Method and system for controlling a flow ratio controller using feed-forward adjustment

• US 10,108,205 B2
• Filed: 08/20/2013
• Issued: 10/23/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: Gregor, Mariusch
• Primary Examiner(s): Lo, Kenneth M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wynne, David J
• Application Number:
  US13/971,618
• Publication Number:
  US 20150005956A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,890 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 7/0664 the plurality of throttling means being arranged for the control of a plurality of diverging flows from a single flow G05D7/0652 takes precedence; ratio control G05D11/13

Abstract

A processing device determines a plurality of initial flow setpoint commands, each of the plurality of setpoint commands corresponding to one of a plurality of valves, and sends each of the plurality of initial setpoint commands to a corresponding one of the plurality of valves. The processing device monitors the plurality of valves for a flow condition requiring and adjustment. Upon detecting the flow condition, the processing device predicts the adjustment based on previous setpoints, and determines a plurality of updated flow setpoint commands, each of which corresponds to one of the plurality of valves based on the the predicted adjustment. The processing device then sends each of the plurality of updated setpoint commands to the corresponding one of the plurality of valves.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

sending a first plurality of setpoint commands to a plurality of valves;

receiving user input to update the first plurality of setpoint commands;

identifying, prior to detecting an unstable flow condition, a previous set of setpoint commands that is substantially similar to the updated first plurality of setpoint commands;

determining whether the previous set of setpoint commands that is substantially similar to the updated first plurality of setpoint commands caused a prior unstable flow condition;

if the previous set of setpoint commands caused the prior unstable flow condition, predicting, for each of the plurality of valves, a flow adjustment based on a second plurality of setpoint commands associated with a corrective action taken to correct the prior unstable flow condition, wherein the corrective action corresponds to a change in valve position that results in stable mass flow;

determining, by a processing device, a third plurality of setpoint commands, each of the third plurality of setpoint commands corresponding to one of the plurality of valves, based on the predicted flow adjustment; and

symmetrically sending each of the third plurality of setpoint commands to the corresponding one of the plurality of valves to avoid the unstable flow condition, wherein the third plurality of setpoint commands are sent to bypass feedback control of a feedback-driven flow control system operatively coupled to the plurality of valves.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the first, second, and third plurality of setpoint commands comprises at least one of a flow setpoint or a valve position setpoint.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the unstable flow condition comprises an inefficient flow condition.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the first plurality of setpoint commands is based on a corresponding flow percentage, an initial total flow, and a corresponding initial valve voltage.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of valves comprises a respective mass flow controller.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the unstable flow condition comprises a non-symmetrical change in flow across the plurality of valves.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the second plurality of setpoint commands comprise a plurality of stored setpoint commands recorded during prior stable flow conditions.

8. A system comprising:

a processing device to;

send a first plurality of setpoint commands to a plurality of valves;

receive user input to update the first plurality of setpoint commands;

identify, prior to detecting an unstable flow condition, a previous set of setpoint commands that is substantially similar to the updated first plurality of setpoint commands;

determine whether the previous set of setpoint commands that is substantially similar to the updated first plurality of setpoint commands caused a prior unstable flow condition, wherein the corrective action corresponds to a change in valve position that results in stable mass flow;

if the previous set of setpoint commands caused the prior unstable flow condition, predict, for each of the plurality of valves, a flow adjustment based on a second plurality of setpoint commands associated with a corrective action taken to correct the prior unstable flow condition;

determine a third plurality of setpoint commands, each of the third plurality of setpoint commands corresponding to one of the plurality of valves, based on the predicted flow adjustment; and

symmetrically send each of the third plurality of setpoint commands to the corresponding one of the plurality of valves to avoid the unstable flow condition, wherein the third plurality of setpoint commands are sent to bypass feedback control of a feedback-driven flow control system operatively coupled to the plurality of valves.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein each of the first, second, and third plurality of setpoint commands comprises at least one of a flow setpoint or a valve position setpoint.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein each adjustment of the plurality of valves comprises at least one of a flow setpoint or a valve position setpoint.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein each of the first plurality of setpoint commands is based on a corresponding flow percentage, an initial total flow, and a corresponding initial valve voltage.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein each of the plurality of valves comprises a respective mass flow controller.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the unstable flow condition comprises a non-symmetrical change in flow across the plurality of valves.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the second plurality of setpoint commands comprise a plurality of stored setpoint commands recorded during prior stable flow conditions.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions that, when executed by a processing device, cause the processing device to perform a method comprising:

sending a first plurality of setpoint commands to a plurality of valves;

receiving user input to update the first plurality of setpoint commands;

identifying, prior to detecting an unstable flow condition, a previous set of setpoint commands that is substantially similar to the updated first plurality of setpoint commands;

determining whether the previous set of setpoint commands that is substantially similar to the updated first plurality of setpoint commands caused a prior unstable flow condition;

if the previous set of setpoint commands caused the unstable flow condition, predicting, for each of the plurality of valves, flow adjustment based on a second plurality of setpoint commands associated with a corrective action taken to correct the prior unstable flow condition, wherein the corrective action corresponds to a change in valve position that results in stable mass flow;

determining, by a processing device, a third plurality of setpoint commands, each of the third plurality of setpoint commands corresponding to one of the plurality of valves, based on the predicted adjustment; and

symmetrically sending each of the third plurality of setpoint commands to the corresponding valve to avoid the unstable flow condition, wherein the third plurality of setpoint commands are sent to bypass feedback control of a feedback-driven flow control system operatively coupled to the plurality of valves.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein each of the first, second, and third plurality of setpoint commands comprises at least one of a flow setpoint or a valve position setpoint.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the unstable flow condition comprises an inefficient flow condition.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein each of the first plurality of setpoint commands is based on a corresponding flow percentage, an initial total flow, and a corresponding initial valve voltage.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the unstable flow condition comprises a non-symmetrical change in flow across the plurality of valves.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the second plurality of setpoint commands comprise a plurality of stored setpoint commands recorded during prior stable flow conditions.