Originally Posted by G&T ice n slice
We've got lots (and lots) of wind-turbines around here and they us something I think is "l@ser-radar" to work out the windspeed to adapt the windmill to the wind condition.
G&T ice n slice,
a number of instrument manufacturers are experimenting LIDAR systems as relative wind back-up measurement instruments.
The matter is uneasy because the scattering process has to be different in lower atmosphere (IR on aerosols) and in upper atmosphere (UV on ozone or air molecules) or in clear sky versus in visible moisture. A reliable system could end up requiring up to four different LIDARs operating parallely.
There is still a long way before these devices attain a level of reliability equivalent to pitot tubes.
Luc
some links on those experiments:
NEw Standby Lidar InstrumEnt - Transport - Research & Innovation - European Commission
Michigan Aerospace Corporation - Molecular Optical Air Data System (MOADS)
Optical air data systems
Science Links Japan | Airborne Coherent Doppler Lidar-Flight Test Results