Principle Of Operation - Omega FMA1700A User Manual

3.

PRINCIPLE OF OPERATION

The stream of gas entering the Mass Flow transducer is split by shunting a small
portion of the flow through a capillary stainless steel sensor tube. The remainder
of the gas flows through the primary flow conduit. The geometry of the primary con-
duit and the sensor tube are designed to ensure laminar flow in each branch.
According to principles of fluid dynamics the flow rates of a gas in the two laminar
flow conduits are proportional to one another. Therefore, the flow rates measured
in the sensor tube are directly proportional to the total flow through the transducer.
In order to sense the flow in the sensor tube, heat flux is introduced at two sec-
tions of the sensor tube by means of precision wound heater-sensor coils. Heat is
transferred through the thin wall of the sensor tube to the gas flowing inside. As
gas flow takes place heat is carried by the gas stream from the upstream coil to
the downstream coil windings. The resultant temperature dependent resistance
differential is detected by the electronic control circuit. The measured gradient at
the sensor windings is linearly proportional to the instantaneous rate of flow tak-
ing place.
An output signal is generated that is a function of the amount of heat carried by
the gases to indicate mass-molecular based flow rates.
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