Precision gas flow meter
AssigneeThe Regents of the University of California
InventorsRuihong Zhang, Zhongli Pan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A precision gas flow meter that is capable of measuring small flow rates of gasses precisely in the range of 0.01 to 10 L per minute. The meter is designed to measure the gas flow in small volume increments of predetermined value, and therefore can be used to measure a gas flow that is continuous or discontinuous. The flow meter can be used to measure the gas production rates from many processes, including biological reactors, chemical reactors, and thermal-chemical reactors. The device can also be used to meter the gases that are required in small or minute volumes.
Claims13
A precision gas flow meter, comprising:
- a gas holding/measurement chamber;
- a gas inlet valve coupled to said chamber;
- a gas outlet valve coupled to said chamber;
- a pressure sensor positioned in said chamber;
- a temperature sensor positioned in said chamber;
- an electronic controller;
- and
- programming executable by said electronic controller for carrying out the operations of
- opening said gas inlet valve wherein gas flows into said chamber,
- measuring pressure and temperature gas collected in said chamber,
- closing said gas inlet valve when the pressure of the gas in said chamber reaches a predetermined value which corresponds to a predetermined increment gas volume,
- opening said gas outlet valve to allow gas to flow out of said chamber,
- closing said gas outlet valve,
- recording an increment volume of gas, and
- calculating the total volume of gas since zero time and the volume of gas measured during a specified period of time.
A method for precise measurement of gas flow, comprising:
- providing a gas holding/measurement chamber;
- said chamber having a gas inlet valve;
- said chamber having a gas outlet valve;
- said chamber having a pressure sensor positioned in said chamber;
- said chamber having a temperature sensor positioned in said chamber;
- opening said gas inlet valve wherein gas flows into said chamber;
- measuring pressure and temperature gas collected in said chamber,
- closing said gas inlet valve when the pressure of the gas in said chamber reaches a predetermined value which corresponds to a predetermined increment gas volume;
- opening said gas outlet valve to allow gas to flow out of said chamber;
- closing said gas outlet valve;
- recording an increment volume of gas;
- and
- calculating the total volume of gas since zero time and the volume of gas measured during a specified period of time.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.