Digital flow rate measurement system design for minichannel based on cross correlation technique

Abstract EN

In this paper, a demonstration for an experimental study to measure mean fluid velocity in minichannels is presented.

Fluid flow velocity was estimated by applying cross correlation technique on measured thermal fluctuation using two ultra-small thermistors in every channel.

These experiments were conducted on two flow field plates (single serpentine and parallel Z-type arrangement) with dimensions (L*W*H= 75*70*3 ??3 , Wc= 3mm, Hc= 1mm, Wr= 4mm, Wh= 3mm, Hh= 1mm and N= 8 for parallel Z-type) with various values of Reynolds number (Re=70,100,120, 150,175 and 200).

A special experimental setup was erected for purpose of conducting the experiments, sensors output was delivered to a data acquisition system working under LABVIEW program which was used to collect data and perform cross correlation operation on the recorded output signals taken from the two temperature sensors residing in every channel.

This new technique for measuring mean velocity in a minichannel proved to be in good agreement with results obtained from previous theoretical studies.