FlowRateSensor.ino

/*
Measure the liquid/water flow rate: Connect Vcc and Gnd of sensor to arduino, and the 
signal line to arduino digital pin 2.
 
 */

byte statusLed    = 13;

byte sensorInterrupt = 0;  // 0 = digital pin 2
byte sensorPin       = 2;

// The hall-effect flow sensor outputs approximately 4.5 pulses per second per
// litre/minute of flow.
float calibrationFactor = 4.5;

volatile byte pulseCount;  

float flowRate;
unsigned int flowMilliLitres;
unsigned long totalMilliLitres;

unsigned long oldTime;

void setup()
{
  
  // Initialize a serial connection for reporting values to the host
  Serial.begin(38400);
   
  // Set up the status LED line as an output
  pinMode(statusLed, OUTPUT);
  digitalWrite(statusLed, HIGH);  // We have an active-low LED attached
  
  pinMode(sensorPin, INPUT);
  digitalWrite(sensorPin, HIGH);

  pulseCount        = 0;
  flowRate          = 0.0;
  flowMilliLitres   = 0;
  totalMilliLitres  = 0;
  oldTime           = 0;

  // The Hall-effect sensor is connected to pin 2 which uses interrupt 0.
  // Configured to trigger on a FALLING state change (transition from HIGH
  // state to LOW state)
  attachInterrupt(sensorInterrupt, pulseCounter, FALLING);
}

/**
 * Main program loop
 */
void loop()
{
   
   if((millis() - oldTime) > 1000)    // Only process counters once per second
  { 
    // Disable the interrupt while calculating flow rate and sending the value to
    // the host
    detachInterrupt(sensorInterrupt);
    flowRate = ((1000.0 / (millis() - oldTime)) * pulseCount) / calibrationFactor;
    oldTime = millis();
    
    // Divide the flow rate in litres/minute by 60 to determine how many litres have
    // passed through the sensor in this 1 second interval, then multiply by 1000 to
    // convert to millilitres.
    flowMilliLitres = (flowRate / 60) * 1000;      
    unsigned int frac;
    
    // Print the flow rate for this second in litres / minute
    Serial.print("Flow rate: ");
    Serial.print(flowRate);
    Serial.print("L/min"); // Print the number of litres flowed in this second
    Serial.print("  Current Liquid Flowing: ");  // Output separator
    Serial.print(flowMilliLitres);
    Serial.println("mL/Sec");

    // Reset the pulse counter so we can start incrementing again
    pulseCount = 0;
    
    // Enable the interrupt again now that we've finished sending output
    attachInterrupt(sensorInterrupt, pulseCounter, FALLING);
  }
}
/*
Insterrupt Service Routine
 */
void pulseCounter()
{
  // Increment the pulse counter
  pulseCount++;
}