Skip to main content

Biral showcases meteorological equipment at UK highways show

Meteorological specialist Biral recently exhibited its range of advanced weather and visibility sensors at the Highways Management Show in Coventry, UK Biral, set up in 1975, works with companies and organisations across all industries, including road and transportation, to deliver solutions to monitor visibility and local weather conditions as part of smart road systems and intelligent transport networks. Biral said that its VPF and SWS Visibility and Present Weather Sensors ranges are particularly bene
January 24, 2017 Read time: 3 mins
Meteorological specialist Biral recently exhibited its range of advanced weather and visibility sensors at the Highways Management Show in Coventry, UK

8558 Biral, set up in 1975, works with companies and organisations across all industries, including road and transportation, to deliver solutions to monitor visibility and local weather conditions as part of smart road systems and intelligent transport networks. Biral said that its VPF and SWS Visibility and Present Weather Sensors ranges are particularly beneficial to highways applications due to their highly reliable and accurate readings. These sensors can be used to warn motorists of roadside fog, limited tunnel visibility, bridge conditions and general meteorological issues. The correct precautionary information can then be given to road users, such as adjusting carriageway speed limits and issuing fog and reduced visibility warnings.

Biral noted that its SWS range is especially well suited to highways applications as its combination of serial and analogue interfaces can assist with local signage control and can be directly connected to a wider network. The sensors are also used indirectly, to monitor pollution levels in tunnels and control the ventilation systems. They can also act as secondary fire detectors in tunnels due to their sensitivity to smoke particles. The VPF and SWS ranges have been used for an extensive range of applications, some exceeding 20 years, which proves the reliable performance and durability of the equipment. The company also exhibited a range of products from German manufacturer Adolf Thies, for which Biral is the exclusive UK distributor. This range includes meteorological sensors for relative humidity, temperature, air pressure, radiation, wind speed and direction and precipitation. Biral said that its own products sit alongside those of Thies to offer the complete range of meteorological measurements required by local, national and governmental level authorities across the UK transport network. To this end, Biral is developing a Road Weather Information System (RWIS) to be launched next year. The system will combine all of the key meteorological measurements into one compact, reliable and easy to install and use system.

Biral has also developed equipment with the ability to accurately monitor the movement of lightning. The company said that its BTD-300 Thunderstorm Detection system can detect a lightning strike to a range of 83km. The stand-alone unit warns of approaching thunderstorms and reports back to the control centre, giving operators enough time to safely shut down or postpone operations until the system has detected the strike to have safely passed.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Road markings important for road safety
    February 20, 2012
    Manufacturers are constantly upgrading marking materials and equipment. Now those responsible for highways are being asked to do more as Patrick Smith reports. A recent report claimed that nearly one-third of the length of Britain's single carriageway A-roads have white lines so worn out that they do not meet recognised standards. According to the LifeLines Report, an assessment of more than 2,400km of the road network, Britain's most dangerous roads have the most worn-out centre line markings of all, leavi
  • Data collection key to software developments
    February 13, 2012
    The collection and handling of data are key technology drivers in the software sector. New methods of data collection and manipulation are driving significant developments in software at present. The latest technology allows designers and engineers to collect, store and manipulate ever larger amounts of data. Growing use of mobile field equipment for both data collection and field management is driving interactive systems. And in an interview this month Autodesk senior vice-president for the construction an
  • EU noise levels rising
    July 31, 2012
    The EU funded SILENCE project maps the transport causes and possible solutions for reducing noise, reports Alan Peterson With Europe's ever-increasing population growth, the issue of noise for its 100 million citizens is becoming a pressing problem. Over 25% are exposed to critical transport-related noise, according to research by the EU funded SILENCE project, which reported its findings in Germany in May. The purpose of SILENCE is to develop an integrated methodology and technology for the improved contro
  • Safety improvements for UK’s level crossings
    July 27, 2012
    As part of a recent rail investment package, the Department for Transport has ring-fenced a US$100 million fund for safety improvements to level crossings between 2014 and 2019, and Optex has announced that its Redscan laser detector has been specified as part of a new solution to automate signalling and detect whether or not a level crossing is clear from vehicles and pedestrians before allowing a train to pass through.