Flow sensors are also known as flowmeters which are unique devices and are used to measure the speed of liquid or gas flow. You can say it is a variant of speedometer. Flow study is crucial because it helps to understand the mechanism and process of these flow meters in terms of their usage and how they prove to be a desired element. Flow sensors are the most popular type of non-contact flow sensor. Ultrasonic flow sensors send pulses of high frequency sound across the flowing liquid or gas medium. These sensors measure the time between the emission of the sound and its contact with the sensor’s receiver to determine the flow rate of the gas or liquid.
They are widely used in HVAC systems, medical equipment, chemical plants, and septic tanks. Flow sensors can also detect leaks, clogs, burst pipes, and changes in liquid concentration due to contamination or pollution. Flow sensors can be divided into two groups, namely, contact and non-contact flow sensors. Contact flow sensors are used in applications where the measured liquid or gas is not expected to get stuck in the pipeline when it comes into contact with the moving parts of the sensor. They have no moving parts and are generally used when the liquid or gas to be monitored becomes contaminated or otherwise physically altered through contact with moving parts. Electromagnetic sensors generate a magnetic field perpendicular to the flowing fluid. Charged ions in the fluid pass through the magnetic field and cause a change in conductivity, which is measured by an electrode. An increase in the flow velocity causes the blood cells to align themselves with the vessel wall and thus become more perpendicular to the magnetic field, which leads to a measurable increase in conductivity.
The speed of bio fluidic flow is a key physiological parameter but existing flow sensors are either considered as bulky or it lacks somewhere like it doesn’t have proper stability. The speed of bio fluidic flow is a key physiological parameter and indeed very important. The latest flow sensor which is developed by the Umass Amherst team is purely based on graphene which is a single layer of carbon atoms placed in honeycomb lattice to pull in charge from continuous aqueous flow. This discovery will change the whole picture of healthcare industry. The two most common types of contact flow sensors are vortex and mechanical flow sensors. Vortex low sensors are comprised of a small latch that flexes back and forward when coming into contact with a flowing liquid or gas.