A system and method for providing a fluid flow strain gauge that may be mounted inside a pipe and connected to a base unit that uses capacitive or resistive technology to determine a direction and a rate of flow of a fluid through the pipe by measuring the force applied to the strain gauge by the flow of fluid.

Included are mass flow controllers and methods of use. An example mass flow controller comprises a flow pathway through the mass flow controller; the flow pathway comprising a first cavity and a second cavity. The mass flow controller further comprises a laminar flow element. The mass flow controller additionally comprises a combination absolute and differential pressure transducer assembly comprising: a third cavity in fluid communication with the first cavity, an absolute pressure transducer exposed to absolute pressure in the third cavity, and a differential pressure transducer exposed to differential pressure between the third cavity and the second cavity. The mass flow controller also comprises a flow control valve assembly downstream of the laminar flow element and the combination absolute and differential pressure transducer assembly.

An actuating and sensing module is disclosed and includes a bottom plate, terminals, a control chip, a partition plate, a gas pressure sensor, a thin gas transportation device and a cover plate. The bottom plate includes terminal grooves, a recess, a gas outlet and a gas relief aperture. The terminals are disposed in the terminal grooves. The control chip is disposed in the recess. The partition plate is stacked on the bottom plate and includes an outlet opening in communication with the gas outlet and a pressure relief orifice corresponding to the gas relief aperture. The thin gas transportation device seals the gas outlet and the pressure relief orifice. The cover plate includes an opening passed through by the thin gas transportation device. The gas is transported to the outlet opening by the thin gas transportation device and sensed by the gas pressure sensor disposed in the outlet opening.

A flow sensor includes a fluid chamber configured to receive a fluid. A diaphragm assembly is configured to be displaced whenever the fluid within the fluid chamber is displaced. A transducer assembly is configured to monitor the displacement of the diaphragm assembly and generate a signal based, at least in part, upon the quantity of fluid displaced within the fluid chamber.

A sensor and method for use in measuring a physical characteristic of a fluid in a microfluidic system is provided. A microfluidic chip has a thin deformable membrane that separates a microfluidic channel from a microwave resonator sensor. The membrane is deformable in response to loading from interaction of the membrane with the fluid. Loading may be fluid pressure in the channel, or shear stress or surface stress resulting from interaction of the membrane with the fluid. The deformation of the membrane changes the permittivity in the region proximate the sensor. A change in permittivity causes a change in the electrical parameters of the sensor, thereby allowing for a characteristic of the fluid, such as flow rate, or a biological or chemical characteristic, to be measured. Also, a microwave sensor with improved sensitivity for characterizing a fluid in a microfluidic channel is provided. The sensor has a rigid and very thin layer, for example in the range of 10 um to 100 um, in the microfluidic chip allowing for the positioning of the sensor very close to the microfluidic channel, which enables very high resolution sensing.

A flow sensor includes a fluid chamber configured to receive a fluid. A diaphragm assembly is configured to be displaced whenever the fluid within the fluid chamber is displaced. A transducer assembly is configured to monitor the displacement of the diaphragm assembly and generate a signal based, at least in part, upon the quantity of fluid displaced within the fluid chamber.

A fluid handling system for supplying a working fluid to a fluid flow instrument is disclosed. The system includes a controller configured to receive sensor signals indicative of a deformation of a flexible barrier located between a control fluid volume containing a control fluid and a working fluid volume containing the working fluid. Based on the sensor signals, the controller may send signals to control the operation of a working fluid flow generator in order to regulate or control the fluid characteristic of the working fluid being provided to the fluid flow instrument.

A pilot-operated relief valve assembly can include a relief valve, and a pressure detection assembly. A valve lift factor or indicator of relief flow can be determined based on pressure measurements gathered by the pressure detection assembly.

A volume fraction meter that includes a flow meter coupled to a flow line. The flow line includes a turned portion and the flow meter is positioned upstream from the turned portion with respect to a flow direction. The flow meter is configured to measure a volumetric flow rate of a multiphase fluid flowing in the flow direction through the flow line. The flow line includes a nozzle opening downstream the turned portion. The volume fraction meter also includes a strain gauge coupled to the flow line between the flow meter and the turned portion of the flow line. The strain gauge is configured to measure a bending strain on the flow line upon discharge of the multiphase fluid through the nozzle opening, such that the bending strain and the volumetric flow-rate provide inputs for determining a mixture density of the multiphase fluid.

A pilot-operated relief valve assembly can include a relief valve, and a pressure detection assembly. A valve lift factor or indicator of relief flow can be determined based on pressure measurements gathered by the pressure detection assembly.