Patent ID: 7377185

Claim:
A flow rate/liquid type detecting apparatus for detecting the flow rate of a fluid and, at the same time, detecting any one of or both the type of the fluid and the concentration of the fluid, comprising: a main passage through which a fluid to be detected flows; an auxiliary passage branched from said main passage; a flow rate/liquid type detecting sensor device provided in said auxiliary passage; an auxiliary passage opening/closing valve provided in said auxiliary passage, for controlling the flow of the fluid to be detected into said flow rate/liquid type detecting sensor device; and a control unit for controlling said flow rate/liquid type detecting sensor and said auxiliary passage opening/closing valve, said control unit being constructed so as to conduct control in such a manner that, in conducting any one of or both the detection of the type of said fluid to be detected and the detection of the concentration of said fluid to be detected, said auxiliary passage opening/closing valve is closed, and said fluid to be detected is allowed to temporarily stay within said flow rate/liquid type detecting sensor device to conduct any one of or both the detection of the liquid type and the detection of the concentration, and in detecting the flow rate of the fluid to be detected, said auxiliary passage opening/closing valve is opened to allow the fluid to be detected to flow into said flow rate/liquid type detecting sensor device to detect the flow rate.