This page outlines planned and in-development additions to the FlowSeg product line.
Humidity sensor option for 2Mix
An upcoming option allows one or more mass flow controllers (MFCs) in a 2Mix unit to be specified with a built-in humidity sensor. The sensor measures water vapor content directly in the gas channel, allowing the software to calculate and control pH2O accurately without a separate 2Wet fluid dosing device.
This suits applications requiring low to moderate pH2O, where the process gas is pre-humidified by a simple upstream source such as a bubbler or a cylinder of pre-humidified gas. As long as gas temperature stays above the dew point throughout the system, condensation is avoided and accurate pH2O control is maintained. The option adds meaningful capability at modest cost compared to a full 2Wet system, and combines with other 2Mix options as normal.
PLC and process integration
A 24 VDC interlock input (1–2 A) keeps the MFCs powered while the circuit is closed. Opening the circuit removes power from all devices. All valves are normally closed, so the system returns to a no-flow safe state immediately, independent of the controlling computer or software. This allows the FlowSeg system to be wired into an external safety circuit, PLC, or alarm system so that a detected hazard in the wider process shuts down gas flow without any software involvement.
Additional I/O for deeper integration is available on surcharge:
- Hold/resume input – freezes all setpoints at current values without cutting power, allowing the experiment to pause and resume the same program
- Purge trigger input – switches immediately to a pre-defined inert-gas state, useful before sample changes or shutdown
- Program trigger input – advances to the next program segment on a PLC pulse rather than by elapsed time, letting the external process drive the sequence
- Flow fault output – signals when actual flow deviates from setpoint beyond a set threshold, for example due to an empty cylinder, blocked line, or valve fault
- Status output – indicates whether the system is in a valid controlled state, allowing a PLC to gate its own sequence on FlowSeg readiness
- Analog setpoint input – 4–20 mA or 0–10 V signal to command total flow directly from the PLC, with no software integration required
- Analog flow output – actual total flow as an analog signal for logging in a plant historian or external display
New software generation
A new generation of FlowSeg control software is in development. The primary focus is a clean architecture designed from the start to be extended to additional platforms. The first planned targets beyond Windows are Linux desktop systems and single-board computers (SBCs) such as Raspberry Pi. Running on an SBC opens the door to fully self-contained instruments with no external PC required, which is well suited for embedded lab automation and remote or industrial setups. Further platform targets are evaluated based on demand.
