A micromachined cantilever based flow rate and flow direction sensing scheme

A MEMS based cantilever flow sensor is designed, depending on the detection of surface strain on the cantilever caused due to mass flow. In the continuous flow mode, the deflection of cantilever is linearly related to the flow rate. The operating mechanism of the strain beam in the flow sensor is analyzed using INTELLISUITE as the finite element tools to investigate the structural deformation and stress distribution. As fluids travels over the surface of cantilever structure, the top cantilevers are deflected in the downward direction, while the down cantilevers are deflected in the upward direction. According to the stress analysis and results obtained after simulation, the sensor is having sufficient structural strength and it will prove useful to measure and sense the fluid speed. The deflection of beams depends on both the flow rate and the orientation of the beam relative to the direction of the fluid flow. From the analysis of simulation result an external mechanism can be employed to achieve the fluid flow control.