Hj. Verhoeven et Jh. Huijsing, DESIGN OF INTEGRATED THERMAL FLOW SENSORS USING THERMAL SIGMA-DELTA MODULATION, Sensors and actuators. A, Physical, 52(1-3), 1996, pp. 198-202
Large-scale use of thermal flow sensors in consumer electronics, medic
al and automotive applications is seriously hampered by the limited re
sponse speed and the non-standardized format of the output signal of c
onventional thermal flow sensors. A thermal sigma-delta-based feedback
system can be used to provide an optimal interface for a wide variety
of new as well as existing thermal flow sensors. Advantages of this s
ystem are an improved response time of the sensor system and an inhere
nt analog-to-digital conversion of the measurement signal. Realized se
nsor implementations range from sensors for flow control in consumer e
lectronics, respiration control, to industrial mass-flow control.