초록 ▼

A mass flowmeter including a resistive wire adapted to be placed across the path of a fluid whose flow rate is to be measured, a controller unit for applying electrical energy to the wire, and a processor unit for deducing the mass flow rate of the fluid from variations in the temperature of the flu

A mass flowmeter including a resistive wire adapted to be placed across the path of a fluid whose flow rate is to be measured, a controller unit for applying electrical energy to the wire, and a processor unit for deducing the mass flow rate of the fluid from variations in the temperature of the fluid. In one embodiment, the controller unit applies current pulses to the wire during given periods and the processor unit determines the rate at which the wire cools between pulses. The invention is applicable to measuring any mass flow rate in various environments.

대표청구항 ▼

[ We claim:] [1.] A mass flowmeter comprising:a resistive wire adapted to be placed in a path of a fluid whose flow rate is to be measured;feed means for applying electrical energy to the wire, the feed means includes control means for applying current pulses to the wire during given periods;measure

[ We claim:] [1.] A mass flowmeter comprising:a resistive wire adapted to be placed in a path of a fluid whose flow rate is to be measured;feed means for applying electrical energy to the wire, the feed means includes control means for applying current pulses to the wire during given periods;measurement means without using a thermal reference for deducing the mass flow rate of the fluid from variations in the temperature of the fluid,wherein the measurement means determines the mass flow rate using the gradient of the cooling curve of the wire between successive pulses monitored by passing a low and non-significant current through the wire and determines the rate at which the wire cools between said pulses.