Air Flow Meters
Air flow meters are used to measure the flow of air. Air flow meters may measure the volume of the air, the speed of the air, or the mass of the air, depending on the type. Most typically, however, air flow meters are used to infer mass flow after taking various flow measurements such as absolute pressure, differential pressure, viscosity and temperature. The air flow meter then performs calculations and comes up with an estimate of the air's mass flow. Air flow meters can measure many different types of gases including nitrogen, oxygen, argon, helium, hydrogen, natural gas and carbon dioxide.
Air flow meters come in several types. Besides variations such as size or material, they may vary in pressure range, switching technology, and the presence and type of transmitters. These variations allow air flow meters to have applications in several industries. In the medical industry, flow meters are used to measure patients' air intake, allowing physicians to further determine the severity of any illness. These types of flow meters are called peak flow meters and are particularly beneficial for asthma patients. Air flow meters are also common in the automotive, petroleum and gas, utility services, HVAC, food processing and raw materials industries.