JPH0334826B2 - - Google Patents
Info
- Publication number
- JPH0334826B2 JPH0334826B2 JP59103029A JP10302984A JPH0334826B2 JP H0334826 B2 JPH0334826 B2 JP H0334826B2 JP 59103029 A JP59103029 A JP 59103029A JP 10302984 A JP10302984 A JP 10302984A JP H0334826 B2 JPH0334826 B2 JP H0334826B2
- Authority
- JP
- Japan
- Prior art keywords
- flow rate
- semiconductor
- semiconductor flow
- fluid
- transistor
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired - Lifetime
Links
Classifications
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G01—MEASURING; TESTING
- G01P—MEASURING LINEAR OR ANGULAR SPEED, ACCELERATION, DECELERATION, OR SHOCK; INDICATING PRESENCE, ABSENCE, OR DIRECTION, OF MOVEMENT
- G01P5/00—Measuring speed of fluids, e.g. of air stream; Measuring speed of bodies relative to fluids, e.g. of ship, of aircraft
- G01P5/10—Measuring speed of fluids, e.g. of air stream; Measuring speed of bodies relative to fluids, e.g. of ship, of aircraft by measuring thermal variables
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G01—MEASURING; TESTING
- G01F—MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUID LEVEL; METERING BY VOLUME
- G01F1/00—Measuring the volume flow or mass flow of fluid or fluent solid material wherein the fluid passes through a meter in a continuous flow
- G01F1/68—Measuring the volume flow or mass flow of fluid or fluent solid material wherein the fluid passes through a meter in a continuous flow by using thermal effects
Landscapes
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Fluid Mechanics (AREA)
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Aviation & Aerospace Engineering (AREA)
- Measuring Volume Flow (AREA)
- Semiconductor Integrated Circuits (AREA)
Description
【発明の詳細な説明】
〔発明の技術分野〕
本発明は流体の流速を検出する半導体流速検出
器にかかわり、特に出力の検出法に関する。DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Technical Field of the Invention] The present invention relates to a semiconductor flow rate detector for detecting the flow rate of a fluid, and more particularly to a method for detecting output.
従来技術を第１図乃至第３図を参照して説明す
る。
The prior art will be explained with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3.
従来の半導体流速検出器は、第１図に示す様な
半導体基板１の中央に発熱用トランジスタ２とこ
の発熱用トランジスタを挾んで両側の対称な位置
に温度測定用トランジスタ３ａ，３ｂが形成され
ている半導体流速検出素子４が、第２図に示す半
導体流速検出駆動回路に接続されたものである。
半導体流速検出器駆動回路は、トランジスタのベ
ース・エミツタ電圧が温度に比例することを利用
して半導体流速検出素子４の温度測定用トランジ
スタ３ａ，３ｂと流体の温度測定用トランジスタ
５から半導体流速検出素子４と流体の温度を検知
し、半導体流速検出素子４が流体の温度よりも一
定温度高い状態に保たれる様にオペアンプ６を介
して発熱用トランジスタ２に流れる電流を変化さ
せ、発熱を制御するものである。従来の半導体流
速検出器では、流速に対応して変化する半導体流
速検出素子４の２個の温度測定用トランジスタ３
ａ，３ｂのコレクタ電位の差V0を出力として検
出していた。第３図は、従来の半導体流速検出器
の流速−出力特性である。流体の流れる方向が３
個のトランジスタを横切るＡ方向と横切らないＢ
方向とでは、出力特性に異なつたものとなる。従
つて流体の流れ方向が一定である場合には流速検
出は可能であるが、流体の流れ方向が変わる場合
には正確な流速検出はできず、流速検出器として
の使用が限られるという欠点があつた。又、出力
は流速が増すと飽和する傾向があるので直線性も
悪く、その大きさも、例えば３ｍ／secの風で15
ｍＶ程度であり、小さな出力しか得られないとい
う欠点もあつた。計測器としては使用条件が限定
されず使えることが望ましく、又、被測定量に対
してリニアで大きな出力が得られることが理想で
あるため、この様な特性の欠点の改善が望まれて
いる。 A conventional semiconductor flow rate detector has a heat generating transistor 2 in the center of a semiconductor substrate 1 as shown in FIG. 1, and temperature measuring transistors 3a and 3b are formed at symmetrical positions on both sides of the heat generating transistor. The semiconductor flow rate detection element 4 shown in FIG. 2 is connected to a semiconductor flow rate detection drive circuit shown in FIG.
The semiconductor flow rate detector driving circuit utilizes the fact that the base-emitter voltage of a transistor is proportional to temperature to detect temperature measurement transistors 3a and 3b of the semiconductor flow rate detection element 4 and the temperature measurement transistor 5 of the fluid to the semiconductor flow rate detection element. 4 and the temperature of the fluid are detected, and the current flowing through the heat generating transistor 2 via the operational amplifier 6 is changed so that the semiconductor flow rate detection element 4 is maintained at a constant temperature higher than the temperature of the fluid, thereby controlling heat generation. It is something. In a conventional semiconductor flow rate detector, two temperature measurement transistors 3 of a semiconductor flow rate detection element 4 that change in accordance with the flow rate are used.
The difference V 0 between the collector potentials of a and 3b was detected as an output. FIG. 3 shows flow velocity-output characteristics of a conventional semiconductor flow velocity detector. The direction of fluid flow is 3
A direction that crosses transistors and B direction that does not cross transistors.
The output characteristics differ depending on the direction. Therefore, it is possible to detect the flow velocity when the direction of fluid flow is constant, but it is not possible to accurately detect the flow velocity when the direction of fluid flow changes, which limits its use as a flow velocity detector. It was hot. In addition, the output tends to saturate as the flow velocity increases, so the linearity is poor, and the magnitude of the output is, for example, 15 in a wind of 3 m/sec.
It also had the disadvantage that only a small output could be obtained, which was about mV. As a measuring instrument, it is desirable to be able to use it under any conditions of use, and it is ideal to be able to obtain a large output that is linear with respect to the amount to be measured, so it is desirable to improve these shortcomings in characteristics. .
本発明の目的は、上記の様な半導体流速検出器
の欠点である流れ方向による出力の変化、出力の
非直線性を改良し、直線性の良い大きな出力が得
られる半導体流速検出器を提供することにある。
An object of the present invention is to improve the shortcomings of semiconductor flow rate detectors such as the change in output depending on the flow direction and the nonlinearity of the output, and to provide a semiconductor flow rate detector that can obtain a large output with good linearity. There is a particular thing.
本発明は半導体基板に発熱用素子と温度測定用
素子が形成されている半導体流速検出素子の温度
が流体の温度よりも一定温度高く保持される様に
発熱用素子を発熱させ、流体の流速に応じて変化
する発熱用素子に流れる電流値又は、電流値に対
応して変化する電位あるいは電圧を検知して流速
の測定を行なうものである。
In the present invention, the heat generating element generates heat so that the temperature of the semiconductor flow rate detection element, which has a heat generating element and a temperature measuring element formed on a semiconductor substrate, is maintained at a constant temperature higher than the temperature of the fluid. The flow velocity is measured by detecting the current value flowing through the heating element that changes accordingly, or the potential or voltage that changes in response to the current value.
本発明によれば以下の様な効果が得られる。 According to the present invention, the following effects can be obtained.
(1) 大きな出力が得られるため、Ｓ／Ｎ比が良く
なり測定精度が向上する。(1) Since a large output can be obtained, the S/N ratio is improved and measurement accuracy is improved.
(2) 流速に対してリニアな出力が得られるため、
測定精度が向上し、更に、出力のリニアライズ
等の信号処理を必要としないので検出器の周辺
回路の簡単化、低コスト化が容易である。(2) Since the output is linear with respect to the flow velocity,
Measurement accuracy is improved, and since signal processing such as output linearization is not required, it is easy to simplify the peripheral circuitry of the detector and reduce costs.
(3) 流体の流れ方向に対する出力の依存性がなく
なるために、より汎用的に使用することができ
る。(3) Since the output does not depend on the fluid flow direction, it can be used more generally.
本発明の実施例を第４図乃至第６図を参照して
説明する。第４図は本発明の一実施例の半導体流
速検出器の構成要素である半導体流速検出素子８
であり、半導体基板１に発熱用トランジスタ２と
温度測定用トランジスタ３ｃが形成されている。
この半導体流速出素子８は、第５図に示す半導体
流速検出器駆動回路に接続され半導体流速検出器
を構成している。半導体流速検出器駆動回路はト
ランジスタのベース・エミツタ電圧が温度に比例
することを利用して半導体流速検出素子の温度測
定用トランジスタ３ｃと流体の温度測定用トラン
ジスタ５からそれぞれ半導体流速検出素子８と流
体の温度を検出し、半導体流速検出素子８が流体
の温度よりも一定温度高く保持される様に発熱用
トランジスタ２に電流Icを流し発熱させるもので
ある。
Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 to 6. FIG. 4 shows a semiconductor flow velocity detection element 8 which is a component of a semiconductor flow velocity detector according to an embodiment of the present invention.
A heat generating transistor 2 and a temperature measuring transistor 3c are formed on a semiconductor substrate 1.
This semiconductor flow rate detecting element 8 is connected to a semiconductor flow rate detector drive circuit shown in FIG. 5 to constitute a semiconductor flow rate detector. The semiconductor flow rate detector driving circuit utilizes the fact that the base-emitter voltage of the transistor is proportional to the temperature to drive the temperature measurement transistor 3c of the semiconductor flow rate detection element and the fluid temperature measurement transistor 5 to the semiconductor flow rate detection element 8 and the fluid, respectively. The current Ic is caused to flow through the heat generating transistor 2 to generate heat so that the semiconductor flow rate detection element 8 is maintained at a constant temperature higher than the temperature of the fluid.
半導体流速検出素子８を、流体の中に曝すと半
導体流速検出素子８から熱が奪われるため流速に
応じて電流Icは変化する。本発明では、この流速
に応じて変化する電流Ic又はこの電流Icに対応し
て変化する電位Vcを出力として検知し流速を測
定するものである。 When the semiconductor flow rate detection element 8 is exposed to a fluid, heat is removed from the semiconductor flow rate detection element 8, so the current Ic changes depending on the flow rate. In the present invention, the flow rate is measured by detecting as an output a current Ic that changes in accordance with this flow rate or a potential Vc that changes in accordance with this current Ic.
第６図は本実施例の半導体流速検出器におい
て、発熱用トランジスタのコレクタ電位Vcを出
力として検知した場合の流速−出力特性である。
従来の半導体流速検出器よりも10倍程度大きく、
直線性の良い出力が得られる。又、この出力特性
は、二つの温度測定素子の出力差を検知する従来
の半導体流速検出器と異なり、流体の流れ方向に
よつて変わることはない特徴も併わせ持つてい
る。 FIG. 6 shows the flow velocity-output characteristic when the collector potential Vc of the heat generating transistor is detected as the output in the semiconductor flow velocity detector of this embodiment.
About 10 times larger than conventional semiconductor flow velocity detectors,
Output with good linearity can be obtained. Furthermore, this output characteristic also has the characteristic that it does not change depending on the flow direction of the fluid, unlike a conventional semiconductor flow rate detector that detects the difference in output between two temperature measuring elements.
本発明は上記実施例に限らず、以下に述べるよ
うな変形実施が可能である。 The present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments, but may be modified as described below.
(1) トランジスタの特性より、コレクタ電流Ic
エミツタ電流IEあるいはエミツタ電流に対応し
て変化するエミツタ電位VE又はベース電位VB
を検知することもできる。(1) From the characteristics of the transistor, the collector current Ic
Emitter current I E or emitter potential V E or base potential V B that changes in response to emitter current
can also be detected.
(2) 半導体流速検出器駆動回路中の定電流源は、
第７図に示す様に単なる抵抗で置き換えること
もできる。(2) The constant current source in the semiconductor flow velocity detector drive circuit is
It can also be replaced with a simple resistor as shown in FIG.
(3) 本発明の半導体流速検出器を流体の温度変動
が少ない条件下、又は出力の温度変動を無視し
て使う場合には、流体の温度測定用トランジス
タ抵抗に置き換えることもできる。(3) When the semiconductor flow rate detector of the present invention is used under conditions where the temperature fluctuation of the fluid is small or when the temperature fluctuation of the output is ignored, it can be replaced with a transistor resistor for measuring the temperature of the fluid.
第１図は従来の半導体流速検出器の構成要素で
ある半導体流速検出素子の構造図、第２図および
第３図は従来の半導体流速検出器の回路構成図お
よび流速出力特性図、第４図は本発明の半導体流
速検出器の構成要素である半導体流速検出素子の
構造図、第５図および第６図は本発明の半導体流
速検出器の回路構成図および流速・出力特許図、
第７図は本発明の他の実施例の半導体流速検出器
の回路構成図である。
１……半導体基板、２……発熱用トランジス
タ、３ｃ……温度測定用トランジスタ、８……半
導体流速検出素子、５……流体の温度測定用トラ
ンジスタ、６……オペアンプ、７ｃ，７ｄ……定
電流源。
Figure 1 is a structural diagram of a semiconductor flow rate detection element, which is a component of a conventional semiconductor flow rate detector, Figures 2 and 3 are a circuit configuration diagram and flow rate output characteristic diagram of a conventional semiconductor flow rate detector, and Figure 4 is a structural diagram of a semiconductor flow velocity detection element which is a component of the semiconductor flow velocity detector of the present invention, FIGS. 5 and 6 are circuit configuration diagrams and flow velocity/output patent diagrams of the semiconductor flow velocity detector of the present invention,
FIG. 7 is a circuit diagram of a semiconductor flow velocity detector according to another embodiment of the present invention. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Semiconductor substrate, 2... Transistor for heat generation, 3c... Transistor for temperature measurement, 8... Semiconductor flow rate detection element, 5... Transistor for temperature measurement of fluid, 6... Operational amplifier, 7c, 7d... Constant current source.
Claims (1)
が形成されている半導体流速検出素子と、 この半導体流速検出素子を測定すべき流体の温
度よりも一定温度高い状態に保持する様に前記発
熱用素子を発熱させる動作を行なう駆動回路と、 前記発熱用素子に流れて発熱に寄与する電流ま
たは該電流に対応して変化する電位あるいは電圧
を前記流体の流速に対応する情報として検知する
検知手段と、 を有することを特徴とする半導体流速検出器。 ２ 半導体流速検出素子に形成されている発熱用
素子がトランジスタであることを特徴とする特許
請求の範囲第１項記載の半導体流速検出器。 ３ 半導体流速検出素子に形成されている温度測
定用素子がトランジスタであることを特徴とする
特許請求の範囲第１項記載の半導体流速検出器。[Claims] 1. A semiconductor flow rate detection element in which a heat generation element and a temperature measurement element are formed on a semiconductor substrate, and a semiconductor flow rate detection element that is maintained at a constant temperature higher than the temperature of a fluid to be measured. a drive circuit that causes the heat generating element to generate heat; and a drive circuit that operates to cause the heat generating element to generate heat, and information that corresponds to the flow rate of the fluid, indicating a current that flows through the heat generating element and contributes to heat generation, or a potential or voltage that changes in response to the current. A semiconductor flow velocity detector comprising: a detection means for detecting . 2. The semiconductor flow rate detector according to claim 1, wherein the heating element formed in the semiconductor flow rate detection element is a transistor. 3. The semiconductor flow rate detector according to claim 1, wherein the temperature measuring element formed in the semiconductor flow rate detection element is a transistor.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| JP59103029A JPS60247170A (en) | 1984-05-22 | 1984-05-22 | Semiconductive flow speed detector |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| JP59103029A JPS60247170A (en) | 1984-05-22 | 1984-05-22 | Semiconductive flow speed detector |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| JPS60247170A JPS60247170A (en) | 1985-12-06 |
| JPH0334826B2 true JPH0334826B2 (en) | 1991-05-24 |
Family
ID=14343219
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| JP59103029A Granted JPS60247170A (en) | 1984-05-22 | 1984-05-22 | Semiconductive flow speed detector |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| JP (1) | JPS60247170A (en) |
Families Citing this family (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JPS61280576A (en) * | 1985-06-05 | 1986-12-11 | Toray Ind Inc | Flowmeter |
| GB9315779D0 (en) * | 1993-07-30 | 1993-09-15 | Stoneplan Limited | Apparatus and methods |
| NL1000454C2 (en) * | 1995-05-30 | 1996-12-03 | Mierij Meteo Bv | Device for determining the direction and speed of an air flow. |
Family Cites Families (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JPS5343574A (en) * | 1976-10-01 | 1978-04-19 | Rion Co | Thermal flow meter |
| JPS55103466A (en) * | 1979-02-01 | 1980-08-07 | Nippon Denso Co Ltd | Semiconductor device for flow speed electric conversion |
| JPS56143915A (en) * | 1980-04-11 | 1981-11-10 | Nippon Soken Inc | Measuring device for gas flow rate |
-
1984
- 1984-05-22 JP JP59103029A patent/JPS60247170A/en active Granted
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| JPS60247170A (en) | 1985-12-06 |
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