Mass flow controller with absolute and differential pressure transducer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11526181-B2
Application number	US-202117358161-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 25, 2021
Priority date	Jan 30, 2018
Publication date	Dec 13, 2022
Grant date	Dec 13, 2022

Abstract

Included are mass flow controllers and methods of use. An example mass flow controller comprises a flow pathway through the mass flow controller; the flow pathway comprising a first cavity and a second cavity. The mass flow controller further comprises a laminar flow element. The mass flow controller additionally comprises a combination absolute and differential pressure transducer assembly comprising: a third cavity in fluid communication with the first cavity, an absolute pressure transducer exposed to absolute pressure in the third cavity, and a differential pressure transducer exposed to differential pressure between the third cavity and the second cavity. The mass flow controller also comprises a flow control valve assembly downstream of the laminar flow element and the combination absolute and differential pressure transducer assembly.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of controlling the flow rate of a fluid, the method comprising:
providing a mass flow controller comprising:
a flow pathway through the mass flow controller; the flow pathway comprising a first cavity and a second cavity,
a laminar flow element adjacent to the first cavity and the second cavity;

wherein the first cavity is upstream of the laminar flow element and the second cavity is downstream of the laminar flow element,
a combination absolute and differential pressure transducer assembly comprising:
a third cavity in fluid communication with the first cavity,
an absolute pressure transducer having an absolute pressure membrane and exposed to absolute pressure in the third cavity, and
a differential pressure transducer having a first differential pressure membrane and a second differential pressure membrane and exposed to differential pressure between the third cavity and the second cavity, and a flow control valve assembly comprising a control valve and configured to control a flow of fluid through the flow pathway; wherein the flow control valve assembly is downstream of the laminar flow element and the combination absolute and differential pressure transducer assembly;
flowing a fluid through the flow pathway; and
actuating the control valve; and

a PID controller configured to:
convert the absolute pressure, the differential pressure, and knowledge of fluid properties and laminar flow element characteristics into a signal indicative of mass flow rate through the laminar flow element;

receive a setpoint signal indicative of a desired flow rate through the laminar flow element; and
control the valve drive signal such that the signal indicative of mass flow rate through the laminar flow element substantially matches the received setpoint signal.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mass flow controller further comprises an inlet; wherein an inlet orifice block is disposed within the inlet.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the inlet orifice block comprises an inlet diameter of about 0.010 inches to about 0.070 inches.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the desired flow rate of the setpoint signal is less than or equal to 10%.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the flow pathway further comprises an outlet and
wherein the outlet comprises a pressure above about 2 psia.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising a circuit board.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the combination absolute and differential pressure
senses the absolute and differential pressure upstream of the flow control valve assembly.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the third cavity is filled with a fluid.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fluid is a fluid used in a semiconductor process.

Assignees

• Illinois Tool Works

Inventors

• Lull John
• Kehoe Anthony
• Banares Berwin

Classifications

• G01F15/005

  Valves (valves in general F16K) · CPC title

• G01F1/383

  with electrical or electro-mechanical indication · CPC title

• G05D7/0635 Primary

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

• G01F15/003

  using electromagnetic, electric or electronic means (G01F15/002, G01F15/02 take precedence) · CPC title

• G01F1/363 Primary

  with electrical or electro-mechanical indication (G01F1/37 and G01F1/38 take precedence) · CPC title