Method and system for determining a mass flow rate by averaging a pump parameter

A system for determining a specific mass flow rate of a highly viscous food product (1) having a viscosity greater than 100 cP

• comprising a buffer container (2) and a delivery pump (4) for supplying or removing the food product (1) to or from the buffer container (2) in a continuous delivery flow,
• further comprising a weighing device (7) engaged with the buffer container which is configured to measure the weight of the buffer container (2) and generate an output corresponding to the weight of the buffer container, and
• a device, or a combination of devices, configured to
• (a) receive the output generated by the weighing device and calculate a change in weight of the buffer container over a defined time period based on the output generated by the weighing device over the defined time period,
• (b) receive a pump parameter of the delivery pump (4) that is proportional to an expected delivery rate in the defined time period and calculate an average pump parameter over the defined time period, and
• (c) calculate and output a specific mass flow rate by dividing the change in the weight of the buffer container (2) over the defined time period by the average pump parameter.