Lab Report # 03

MEASUREMENT OF WEATHER/ENVIRONMENTAL
CONDITIONS USING WEATHER STATION AT UET TAXILA
The description of the terms using in weather station are given below:

TEMPERATURE:

1.

A temperature is a numerical measure of hotness or coldness of body. Its measurement is by

detection of heat radiation, particle velocity, kinetic energy, or most commonly, by the bulk
behavior of a thermometric material. It may be calibrated in any of
various temperature scales, Celsius, Fahrenheit, Kelvin, etc.
There are many types of temperature sensors:
a. Mechanical
b. Thermo junctive (thermocouple)
c. Thermo resistive(RTD and thermistor)

Resistance temperature detector (RTD)

The RTD is a temperature sensing device whose resistance changes with temperature.
Typically built from platinum, though devices made from nickel or copper are not
Un common, RTD scan take many different shapes. To measure the resistance
across an RTD, apply a constant current, measure the resulting voltage, and determine the
RTD resistance.

2. HUMIDITY:
The amount of water vapor in a dry air is known as humidity. It can be measured as absolute
humidity, or as relative humidity.

Absolute humidity:
The mass of water vapors present in a unit mass of dry air is called absolute humidity or
specific humidity and is denoted by .
=

mv
ma

(kg water vapor / kg dry air)

Relative humidity:
Relative humidity is defined as the ratio of partial pressure of water vapour, pw, in a
mixture to the saturation pressure, ps, of pure water, at the same temperature of the mixture.
It is denoted by .
1

pw
ps

HYGROMETER (Humidity sensor):

A hygrometer is an instrument for measuring humidity. There are three
basic types of hygrometer.
i) Psychrometer
ii) Hair hygrometer
iii) Chilled mirror hygrometer

i) Psychrometer:
The principle behind a psychrometer is fairly simple. The device
contains two thermometers. One is dry, and the other is kept moist by
wrapping the bulb in a wet piece of cloth. As the water around the
wet bulb evaporates, the bulb cools down because the water absorbs heat from its
surroundings as it changes phase. The rate of evaporation is dependent on humidity.
Therefore, the bigger the difference between the wet bulb temperature and the dry bulb
temperature, the lower the humidity. Different psychrometers have different ways of keeping
air flowing across the bulbs. In a sling psychrometer, for example, the user swings the
psychrometer by a piece of rope before taking a reading.

ii) Hair Tension Hygrometers:

In a hair tension hygrometer, a piece of human or animal hair is kept under tension. The
length of the hair changes as it absorbs or loses water from the air around it. The length
change is often magnified with a viewing lens so it can be interpreted.

iii) Chilled Mirror Hygrometers:

This type of hygrometer takes a very precise measurement of the temperature at which water
condenses on a small mirror. This temperature is known as the dew point, and it is directly
related to humidity. The higher the humidity, the higher the dew point.

2. WIND SPEED SENSOR(anemometer) :

An anemometer use for measuring the average and maximum wind speed and is a
common weather station instrument from the Greek word anemos, meaning wind, and is
used to describe any air speed measurement instrument used in meteorology
or aerodynamics.

Working Principle:

Revolving-cup electric anemometer:

Anemometer is like a small electricity generator mounted in a sealed-up metal cylinder with
an axle. On top of the axle, there are several large cups that catch the wind and make the
generator spin around.

Propeller anemometer:
A propeller may also be used to drive the electric generator, as in the propeller anemometer.
In another type of wind-driven unit, revolving vanes operate a counter, the revolutions being
timed by a stopwatch and converted to airspeed. This device is especially suited for
the measurement of low air speeds.
4. WIND DIRECTION SENSOR:
A sensor for measuring average wind is called wind direction sensor. This sensor consists of
a light wind vane pivoted on top of a housing. Inside the housing a compass is magnetically
coupled to the vane.
Working principle:
Wind sensor work on the principles on which the other wind direction measuring objects are
based. The working and the operation of wind direction sensor for the detection of the
direction of the wind depends on the construction and the joined with the pivot and the
whole circuit is operate with the help of electrical signal. When the wind blows it strike with
the wind direction sensor and the device moves toward the opposite direction that detect the
direction of the wind. The electronic apparatus that is connected with the wind direction
sensor make it possible for the detectors to calculate the direction with more accuracy and
records the reading.

5. DIRECT SOLAR RADIATION SENSOR:

Solar radiation traveling on a straight line from the sun down to the surface of the earth.
3

Pyrheliometer:
A Pyrheliometer is an instrument for measurement of direct beam solar irradiance. Sunlight
enters the instrument through a window and is directed onto a thermopile which converts
heat to an electrical signal that can be recorded. The signal voltage is converted via a formula
to measure watts per square meter. A pyrheliometer is often used in the same setup with
a pyranometer.

6. EVAPORATION SENSOR:
The evaporation sensor is a digital solid state design that provides reliable measurement of
water level in a Class A evaporation pan.
Working:
The water level in the evaporation pan is altered by opening and closing fill or drain valves
at the appropriate times. The use of instantaneous values to monitor the water level leads to
the effect of overshoot during a fill operation. The fill valve is open when the instantaneous
water level reaches a lower limit and closed when it reaches an upper limit. The limits are
defined in the algorithm. When the fill valve is opened the water level in the pan increases
rapidly and the water level in the stilling well lags due to the time constant of the damped
system. The water level that controls the operation of valves is monitored in the stilling wall
so that when the fill valve is closed the water level in pan is higher. After the fill valve is
closed the water level in stilling well will continue to rise until it is in equilibrium with the
level in the pan.

7. RAINFALL SENSOR:
A rain sensor or rain switch is a switching device activated by rainfall. There are two main
applications for rain sensors. The first is a water conservation device connected to an
automatic irrigation system that causes the system to shut down in the event of rainfall. The
second is a device used to protect the interior of an automobile from rain and to support the
automatic mode of windscreen wipers. An additional application in professional satellite
communications antennas is to trigger a rain blower on the aperture of the antenna feed, to
remove water droplets from the mylar cover that keeps pressurized and dry air inside the
wave-guides.

Observations & Calculations:

Wind
Direct
Wind direction
solar
speed
(Deg.
Radiation
From
(m/s)
(W/m2)
north)

Sr. Temperature
No
(Celsius)
.

Humidit
y

1.

30.7

52.9

0.9

75

719

136

0.00

2.

30.5

51.2

1.3

90

714

136.1

0.00

3.

30.4

50.8

1.2

70

712

136.1

0.00

4.

30.6

51.1

1.4

70

709

136.1

0.00

(%RH)

Evaporatio
n
sensor

Rainfall
(mm)

Conclusion:
We have learned that how to use the weather stations and how to measure the parameters like
temperature, humidity, wind speed, wind direction, evaporate rate and rainfall etc. The
weather station in UET, Taxila is for study purpose. The knowledge of weather station is
very helpful in many applications.