Controlled delivery of process gas using a remote pressure measurement device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11003198-B2
Application number	US-201514854043-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 15, 2015
Priority date	Aug 20, 2011
Publication date	May 11, 2021
Grant date	May 11, 2021

Abstract

A flow node includes characterized restrictor in series and adjacent with a valve to provide a primary flow restriction with a minimized volume between the two. A conductance of the characterized restrictor is low enough relative to the valve seat to cause a pressure drop that is sufficiently large relative to the pressure drop across the valve seat that a pressure measurement device is located upstream of the valve is used to determine the pressure to the inlet of the restrictor. A vent can be included to reduce bleed time. Multiple flow nodes in parallel increase a dynamic range.

First claim

We claim:

1. A control apparatus for delivery of a process gas, comprising:
an inlet conduit to receive the process gas;
a valve fluidly coupled to the inlet conduit and alterable between an open condition and a closed condition, the valve having a first conductance and being downstream of the inlet conduit;
a characterized restrictor inserted into an opening of the valve, said characterized restrictor being adjacent to and in series with the valve, the characterized restrictor having a second conductance; and
an outlet conduit to exhaust a controlled flow of the process gas passing through the characterized restrictor;
wherein a ratio of the first conductance to the second conductance is 10:1 or higher.

2. The control apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a pressure measurement device coupled to measure a pressure of the process gas upstream of the characterized restrictor.

3. The control apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the pressure measurement device outputs measurements to an electronic regulator coupled upstream of the characterized restrictor.

4. The control apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the electronic regulator receives an adjusted set point at least partially based upon a measurement of a pressure downstream from the characterized restrictor and a temperature.

5. The control apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the pressure measurement device is part of an electronic pressure regulator coupled upstream of the characterized restrictor.

6. The control apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the electronic pressure regulator receives an adjusted set point at least partially based upon a measurement of a pressure downstream from the characterized restrictor and a temperature.

7. The control apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the characterized restrictor comprises one of:
a laminar flow element and a sonic nozzle.

8. The control apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the valve is an air valve.

9. The control apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a substrate block, the valve operably coupled to the substrate block and comprising a valve body, a valve seat, and a closure member, the characterized restrictor located within the valve body.

10. The control apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the inlet conduit and the outlet conduit are located within the substrate block.

11. The control apparatus of claim 1 , wherein in the closed condition, a volume exists between the valve and the characterized restrictor, the volume being 0.5 cubic centimeters or less.

12. A control apparatus for delivery of a process gas, comprising:
an inlet conduit to receive the process gas;
an electronic pressure regulator coupled to the inlet conduit and an internal conduit, said electronic pressure regulator including a pressure measurement device coupled to said internal conduit;
a substrate block;
a valve fluidly coupled to said internal conduit and alterable between an open condition and a closed condition, the valve operably coupled to the substrate block, the valve further comprising a valve body, a valve seat, and a closure member, the valve being downstream of the inlet conduit;
a characterized restrictor inserted into an opening of the valve body of the valve, said restrictor being adjacent to and in series with the valve; and
an outlet conduit to exhaust a controlled flow of the process gas passing through the characterized restrictor;
wherein in the closed condition, a volume exists between the valve and the characterized restrictor, the volume being 0.02 cubic centimeters or less.

13. The control apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the characterized restrictor is downstream of the valve.

14. The control apparatus of claim 12 , further comprising:
a second characterized restrictor connecting said internal conduit to the outlet fluid conduit, to bypass the valve fluidly coupled to the internal conduit, for defeating the total shut off capability of the valve closed condition.

15. The control apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the valve has a first conductance and the characterized restrictor has a second conductance, a ratio of the first conductance to the second conductance is 10:1 or higher.

16. A control apparatus for delivery of a process gas, comprising:
an inlet conduit to receive the process gas;
an electronic pressure regulator coupled to the inlet conduit and a first internal conduit, said regulator including a pressure measurement device coupled to the first internal conduit;
a substrate block;
a first valve fluidly coupled to the first internal conduit and alterable between an open condition and a closed condition, the first valve operably coupled to the substrate block, the first valve further comprising a first valve body, a first valve seat, and a first closure member, the first valve being downstream of the inlet conduit;
a first characterized restrictor inserted into an opening of the first valve body of the first valve, said first restrictor being adjacent to and in series with the first valve;
a second valve fluidly coupled to the first internal conduit for actuating into an open condition and a closed condition, the second valve being downstream of the inlet conduit;
a second characterized restrictor inserted into an opening of the second valve, said second restrictor being adjacent to and in series with the second valve; and
an outlet conduit to exhaust a controlled flow of the process gas flowing through the first characterized restrictor and the second characterized restrictor;
wherein in the closed condition, a first volume exists between the first characterized restrictor and the first valve, the first volume being 0.5 cubic centimeters or less, and in the closed condition, a second volume exists between the second characterized restrictor and the second valve, the second volume being 0.5 cubic centimeters or less.

17. The control apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the first characterized restrictor is downstream of the first valve, and the second characterized restrictor is downstream of the second valve.

18. The control apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the first and second characterized restrictor are arranged in parallel.

19. The control apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the first and second valves are arranged in parallel.

Assignees

• Reno Tech Inc
• Ichor Systems Inc

Inventors

• Mudd Daniel T
• Mudd Patti J

Classifications

• F16K37/005 Primary

  for measuring fluid parameters (F16K37/0033 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G05D7/0641

  using a plurality of throttling means (G05D7/067 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F16K27/003

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

• F16K47/08

  for decreasing pressure {or noise level} and having a throttling member separate from the closure member {, e.g. screens, slots, labyrinths} · CPC title

• G05D7/0635

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