Flow sensor arrangement
First Claim
1. Flow sensor arrangement for determining the flow of a fluid, comprising a substrate, and arranged therein or thereon:
- —
a heater, —
at least one first thermocouple for generating a first signal proportional to a temperature difference between a location downstream from the heater and a first reference location, wherein the first thermocouple comprises a hot junction arranged at the location downstream from the heater and a cold junction arranged at the first reference location, at least one second thermocouple for generating a second signal proportional to a temperature difference between a location upstream from the heater and a second reference location which second reference location is different from the first reference location, wherein the second thermocouple comprises a hot junction at the location upstream from the heater and a cold junction arranged at the second reference location, —
at least one third thermocouple for generating a third signal proportional to a temperature difference between the first reference location and the second reference location, a processor for determining a sensing signal indicative of the flow of the fluid over the heater and the first and the second thermocouple dependent on the first signal, the second signal and the third signal.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A flow sensor arrangement for determining the flow of a fluid comprises a substrate. A heater is arranged in or on the substrate as well as at least one first thermocouple for generating a first signal proportional to a temperature difference between a location downstream from the heater and a first reference location, and at least one second thermocouple for generating a second signal proportional to a temperature difference between a location upstream from the heater and a second reference location which second reference location is different from the first reference location. In addition, at least one third thermocouple is arranged in or on the substrate for generating a third signal proportional to a temperature difference between the first reference location and the second reference location. Means are provided for determining a sensing signal indicative of the flow of the fluid over the heater and the first and the second thermocouple dependent on the first signal, the second signal and the third signal.
-
Citations
20 Claims
-
1. Flow sensor arrangement for determining the flow of a fluid, comprising a substrate, and arranged therein or thereon:
- —
a heater, —
at least one first thermocouple for generating a first signal proportional to a temperature difference between a location downstream from the heater and a first reference location, wherein the first thermocouple comprises a hot junction arranged at the location downstream from the heater and a cold junction arranged at the first reference location, at least one second thermocouple for generating a second signal proportional to a temperature difference between a location upstream from the heater and a second reference location which second reference location is different from the first reference location, wherein the second thermocouple comprises a hot junction at the location upstream from the heater and a cold junction arranged at the second reference location, —
at least one third thermocouple for generating a third signal proportional to a temperature difference between the first reference location and the second reference location, a processor for determining a sensing signal indicative of the flow of the fluid over the heater and the first and the second thermocouple dependent on the first signal, the second signal and the third signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
- —
-
13. Flow sensor arrangement for determining the flow of a fluid, comprising a substrate, and arranged therein or thereon:
- —
a heater, —
at least one first thermocouple for generating a first signal proportional to a temperature difference between a location downstream from the heater and a first reference location, at least one second thermocouple for generating a second signal proportional to a temperature difference between a location upstream from the heater and a second reference location which second reference location is different from the first reference location, —
at least one third thermocouple for generating a third signal proportional to a temperature difference between the first reference location and the second reference location, a processor for determining a sensing signal indicative of the flow of the fluid over the heater and the first and the second thermocouple dependent on the first signal, the second signal and the third signal, wherein the substrate comprises a measuring region and a regular region, wherein a thermal conductance in the measuring region is lower than a thermal conductance in the regular region, and wherein the heater, the downstream location and the upstream location are arranged in the measuring region while the first reference location and the second reference location are arranged in the regular region. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
- —
-
19. Method for determining the flow of a fluid, comprising
providing a substrate with a heater, at least one first thermocouple, at least one second thermocouple, and at least one third thermocouple arranged therein or thereon, measuring by the at least one first thermocouple a first signal proportional to a temperature difference between a location downstream from the heater and a first reference location, measuring by the at least one second thermocouple a second signal proportional to a temperature difference between a location upstream from the heater and a second reference location which second reference location is different from the first reference location, measuring by the at least one third thermocouple a third signal proportional to a temperature difference between the first reference location and the second reference location, and determining the flow of the fluid over the heater and the first and the second thermocouple dependent on the first signal, the second signal and the third signal.
Specification