SBIR-STTR Award

This proposed effort uses an innovative approach of a low-cost pressure probe designed by Applied Research Associates, Inc. (ARA) to address the difficult measurement problem of obtaining pressure signatures from the passage of tornado cores. Knowing the pressures associated with tornadoes could provide estimates of wind speeds in tornado cores. The Hardened In-Situ Tornado Pressure Recorder (HITPR) will provide accurate measurements in the presence of high turbulent wind conditions. The HITPR meets all of the needs in making this difficult measurement possible including survival in extreme winds of 90-140 m/s, tornado driven debris, extremely large hail, and flooding. The HITPR electronics are designed to survive significant electrical impulses associated with nearby lightning strikes, typical of severe storms. The Phase 1 effort will consist of wind computer model refinements, final system design, and construction of a prototype HITPR. Phase 1 will also include testing and field deployments of the HITPR, and data collection/analysis. It is anticipated that Phase 2 would include further refinements on the HITPR based on performance data collected in Phase 1. Additionally in Phase 2, 7 to 10 deliverable units would be constructed and large-scale deployments of the systems in tornado-prone areas would be attempted. COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS: The HITPR has a large commercial potential as the data collected from a large-scale deployment will provide the wind speeds from tornado cores based on measured pressure. It would be the only known method of providing this data on a large-scale basis throughout the tornado-prone areas of the United States. The data gathered would be used to enhance tornado research and make improvements to man-made structures for resisting tornado winds which would ultimately save lives. Potential customers would include the insurance industry, utility companies, and research organizations

This effort uses an innovative approach of a low cost pressure probe that was designed and constructed in a Phase 1 effort to address the difficult measurement problem of obtaining pressure signatures from the passage of tornado cores. A prototype „Hardened In-Situ Tornado Pressure Probe (HITPR) was preliminarily tested and found to be in excellent agreement with the pressure probe previously described. Phase 2 of this effort will focus on continued testing and fielding of the prototype HITPR probe. The results will refine the construction of eight pre-production deliverable HITPR units. The eight HITPR units will be used by chase teams for large-scale deployments for final testing and recording of the pressures associated with tornado cores. The results will be compared with the tornado wind speeds measured in the field. COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS: It is envisioned that hundreds, even thousands of these probes will be deployed in tornado prone areas across the United States. Potential customers would be the government, private weather firms, and the insurance industry.