Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/44588
Title: Development of MEMS airflow sensors
Authors: Abdul Rahman Mohd Hassan
Keywords: DRNTU::Engineering::Mechanical engineering::Fluid mechanics
DRNTU::Engineering::Electrical and electronic engineering::Microelectromechanical systems
Issue Date: 2011
Abstract: This report documents the development of low-cost MEMS air-flow sensors for the purpose of sensing wind-speed magnitude and direction. The development is to facilitate the Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology (SMART) study of the heating effects in an urban canyon, within the tropical island state of Singapore. The sensors consist of an array of micro-heaters that are fabricated using microfabrication technologies and installed on a 40 mm diameter sphere. Resistive heating of the micro-heaters is carried out through an input of a constant current source to each micro-heater. The heat transfer, predominantly via convection, is caused by the moving air as it flows past the heated surface of the micro-heater. This results in a change of the micro-heater resistances and is measured through the concurrent change in voltage. Test results indicate an exponential decay of micro-heater resistance with different wind directions and intensities of between 1 – 10 m/s. Stable resistance readings are achieved within 45 seconds as measured through the thermal time constant. With a steady-state temperature of more than 150° C, the effect of solar radiation on the micro-heaters is found to be negligible. Attempts at ambient temperature sensing to compensate for the effect of ambient temperature result in a linear resistive distribution for temperatures between 22 - 36° C. Results are indicative that with proper calibration and development of a suitable algorithm, sensing wind in two dimensions together with temperature detection can be achieved.
URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/44588
Schools: School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering 
Organisations: Center for Environmental Sensing and Modeling
Research Centres: Singapore-MIT Alliance Programme 
Rights: Nanyang Technological University
Fulltext Permission: restricted
Fulltext Availability: With Fulltext
Appears in Collections:MAE Student Reports (FYP/IA/PA/PI)

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