Apparatus and method for monitoring liquid and gas flow through a flow meter

A system and related method for precisely monitoring fluid or gas flows, comprising: a flow meter comprising a mechanical metering component; the mechanical metering component comprising a ferrous material; a three-axis magnetic field sensor for sensing fluctuations of a magnetic field arising from movements of the ferrous material, and specifically, for sensing a magnetic field vector of the magnetic field; computer processing for receiving data from the magnetic field sensor and storing magnetic field behavior data representing time behavior of the magnetic field vector in three space dimensions; calibration programming for analyzing and learning a magnetic signature of the meter; programming for storing a unique calibration pattern of the magnetic signature representing baseline behaviors thereof; and comparison programming for comparing behaviors of the magnetic field during operation with the calibrated baseline behaviors and thereby deducing flows which are occurring during operation as a function of time under various conditions.