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A Smart, Cost-Effective Programmable Gas Flowmeter Retrofitted from a Glass Rotameter
Xingcai Qin1, Qi Cao1, Zhiyuan Yuan1
1Key Laboratory for Organic Electronics and Information Displays, Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biosensors, Institute of Advanced Materials (IAM), Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Nanjing 210023, China.
Sensors (Basel, Switzerland)
|July 15, 2026
Summary
Researchers developed a low-cost programmable gas flowmeter using a webcam and rotameter. This automated device offers remote control and reading, enhancing gas sensor development and fluid automation.
Area of Science:
- Instrumentation and Measurement
- Automation and Control Systems
- Fluid Dynamics
Background:
- Programmable gas flowmeters are essential for automation and AI but are often expensive.
- Commercially available systems hinder widespread adoption due to high costs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a cost-effective, programmable gas flowmeter.
- To enable remote reading and control for automation in fluid systems.
Main Methods:
- A compact device based on a low-cost glass rotameter was engineered.
- A reading unit (webcam + rotameter) and control unit (development board + stepper motor-actuated valve) were integrated.
- An open-loop, pre-calibrated step-to-flow matrix and terminal interfaces (USB/embedded) were utilized.
Main Results:
- The system achieved reliable rotor identification and flow rate derivation via normalized rotor position mapping.
- Demonstrated strong programmability, fast response time (0.2 s), and high accuracy (mean error < 3%).
- Exhibited stable readings with minimal fluctuation (< 0.5%).
Conclusions:
- The developed flowmeter offers a cost-effective solution for programmable gas flow measurement.
- It is suitable for gas sensor development and accelerating automation in fluid-related fields.
- The prototype maintains manual control and direct eye-reading capabilities.
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