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A
Ambient beam (Triton)
Ambient noise level.
Ambient noise (Triton)
The sound pressure at the device location when Triton is not chirping. Expressed in dB. Also called "background noise level."
Ambient temperature
Temperature of the air at the location of the device, in degrees.
Analysis page (Triton/SkyServe)
The SkyServe page, which displays data in numerical form.
Anemometer
An instrument used to measure wind velocity or wind speed.
Antenna (Triton)
The Triton antenna may be a white stick or a "beehive" shaped object on the top edge of Triton above the rear door. The Triton antenna is a Globalstar antenna, used to send and receive signals from the Globalstar satellite system.
Array (Triton)
The hexagonal arrangement of 36 speakers that create the sound. Triton
uses a phased array to create three separate beams by using groups
of speakers to direct the sound.
Array Board (Triton)
The large printed circuit board (PCB) to which the speakers are attached.
Array Enclosure (Triton)
Electronics Enclosure
Array Support (Triton)
The aluminum structure on which the array is mounted.
Azimuth
Offset from true North, used as a compass correction.
B
Barometric Pressure
Atmospheric pressure at the location of the device.
Base (Triton)
The rectangular bottom section of the Triton.
Battery (Triton)
The 12V DC 100A/h deep discharge
batteries used to power the Triton.
Battery Compartment Temperature (Triton)
Temperature
measured by a sensor mounted on one of the battery
terminals within the Triton.
Battery Volts
Current battery voltage
Beam (Triton)
Any of three directional
sound transmissions from Triton's phased array. The three beams are labeled A, B and C.
Beam Confidence (Triton)
Average confidence
level in each beam direction.
Beam Direction (Triton/SkyServe)
Triton's
A, B, and C beams are transmitted 120º apart. The A beam is toward the Northeast, the
B beam is toward the South, and the C beam is toward the Northwest.
Beam SNR (Triton/SkyServe)
Average signal to noise ratio in each beam direction.
BeamNum (Triton/SkyServe)
Number of shots used in each beam direction to
calculate the average wind speed.
BeamSig (Triton/SkyServe)
Average signal strength in each beam direction.
Bin
A storage register that accumulates both the sums of sampled data and
the number of samples. Each bin is associated with a fixed interval of time,
wind speed, or wind direction. A full range of bins forms the basis of a
distribution.
C
Cap (Triton)
The rounded top edge of the Triton. There
are three cap pieces per Triton.
Capacity Factor
Average power of a wind turbine divided by rated power for
that turbine.
Catalytic Element Temperature (Triton/SkyServe)
Temperature within the catalytic propane heater of Triton (if fitted).
Cat 5e Cable
The round, colored computer type cables in the Triton. Also
referred to as Ethernet cables.
Chirp (Triton)
The pulse or beam of sound emitted by the Triton. Sounds
like the chirping of a bird. The frequency of the chirp is about 4,500
Hz.
Conduit (Triton)
The flexible black tubing which the cables pass through.
Confidence Function (Triton/SkyServe)
Function of signal to noise ratio used to rank shots and eliminate invalid shots.
Configuration
(1) Software installed on or in a device instructing
it what type of data to collect and how to process, record, and display that
data. (2) Hardware options installed on or in the device.
ConfType (Triton/SkyServe)
Type of confidence function implemented.
Contactor
An electrical relay that actuates by solenoid action. In wind
energy applications, the "on line" contactor connects the turbine
generator to mains electricity.
Control Anemometer
The anemometer used to control the turbine.
Core Power (Triton/SkyServe)
Measurement of power consumption by Triton
core processing boards.
CPU Power
Current power consumption of central processing unit
CSV
(SkyServe, Nomad Desktop): CSV stands for "Comma Separated
Values". In a CSV file, fields are separated by commas, and each new line
starts a new record. The CSV file format is supported by most spreadsheet
and database programs, and many wind data analysis packages.
Current Day (SkyServe)
00.00hrs GMT today until 00.00 GMT today
Custom (SkyServe)
The function for selecting data for your own chosen period
for analysis within or export from SkyServe.
D
Data Hours
The amount of time for which data is presented in a graph.
Data Logger
An electronic device such as Nomad 2 that records data over
time or in relation to location either with a built in instrument or sensor
or via external instruments and sensors.
Data Recovery
Data hours divided by report period hours expressed as a percent.
Data Track
A device-specific time series of information in the database
created by a logger or CTM. For example, data tracks include but are not
limited to: reactive power, imported and exported power at the substation;
wind speeds at each turbine and met tower; power generated at each turbine;
and other turbine characteristics that the CTM is programmed to collect.
Day File
A file created by a device that contains a day's worth of data. Nomad
2 day files have the suffix .ndf and are processed using Nomad Desktop. SkyServe
can export data in NDF format for Nomad 2s, or can export day files for Triton
in CSV format.
dB
Decibel. A logarithmic unit of measurement of sound pressure.
dBr
Decibels relative, e.g. for signal to noise ratio.
Device
The equipment used for collecting the data, normally a Second Wind
Nomad 2 or Triton.
Direction (SkyServe)
Shown in SkyServe in either degree form 0 to 360 or
as compass bearings N, S.E, W, NNE, SSW, etc.
Doppler Shift (Triton)
A shift in frequency and wave length of a sound wave,
used in reference to the characteristics of the return echo.
Dry Contact
A relay contact that has no prior electrical connection.
DSP
Digital Signal Processor, digital signal processing. DSP is present
in Triton and Phaser.
DSP Board (Triton)
Digital signal processing board. The top board in the
Array Enclosure when in the open position.
DSP Code Revision (Triton/SkyServe)
Current firmware revision installed
in Digital Signal Processor of the Triton.
E
Echo Adjusted (Triton)
Triton can analyze the data and discard spurious
information created by fixed echo sources.
Echo Rejection (Triton)
A software method of detecting
and eliminating fixed echoes when processing sodar data.
Echo Enclosure (Triton)
The Array enclosure. Contains the DSP, Linux
and Peripheral boards.
Electrostatic Discharge
An electrical event that occurs when a high voltage
difference causes current to flow for a brief period. Usually synonymous
with lightning.
Encryption (SkyServe)
SkyServe access codes and passwords are highly encrypted
for customer data security.
End (SkyServe)
The end of a selected period of data to be viewed.
Ethernet Cable (Triton)
The round, colored computer type cables in the Triton.
Extended Data (Triton/SkyServe)
SkyServe page presenting additional information
regarding the beam statistics.
F
Felt (Triton)
The soft white lining on the inside of the Triton.
Firmware
Embedded software within the device; software encoded onto a computer
chip used to operate the device.
Firmware Revision
The identification code for the current firmware.
Fixed Echo (Triton)
An echo returned from a fixed object. Fixed
echoes may cause distorted sodar readings.
FixType (Triton/SkyServe)
The type of echo rejection algorithm implemented.
Flat Cable
Flat cable or "ribbon cable" is used to join circuit boards.
Foot Latch (Triton)
Forcasting
The collection of data from an up-wind location, providing an
extremely accurate prediction of upcoming wind conditions.
Fork Terminal
A fork-shaped crimp-on or soldered-on wire terminator that
fits under a screw head or nut. The fork terminal is a superior alternative
to directly wrapping stranded wire around a bolt or screw in the same application.
Front Door (Triton)
The large, downwards opening door with the curved top. Gives access to the Hex Array.
Function (Nomad)
The common term for the mathematical relationship between independent variables (usually inputs) and dependent variables (usually outputs). Nomad and Nomad 2 both calculate several functions, including averages and standard deviations.
G
GateType (Triton/SkyServe)
Refers to the parameters that specify how the
raw data is assigned to each range gate.
Gin Pole
A pole used to assist in raising a tilt-up tower. The gin pole is
fixed at 90 degrees to the tower. The gin pole provides leverage in
raising the tower, so that once the tower is upright, the gin pole is level
with the ground.
Global Positioning System (GPS)
The means by which the Triton or a SkyServe-equipped
Nomad 2 locates itself on the Earth's surface using satellites.
Globalstar
The satellite system that Triton and Nomad 2 use to communicate
with SkyServe.
GMT
Greenwich Mean Time. SkyServe defaults to and records all data in GMT.
GPS
Global Positioning System
Greenwich Mean Time
The time at the Prime Meridian (0 degrees longitude)
also known as Universal Time.
Ground Anchor (Triton)
The
fixings used to attach the Triton to the ground.
Grounding
Metallic connection
to a large conducting body, usually the earth. Used as a return for
electric currents. Sometimes referred to as "earth grounding" or "earthing" to
avoid confusion with electric circuit signal "ground", usually the
return path for low current signals.
Grounding Clamp
A metal device
specifically designed for connecting bare copper grounding wire
to a pipe or grounding stake. These are used by telephone and electric
utilities and are readily available.
Guy Wire
Attaches a tower to
a guy anchor and the ground.
H
Heater Status (Triton)
Current
status of heater option ON or OFF (if fitted).
Height
Altitude that data
has been recovered from either by fixed sensors (Nomad) or Triton.
Hertz (Hz)
An engineering
term for one cycle per second. "50 Hz" electricity means 50
cycles per second, and is the standard in North America. 60
Hz is the standard in Europe.
Hex Array (Triton)
The
assembly of parts which comprises the speakers, electronics
enclosure, printed circuit boards, sensor enclosure, etc. So
called because the speakers are organized in a hexagonal shape.
Hose Clamp
A stainless
steel clamp primarily used to fasten automobile radiator hoses,
but also for attaching sensor mounting masts to meteorological
towers.
Hub
The center of a
wind generator rotor, which holds the blades in place and
attaches to the shaft.
Humidity Sensor (Triton)
One of the two circuit boards within the Sensor enclosure;
measures atmospheric moisture.
I
Icon (SkyServe)
A pictogram on the SkyServe screen denoting some function
of SkyServe. On the map screen, icons indicate
the location of Tritons and Nomad 2s.
Initialization (Nomad)
The
act of entering the present time or any other information
necessary for Nomad and Nomad 2 to begin logging data.
Initialization is part of the configuration process.
L
Last 3 Months
Last 90 days from last 00.00hrs GMT.
Last Day
00.00hrs GMT to 00.00hrs GMT yesterday.
Last Month
Last 30 days from last 00.00hrs GMT.
Last Week
Last 7 days from last 00.00hrs GMT.
Latch (Triton)
The foot operated mechanism for opening the front door.
Latitude
The location of the device on the Earth's surface north or south of the equator measured in degrees.
Lattice Tower
Steel framework tower usually triangular or square in cross-section. Lattice towers may be self-supporting or guyed.
LDPE
Low-density polyethylene. The material that the main body of the Triton is made from. Triton's plastic parts are recyclable.
LED
Light Emitting Diode. LEDs are small round lights that are usually red. LEDs provide an indication of device status in all Second Wind products.
Linux board (Triton)
The middle printed circuit board in the electronics enclosure. The Linux board is a single board computer that runs the Linux operating system.
Log in Page (SkyServe)
The web page where you enter your Username and Password to gain access to SkyServe.
Longitude
The location of the device on the Earth's surface east or west of the prime meridian, measured in degrees.
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M
Magnetometer (Triton)
Digital compass, part of the orientation board in the sensor enclosure.
Main section (Triton)
The largest of the gray plastic sections that make up the body of the Triton.
Main Electronics Temperature (Triton)
Temperature recorded by a sensor within the electronics enclosure of the Triton.
Map (SkyServe)
The interactive map screen on the Standard Data Page of SkyServe.
Metric Units
The European or International system of measurements.
Mirror (Triton)
The large aluminum plate set at 45 degrees in the middle of the Triton which reflects sound.
Modelling
The process of extrapolating measurements taken at one point on a wind site to work out what the wind resource is like on the rest of the site.
Modem (Triton)
An electronic module within the operator box for communicating data.
Modem Power (Triton/SkyServe)
Current power consumption of Modem (W).
Mounting Hardware
A collection of fastening devices, such as nuts, bolts, or wire-ties.
N
N2
Second Wind Nomad 2 data logger.
NDF (Nomad)
Nomad Data File. An exportable file type for use in the Second Wind Nomad Desktop software. (Nomad)
Nomad 2
Second Wind's Nomad 2 (N2) data logger
NumFix (Triton/SkyServe)
The number of shots in each direction where echo rejection was implemented.
NumGood (Triton/SkyServe)
The number of shots in each direction that passed the valid criteria.
NumShots (Triton/SkyServe)
Total number of shots taken in each beam direction.
O
Operational Data (SkyServe)
SkyServe page showing current status of Nomad or Triton being viewed.
Operational Status (SkyServe)
The current status of the device, i.e. running.
Operator Box (Triton)
The plastic box with the clear front behind the rear door.
Operator Panel (Triton)
The display panel with LEDs inside the operator box.
Organization (SkyServe)
The name of the owner or operator of the device.
Organization Board (Triton)
One of the two circuit boards within the sensor enclosure orients Triton for direction and level.
P
Past 6 Months (SkyServe)
Last 180 days from last 00.00hrs GMT.
Past Year (SkyServe)
Last 365 days from last 00.00hrs GMT.
Peak Type (Triton/SkyServe)
Refers to the parameters that describe how the Doppler shift is searched for.
Peripheral Board (Triton)
The largest of the three printed circuit boards within the electronics enclosure.
Platform Revision (Triton/SkyServe)
Operating system and build revision.
Polyethylene
LDPE
Potentiometer
Also known as a "pot," this is an electromechanical device that varies in resistance by mechanically moving a wiping contact along a conductive element. Most wind vanes' shafts are directly connected to potentiometers.
Power (Triton)
Power consumption of a particular component within the device.
Power Curve
A data summary that characterizes wind turbine performance as the average power produced at a range of wind speeds.
Power Transducer
A transducer that produces a voltage or current proportional to the electrical power output of a wind turbine generator or other power source.
Pressure
Barometric Pressure
Pressure Sensor
One of the two circuit boards within the sensor enclosure measures barometric pressure.
Profiling
A more detailed look at various locations within a likely wind-farm site to determine ideal turbine placement.
Pull Box (Triton)
The gray plastic box on the left hand side inside the Triton. This box does not contain any electronics.
PWM Power (Triton/SkyServe)
The pulse width modulation power shown in SkyServe reflects the average power consumption of the amplifier stage that drives the speakers.
Q
Quality
Quality factor is an assessment of the usefulness of the data being recovered by the Triton. A quality factor is provided for each ten-minute interval.
R
Range Gate (Triton)
Rated Power
The electric power output at which the turbine manufacturer rates the turbine.
Rear Door (Triton)
The small rectangular door behind the solar panels.
Received OK (Triton)
The percentage of chirps heard by the Triton relative to the number emitted.
RTV
Silicone sealant.
S
Sampled Data
Nomad and Nomad 2 convert all count, analog, and state inputs into sampled data every second.
SCADA
Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition. A system that provides performance information and control over a group of devices, such as wind turbines.
Scupper (Triton)
The gap at the bottom of the mirror for rain and debris to pass through.
SD Card (Triton)
The memory card used in the Triton for temporary data storage.
Sensor
A device, such as an anemometer or wind vane, that responds to a signal or stimulus and produces an electrical signal that a data logger can monitor. Also called transducer.
Sensor Enclosure (Triton)
The small rectangular aluminum box mounted onto the Hex Array.
Shot (Triton)
A single chirp.
Shunt Resistor
A resistor used to convert current into voltage.
Signal strength (Triton)
Relative measure of the strength of the reflected acoustic pulse.
Signal to Noise Ratio (Triton)
Or SNR. A ratio of signal strength (return echo from the chirp) to background noise. A higher SNR usually indicates a higher quality measurement.
Site (SkyServe)
The site where the device is deployed.
SkyServe
Second Wind's satellite data management system used in conjunction with Triton and Nomad 2.
SNR (Triton)
Signal to noise ratio.
Sodar
Sound detection and ranging. Triton is a type of sodar.
Solar Charger/Regulator (Triton)
The Blue Sky unit with LEDs inside the Triton.
Solar Panel (Triton)
The photovoltaic panels used to charge the Triton's batteries.
Solar Panel Frame (Triton)
The aluminum frame, which the solar panels are mounted onto.
Speaker (Triton)
The black piezo tweeters (or transducers), which produce the sound.
Speaker Enclosure (Triton)
The front plastic section of the Triton that the front door attaches to.
Speaker Volume (Triton)
The current volume of the Triton speaker array from 0% to 100%.
Standard Data (SkyServe)
The basic data page for getting an overview of the performance of the device for any selected period.
Standard Deviation
A mathematical term that indicates the deviation from some average value. Although the calculation of standard deviation (designated by the Greek letter Sigma S) can be very involved, its interpretation is usually quite simple -- how much a value has changed during a sampling interval
Start (SkyServe)
The beginning of a period of data to be analyzed.
Station
Selected height at which wind speed is measured.
T
Term (Triton)
Sub Frame
The aluminum framework mounted on the underside of the mirror inside the Triton.
Temperature (Triton)
The air temperature at that location and at a particular altitude. Or the temperature of a particular point within the device.
Temperature Probe (Triton)
The temperature sensor attached to one of the batteries.
Temperature Sensor (Triton)
An electrical sensor for measuring temperature.
Ten-Minute Date
Data recovered in any given 10-minute periods.
Terminal
A passive conductor in an electrical device used to facilitate or establish an electrical connection.
Tilt (Triton)
Triton is fitted with a multidirectional tilt sensor and if it is off level in any axis this is displayed in SkyServe.
Tilt-Up Tower
A tower that is hinged at the base and secured with guy wires. The tower is erected by means of a gin pole and winch.
Time (SkyServe)
Time in SkyServe defaults to GMT.
Tinning
Plating or coating with solder, which is usually an alloy of tin and lead.
Total Hours
The total time selected for evaluation.
Tower (Mast)
Structure upon which anemometers or other meteorological equipment are mounted.
Transducer (Triton)
An alternative name for a speaker.
Triton
Second Wind's sonic wind profiler, which uses sodar technology.
Tubular Tower
A tower composed of one or more steel cylinders. A tubular tower may be guyed or self-supporting. Commonly the diameter increases toward the base for increased strength.
Type ID (Triton/SkyServe)
ID tag used to track changes in the Triton configuration.
U
Unit Serial Number (Triton)
The serial or registration number of the device.
US Units (SkyServe)
American, or non-metric, units of measurement (also known as "English"). Selectable within SkyServe.
V
V(horiz) (Triton)
Average horizontal wind speed.
V(vert) (Triton)
Average vertical wind speed.
Vane
Vector
A quantity represented by magnitude and direction, for example: "25 m/s wind speed from the Northeast." Wind velocity usually refers to the wind vector (speed plus direction), while speed refers to just its magnitude.
Vibration (Triton)
The accelerometer built into the Triton reports vibration caused by high wind conditions.
Voltage Cycle
Alternating current (AC) waveforms, like most "mains" electricity, goes negative and positive repeatedly. One full repetition, or "period," is considered a cycle.
W
Wind Prospecting
Long-term collection of wind data across a general area to determine its viability as a wind farm site.
Wind Rose
Another term for wind direction distribution. The term "wind rose" comes from a circular graphic representation of the distribution, which might resemble a flower.
Wind Shear
A difference in wind speed or direction at different heights. Wind shear is usually used to refer to a difference in wind speed, and wind direction shear or wind veer is used to refer to a difference in wind direction.
Wind Speed (Triton)
The average horizontal speed of the wind at any given altitude as measured by Triton.
Wind Speed Distribution
A data summary that indicates the amount or percent of time the wind blows over a range of wind speeds.
Wind Vane
Any device that mechanically turns in the direction of the wind. In data logging applications, wind vanes contain potentiometers or other sensors to provide an electrical signal proportional to wind direction.
Wind Veer
A difference in wind direction at different heights. Also referred to as "wind direction shear."
WindVert (Triton)
Average vertical wind speed.
Wire Tie
A nylon device that loops around and restrains cables and wires. Also called "cable tie".
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