A sensor for determining at least one parameter of a fluid medium, in particular an induction air-mass flow of an internal combustion engine, flowing through a measuring channel. The sensor has a sensor housing, in particular a plug-in sensor, which is introduced or may be introduced into a flow pipe and in which the measuring channel is developed, and at least one sensor chip, disposed in the measuring channel, for determining the parameter of the fluid medium. The sensor housing has a plurality of channel walls, which delimit the measuring channel. The sensor chip is situated on a sensor carrier. At least in the region of the sensor carrier, at least a first channel wall of the plurality of channel walls and a second channel wall of the plurality of channel walls, which differs from the first channel wall, or the sensor carrier have at least partly magnetic properties.

The present disclosure resides in a sensor element for determining a physical, measured variable of a measured medium, comprising: a planar substrate; a functional layer applied on a surface of the substrate; a passivating layer applied on the functional layer; a metal connecting layer applied on the surface of the passivating layer such that the passivating layer is completely covered; and a metal platelet applied on the surface of the metal connecting layer such that no contact can occur between the passivating layer and the measured medium, as well as residing in a thermal flow sensor, which has at least two such sensor elements.

The present disclosure resides in a sensor element for determining a physical, measured variable of a measured medium, comprising: a planar substrate; a functional layer applied on a surface of the substrate; a passivating layer applied on the functional layer; a metal connecting layer applied on the surface of the passivating layer such that the passivating layer is completely covered; and a metal platelet applied on the surface of the metal connecting layer such that no contact can occur between the passivating layer and the measured medium, as well as residing in a thermal flow sensor, which has at least two such sensor elements.

Disclosed is a thermal flow sensor including a base member and a cover. The base member includes a heater. The cover is formed by an SOI substrate including a silicon substrate, a silicon dioxide film, and a silicon film. The silicon film has a recessed portion defined therein. A main flow passage portion is defined by an exposed surface of the silicon dioxide film which is exposed from the silicon film and which defines a bottom surface of the recessed portion, the silicon film defining a side surface of the recessed portion, and a first principal surface of the cover.

The present disclosure provides a method for predicting a fluid type, comprising sensing, by a first sensor, mass flow data of a fluid in an engine, wherein the first sensor operates based on a first fluid property; sensing, by a second sensor, mass flow data of the fluid, wherein the second sensor operates based on a second fluid property; and detecting, by a logic circuit of a controller, a percent difference in the mass flow data provided by the first and second sensors, the percent difference indicating that the fluid is comprised of at least a first fluid type.

The present disclosure provides a method for predicting a fluid type, comprising sensing, by a first sensor, mass flow data of a fluid in an engine, wherein the first sensor operates based on a first fluid property; sensing, by a second sensor, mass flow data of the fluid, wherein the second sensor operates based on a second fluid property; and detecting, by a logic circuit of a controller, a percent difference in the mass flow data provided by the first and second sensors, the percent difference indicating that the fluid is comprised of at least a first fluid type.

A sensor SA has a flow sensor that measures a flow rate of intake air in a measurement flow path. The flow sensor has a film-shaped sensor film portion overlapped on a substrate front surface of a sensor substrate. The sensor film portion has a heat generating resistor that heats the sensor film portion and a temperature measuring resistor that measures a temperature of the sensor film portion. The heat generating resistor and the temperature measuring resistor are arranged in a depth direction Z along the substrate front surface of the sensor substrate. A length dimension LM1 of an upstream temperature measuring resistor is equal to or larger than a length dimension LM2 of a downstream temperature measuring resistor.

A sensor SA has a flow sensor that measures a flow rate of intake air in a measurement flow path. The flow sensor has a film-shaped sensor film portion overlapped on a substrate front surface of a sensor substrate. The sensor film portion has a heat generating resistor that heats the sensor film portion and a temperature measuring resistor that measures a temperature of the sensor film portion. The heat generating resistor and the temperature measuring resistor are arranged in a depth direction Z along the substrate front surface of the sensor substrate. A length dimension LM1 of an upstream temperature measuring resistor is equal to or larger than a length dimension LM2 of a downstream temperature measuring resistor.

A physical quantity measurement device includes a physical quantity detector and a support plate part superposed on a back surface of the physical quantity detector to support the physical quantity detector. The physical quantity detector includes a recessed part on the back surface, and a membrane part defining a bottom surface of the recessed part and being provided with a detection element for detecting a physical quantity of a fluid in a measurement low path. An area of the support plate part covering the recessed part includes a communication hole communicating with the recessed part. A peripheral edge portion of a hole opening, which is an end of the communication hole adjacent to the recessed part, is spaced apart, toward the inside, from a peripheral edge portion of a recess opening, which is an end of the recessed part adjacent to the support plate part.

Provided is a thermal flow meter including a conductive measurement tube including an inlet through which liquid enters and an outlet through which the liquid exits and including an internal flow passage extending along an axis, and a sensor substrate including a heating resistance wire and a temperature detecting resistance wire formed on a detection surface along the axis, and in the detection surface, an insulation area is formed where the heating resistance wire and the temperature detecting resistance wire are coated with a thin-film insulating material, and the insulation area is joined to the measurement tube along the axis.