Fluid flow controlling
First Claim
1. A fluid flow controller comprising:
- a gas flow passage having an inlet and an outlet;
a flow restrictor comprising a three-dimensional porous structure defining a through flow matrix including a plurality of pores and having known pressure drop-flow rate characteristics in which a plurality of pressure drop values across the restrictor correspond, respectively, to known flow rate values through the restrictor;
a pressure sensor determining the pressure of fluid in the flow passage upstream of or downstream from said flow restrictor;
a memory containing data indicative of said known pressure drop-flow rate characteristics; and
a regulator for adjusting the pressure of fluid in the flow passage wherein the pressure may be regulated to a known value and a known flow rate may be determined from the data in the memory, corresponding to the regulated pressure value.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system for controlling the rate of fluid flow. A flow restrictor having known pressure drop and flow rate characteristics provided in a passage through which the fluid, preferably a gas, flows. An upstream pressure sensor determines the pressure of fluid in the flow passage upstream of the flow restrictor. A downstream pressure sensor determines the pressure of fluid in the flow passage downstream of said flow restrictor. A pressure regulator adjusts the pressure of fluid upstream or downstream of the flow restrictor based on the pressure drop across the flow restrictor so that the actual pressure drop across the flow restrictor closely corresponds to the pressure drop associated with a desired rate of fluid flow.
125 Citations
23 Claims
-
1. A fluid flow controller comprising:
-
a gas flow passage having an inlet and an outlet; a flow restrictor comprising a three-dimensional porous structure defining a through flow matrix including a plurality of pores and having known pressure drop-flow rate characteristics in which a plurality of pressure drop values across the restrictor correspond, respectively, to known flow rate values through the restrictor; a pressure sensor determining the pressure of fluid in the flow passage upstream of or downstream from said flow restrictor; a memory containing data indicative of said known pressure drop-flow rate characteristics; and a regulator for adjusting the pressure of fluid in the flow passage wherein the pressure may be regulated to a known value and a known flow rate may be determined from the data in the memory, corresponding to the regulated pressure value. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
-
-
6. A fluid flow controller comprising:
-
a first fluid flow passage having an inlet and an outlet; a first flow restrictor comprising a three-dimensional porous structure defining a through-flow matrix including a plurality of pores and having known pressure drop-flow rate characteristics positioned in said flow passage in which a plurality of pressure drop values across the restrictor correspond, respectively, to known flow rate values through the restrictor; an upstream pressure sensor for determining the pressure of gas in said flow passage upstream of said flow restrictor; and
,a downstream pressure sensor for determining the pressure of gas in said flow passage downstream of said flow restrictor; wherein the pressure may be regulated to a known value and a known flow rate may be determined therefrom. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
-
-
7. A fluid flow controller comprising:
-
a first fluid flow passage having an inlet and an outlet; a first flow restrictor comprising a three-dimensional porous structure defining a through-flow matrix including a plurality of pores and having known pressure drop-flow rate characteristics positioned in said flow passage in which a plurality of pressure drop values across the restrictor correspond, respectively, to known flow rate values through the restrictor; an upstream pressure sensor for determining the pressure of gas in said flow passage upstream of said flow restrictor; and
,a downstream pressure sensor for determining the pressure of gas in said flow passage downstream of said flow restrictor; a regulator for adjusting the pressure of gas flowing upstream of or downstream from said flow restrictor and thereby adjusting the flow rate to a known value corresponding to the pressure value.
-
-
17. A fluid flow controller comprising a plurality of generally rectilinear modules, a first one of said modules defining a first fluid flow passage having an inlet and an outlet;
- and a second one of modules defining a second fluid flow passage having an inlet communicating with said first fluid flow passage and having positioned in said second flow passage a flow restrictor comprising a three-dimensional porous structure defining a through-flow matrix including a plurality of pores and having known pressure drop-flow rate characteristics in which a plurality of pressure drop values across the restrictor correspond, respectively, to known flow rate values through the restrictor;
an upstream pressure sensor in one of said modules for determining the pressure of fluid in a said flow passage upstream of said flow restrictor; and a downstream pressure sensor in one of said modules for determining the pressure of fluid in said flow passage downstream of said flow restrictor wherein the pressure maw be regulated to a known value and a known flow rate may be determined therefrom. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
- and a second one of modules defining a second fluid flow passage having an inlet communicating with said first fluid flow passage and having positioned in said second flow passage a flow restrictor comprising a three-dimensional porous structure defining a through-flow matrix including a plurality of pores and having known pressure drop-flow rate characteristics in which a plurality of pressure drop values across the restrictor correspond, respectively, to known flow rate values through the restrictor;
Specification