Design and Analysis of a Thermal Flowmeter for Microfluidic Applications: A Study on Sensitivity at Low Flow Rates
Document Type
Article
Publication Title
Computation
Abstract
To address the challenge of precise flow rate measurement in microchannels, this research details the conceptualization and comprehensive evaluation of a thermal flowmeter which works on the principle of calorimetry for measuring small flow rates between 0.1 and 180 mL/h. The thermal flowmeter is composed of a silicone pipe, a heater, three platinum thermal sensors (T1, T2, T3), and water as the working fluid. The flowmeter is strategically placed to monitor the complex thermodynamics between upstream and downstream flows. The analysis revealed a notable decay in the slope of the temperature differences beyond a flow rate of 40 mL/h, indicating the exceptional sensitivity of the device at lower flow rates and making it an ideal choice for medical applications. Parametric analysis was also carried out to place the sensors at optimized locations for better sensitivity.
DOI
10.3390/computation12110211
Publication Date
11-1-2024
Recommended Citation
Raveesh, Aditya Hadalahally; Vemulapalli, Sravani; Gupta, Alankrit; and Venkata, Santhosh Krishnan, "Design and Analysis of a Thermal Flowmeter for Microfluidic Applications: A Study on Sensitivity at Low Flow Rates" (2024). Open Access archive. 9850.
https://impressions.manipal.edu/open-access-archive/9850
