Ohmic heater with flow rate measurement

Abstract

A flowmeter for measuring flow of a conductive liquid includes a structure (20, 220) defining a flow path, electrodes in the flow path and electrodes (34a, 34b, 234a, 234b) exposed within the flow path. An electrical circuit (40, 240) applies a voltage between the electrodes so that an electrical current flows along a conduction path between the electrodes within a liquid flowing in the flow path. Means such as temperature sensors (56, 58, 256, 258) are provided for determining a value representing a temperature rise in the liquid passing through a sensing region of the flow path which encompasses at least a part of the. A monitoring circuit (60, 207) determines a value representing the flow rate based on the value representing the temperature, rise the voltage and the current. The flowmeter may be incorporated in an ohmic heater and elements of the ohmic heater may serve as elements of the flowmeter.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.