Non-contact airflow sensor for ducts and wind tunnels
This technology measures airflow speed and direction without placing any physical sensors inside the flow itself. It works by positioning an acoustic transmitter at the edge of a fluid channel and using two receivers downstream to detect when sound pulses arrive. By comparing the tiny differences in arrival times at each receiver, a processor calculates how fast the fluid is moving. The approach avoids the drag, wear, and distortion that traditional in-stream probes introduce.
What you could build
A non-contact flow measurement module for HVAC ducts, wind tunnels, or industrial pipelines, sold to building automation system integrators or aerospace test facility operators who need accurate, maintenance-light airflow sensing.
Who in Virginia should care
Virginia aerospace testing facilities, defense contractors operating wind tunnels or environmental test chambers, and HVAC system integrators serving the dense federal building stock in Northern Virginia would find direct utility here.
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
- —
- Granted
- May 7, 2019
- Status
- Granted patent
- Patent number
- 102836
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.