Calibration methods for flow rates down to 5 nL/min and validation methodology

Biomed Tech (Berl). 2022 Aug 19;68(1):13-27. doi: 10.1515/bmt-2022-0049. Print 2023 Feb 23.

Abstract

Improving the accuracy and enabling traceable measurements of volume, flow, and pressure in existing drug delivery devices and in-line sensors operating at very low flow rates is essential in several fields of activities and specially in medical applications. This can only be achieved through the development of new calibrationmethods and by expanding the existing metrological infrastructure to perform micro-flow and nano-flow measurements. In this paper, we will investigate new traceable techniques for measuring flow rate, from 5 nL/min to 1,500 nL/min and present the results of an inter-comparison between nine laboratories for the calibration of two different flow meters and a syringe pump.

Keywords: comparison; flow meter; measurement; micro-flow; nano-flow; traceability; uncertainty.

MeSH terms

  • Calibration
  • Drug Delivery Systems*
  • Flowmeters*