Systems and methods for indirect measurement of the volumetric flow generated by a compressor

A computer-implemented method for indirect measurement of a volumetric flow generated by a compressor in an environment with a known intake pressure, the compressor connected to a measuring volume comprising a test reservoir, the measuring volume extending up to a closed switching valve downstream of the compressor, the switching valve located between the compressor and a check valve, the check valve adapted for separating the compressor from a piping system and the switching valve adapted for separating the check valve from the measuring volume, wherein a pressure sensor is connected to or located in the test reservoir, the piping system adapted for transport of liquid and/or gaseous fluids, the method comprising:

• sending activation instructions to the pressure sensor for capturing a time series of pressure values and corresponding time stamps at a sampling rate which is set to capture three to one hundred pressure values during the time needed by the compressor to pump up the measuring volume to a maximum working pressure;
• upon activation of the compressor, storing the captured pressure values with their time stamps in a memory;
• computing a slope of a linear regression line for the pressure values captured during a regression time window between an activation timepoint of the compressor and a time point when the compressor reaches the maximum working pressure;
• and
• computing the volumetric flow generated by the compressor by multiplying the slope with a proportionality factor defined as a ratio of the measuring volume to the intake pressure.

A compressor system comprising:

• a compressor unit adapted for compression of liquid and/or gaseous fluids;
• a measuring volume extending up to a check valve downstream of the compressor unit, the check valve connected with the compressor unit by one or more connecting parts adapted for transport of liquid and/or gaseous fluids, and the check valve adapted to open when an operational working pressure is reached;
• characterized in that a switching valve, placed between the check valve and the compressor unit, is adapted to disconnect the check valve from the compressor unit and the measuring volume while the compressor unit pumps up the measuring volume;
• and
• a test reservoir associated with a pressure sensor, wherein the test reservoir is connected to the switching valve such that the test reservoir becomes part of the measuring volume pumped up by the compressor unit.