the slit plate. The device is configured such that the light that passes through the slit and is reflected by the light reflection means is transmitted to the monitoring device as the reflected light.
[0009] According to the wind speed monitoring system with the above configuration, it is possible to obtain information from an anemometer using a single optical fiber and calculate the wind speed value, thereby reducing the cost of system construction. Here, a relay device is provided near the anemometer to relay information signals between the anemometer and the monitoring device. The second optical fiber may be arranged between the relay device and the anemometer. This helps to avoid the increased cost and bulkiness of anemometers due to their advanced features.
[0010] Furthermore, preferably, the light transmitted from the monitoring device to the first optical fiber includes multiple continuous light beams, each with a different wavelength. The relay device is provided with a wavelength separation means for separating light of a different wavelength from the light transmitted from the monitoring device via the first optical fiber, and an optical terminator for attenuating and reflecting the light separated by the wavelength separation means. Light of other wavelengths separated by the wavelength separation means is transmitted to the anemometer via the second optical fiber, and the reflected light from the anemometer is transmitted to the monitoring device via the first optical fiber. The monitoring device is configured to calculate the wind speed value and determine if the first optical fiber is broken based on the reflected light. With this configuration, wind speed values are calculated and disconnections are detected using multiple light sources of different wavelengths. This allows for easy and flexible adaptation to changes in the distance between the anemometer and the monitoring device, thereby reducing the burden on the system designer.
[0011] Furthermore, preferably, the light transmitted from the monitoring device to the first optical fiber includes continuous light of a first wavelength and continuous light of a second wavelength having a different wavelength from the said continuous light. The aforementioned monitoring device is A first light source that generates continuous light of the first wavelength, A second light source that generates continuous light of the second wavelength, A wavelength multiplexing means for multiplexing continuous light generated by the first light source and continuous light generated by the second light source, Wavelength separation means for separating light of a first wavelength and light of a second wavelength contained in the light returned from the first optical fiber, The system includes a calculation means that calculates a wind speed value based on the light of a first wavelength separated by the wavelength separation means, and determines whether or not the first optical fiber is broken based on the light of a second wavelength that has been separated. With this configuration, wind speed values can be calculated and optical fiber breakage can be detected using a single optical fiber.
[0012] Furthermore, preferably, the calculation means is Compare the received level of the light of the first wavelength separated by the wavelength separation means with a predetermined first threshold level, and when the received level is smaller than the first threshold level, determine that there is a disconnection in the first optical fiber, and Compare the received level of the light of the second wavelength separated by the wavelength separation means with a second threshold level lower than the first threshold level, and when the received level is larger than the second threshold level, configure to determine that there is a disconnection in the first optical fiber.
[0013] According to the above configuration, when information is transmitted between the wind speed meter and the monitoring device using a single-core optical fiber and the presence or absence of a disconnection is determined using a threshold value, the presence or absence of a disconnection can be determined regardless of the distance to the disconnection point. Here, the first wavelength is set to be longer than the second wavelength. Since light with a longer wavelength has a lower attenuation rate, even if the wind speed meter is arranged farther from the monitoring device, the wind speed value can be detected.
Effect of the Invention
[0014] According to the wind speed monitoring system of the present invention, information can be acquired from the wind speed meter using a single-core optical fiber to calculate the wind speed value, and the cost for system construction can be reduced. Further, in a wind speed monitoring system that transmits information between the wind speed meter and the monitoring device using a single-core optical fiber and determines the presence or absence of a disconnection using a threshold value, there is an effect that the presence or absence of a disconnection can be determined regardless of the distance to the disconnection point.
Brief Description of the Drawings
[0015] [Figure 1] It is a system configuration diagram showing a configuration example of the wind speed monitoring system according to the present invention. [[ID=I26]] [Figure 2] It is a block diagram showing a configuration example of a wind speed meter, a repeater, and a monitoring device that constitute a remote inspection system for the wind speed meter of the embodiment. [Figure 3]The principle of wire break detection in the monitoring device that constitutes the system of the embodiment is shown, where (A) is a graph showing the relationship between the received level of the feedback light signal and the threshold level, which is effective when a wire break occurs in a range far from the monitoring device, and (B) is a graph showing the relationship between the received level of the feedback light signal and the threshold level, which is effective when a wire break occurs in a range close to the monitoring device. [Modes for carrying out the invention]
[0016] Hereinafter, embodiments of the anemometer and the remote inspection system for the anemometer according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 shows a schematic configuration of the anemometer and its remote inspection system according to the present invention. As shown in Figure 1(A), the anemometer 10 comprises a bottle-shaped housing 11, a rotating shaft 12 arranged vertically inside the housing 11 with its upper end slightly protruding from the housing 11, a rotating body 13 having a plurality (three in the figure) of support rods 13a whose base ends are connected to the rotating shaft 12 and which extend radially outward with their tips facing outward, and wind cups 13b fixed to the tips of each support rod 13a, and a cylindrical base box 14 provided at the bottom of the housing 11 and containing inspection mechanisms such as a motor and a one-way clutch.
[0017] Inside the housing 11, as will be explained in detail later, there is a slit plate with multiple slits formed at equal intervals along the circumferential direction to detect the rotation speed of the rotating shaft 12. Inside the base box 14, there is a motor that forcibly rotates the rotating shaft 12 for inspection, and a one-way clutch that transmits the rotation of the motor to the rotating shaft during inspection and does not affect the rotation of the wind cup due to wind, i.e., the wind speed detection under normal conditions. Furthermore, the lower part of the housing 11 is equipped with a waterproof optical connector 15A for connecting the end of an optical fiber that transmits and receives light for wind speed detection, corresponding to the slit plate, and the base box 14 is equipped with a waterproof electrical connector 15B for connecting the end of a metal cable for supplying signals and power, corresponding to electrical components such as a motor.
[0018] Figure 1(B) shows an example of a wind speed monitoring system using an anemometer having the configuration described above. The wind speed monitoring system shown in Figure 1(B) also includes a function to remotely inspect the status of the anemometer 10. In the system of this embodiment, although not particularly limited, two anemometers 10A and 10B are installed as a set in one location. Furthermore, in order to avoid the inability to measure the correct wind speed due to the many obstacles such as vegetation near the ground, an installation stand 17 made of steel pipe or the like with a predetermined height is provided, and the anemometers 10A and 10B are mounted on this installation stand 17.
[0019] Furthermore, a power supply unit 18, consisting of a solar panel and a battery, which supplies power to electrical components such as motors built into the anemometers 10A and 10B, and a signal repeater 20 are installed near the mounting base 17. The repeater 20 and the monitoring device (wind speed alarm) 30 installed in the signal control room or equipment room are connected by an optical fiber F to prevent interference from electromagnetic noise. On the other hand, the monitoring device 30 and an IP network communication device 41, such as an IP (Internet Protocol) router, are connected by a metal cable 42 for electrical signals.
[0020] Furthermore, the monitoring device 30 is connected to the computer 43 in the control room, which monitors the anemometer remotely, via the disaster prevention information system network 44, and the IP network communication device 41 is connected to the computer 43 via the IP network 45. In conventional wind speed monitoring systems, the anemometer 10 and the monitoring device 30 were connected by a metal cable, making them susceptible to electromagnetic noise. However, in the system of this embodiment, the anemometer 10 and the monitoring device 30 are connected by an optical fiber F1, making them less susceptible to electromagnetic noise. The anemometer 10 and the monitoring device 30 may be connected on a one-to-one basis, or multiple anemometers 10 may be connected to a single monitoring device 30.
[0021] As will be explained in detail later, the monitoring device 30 includes a calculation processing unit that calculates the rotation speed of the wind cups, i.e., the wind speed, based on optical signals received from anemometers 10A and 10B via the repeater 20; a wind speed value output unit that outputs the calculated wind speed value; an alarm output unit consisting of a buzzer that sounds an alarm when the wind speed exceeds a predetermined value; and a communication unit that communicates with the computer 43 in the control room. Furthermore, the disaster prevention information system is an existing system that constantly collects and monitors data from weather observation equipment such as water level gauges, seismometers, rain gauges, anemometers, and rail temperature gauges located along railway lines, and issues alarms in the event of an anomaly. Wind speed is one of the items that is monitored.
[0022] Figure 2 shows a specific configuration example of a control unit 50 built into the base box 14 of the anemometer 10 shown in Figure 1, a repeater 20 located near the anemometer 10, and a monitoring device 30 connected to the repeater 20 via a single-core optical fiber F1. The control unit 50 in the base box 14 has the function of rotationally driving and controlling the motor M that forcibly rotates the rotation shaft 12 of the anemometer 10. Note that in Figure 2, the wind cup that rotates in response to wind, the one-way clutch, and the gear switching mechanism (gears, solenoids, etc.) are not shown.
[0023] As shown in Figure 2, the end of the input optical fiber F2 is positioned on the upper surface of the peripheral edge of the disc-shaped slit plate S, which is fixed to the rotation axis 12, so as to face the slit plate S. A reflective collimator 19 is also positioned opposite the optical fiber F2, sandwiching the slit plate S. As the slit plate S rotates, the continuous light input from the optical fiber F2 is converted into pulsed light by the slit, reflected by the reflective collimator 19, and returned to the repeater 20 via the optical fiber F2. The encoder E is composed of the slit plate S, the optical fiber F2, and the reflective collimator 19.
[0024] The control unit 50, built into the base box 14, includes a driver 51 that rotates the motor M that rotates the rotating shaft 12, an RS232C port 52 that receives command code signals supplied from the repeater 20 via a metal cable 16 for electrical signals, a microprocessor (CPU) 53 that decodes the received command code, a controller 54 that receives a rotation speed command output according to the decoding result of the CPU 53, generates a drive signal for the driver 51, and controls the rotation of the motor M at the specified speed, and a DC power supply 55.
[0025] The repeater 20 receives continuous light sent from the monitoring device 30 via the optical fiber F1, sends a portion of it to the slit plate S of the anemometer 10 via the optical fiber F2, and is equipped with an optical coupler 21 for sending the light returned from the anemometer 10 to the monitoring device 30 via the optical fiber F1. Here, the continuous light transmitted from the monitoring device 30 is defined as light multiplexed with two different wavelengths, as will be explained in detail later. The repeater 20 is equipped with a wavelength multiplexing separator (WMD) 22 that multiplexes or separates the two wavelengths contained in the light input to the optical coupler 21, and an optical terminator 23 that attenuates and reflects the light of one of the wavelengths separated by the wavelength multiplexing separator 22.
[0026] Then, the light of the other wavelength separated by the wavelength multiplexing separator 22 and the light reflected by the optical terminator 23 are multiplexed by the wavelength multiplexing separator 22 and returned to the optical coupler 21, and sent to the monitoring device 30 via the optical fiber F1. In addition, the light reflected by the reflective collimator 19 of the anemometer 10 and returned via the optical fiber F2 is also sent to the monitoring device 30 via the optical fiber F1 by the optical coupler 21.
[0027] Furthermore, the repeater 20 is equipped with a photodetector 24, such as a photodiode, that receives light of the other wavelength separated by the wavelength multiplexing separator 22 and converts it into an electric current; an IV conversion circuit 25 that converts the converted electric current into a voltage; a signal generation circuit 26 that extracts command codes contained in the received light from the converted voltage signal and generates a signal conforming to the RS232C serial communication standard; and an RS232C port 27 for sending the generated signal to the control unit 50 built into the base box 14 via an electrical signal metal cable 16. The repeater 20 is also equipped with optical connectors 20A and 20B for connecting optical fibers F1 and F2, an electrical connector 28A to which the ends of the metal cable 16 for electrical signals are connected, a power terminal 28B for receiving power from the power supply unit 18 (Figure 1), and a DC-DC converter 29 as a DC power supply.
[0028] The monitoring device 30 includes a light source 31A such as a semiconductor laser (LD) that generates continuous light of a first wavelength to be sent to the repeater 20 via an optical fiber F1, a light source (LD) 31B that generates continuous light of a second wavelength, a modulation circuit 32 that modulates the continuous light sent from the light source 31A according to the codes of rotation speed commands that command the rotation speed of the motor to be sent to the anemometer 10 and commands that indicate the direction of rotation, and a wavelength multiplexer (WM) 33A that multiplexes the emitted light from the light source 31A and the emitted light from the light source 31B. While not particularly limited, in the monitoring device 30 of this embodiment, the first light source 31A emits light with a wavelength of 1310 nm, and the second light source 31B emits light with a wavelength of 1550 nm.
[0029] Furthermore, the monitoring device 30 includes an optical circulator 34 connected between the optical connector 30A to which the optical fiber F1 is connected and the wavelength multiplexer (WM) 33A. The optical circulator 34 has three ports and functions so that light entering from port 1 exits from port 2, and light entering from port 2 exits from port 3, and sends the optical signal from the wavelength multiplexer (WM) 33A to the optical fiber F1. The monitoring device 30 also includes a wavelength separator 33B and photoelectric conversion circuits 36A and 36B that convert light to electrical signals. The optical circulator 34 sends the signal containing two wavelengths of light that has returned from the anemometer 10 via the optical fiber F1 to the wavelength separator 33B, and the two wavelengths of optical signal separated by the wavelength separator 33B are converted into electrical signals by the photoelectric conversion circuits 36A and 36B.
[0030] Furthermore, the monitoring device 30 includes a calculation control unit 37 that detects wind speed and the presence or absence of optical fiber breaks based on signals converted by photoelectric conversion circuits 36A and 36B, and controls light sources 31A and 31B and modulation circuit 32; a wind speed value output unit 38A that outputs the calculated wind speed value; and an alarm output unit 388B that generates and outputs an alarm signal when the calculated wind speed exceeds a predetermined value. In addition, the monitoring device 30 is provided with communication ports 39A and 39B for communication with network communication equipment 41 and the computer 43 in the control room (Figure 1), as well as a terminal 39C for connecting an IP personal computer.
[0031] The calculation control unit 35 is composed of a CPU and has the function of counting the number of pulses per unit time of light received by the light receiver 35A, and converting the counted number of pulses into a wind speed value using a calculation formula or the like that is stored in the internal memory in advance. While not particularly limited, in this embodiment, the commands that the monitoring device 30 instructs the control unit 50 of the anemometer 10 to rotate the motor in the same direction as the wind cup rotation at rotational speeds corresponding to wind speeds of 1 m / s, 2 m / s, 4 m / s, 8 m / s, 10 m / s, 20 m / s, and 40 m / s are provided. There is also a command to instruct the anemometer 10 to rotate at a low speed in the opposite direction to the wind cup rotation. By sending such commands to the control unit 50 of the anemometer 10, it is possible to check whether the anemometer 10 is malfunctioning.
[0032] Next, the process by which the calculation control unit 35 of the monitoring device 30 determines whether the optical fiber F1 is broken will be explained. In this embodiment, the determination of a break in the optical fiber F1 is characterized by the fact that breaks occurring in a distance range closer to the anemometer 10 (repeater 20) than the monitoring device 30 are determined based on the received light level of 1550 nm wavelength light, and breaks occurring in a distance range closer to the monitoring device 30 than the anemometer 10 (repeater 20) are determined based on the received light level of 1310 nm wavelength light. The reasons for this and the details of the break determination process will be explained below.
[0033] Figure 3(A) shows the intensity of light transmitted through the optical fiber (received light level) under normal conditions when no break occurs, and the received light level when a break occurs, with the distance from the monitoring device 30 on the horizontal axis. In Figure 3(A), the solid line A represents the normal condition, and the dashed line B represents the condition when a break occurs. The downward slope in both cases is due to attenuation within the fiber. The received light level B is lower when a break occurs because, when a break occurs, only the light reflected at the break point returns to the monitoring device 30, and the difference Δ is due to the loss during reflection.
[0034] In Figure 3(A), the normal reception level value (-35 dBm) at the furthest point from the monitoring device 30, i.e., at position AM of the anemometer 10, is defined as the threshold level TH1, and the level of the signal received by the monitoring device 30 is compared with the threshold level TH1. In Figure 3(A), in the distance range DR1 to the left of the boundary position BL where the threshold level TH and the dashed line B intersect (closer to the monitoring device), the received level at the time of a disconnection is higher than TH1, while in the distance range DR2 to the right of the boundary position BL (further from the monitoring device), the received level at the time of a disconnection is lower than TH1. Therefore, if the level of the received signal is lower than TH1, it can be determined that a disconnection has occurred in the distance range DR2.
[0035] On the other hand, for the distance range DR1 to the left of the boundary position BL (closer to the monitoring device), the reception level at the time of disconnection is greater than the threshold level TH1, so the above method using the threshold level TH1 cannot be used to determine if a disconnection has occurred. Therefore, in the wind speed monitoring system of this embodiment, disconnection determination in the distance range DR2 farther from the monitoring device 30 is performed using the reception level of the signal received by the light receiver 25A with a wavelength of 1550 nm, while disconnection determination in the distance range DR1 closer to the monitoring device 30 is performed using light with a wavelength of 1310 nm.
[0036] Here, the 1310nm wavelength light emitted from the monitoring device 30 to the optical fiber F1 is reflected by the optical terminator 23 in the repeater 20 if there is no break in the fiber, and returns to the monitoring device 30 via the optical fiber F1. Therefore, the presence or absence of a break in the fiber is determined based on the reception level of the signal received by the photodetector 25B from the 1310nm wavelength light. More specifically, the optical terminator 23 is designed to attenuate and reflect the incident 1310nm wavelength light, and if there is no break in the fiber, the photodetector 25B receives light at a lower level due to the attenuation by the optical terminator 23. On the other hand, if there is a break in the fiber, the reflected light from the broken surface returns directly to the monitoring device 30 and is received by the photodetector 25B. Since this reflected light does not pass through the optical terminator 23 in the repeater 20, it is at a higher level than the normal reception level.
[0037] Figure 3(B) shows the reception level C under normal conditions and the reception level B during a break in the reception of light with a wavelength of 1310 nm, with the distance from the monitoring device 30 on the horizontal axis. As shown in Figure 3(B), unlike light with a wavelength of 1550 nm, light with a wavelength of 1310 nm is attenuated by the optical terminator 23 under normal conditions, so the reception level C under normal conditions is generally lower than the reception level B during a break. Therefore, by setting a threshold level TH2 to, for example, around -40 dBm, it is possible to determine that a break has occurred in the range DR1 closer to the monitoring device 30 if the reception level is greater than TH2, and that it is normal if the reception level is less than TH2.
[0038] Furthermore, if the distance from the monitoring device 30 to the anemometer 10 becomes even greater, and the above method cannot detect the occurrence of a wire break, a third wavelength of light different from the two wavelengths mentioned above may be added to determine if a wire break has occurred. In this embodiment, light with a wavelength of 1550 nm is used to detect disconnection in the far distance range DR2 because longer wavelength light results in a smaller attenuation per unit length of fiber, i.e., a smaller slope of characteristic lines A and B in Figure 3 for the received level, allowing monitoring of anemometers installed at greater distances. Therefore, even when using three wavelengths of light, it is preferable to use the longest wavelength light for wind speed measurement and the remaining wavelengths to determine whether or not there is a disconnection.
[0039] As described above, the wind speed monitoring system of the above embodiment can acquire information from an anemometer using a single optical fiber and detect wind speed values, thereby reducing the cost of system construction. Furthermore, in a wind speed monitoring system that transmits information using a single optical fiber and determines the presence or absence of a break using a threshold, it is possible to determine the presence or absence of a break regardless of the distance to the break point.
[0040] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. For example, in the system of the above embodiment, a single optical fiber is used to connect not only the repeater 20 and the monitoring device 30, but also the repeater 20 and the anemometer 10. However, a configuration in which a double optical fiber is used to connect the repeater 20 and the anemometer 10 is also possible. Furthermore, although a repeater 20 is interposed between the anemometer 10 and the monitoring device 30 in the above embodiment, the repeater 20 can be omitted. In addition, although a power supply device 18 equipped with a solar panel is installed near the anemometer in the above embodiment, it is also possible to configure the system to supply power using a cable instead of providing a power supply device. [Explanation of symbols]
[0041] 10 Anemometer 11 cabinets 12 rotation axes 13. Solids of revolution 13a Support rod 13b Wind cup 14 Base Box 15A Optical Connector 15B Electrical Connector 16. Metal cables for electrical signals 17 Installation stand 18. Power supply (solar panel, battery) 19. Reflective Collimator 20 Repeaters 20A, 20B Optical Connectors 21 Optical Coupler 22 Wavelength demultiplexer 23 Optical terminator 30 Monitoring equipment 31A 1st light source 31B 2nd light source 32 Modulators 33A wavelength multiplexer 33B Wavelength Separator 34 Circulator 35A 1st receiver 35B 2nd receiver 36A First Photoelectric Converter 36B Second Photoelectric Converter 37. Calculation Control Unit (Calculation Device) F1 / F2 Optical Fiber S-shaped slit plate
Claims
1. A rotor fixed to the end of a rotating shaft and rotating in one direction when exposed to wind; a slit plate fixed to the rotating shaft of the rotor and having multiple slits formed at equal intervals along the circumferential direction; and an anemometer capable of transmitting rotational information of the rotor based on the action of the slit plate to the outside. A monitoring device that transmits continuous light through a single-core first optical fiber toward the anemometer, receives the return light containing the rotation information through the first optical fiber, and calculates the wind speed value, A wind speed monitoring system equipped with, The aforementioned anemometer is The end of the first optical fiber or the second optical fiber whose optical path is continuous with the first optical fiber is arranged such that its optical axis intersects the slit plate at a point on one side of the slit plate corresponding to the slit formation area. A light-reflecting means is arranged so as to face the end of the first optical fiber or the second optical fiber with the slit plate in between. A wind speed monitoring system characterized in that light that passes through the slit and is reflected by the light reflecting means is transmitted to the monitoring device as the reflected light.
2. A relay device is provided near the anemometer to relay information signals between the anemometer and the monitoring device. The wind speed monitoring system according to claim 1, characterized in that the second optical fiber is arranged between the relay device and the anemometer.
3. The light transmitted from the monitoring device to the first optical fiber includes multiple continuous light beams, each with a different wavelength. The relay device is provided with a wavelength separation means for separating light of a different wavelength from the light transmitted from the monitoring device via the first optical fiber, and an optical terminator for attenuating and reflecting the light separated by the wavelength separation means. The wind speed monitoring system according to claim 2, characterized in that light of other wavelengths separated by the wavelength separation means is transmitted to the anemometer via the second optical fiber, the reflected light from the anemometer is transmitted to the monitoring device via the first optical fiber, and the monitoring device is configured to calculate the wind speed value and determine if the first optical fiber is broken based on the reflected light.
4. The light transmitted from the monitoring device to the first optical fiber includes continuous light of a first wavelength and continuous light of a second wavelength having a different wavelength from the said continuous light. The aforementioned monitoring device is A first light source that generates continuous light of the first wavelength, A second light source that generates continuous light of the second wavelength, A wavelength multiplexing means for multiplexing continuous light generated by the first light source and continuous light generated by the second light source, Wavelength separation means for separating light of a first wavelength and light of a second wavelength contained in the light returned from the first optical fiber, The wind speed monitoring system according to claim 2 or 3, further comprising: a calculation means for calculating a wind speed value based on light of a first wavelength separated by the wavelength separation means, and for determining whether or not the first optical fiber is broken based on the separated light of a second wavelength.
5. The aforementioned calculation means is The light reception level of the first wavelength separated by the wavelength separation means is compared with a predetermined first threshold level, and if the light reception level is smaller than the first threshold level, it is determined that there is a break in the first optical fiber. The wind speed monitoring system according to claim 4, characterized in that the reception level of light of the second wavelength separated by the wavelength separation means is compared with a second threshold level lower than the first threshold level, and if the reception level is greater than the second threshold level, it is determined that there is a break in the first optical fiber.
Citation Information
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