CSAT3BH Heated, 3-D Sonic Anemometer with Integrated Electronics

The CSAT3BH provides integrated two-zone smart heating:  

• Zone 1 consists of the arms and strut. 

• Zone 2 provides heating to all the transducers. 

The smart heating uses environmental conditions and a controller to apply variable heating to the sonic anemometer to keep the body and transducers free of ice and snow. The CSAT3BH is designed to prevent ice from forming on the arms and fingers of the system. The block has no heating in it. The CSAT3BH has a separate controller that is used to control the heating algorithm of the sensor. The controller requires a temperature/RH input. There is an ambient temperature and relative humidity sensor that is standard for use with the controller, or the data can be provided through a user-supplied temperature/RH sensor. 

Physical 

The CSAT3H heater controller is a polycarbonate enclosure sized 20.32 x 25.4 x 15.24 cm (8 x 10 x 6 in.). The enclosure uses connectors for incoming power, heaters, temperature sensors, temperature/RH, RS-485(2), and USB. 

Electrical 

The heaters are controlled on two zones and require 150 W at full power. The controller controls the heaters by increasing or decreasing the voltage to get the appropriate wattage to keep ice from forming on the sensor. 

Benefits and Features 

• • New conformal coating helps protect sonic transducers in corrosive environments 
  • Two-zone heating to keep both the transducers and body of the sonic anemometer free of snow and ice 
  • Heating controller using environmental feedback to ensure power budgeting 
  • Streamlined heater integration to ensure maintenance of sonic aerodynamics 
  • Integrated data flagging, providing critical information when heaters were operational