Celerity, Inc.

Illinois Tool Works Inc.

Brooks Instrument, LLC

Celerity Group, Inc.

Unit Instruments, Inc.

Mega Fluid Systems, Inc.

Brooks Intrument, LLC

John Michael Lull

William S Valentine

Chiun Wang

Berwin Banares

Joseph A Saggio

Anthony Kehoe

Chris Ellec

Bill Valentine

Jeffrey Alexander Wilmer

Daniel Kase Mackenzie

Eric A Zadai

Jeffrey Whiteley

Michael Loren Walker

Nelson Urdaneta

Reza Jamasebi

William Valentine

Gawtam Jhoty

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.

Mass flow controller with absolute and differential pressure transducer

A valve control system that includes a gain controller for controlling the linear response of a valve. The system includes a linearization control system coupled to the gain controller to determine a gain value to control the linear response time of the valve and a set point filter coupled to the linearization control system to filter a set point value. The linearization control system determines the gain value from the filtered set point value, at least one real-time fluid parameter value, valve model data, an actuator gain, and a valve model gain.

Mass flow valve controller and control method with set point filter and linearization system based on valve model

A mass flow controller that includes a linearization system to control the linear response of a valve in order to control the gain of the mass flow controller. The linearization system includes a flow modeling system for processing at least one of a fluid type, a flow rate, a pressure, and a temperature value signal relating to flow of the fluid through a flow path and determining fluid properties. The linearization system also includes a valve modeling system to determine the required operational characteristics of the valve according to valve specifications, a desired flow rate, and the determined fluid properties. The linearization system determines a gain to control the lift of the valve in order to acquire a desired fluid flow rate. The gain is determined by calculating the derivative of predicted lift with respect to fluid flow and the derivative of drive with respect to predicted lift.

Mass flow controller and controller algorithm

The disclosed embodiments include a method, apparatus, and computer program product for improving the accuracy of a rate of decay measurement for real time correction in a mass flow controller or mass flow meter by using a thermal model to minimize thermally induced error in the rate of decay measurement.

System and method for improving the accuracy of a rate of decay measurement for real time correction in a mass flow controller or mass flow meter by using a thermal model to minimize thermally induced error in the rod measurement

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.

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

A mass flow controller includes at least one conduit having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, the conduit defining a flow path along which the fluid flows. The mass flow controller also includes a modified inlet block having an inlet aperture, an inlet channel, and a reservoir fluidly coupled to the inlet channel and the conduit that enhances flow through the controller and improves rate-of-decay measurements. The mass flow controller includes at least one flow sensor that generates a flow sensor signal that is proportional to the mass flow rate of the fluid through the conduit. The mass flow controller includes a control subsystem coupled to a flow sensor and a valve assembly to control flow through the conduit.

System and method for improving the accuracy of a rate of decay (ROD) measurement in a mass flow controller

The disclosed embodiments include a method, apparatus, and computer program product for controlling the mass flow rate of a fluid. For example, the disclosed embodiments include a method and a mass flow controller configured to determine, using on valve hysteresis model, a valve drive necessary to generate a force to achieve a valve lift for moving an adjustable valve to a desired valve position based on a given flow setpoint for controlling the flow of a fluid.

System and method for using a model for improving control of a mass flow controller

The disclosed embodiments include a method, apparatus, and computer program product for providing a self-validating mass flow controller or mass flow meter. For example, in one embodiment, a self-validating mass flow controller is disclosed that does not require any software modification to a tool/tool controller in which the mass flow controller is being utilized. In other embodiments, a self-validating mass flow controller is disclosed that does not require any hardware or mechanical changes to an existing mass flow controller. Still, the disclosed embodiments further include a self-validating mass flow controller that is configured to determine valve leak and sensor offset simultaneously for performing real time in-situ correction of a mass flow controller's output for zero offset or zero drift in the presence of valve leak.

System and method for using a rate of decay measurement for real time measurement and correction of zero offset and zero drift of a mass flow controller or mass flow meter

The disclosed embodiments include a combination absolute pressure and differential pressure transducer that includes at least a first cavity and a second cavity, at least a first pressure port and a second pressure port, a first isolation membrane exposing the first cavity to a first fluid pressure applied to the first pressure port, a second isolation membrane exposing the second cavity to a second fluid pressure applied to the second pressure port, at least one absolute pressure sense element exposed to absolute pressure in one of the first cavity and the second cavity, and at least one differential pressure sense element exposed to differential pressure between two of the first cavity and the second cavity.

Absolute and differential pressure transducer

A mass flow controller includes a fluid inlet, a fluid outlet, and a conduit defining a flow path along which the fluid flows through the mass flow controller. The mass flow controller includes an inlet block having an inlet aperture, an inlet channel fluidly coupled to the conduit, and one or more restrictors positioned along the flow path between the inlet aperture and inlet channel to minimize flow perturbations when a rate of decay measurement is taken or when flow the amount of pressure supplied to the valve inlet is otherwise interrupted.

System and method for reducing flow perturbations and improving the accuracy of a rate of decay measurement in a mass flow controller

The disclosed embodiments include a method, apparatus, and computer program product for verifying a performance of a mass flow controller or mass flow meter on a tool. For example, the disclosed embodiments include a method and a mass flow controller configured to perform, in-situ, by the mass flow controller, a rate of decay measurement during on-line operation of the tool to identify valve leak issues and/or for performing a flow measurement.

System and method for providing a self validating mass flow controller or a mass flow meter utilizing a software protocol

Performance of mass flow controller may be vulnerable to pressure transients in a flow path to which the controller is coupled for the purpose of controlling the fluid flow. A system and method are provided for reducing or eliminate performance degradations, instabilities, and/or inaccuracies of a mass flow controller caused by changes in the pressure environment. In particular, a method and system are provided for compensating for pressure transients in the pressure environment of a flow path and mass flow controller.

Methods and apparatus for pressure compensation in a mass flow controller

A system and method of characterizing or controlling a flow of a fluid is provided that involves a sensor conduit and a bypass. A plurality of fluids may be utilized in the flow control device based on characteristic information of the device generated during calibration thereof. The characteristic information, in turn is based on a dimensionless parameters, such as adjusted dynamic pressure and adjusted Reynolds number.

Growing community of inventors

Claremont, CA, United States of America

John Michael Lull