As early as 1738, Swiss Daniel Bernoulli used the first Bernoulli equation to measure water flow using the differential pressure method. Later, Italian G.B. Venturi investigated flow measurement using a Venturi tube and published his findings in 1791.
In 1886, American Herschel used the Venturi tube to develop a practical device for measuring water flow.
During the early to mid-20th century, existing measurement principles gradually matured, and people began exploring new methods, moving beyond traditional measurement methods.
In the 1930s, research began on using sound waves to measure the flow velocity of liquids and gases. However, this method of measuring flow did not make significant progress until World War II. It was not until 1955 that the Maxson flowmeter, which used the acoustic circulation method to measure aviation fuel flow, was introduced.
After the 1960s, measuring instruments began to develop in the direction of precision and miniaturization. With the rapid development of integrated circuit technology, ultrasonic (wave) flow meters with phase-locked loop technology have also been widely used. The widespread use of microcomputers has further improved the ability to measure flow. For example, laser Doppler flow meters can process more complex signals after using microcomputers.
