A sensor assembly for use in synchronizing seed placement and the dispensing of liquid agricultural product during planting. The sensor assembly includes a signal conditioning circuit configured to provide an output signal representing an indication of the presence of liquid agricultural product and seed for use in determining the synchronization of the seed placement with the dispensing of the liquid agricultural product. The presence of both a seed mass component and a liquid mass component of the output signal defines a package mass. The output signal has a pre-defined value and is transmitted to a controller to determine whether there is an error. The controller is configured to generate an error signal that is capable of being displayable on a remote display/user interface system that can be monitored by the system operator.

Provided is a fluid control apparatus capable of setting, to a value as close as possible to an opening start voltage, an initial applied voltage applied when controlling a control valve so that a measured amount becomes a set amount from a fully closed state and capable of preventing occurrence of large overshoot while increasing a response speed. A valve controller inputs a voltage command for setting an initial driving voltage to be applied to a control valve to a voltage generation circuit in a case where the control valve is changed from a fully closed state to a predetermined opening degree, and includes a drive history storage unit that stores therein drive history information of the control valve. The controller is configured to change a value of the initial driving voltage in accordance with the drive history information.

Exemplary sap flow sensors are provided. A sap flow sensor includes a substrate having a main body and at least two arms spaced apart from one another. The at least two arms extend from the main body. The sap flow sensor further includes a sap flow gauge that is disposed on the substrate. The sap flow gauge is configured to monitor a flow rate of sap through a stem of a plant. The sap flow gauge includes a heating element coupled to an arm of the at least two arms. The sap flow gauge further includes a first temperature sensor and a second temperature sensor disposed on opposite sides of the heating element. The first temperature sensor and the second temperature sensor each coupled to a neighboring arm of the at least two arms.

A sensor includes a heater, a thermal insulator between two thermometer layers, the heater generating a thermal gradient within the thermal insulator. The thermometers give an indirect measurement of fluid flow around the sensor, based on their temperature readings. The thermometers are flexible layers including gels.

A physical quantity measurement device measures a physical quantity of a fluid. A detection unit has a physical quantity detector that detects a physical quantity of the fluid in a measurement flow channel. A housing accommodates at least a part of the detection unit and forms the measurement flow channel. The housing includes a housing attachment that is attached to a predetermined attaching target, and a position holder holding a position of the detection unit by contacting the detection unit. The housing includes an inward part positioned inward of the attaching target and an outward part positioned outward of the attaching target. The position holder is provided inward of the housing attachment in an alignment direction along which the inward part and the outward part are aligned.

A flow sensor assembly comprising a first substrate, a flow sensor located over the first substrate, a lid located over the first substrate and the flow sensor, a flow inlet channel, a flow outlet channel, and an overmold laterally encircling the flow sensor. The overmold is in contact with the side walls of the flow sensor, and extends between the flow sensor and the lid such that the overmold, the flow sensor, and the lid define a flow sensing channel between the flow inlet channel and the flow outlet channel. the lid and the encapsulation cooperate to define the flow inlet channel and the flow outlet channel.

Exemplary sap flow sensors are provided. A sap flow sensor includes a substrate having a main body and at least two arms spaced apart from one another. The at least two arms extend from the main body. The sap flow sensor further includes a sap flow gauge that is disposed on the substrate. The sap flow gauge is configured to monitor a flow rate of sap through a stem of a plant. The sap flow gauge includes a heating element coupled to an arm of the at least two arms. The sap flow gauge further includes a first temperature sensor and a second temperature sensor disposed on opposite sides of the heating element. The first temperature sensor and the second temperature sensor each coupled to a neighboring arm of the at least two arms.

A device for measuring the rate of flow of a fluid comprising. The device includes a heating element, a housing, and a detector. The heating element is located in an interior of the housing, the housing defining a first thermal path from the heating element to a first region of an exterior of the housing and a second thermal path from the heating element to a second region of the exterior of the housing. The detector is configured to detect a property associated with transfer of heat from the heating element to the exterior of the housing. The first thermal path has a first thermal conductivity and the second thermal path has a second thermal conductivity. The first thermal conductivity is greater than the second thermal conductivity. The first region of the exterior of the housing is smaller than the second region of the exterior of the housing.

A monitoring and control system for a flow duct and a method for determining a component status of an operational component disposed within a flow passage of the flow duct utilizing the system are provided. In one exemplary aspect, the system includes at least two sensors that are disposed within the flow passage and configured to sense a characteristic of a fluid flowing therethrough. The sensors may be averaging sensors. Each sensor extends circumferentially about an axial centerline defined by the flow duct. The sensors are arranged in an overlapped arrangement. Particularly, the sensors extend circumferentially about the axial centerline such that the sensors physically overlap one another circumferentially. Additionally, the sensors may be disposed within the same or substantially the same plane axially. Signals generated by the sensors may be utilized to monitor and control the fluid and various operational components disposed within the flow passage.

A flow sensor configured to detect a fluid flow of a liquid inside a pipe portion is disclosed. A thin film thermal mass flow sensor has a substrate defining a thickness from an upper side opposite a bottom side. The upper side of the substrate supports a resistive heating circuit, a first temperature sensor circuit and a second temperature sensor circuit. The resistive heating circuit is disposed between the first and second temperature sensor circuits. The circuits are electrically connected respectively to a plurality of leadwires configured to be attachable to electronic equipment. A thermally conductive membrane is configured to separate the fluid flow of the liquid inside the pipe portion from the thin film thermal mass flow sensor. A thermally conductive bond connects the bottom side of the substrate of the thin film thermal mass flow sensor to the thermally conductive membrane.