Compact mass flow meter based on a micro Coriolis flow sensor

In this paper we present a compact ready-to-use micro Coriolis mass flow meter. The full scale flow is 2 g/h (for water at a pressure drop of 2 bar). It has a zero stability of 2 mg/h and an accuracy of 0.5% reading. The temperature drift between 10 and 50 ºC is below 1 mg/h/ºC. The meter is robust, has standard fluidic connections and can be read out by a PC or laptop via USB. Its performance was tested for several common gases (helium, nitrogen, argon and air) and liquids (water and IPA)

Compact mass flow meter based on a micro coriolis flow sensor

In this paper we demonstrate a compact ready-to-use micro Coriolis mass flow meter. The full scale flow is 1 g/h (for water at a pressure drop < 1 bar). It has a zero stability of 2 mg/h and an accuracy of 0.5% reading for both liquids and gases. The temperature drift between 10 and 50 °C is below 1 mg/h/°C. The meter is robust, has standard fluidic connections and can be read out by means of a PC or laptop via USB. Its performance was tested for several common gases (hydrogen, helium, nitrogen, argon and air) and liquids (water and isopropanol). As in all Coriolis mass flow meters, the meter is also able to measure the actual density of the medium flowing through the tube. The sensitivity of the measured density is ~1 Hz.m3/kg

Coriolis flowmeters: A review of developments over the past 20 years, and an assessment of the state of the art and likely future directions

This paper starts from a brief revisit of key early published work so that an overview of modern Coriolis flowmeters can be provided based on a historical background. The paper, then, focuses on providing an updated review of Coriolis flow measurement technology over the past 20 years. Published research work and industrial Coriolis flowmeter design are both reviewed in details. It is the intention of this paper to provide a comprehensive review study of all important topics in the subject, which include interesting theoretical and experimental studies and innovative industrial developments and applications. The advances in fundamental understanding and technology development are clearly identified. Future directions in various areas together with some open questions are also outlined.This is the accepted manuscript version. The final version is available from Elsevier at http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.flowmeasinst.2014.08.01

Compact Micro-Coriolis Mass-Flow Meter with Optical Readout

This paper presents the first nickel-plated micro-Coriolis mass-flow sensor with integrated optical readout. The sensor consists of a freely suspended tube made of electroplated nickel with a total length of 60 mm, an inner diameter of 580 µm, and a wall thickness of approximately 8 µm. The U-shaped tube is actuated by Lorentz forces. An optical readout consisting of two LEDs and two phototransistors is used to detect the tube motion. Mass-flow measurements were performed at room temperature with water and isopropyl alcohol for flows up to 200 g/h and 100 g/h, respectively. The measured resonance frequencies were 1.67 kHz and 738 Hz for water and 1.70 kHz and 752 Hz for isopropyl alcohol for the twist and swing modes, respectively. The measured phase shift between the two readout signals shows a linear response to mass flow with very similar sensitivities for water and isopropyl alcohol of (Formula presented.) and (Formula presented.), respectively.</p

A MEMS Coriolis-Based Mass-Flow-to-Digital Converter for Low Flow Rate Sensing

This article presents a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) Coriolis-based mass-flow-to-digital converter (Φ DC) that can be used with both liquids and gases. It consists of a micromachined Coriolis mass flow sensor and a CMOS interface circuit that drives it into oscillation and digitizes the resulting mass flow information. A phase-locked loop (PLL) drives the sensor at its resonance frequency (fD), while a low 1/f noise switched-capacitor (SC) proportional-integral (PI) controller maintains a constant drive amplitude. Mass flow through the sensor causes Coriolis-force-induced displacements, which are detected by co-integrated sense capacitors. In-phase (I) and quadrature (Q) components of these displacements are then digitized by two continuous-time delta-sigma modulators (CT- ΔΣ Ms) with finite impulse response (FIR)-DACs and passive mixers. Their outputs are used to accurately estimate and cancel sense path delay, thus improving sensor stability. To ensure constant sensitivity over a wide range of fluid densities, a background sensitivity tuning (BST) scheme adjusts the sense capacitors' bias voltage as a function of fD, which is a good proxy for fluid density. Implemented in a standard 0.18- μm CMOS technology, the interface circuit consumes 13 mW from a 1.8-V supply. The proposed MEMS Coriolis Φ DC achieves a state-of-the-art noise floor of 80 μg/h/√ Hz and a zero stability (ZS) of ±0.31 mg/h, which is at par with MEMS thermal flow sensors.</p

Microfabrication Technology for Isolated Silicon Sidewall Electrodes and Heaters

This paper presents a novel microfabricationtechnology for highly doped silicon sidewall electrodesparallel to – and isolated from – the microchannel. Thesidewall electrodes can be utilised for both electricaland thermal actuation of sensor systems. Thetechnology is scalable to a wide range of channelgeometries, simplifies the release etch, and allows forfurther integration with other Surface ChannelTechnology-based systems. Furthermore, thefabrication technology is demonstrated through thefabrication of a relative permittivity sensor. The sensormeasures relative permittivity values ranging from 1 to80, within 3% accuracy of full scale, including waterand water-containing mixtures

Velocity-independent thermal conductivity and volumetric heat capacity measurement of binary gas mixtures

In this paper, we present a single hot wire suspended over a V-groove cavity that is used to measure the thermal conductivity ($k$) and volumetric heat capacity ($\rho c_p$) for both pure gases and binary gas mixtures through DC and AC excitation, respectively. The working principle and measurement results are discussed

Support of gas flowmeter upgrade

A project history review, literature review, and vendor search were conducted to identify a flowmeter that would improve the accuracy of gaseous flow measurements in the White Sands Test Facility (WSTF) Calibration Laboratory and the Hydrogen High Flow Facility. Both facilities currently use sonic flow nozzles to measure flowrates. The flow nozzle pressure drops combined with corresponding pressure and temperature measurements have been estimated to produce uncertainties in flowrate measurements of 2 to 5 percent. This study investigated the state of flowmeter technology to make recommendations that would reduce those uncertainties. Most flowmeters measure velocity and volume, therefore mass flow measurement must be calculated based on additional pressures and temperature measurement which contribute to the error. The two exceptions are thermal dispersion meters and Coriolis mass flowmeters. The thermal dispersion meters are accurate to 1 to 5 percent. The Coriolis meters are significantly more accurate, at least for liquids. For gases, there is evidence they may be accurate to within 0.5 percent or better of the flowrate, but there may be limitations due to inappropriate velocity, pressure, Mach number and vibration disturbances. In this report, a comparison of flowmeters is presented. Candidate Coriolis meters and a methodology to qualify the meter with tests both at WSTF and Southwest Research Institute are recommended and outlined

Micro Coriolis Mass Flow Sensor with Piezoelectric Transducers for Both Actuation and Readout

We have realized a micro Coriolis mass flow sensor with piezoelectric transducers for both actuation and readout, resulting in lower power consumption and improved robustness to shock in comparison to the current actuation and readout methods. The PZT thin film in the parallel plate piezoelectric transducers was deposited by pulsed laser deposition (PLD). This paper presents the design, fabrication process and initial characterization results with mass flow of water and nitrogen.</p

Free Suspended Thin-Walled Nickel Electroplated Tubes for Microfluidic Density and Mass Flow Sensors

In this paper, a novel fabrication method is proposed for microfluidic tubes with a large diameter, circular cross-section, and thin wall. These properties make the tubesespecially suitable for density sensors and Coriolis mass flow sensors, because of the resulting low tube mass, low-pressure drop, and low pressure-dependence of the tube shape. A demonstrator sensor was fabricated and the first measurement results of fluid density and mass flow are presented. The low-cost fabrication method is based on electroplating technology and results in tubes with a near-perfect circular cross-section. Diameters ranging from 120 µm to 1 mm and wall thicknesses from 8 µm to 60 µmhave been achieved. For the demonstrator sensor presented in this paper a freely suspended tube was realized with a total length of 37 mm, a diameter of 600 µm, and a wallthickness of 20 µm. Density measurements were performed using various gases, liquids, and liquid mixtures at 21◦C to 23◦C lab temperature. The accuracy of the measured densities of gases such as nitrogen, argon, and helium is 5%. For liquids including DI water, isopropyl alcohol (IPA), and their various mixtures an accuracy of 0.5% was obtained. Preliminary mass flow rate measurements were performed with water and isopropyl alcohol up to 30 g/h with less than 30 mbar pressure drop thanks to the large tube diameter