Ultrasound and thermal massflow in one flow channel

A system comprising:

• a heat source/hot wire and one or more temperature sensors configured at initial first positions, wherein the heat source/hot wire and the one or more temperature sensors are configured to enable a flow measured by a thermal massflow measurement;
• a flow tube, housing, and index configured at second positions, wherein a center region of the flow tube is configured to provide a drop in pressure, wherein a flow measured by an ultrasonic flow measurement occurs within the flow tube, wherein the flow measured by the ultrasonic flow measurement occurs at a same time interval as the flow measured by the thermal massflow measurement, wherein the heat source/hot wire and the one or more temperature sensors are configured to enable the flow measured by the thermal massflow measurement in a bypass during the drop in pressure in the center region of the flow tube;
• and
• one or more controllers are configured to:
• compare the flow measured with the ultrasonic flow measurement with the flow measured with the thermal massflow measurement;
• identify a ratio of the flow measured with the ultrasonic flow measurement to the flow measured by the thermal massflow measurement;
• determine one or more issues associated with at least one of the flow tube or the bypass based on the ratio of the flow measured with the ultrasonic flow measurement to the flow measured by the thermal massflow measurement;
• and
• wherein the one or more issues comprise ageing or dust in the flow tube.

A method comprising:

• configuring a flow tube to receive a flow measured by an ultrasonic flow measurement, wherein a center region of the flow tube is configured to have a drop in pressure as the flow measured by the ultrasonic flow measurement is passing through the flow tube;
• positioning a heat source and temperature sensors above the center region of the flow tube, wherein the heat source and temperature sensors are configured to enable a flow measured by a thermal massflow measurement in a bypass during the drop in pressure in the center region of the flow tube;
• and
• configuring a controller to:
• compare the flow measured by the ultrasonic flow measurement with the flow measured by the thermal massflow measurement;
• determine a ratio of the flow measured with the ultrasonic flow measurement with the flow measured by the thermal massflow measurement;
• and
• determine one or more issues associated with at least one of the flow tube or the bypass based on the ratio of the flow measured with the ultrasonic flow measurement to the flow measured by the thermal massflow measurement;
• and
• wherein the one or more issues comprise ageing or dust in the flow tube.