Dual-purpose heater and fluid flow measurement system

A control system for use in a fluid flow application comprising:

• a heater having at least one resistive heating element having a relationship between resistance and temperature defining a non-monotonic curve, the heater operable to heat fluid flow;
• and
• a control device configured to determine a flow characteristic of the fluid flow and a temperature of the at least one resistive heating element along the non-monotonic curve between resistance and temperature based on a change in resistance of the at least one resistive heating element, and the control device is configured to determine the temperature of at least one resistive heating element based on inflection points along the non-monotonic curve between resistance and temperature.