Flow control system, method, and apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10303189-B2
Application number	US-201715638742-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 30, 2017
Priority date	Jun 30, 2016
Publication date	May 28, 2019
Grant date	May 28, 2019

Abstract

In one embodiment, a modular method of making mass flow controllers for delivery of a plurality of process gases includes providing a plurality of monolithic bases, each of the monolithic bases having a plurality of flow component mounting regions. A first set of flow components are coupled to the flow component mounting regions of a first of the monolithic bases to form a mass flow controller having a first set of operating characteristics. A second set of flow components are coupled to the flow component mounting regions of a second of the monolithic bases to form a mass flow controller having a second set of operating characteristics which are different from the first set of operating characteristics.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A modular method of making mass flow controllers having different operating characteristics, the method comprising:
a) providing a plurality of substantially identical monolithic bases, each of the monolithic bases comprising a gas inlet, a gas outlet, and a plurality of flow component mounting regions;
b) coupling a first set of flow components to the flow component mounting regions of a first one of the monolithic bases so that a fluid path is formed from the gas inlet to the gas outlet of the first one of the monolithic bases to which each component of the first set of flow components is in fluid communication, thereby creating a first mass flow controller having a first set of operating characteristics; and
c) coupling a second set of flow components to the flow component mounting regions of a second one of the monolithic bases so that a fluid path is formed from the gas inlet to the gas outlet of the second one of the monolithic bases to which each component of the second set of flow components is in fluid communication, thereby creating a second mass flow controller having a second set of operating characteristics that are different than the first set of operating characteristics.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein each of the first and second sets of operating characteristics comprises a maximum mass flow rate, a minimum mass flow rate, a dynamic operating range, a startup response time, a mass flow rate supply accuracy, and a shut-off response time; and wherein at least one operating characteristic of the second set of operating characteristics is different than a corresponding operating characteristic of the first set of operating characteristics.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein for each of the monolithic bases, the flow component mounting regions comprises a first flow component mounting region and a second flow component mounting region, each of the first and second flow component mounting regions comprising an inlet port and an outlet port, the inlet port of the first flow component mounting region fluidly coupled to the gas inlet by a first flow passage formed in the monolithic base, and the outlet port of the first flow component mounting region fluidly coupled to the inlet port of the second flow component mounting region by a second flow passage formed in the monolithic base.

4. The method according to claim 3 wherein for each of the monolithic bases, the flow component mounting region further comprises a third flow component mounting region, the outlet port of the second flow component mounting region fluidly coupled to a port of the third flow component mounting region by a third flow passage formed in the monolithic base.

5. The method according to claim 4 wherein the port of the third flow component mounting region is one of a sensing port or an inlet port of the third flow component mounting region.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein for each of the monolithic bases, each of the flow component mounting regions comprises a mechanical coupling element and at least one port.

7. The method according to claim 1 wherein for each of the monolithic bases, the flow component mounting regions comprises at least one multi-function flow component mounting region comprising an inlet port, an outlet port, and an auxiliary port.

8. The method according to claim 7 further comprising:
wherein step b) comprises:
b-1) positioning a seal over the auxiliary port of the multi-function flow component mounting region of the first one of the monolithic bases; and
b-2) coupling a volumetric expander component to the multi-function flow component mounting region of the first one of the monolithic bases, thereby sealing the auxiliary port of the multi-function flow component mounting region of the first one of the monolithic bases and fluidly coupling the inlet and outlet ports of the multi-function flow component mounting region of the first one of the monolithic bases via an expansion volume of the volumetric expander component.

9. The method according to claim 8 further comprising:
wherein step c) comprises:
c-1) coupling a laminar flow component having a restrictor to one of the flow component mounting regions of the second one of the monolithic bases;
c-2) coupling a bleed component to the multi-function flow component mounting region of the second one of the monolithic bases, the bleed component in fluid communication with the auxiliary port, the inlet port and the outlet port of the multi-function flow component mounting region of the second one of the monolithic bases and configured to bleed gas from the fluid path of the first mass flow controller at a position upstream of the laminar flow component.

10. A modular method of making mass flow controllers having different operating characteristics, the method comprising:
a) providing a plurality of substantially identical monolithic bases, each of the monolithic bases comprising a gas inlet, a gas outlet, and a plurality of flow component mounting regions;
b) coupling a first set of flow components to the flow component mounting regions of a first one of the monolithic bases, thereby creating a first mass flow controller having a first set of operating characteristics; and
c) coupling a second set of flow components to the flow component mounting regions of a second one of the monolithic bases, thereby creating a second mass flow controller having a second set of operating characteristics that are different than the first set of operating characteristics.

11. A modular method of making mass flow controllers having different operating characteristics, the method comprising:
a) providing a plurality of substantially identical monolithic bases, each of the monolithic bases comprising a gas inlet, a gas outlet, and a plurality of flow component mounting regions;
b) coupling a first set of flow components to the flow component mounting regions of a first one of the monolithic bases; and
c) coupling a second set of flow components to the flow component mounting regions of a first one of the monolithic bases, wherein the first and second sets of flow components comprise different types of flow components.

12. The method according to claim 11 wherein the first set of flow components comprises a control valve component, a cap component, and a pressure transducer component and the second set of flow components comprises a control valve component, a bleed component, and a pressure transducer component.

13. The method according to claim 11 wherein the first set of flow components comprises a control valve component, a cap component, and a pressure transducer component and the second set of flow components comprises a control valve component, a volumetric expander component, and a pressure transducer component.

14. The method according to claim 11 wherein the first set of flow components comprises a control valve component, a laminar flow component, and a pressure transducer component and the second set of flow components comprises a control valve component, a volumetric expander component, and a pressure transducer component.

15. The method according to claim 11 wherein the first set of flow components comprises a control valve component, a bleed component, and a pressure transducer component and the second set of flow components comprises a cap component, a volumetric expander component, and a pressure transducer component.

Assignees

• Reno Tech Inc

Inventors

• Mudd Daniel T
• Grill Marshall B
• Batchelor Ii Norman L

Classifications

• G01F1/6842

  with means for influencing the fluid flow · CPC title

• F16K27/003 Primary

  Housing formed from a plurality of the same valve elements · CPC title

• G05D7/0682 Primary

  using a plurality of flow sources · CPC title

• G01F1/6847

  where sensing or heating elements are not disturbing the fluid flow, e.g. elements mounted outside the flow duct · CPC title

• H01L21/205

  Electricity · mapped topic