Flow sensing method with temperature compensation

A method for implementing a temperature compensation coefficient pre-calibrated for and used to compensate for thermal drift in a device that utilizes flow, the device including a flow path, a flow restriction portion disposed in the flow path that creates a pressure differential in the flow path, a differential pressure sensor configured to output a differential pressure reading reflective of the pressure differential created by the flow restriction portion, and a temperature sensor configured to sense a temperature at or near the differential pressure sensor, the method comprising:

• measuring a first temperature at a first time period using the temperature sensor before flow is generated through the device;
• using the differential pressure sensor to obtain a first differential pressure reading in the flow path at the first time period;
• measuring a second temperature at a second time period using the temperature sensor after flow is generated through the device;
• using the differential pressure sensor to obtain a second differential pressure reading at the second time period;
• obtaining a compensated differential pressure value based on the temperature compensation coefficient, the measured first temperature, the first differential pressure reading, the measured second temperature, and the second differential pressure reading;
• and
• obtaining the flow within the flow path as a function of the compensated differential pressure value.