High-Temperature and Wide-Range Anemometer Based on Plasma Glow Discharge

Obtaining the characteristics of the internal flow field of turbomachinery is of great significance for the design and improvement of engine performance, but the working environment of high temperature and high speed has brought huge challenges for wind speed measurement. Based on the mechanism of glow discharge, a new high-performance plasma anemometer using tungsten wire as needle electrode is designed. The influences of the anemometer’s key parameters on its performances were investigated and the design of the anemometer was optimized. The velocity response of anemometer is improved to 0.8 Ma, which is twice higher than the reported plasma anemometers. The temperature resistance of the sensor can reach to 500 °C, which is five times as much as the best result reported. Moreover, the sensor also has fast response. In addition, a compensation model was proposed to improve the accuracy of the sensor for long-term use. These results demonstrate that the plasma anemometer has the potential for flow field measurement in high-speed and high-temperature turbine environment.