Abstract
A micro-Coriolis mass flow sensor is a resonating device that measures small mass flows of fluid. A large vibration amplitude is desired as the Coriolis forces due to mass flow and, accordingly, the signal-to-noise ratio, are directly proportional to the vibration amplitude. Therefore, it is important to maximize the quality factor Q so that a large vibration amplitude can be achieved without requiring high actuation voltages and high power consumption. This paper presents an investigation of the Q factor of different devices in different resonant modes. Q factors were measured both at atmospheric pressure and in vacuum. The measurement results are compared with theoretical predictions. In the atmospheric environment, the Q factor increases when the resonance frequency increases. When reducing the pressure from 1 bar to bar, the Q factor almost doubles. At even lower pressures, the Q factor is inversely proportional to the pressure until intrinsic effects start to dominate, resulting in a maximum Q factor of approximately 7200.
Highlights
Coriolis mass flow sensors measure true mass flow independent of fluid properties [1].A Coriolis flow sensor consists of a suspended channel that is brought into vibration
For the design of the micro-Coriolis mass flow sensors operating in air at atmospheric pressure, a good prediction of the quality factor is important as it influences the optimal choice for the resonance frequencies of the device, which determines the sensitivity to mass flow
The models were validated with measurements using 5 different devices operated in 4 different vibration modes, which allowed the measurement of the quality factor at 20 different resonance frequencies in the range from 1.8 kHz to 16 kHz
Summary
Coriolis mass flow sensors measure true mass flow independent of fluid properties [1]. A Coriolis flow sensor consists of a suspended channel that is brought into vibration. A fluid flow inside the vibrating channel will experience Coriolis forces that are proportional to the product of the mass flow Φm inside the channel and the local angular velocity Ω of the channel: Escosura-Muñiz F = −2Ω × Φm ∆L. Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
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