Liquid flow sensors feature tiny 10x10mm footprint

The glass (LPG10) packaging is extremely durable, while the plastic (LPP10) packaging is more suitable for disposable applications and is very cost-effective in high volume. Thanks to this innovative packaging, Sensirion's highly sensitive thermal flow sensor microchips can measure non-invasively through the wall of a flow channel inside a microfluidic planar substrate. This design offers unique sensitivity for liquid flow measurement and bubble detection in the range of 0-1000 microlitres per minute. This makes the sensors particularly suited for monitoring flow rates and improving system performances in biomedical and life science applications.

With the high sensitivity achieved with CMOSens Technology, non-invasive flow sensing is possible. In this new technology, a small digital CMOSens microchip (2.2x3.5mm) is bonded to the microfluidic channel substrate. Incorporating the sensor element, complete digital intelligence and the memory necessary for signal linearisation, temperature compensation and self-test algorithms, the CMOSens microchip provides a fully digital I²C interface. Eliminating the need for additional signal conditioning, a digital microsensor chip provides a fully calibrated digital output. The liquid flow sensors feature a short flow sensing response time of 30ms, and sensor resolutions down to 0.5 nanolitres per minute.

Standard versions of the LPP10 and LPG10 liquid flow sensors are available now; customised solutions based on this technology can also be developed for various applications.