Development of absolute hot-wire anemometry by the 3omega method.

We have developed hot-wire anemometry applying the 3omega method. The approach is based on the same heat transfer process as traditional anemometry, but substituting the constant current by a sinusoidal current and using synchronous detection to measure the conductive-convective exchange coefficient and the gas flow rate. Our theoretical model is tested with air flow at 300 K under atmospheric pressure: The experimental results are in agreement with the numerical simulation, justifying the technical choices in the 3omega method and the approximations made. The effectiveness of the 3omega method for measuring the flow rate and the conductive-convective exchange coefficient between the hot wire and flowing gas is discussed.