Honeywell International Inc.

Oleg Korniyenko

David Chandu-Lall

Boris Yankovskiy

Daesik Park

Gabriel Stoianov

A thermal mass flow transducer includes first and second constant current sources, a first temperature sensitive element, a second temperature sensitive element, a heater element, and a control circuit. The control circuit is coupled to the heater element and is further coupled to receive temperature signals from the first and second temperature sensitive element. The control circuit is responsive to the temperature signals to determine a temperature difference between the first and second temperature sensitive elements, to generate a pulse width modulation (PWM) current based on the determined temperature difference, and to supply the current to the heater element at a current magnitude sufficient to maintain the temperature difference at a predetermined value.

Thermal mass flow transducer including PWM-type heater current driver

A thermal mass flow sensor is disclosed that includes a housing () having a first sensor region and a second sensor region, a first thin film temperature sensor () formed at the first sensor region and a second thin film temperature sensor () formed at the second sensor region. A heating element () is arranged to heat the first temperature sensor () and a controller () is operably connected to the first temperature sensor (), the second temperature sensor () and the heating element (), and controls a power level to the heating element () to maintaining a temperature difference between the first temperature sensor () and the second temperature sensor (). A thin film temperature sensor and a method of using the thermal mass flow sensor are also disclosed.

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Burlington, Canada

Oleg Korniyenko