System and method for providing a self validating mass flow controller and mass flow meter

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10048105-B2
Application number	US-201314378560-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 4, 2013
Priority date	Mar 7, 2012
Publication date	Aug 14, 2018
Grant date	Aug 14, 2018

Abstract

The disclosed embodiments include a method, apparatus, and computer program product for providing a self-validating mass flow controller or mass flow meter without requiring any software modification to a tool/tool controller in which the mass flow controller is being utilized. For example, the disclosed embodiments include a mass flow controller comprising an internal valve configured to receive a first pneumatic line coupled to a tool pilot valve and couple a second pneumatic line from the internal valve to an external isolation valve upstream of the inlet. The mass flow controller also includes at least one processing component configured to execute instructions to perform an in-situ rate of decay measurement after executing instructions to close the external isolation valve by using the internal valve to block airflow being received through the first pneumatic line.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A mass flow controller for controlling a flow of a fluid, the mass flow controller comprising:
an inlet for receiving the fluid from a gas delivery line having an external isolation valve upstream of the inlet;
a flow path in which the fluid passes through the mass flow controller;
a mass flow meter for providing a signal corresponding to mass flow of the fluid through the flow path;
an adjustable valve for regulating the flow of the fluid out of an outlet of the mass flow controller;
a controller configured to apply a valve control signal to adjust the adjustable valve to a desired valve position to control the flow of the fluid out of an outlet of the mass flow controller;
a tool pilot valve configured to control application of compressed air to the external isolation valve; and
an internal valve coupled between a first pneumatic line leading to the tool pilot valve and a second pneumatic line leading to the external isolation valve upstream of the inlet, wherein both a tool controller and the mass flow controller are configured to control the compressed air provided to the second pneumatic line to close the external isolation valve, and wherein the internal valve is configured to interrupt application of the compressed air to the external isolation valve when the tool pilot valve provides the compressed air to the internal valve.

2. The mass flow controller of claim 1 , further comprising at least one processing component configured to execute instructions to perform an in-situ rate of decay measurement after executing instructions to close the external isolation valve by using the internal valve to block airflow being received through the first pneumatic line.

3. The mass flow controller of claim 2 , wherein the first pneumatic line and the second pneumatic line are routed through an opening on a top surface of the mass flow controller.

4. The mass flow controller of claim 3 , wherein the first pneumatic line and the second pneumatic line are routed through an opening on a side surface of the mass flow controller.

5. The mass flow controller of claim 3 , wherein the at least one processing component is further configured to execute instructions to identify a length of time for completing a rate of decay measurement, analyze patterns in processing time of a tool that is utilizing the mass flow controller to identify processing time segments that would allow the mass flow controller to complete the rate of decay measurement without interfering with a process of the tool, and perform the in-situ rate of decay measurement during an identified processing time segment.

6. The mass flow controller of claim 3 , wherein the at least one processing component is further configured to execute instructions to raise an alarm if the in-situ rate of decay measurement indicates that a characteristic of the mass flow controller has changed by a certain amount in a given period of time.

7. The mass flow controller of claim 3 , wherein the at least one processing component is further configured to execute instructions to perform the in-situ rate of decay measurement in one of two different measurement modes.

8. The mass flow controller of claim 3 , further comprising memory for internally logging and trending of various measurements performed inside the mass flow controller.

9. The mass flow controller of claim 3 , wherein the at least one processing component is further configured to execute instructions to self-correct its calibration and offset based on results of the in-situ rate of decay measurement.

10. A mass flow controller for controlling a flow of a fluid, the mass flow controller comprising:
an inlet for receiving the fluid from a gas delivery line having an external isolation valve upstream of the inlet;
a flow path in which the fluid passes through the mass flow controller;
a mass flow meter for providing a signal corresponding to mass flow of the fluid through the flow path;
an adjustable valve for regulating the flow of the fluid out of an outlet of the mass flow controller;
a controller configured to apply a valve control signal to adjust the adjustable valve to a desired valve position to control the flow of the fluid out of an outlet of the mass flow controller;
a tool pilot valve configured to control application of a closing force to the external isolation valve; and
an electrical relay configured to be coupled between a first electrical line from a tool controller and a second electrical line to the tool pilot valve, wherein both the tool controller and the mass flow controller are configured to control an electrical signal provided along the second electrical line to the tool pilot valve to close the external isolation valve, and wherein the electrical relay is configured to interrupt application of the electrical signal to the second electrical line when the tool controller applies the electrical signal to the first electrical line.

11. The mass flow controller of claim 10 , further comprising at least one processing component configured to execute instructions to perform an in-situ rate of decay measurement after executing instructions to close the external isolation valve by sending a close valve signal to the tool pilot valve via the second electrical line.

12. The mass flow controller of claim 11 , wherein the at least one processing component is further configured to execute instructions to identify a length of time for completing a rate of decay measurement, analyze patterns in processing time of a tool that is utilizing the mass flow controller to identify processing time segments that would allow the mass flow controller to complete the rate of decay measurement without interfering with a process of the tool, and perform the in-situ rate of decay measurement during an identified processing time segment.

13. The mass flow controller of claim 11 , wherein the at least one processing component is further configured to execute instructions to perform the in-situ rate of decay measurement in one of two different measurement modes.

14. The mass flow controller of claim 11 , wherein the at least one processing component is further configured to execute instructions to self-correct its calibration and offset based on results of the in-situ rate of decay measurement.

15. A mass flow controller for controlling a flow of a fluid, the mass flow controller comprising:
an inlet for receiving the fluid from a gas delivery line having an external isolation valve upstream of the inlet;
a flow path in which the fluid passes through the mass flow controller;
a mass flow meter for providing a signal corresponding to mass flow of the fluid through the flow path;
an adjustable valve for regulating the flow of the fluid out of an outlet of the mass flow controller;
a controller configured to apply a valve control signal to adjust the adjustable valve to a desired valve position to control the flow of the fluid out of an outlet of the mass flow controller;
a pilot valve configured to control application of an opening force to the external isolation valve; and
an electrical relay configured to be coupled to the external isolation valve, wherein the electrical relay is configured to control an additional valve of the external isolation valve to control a supply of the opening force from the pilot valve to the external isolation valve, wherein the electrical relay is configured to prevent application of the opening force to the external isolation valve when the electrical relay controls the additional valve to an open position.

16. The mass flow controller of claim 1

Assignees

• Illinois Tool Works

Inventors

• Valentine Bill
• Ellec Chris
• Banares Berwin
• Lull John
• Kehoe Anthony

Classifications

• Y10T137/7761

  Electrically actuated valve · CPC title

• G05D7/0635

  by action on throttling means (G05D7/0688, G05D7/0694 take precedence) · CPC title

• G01F1/68 Primary

  by using thermal effects · CPC title

• G01F5/00

  Measuring a proportion of the volume flow · CPC title

• Y10T137/87684

  Valve in each inlet · CPC title