A mini fluidic oscillating flowmeter

This paper presents a mini fluidic oscillating flowmeter. This device is composed of three microfluidic laminar bistable amplifiers. The microfluidic amplifiers are connected in such a way that the measured flow through the mini fluidic oscillating flowmeter generates a periodical pressure signal with a high value of SNR (signal to noise ratio). The frequency of the pressure signal is proportional to the measured flow. The mini fluidic oscillating flowmeter works with gas or liquid. To calibrate the mini fluidic oscillating flowmeter, for gas flows, a volumetric flowmeter was used. To calibrate it for liquid flows, an experimental test bench was realized. The gas operating range of the mini fluidic oscillating flowmeter is up to Re=1500 starting from Re=200; the liquid operating range is up to Re=5700 starting from Re=170. The maximum error of the measurement is <2% of the full scale value, the reading error is <3% for gas flows and <3.8% for liquid flows.

► This paper presents a mini fluidic oscillating flowmeter.
► The device is composed of 3 microfluidic amplifiers.
► The mini fluidic oscillating flowmeter works with gas or liquid.
► The frequency of the pressure signal is proportional to the measured flow.
► To calibrate the device an experimental test bench was realized.