Device and method for measuring the flow of a fluid in a tube moved by a peristaltic pump

A system, comprising:

• a fluidic circuit including a peristaltic pump and a tube;
• a measuring device configured to measure a flow of fluid inside the tube moved by the peristaltic pump, the measuring device including:
• electrodes coupled to the tube, and configured to detect an electrostatic charge variation;
• a signal processing circuitry coupled to the electrodes, and configured to generate an electrical charge variation signal based on the electrostatic charge variation;
• and
• a processor coupled to the signal processing circuitry, and configured to determine flow information for the fluid based on frequency characteristics of the electrical charge variation signal;
• and
• a controller configured to control operation of the system based on the flow information.

A method for measuring a flow of a fluid inside a tube moved by a peristaltic pump, the method comprising:

• detecting an electrostatic charge variation originated by an action of the peristaltic pump on the tube;
• generating an electrical charge variation signal based on the electrostatic charge variation;
• and
• processing the electrical charge variation signal in the frequency domain to obtain flow information for the fluid based on frequency characteristics of the electrical charge variation signal.