Control of gas flow
First Claim
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1. A gas inlet system for providing gas into an analytical apparatus operating under vacuum, the system comprising(a) a plurality of gas inlet lines fluidly connected to the apparatus, for introducing gas into the apparatus;
- (b) at least one valve arranged on the plurality of gas inlet lines downstream of at least one gas inlet junction, for controlling flow of gas in the plurality of inlet lines;
(c) a plurality of gas flow control lines each fluidly connected to a respective gas inlet line of the plurality of gas inlet lines through the a respective gas inlet junction, wherein the plurality of gas flow control lines merge into a single gas flow control line;
(d) at least one first flow restriction and at least one second flow restriction arranged on each gas inlet line, upstream from and downstream from the gas inlet junction, respectively;
(e) at least one gas flow controller arranged on the single gas flow control line, such that the plurality of gas flow control lines merge into the single gas flow control line upstream from the at least one gas flow controller, to control pressure at the gas inlet junctions;
(f) at least one valve for controlling flow of gas in the plurality of gas flow control lines; and
(g) at least one vacuum pump or exhaust that is fluidly connected to the gas flow control lines, downstream from the gas flow controller.
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Abstract
The invention relates to a gas inlet system for providing gas into an analytical apparatus, comprising at least a first and a second flow restriction that are arranged on a gas inlet line, a gas flow control line connected to the gas inlet line, a gas flow controller on the gas control line, and valves for controlling gas flow in the gas inlet line and the gas control line. Also provided is a method of controlling gas flow into an analytical apparatus.
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Citations
31 Claims
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1. A gas inlet system for providing gas into an analytical apparatus operating under vacuum, the system comprising
(a) a plurality of gas inlet lines fluidly connected to the apparatus, for introducing gas into the apparatus; -
(b) at least one valve arranged on the plurality of gas inlet lines downstream of at least one gas inlet junction, for controlling flow of gas in the plurality of inlet lines; (c) a plurality of gas flow control lines each fluidly connected to a respective gas inlet line of the plurality of gas inlet lines through the a respective gas inlet junction, wherein the plurality of gas flow control lines merge into a single gas flow control line; (d) at least one first flow restriction and at least one second flow restriction arranged on each gas inlet line, upstream from and downstream from the gas inlet junction, respectively; (e) at least one gas flow controller arranged on the single gas flow control line, such that the plurality of gas flow control lines merge into the single gas flow control line upstream from the at least one gas flow controller, to control pressure at the gas inlet junctions; (f) at least one valve for controlling flow of gas in the plurality of gas flow control lines; and (g) at least one vacuum pump or exhaust that is fluidly connected to the gas flow control lines, downstream from the gas flow controller. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 31)
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20. A method of controlling gas flow into an analytical apparatus operating under vacuum, the method comprising steps of
flowing gas from at least one gas supply into a plurality of gas inlet lines for providing gas into an analytical apparatus; -
splitting away a portion of the gas flow in each gas inlet line into a respective one of a plurality of gas control lines that is arranged on the gas inlet line and that meets the gas inlet line at a respective gas inlet junction, such that a portion of the gas flow in the gas inlet line flows through the respective gas control line, and wherein gas flow in each gas control line is controlled by means of a gas flow controller that regulates pressure at the gas inlet junction, wherein the plurality of gas control lines merge into a single gas control line upstream of the gas flow controller, and a vacuum pump or exhaust that fluidly connected to the plurality of gas control lines, downstream from the gas flow controller; whereby the portion of gas that is not split away from the gas inlet line into the gas control line is delivered into the apparatus and the flow rate into the analytical apparatus is determined by the difference in gas pressure between the gas inlet junction and the analytical apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification