Agilent Technologies, Inc.

Phil Bucay

Alexandru Neagoe

Alan D Loux

A flow control includes a support having a passage and a seal surface, a deformable seal that is engageable with the seal surface, and a bias member for exerting a variable bias against the deformable seal. The seal surface includes channels formed in its surface that extend beneath the deformable seal. The bias member can exert a bias sufficient to cause the deformable seal to fill the channels, preventing fluid flow through the channels. When the bias member decreases the bias against the deformable seal, the deformable seal gradually moves out of the channels, allowing fluid flow through the channels, and through the passage in the flow control. The deformable seal does not need to separate from the seal surface to allow fluid flow. Instead, fluid flows through the small, controlled flow areas created when the deformable seal withdraws from the channels. Because the deformable seal does not separate from the seal surface, oscillations are not created in the fluid flow, which provides for stable flow through the flow control.

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Wilmington, DE, United States of America

Phil Bucay