San Jose, California, United States, 14 May 2019: Posifa Technologies on May 9 introduced its new PAV1000 series of air velocity sensors for data centre thermal management and HVAC applications, such as filter monitoring. Announcing this through a Press communiqué, the company said the devices, which measure air velocity at 7 m/s (PAV1005V) and 15 m/s (PAV1015V), offer extremely fast response times of 125 ms, typical in a compact, robust package.

According to the communiqué, the PAV1000 series was designed as an economical, high-performance air velocity sensor for thermal management and filter monitoring in even the most space-constrained locations, such as rack enclosures with air cooling in data centres. Unlike thermistor-based solutions, the Posifa MEMS sensor core is minimally affected by ambient temperature changes and provides instant real-time feedback on proper air flow at critical locations.

PAV1000 series

According to the communiqué, air velocity data perfectly complements temperature information to provide the best insight into thermal efficiency. By identifying areas that require unusually high air flow to maintain stable temperatures, the communiqué said, layouts can be modified to reduce cooling demands for increased energy savings. In HVAC applications, the communiqué added, air velocity measurements can be used to determine when filters need to be replaced. This, the communiqué further added, ensures hardware is adequately protected during heavy use, while allowing customers with light usage requirements to benefit from extended change intervals.

According to the communiqué, the devices feature Posifa’s third-generation thermal flow die, which uses a pair of thermopiles to detect changes in temperature gradient caused by mass flow. The result is excellent repeatability of one per cent FS and accuracy of five per cent FS, the communiqué said. The solid-state thermal isolation structure on the sensor die eliminates the need for a surface cavity or fragile membrane used in competing technologies, making the sensor resistant to clogging and pressure shock, the communiqué added. 

According to the communiqué, the PAV1000 series offers an output voltage range from 0 VDC to 4.5 VDC, supply voltage from 5 VDC to 5.5 VDC, and supply current of 20 mA. The devices, the communiqué said, operate over a -25 °C to +85 °C temperature range.