Research Goal

My first MEMS project investigated micro-sensors and actuators for controlling air conditioning and heat pump evaporators. We determined that to control the amount of refrigerant entering the evaporator with micro-valves, we first needed a sensor that could detect the amount of liquid refrigerant in the superheated vapor exiting it. We developed an etched silicon-based sensor device with integrated serpentine resistance sensors that could be inserted into the two-phase flow leaving the evaporator. The output of sensor and driving circuit is calibrated to give the liquid mass fraction in the non-equilibrium flow. An EPRI report was published on this work and paper was published by Sensors and Actuators A . (EPRI)

Research Team:

 

Acknowledgement:

Work partially supported by National Science Foundation grant # & Office Naval Research Grant #

Related Publications: