Flow meter for measuring a flow rate of a flow of a fluid

Abstract

A flow meter for measuring a flow rate of a flow of a fluid includes a housing member including a first section configured to matingly couple with a second section. The flow meter further includes an integrally formed laminar flow member removably held within at least a portion of the first section of the housing member. The laminar flow member includes a body and a plurality of channels integrally formed within the body, wherein each of the plurality of channels is substantially continuous in the longitudinal direction and substantially continuous in the transverse direction.

1 . A method of making a flow meter for a pulsed flow of fluid, comprising:
 providing a housing member including a first section configured to matingly couple with a second section;   forming a laminar flow member including a body and a plurality of channels integrally formed within the body, wherein each of the plurality of channels is substantially continuous in a longitudinal direction and the plurality of channels is substantially continuous in a transverse direction;   removably disposing the laminar flow member in at least a portion of the first section of the housing member; and   matingly coupling the second section of the housing member with the first section.   
   
   
       2 . The method as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising forming first and second pressure ports in the laminar flow member, wherein the first and second pressure ports extend substantially transversely through the plurality of channels. 
   
   
       3 . The method as defined in  claim 2  wherein the first and second pressure ports are configured to substantially equalize the pressure of the fluid flowing through each of the plurality of channels. 
   
   
       4 . The method as defined in  claim 1  wherein the laminar flow member is formed via extruding the body including the plurality of channels as a single piece. 
   
   
       5 . The method as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising forming a flow straightener, including:
 a body; and   a plurality of channels integrally formed within the body, wherein each of the plurality of channels is substantially continuous in the longitudinal direction and the plurality of channels is substantially continuous in the transverse direction.   
   
   
       6 . The method as defined in  claim 5 , further comprising disposing the flow straightener in at least a portion of the second section of the housing member so that the flow straightener is located substantially adjacent the laminar flow member. 
   
   
       7 . The method as defined in  claim 6 , further comprising positioning the flow straightener in the second section so that the plurality of channels of the flow straightener are angularly offset from the plurality of channels of the laminar flow member or are substantially parallel to the plurality of channels of the laminar flow member.