Design Study of a New Portable Thermal Anemometer

The objective of this study is to develop a new portable thermal anemometer that is cost-effective, highly accurate, offers a wide measurement range, and is handheld. Utilizing Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), this research designs a portable anemometer housing equipped with an innovative shunt structure. It further analyzes the influence of key structural parameters of the sampling flow channel - namely, the length of the flat section, the diameter of the round tube, and the cross-section ratio - on the device's performance. A control circuit is then tailored according to system requirements, and the final assembly of the anemometer is accomplished using 3D printing and PCB technologies. Simulation and experimental results demonstrate that this anemometer substantially reduces the wind speed across the surface of the flow sensor chip while maintaining laminar flow conditions throughout the test range, thereby significantly expanding the test range.