Flush-mount non-contact airflow sensor for ducts and tunnels
This technology measures the speed of airflow or other fluids by placing acoustic sensors along the edge of a flow path rather than sticking probes into the flow itself. A transmitter sends sound signals downstream, and two receivers pick them up at different points; the difference in arrival times reveals how fast the fluid is moving. Because everything mounts at the boundary rather than inside the flow, it avoids disturbing the flow and eliminates the wear, drag, and contamination problems of traditional probes. The math is straightforward—velocity is derived from the two transit times—making it easy to implement in software.
What you could build
A non-contact airflow sensor module for HVAC ducts, wind tunnels, or industrial pipelines that mounts flush to the duct wall; buyers would include HVAC equipment OEMs, cleanroom system integrators, and aerospace test facilities.
Who in Virginia should care
Defense contractors and aerospace test facilities in Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads with wind tunnel or propulsion test infrastructure would have direct use cases.
Readiness: Lab validated
Concept — described but not yet demonstrated. Lab validated — supported by experimental results in the patent. Prototype likely — the text describes a built, working embodiment.
Readiness is inferred from the patent text, not from a lab visit.
The record
- Inventors
- K. Todd Lowe, Wing F. Ng, Raul Otero JR.
- Granted
- May 7, 2019
- Status
- Granted patent
- Patent number
- 10281307
Ready to talk?
Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties handles licensing for this technology.
Prosim summaries are generated from public patent text and are not legal advice.