Local flow speed measurement using tunable AC thermal anemometry

Abstract

This paper shows the results of local flow speed measurement using tunable AC thermal anemometry, which is suitable for the accurate measurement of wide range flow speed. The measurement accuracy is verified through the comparison between the measurement data and the analytic solution of the sensor temperature oscillation in stationary fluid. The relation between the phase lag and the flow speed is experimentally investigated at various conditions. The measurement sensitivity for low flow speed improves in a low frequency region and that for high flow speed improves in a high frequency region. Also, the sensitivity increases with decreasing thermal conductivity of the surrounding fluid. The local flow speed could be measured as low as 1.5 mm/s and the highest measurement resolution was 0.05 mm/s in the range of 4.5-5.0 mm/s at 1 Hz in this experiment.