Build a laser anemometry system
The accurate prediction of energy yield is vital to the success of wind farm projects. Wind data has traditionally been collected – with great difficulty – using expensive anemometry masts and numerous measurement points.
Raising an anemometry mast results in several negative issues such as the need for building permits, environmental concerns as well as health & safety concerns.
Using laser anemometry instead provides complete wind resource management including horizontal and vertical wind speed, direction, and turbulence. All the data wind farms need to pick the optimal location for new wind turbines – but without building a mast.
When making a laser anemometry system, one of the biggest challenges is to identify a laser source with very low intensity and phase noise that can detect the very weak signal coming back from a Doppler-shift reflection.
Robust, reliable, and high sensitivity
The laser source must be robust to deliver accurate wind measurements, and its optical performance must be insensitive to structural and acoustic vibrations. Built as a DFB truly single-frequency fiber laser, the Koheras fiber laser fulfills all the criteria for wind LiDAR applications.
Our fiber laser design is inherently compact and robust. It is developed for a long lifetime in demanding environments where uptime is critical. With documented low failure rates, we proudly deliver the most reliable low-noise lasers on the market.
We have more than 15,000 Koheras lasers deployed in the harshest environments on – and off – the planet. We have lasers on oil rigs, submarines, wind turbines, and even in space. With 20 years of experience, we know they last.
Features
- Proven reliability with industrial fiber laser design
- Precise measurements for wind farm site assessment
- Low laser noise and high power provide precise measurements of wind speed and direction
- Maintenance-free 24/7 operation
Publications and background info
- Article from Optics and Lasers Europe (OLE): Fibre lasers stretch from cells to wind farms
- Paper by Risø and Natural Power: Lidar wind speed measurements from a rotating spinner
- Kang Ying, Hong Liang, Dijun Chen, Yanguang Sun, HaoYang Pi, Fang Wei, Fei Yang, and Haiwen Cai: Ultralow noise DFB fiber laser with self-feedback mechanics utilizing the inherent photothermal effect, published in Optics Express, 2020.
- Takeshi Sakimura, Kenichi Hirosawa, Yojiro Watanabe, Toshiyuki Ando, Shumpei Kameyama, Kimio Asaka, Hisamichi Tanaka, Masashi Furuta, Masahiro Hagio, Yoshihito Hirano, Hamaki Inokuchi, and Takayuki Yanagisawa: 1.55-μm high-peak, high-average-power laser amplifier using an Er,Yb:glass planar waveguide for wind sensing coherent Doppler lidar, published in Optics Express, 2019.
