Gas flow rate verification unit

• US 7,716,993 B2
• Filed: 02/22/2007
• Issued: 05/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CKD Corporation
• Original Assignee: CKD Corporation
• Inventors: Ito, Minoru, Ozawa, Yukio, Doi, Hiroki, Nakada, Akiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel; Harshad
• Application Number:
  US12/223,808
• Publication Number:
  US 20090019943A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,181 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 73/861
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/383 with electrical or electro-mechanical indication
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/50 Correcting or compensating means
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 15/005 Valves valves in general F16K
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 25/10 of flowmeters
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0379 By fluid pressure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87249 Multiple inlet with multiple outlet

Abstract

A gas flow rate verification unit capable of enhancing reliability of gas flow rate verification. The gas flow rate verification unit has a first cutoff valve that is connected to a flow rate control device and to which gas is inputted, a second cutoff valve for discharging the gas, a communication member for allowing the first cutoff valve and the second cutoff valve to communicate with each other, a pressure sensor for detecting the pressure of the gas supplied between the first cutoff valve and the second cutoff valve, a temperature detector for detecting the temperature of the gas supplied between the first cutoff valve and the second cutoff valve, and a control means for verifying the flow of the gas flowing in the flow control device, the verification being performed by using both the result of the pressure detected by the pressure sensor and the result of the temperatures detected by the temperature detector. The volume (Vk) between the valve seat of the first cutoff valve and the valve seat of the second cutoff valve is equal to or less than the volume (Ve) between the outlet of the flow control device and the valve seat of the first cutoff valve.

Claims

1. A gas flow rate verification unit to be mounted downstream of a flow rate control device, comprising:

a first cutoff valve including a first input port to be connected to the flow rate control device for inputting a gas, a first output port for outputting the gas, and a first valve seat for communicating the first input port and the first output port;

a second cutoff valve including a second input port to be connected to the first cutoff valve, a second output port for outputting the gas, and a second valve seat for communicating the second input port and the second output port;

a communication member to be connected to the first output port and the second input port for communicating the first cutoff valve and the second cutoff valve with each other;

a pressure detector for detecting a pressure of the gas supplied between the first cutoff valve and the second cutoff valve;

a temperature detector for detecting a temperature of the gas supplied between the first cutoff valve and the second cutoff valve; and

a control device for verifying a flow rate of the gas flowing through the flow rate control device by using a result of the pressure detected by the pressure detector and a result of the temperature detected by the temperature detector, wherein

a volume of the gas from the first valve seat to the second valve seat is not more than a volume from an outlet of the flow rate control device to the first valve seat.

2. The gas flow rate verification unit according to claim 1, wherein

the communication member is a channel block formed with a first port communicating with the first output port, a second port communicating with the second input port, and a third port communicating with the pressure detector, the first to third ports being opened in a same side face, and further formed with an internal channel communicating the first port, the second port, and the third port with one another.

3. The gas flow rate verification unit according to claim 2, wherein

the temperature detector is a bar-like temperature sensor, and

the channel block has a mounting portion in which the temperature sensor is mounted.

4. The gas flow rate verification unit according to claim 3, wherein

the control device samples pressure values detected by the pressure detector at a predetermined interval to calculate a gradient between a newly sampled pressure value and a sampled pressure value prior to the newly sampled pressure value and verifies a flow rate of the gas when the calculated gradient becomes within a measurable range.

5. The gas flow rate verification unit according to claim 3, wherein

the control device samples the pressure values detected by the pressure detector at a predetermined interval to calculate a correlation coefficient with respect to the gradient of the newly sampled pressure value and verifies the flow rate of the gas when the calculated correlation coefficient becomes within a measurable range.

6. The gas flow rate verification unit according to claim 2 is housed in a gas box including a gas unit in which the flow rate control device is mounted.

7. The gas flow rate verification unit according to claim 2, wherein

the control device includes a volume measuring device for measuring a system channel volume defined by a channel from an outlet of the flow rate control device to the first valve seat by calculating an increasing pressure value per a unit time from the time when the pressure detector detects a fixed initial pressure to the time when the pressure detector detects a target pressure when the gas is filled between the outlet of the flow rate control device and the second valve seat by the target pressure with the first cutoff valve being opened and the second cutoff valve being closed, detecting the temperature of the gas upon the pressure detection by the temperature detector, measuring a tank volume defined by a channel from the outlet of the flow rate control device to the second valve seat by use of the pressure increase value and the gas temperature, and subtracting a known volume defined by a channel from the first valve seat to the second valve seat from the tank volume.

8. The gas flow rate verification unit according to claim 2, wherein

the second output port is connected to a vacuum pump, and

the control device includes a volume measuring device for measuring a system channel volume defined by a channel from an outlet of the flow rate control device to the first valve seat by measuring a tank volume defined by a channel from the outlet of the flow rate control device to the second valve seat by use of a pressure change and a temperature change between the first and second valve seats when a vacuum is provided between the first and second valve seats by the vacuum pump with the first cutoff valve being closed and the second cutoff valve being opened and then the gas filled between the outlet of the flow rate control device and the first valve seat is discharged between the first and second cutoff valves by opening the first cutoff valve from the valve closed-state, and by subtracting a known volume defined by a channel from the first valve seat to the second valve seat from the tank volume.

9. The gas flow rate verification unit according to claim 2, wherein

the control device samples pressure values detected by the pressure detector at a predetermined interval to calculate a gradient between a newly sampled pressure value and a sampled pressure value prior to the newly sampled pressure value and verifies a flow rate of the gas when the calculated gradient becomes within a measurable range.

10. The gas flow rate verification unit according to claim 2, wherein

the control device samples the pressure values detected by the pressure detector at a predetermined interval to calculate a correlation coefficient with respect to the gradient of the newly sampled pressure value and verifies the flow rate of the gas when the calculated correlation coefficient becomes within a measurable range.

11. The gas flow rate verification unit according to claim 1 is housed in a gas box including a gas unit in which the flow rate control device is mounted.

12. The gas flow rate verification unit according to claim 11, wherein

the control device samples pressure values detected by the pressure detector at a predetermined interval to calculate a gradient between a newly sampled pressure value and a sampled pressure value prior to the newly sampled pressure value and verifies a flow rate of the gas when the calculated gradient becomes within a measurable range.

13. The gas flow rate verification unit according to claim 11, wherein

the control device samples the pressure values detected by the pressure detector at a predetermined interval to calculate a correlation coefficient with respect to the gradient of the newly sampled pressure value and verifies the flow rate of the gas when the calculated correlation coefficient becomes within a measurable range.

14. The gas flow rate verification unit according to claim 1, wherein

the control device includes a volume measuring device for measuring a system channel volume defined by a channel from an outlet of the flow rate control device to the first valve seat by calculating an increasing pressure value per a unit time from the time when the pressure detector detects a fixed initial pressure to the time when the pressure detector detects a target pressure when the gas is filled between the outlet of the flow rate control device and the second valve seat by the target pressure with the first cutoff valve being opened and the second cutoff valve being closed, detecting the temperature of the gas upon the pressure detection by the temperature detector, measuring a tank volume defined by a channel from the outlet of the flow rate control device to the second valve seat by use of the pressure increase value and the gas temperature, and subtracting a known volume defined by a channel from the first valve seat to the second valve seat from the tank volume.

15. The gas flow rate verification unit according to claim 1, wherein

the second outlet port is connected to a vacuum pump, and

the control device includes a volume measuring device for measuring a system channel volume defined by a channel from and outlet of the flow rate control device to the first valve seat by measuring the tank volume defined by a channel from the outlet of the flow rate control device to the second valve seat by use of a pressure change and a temperature change between the first and second valve seats when a vacuum is provided between the first and second valve seats by the vacuum pump with the first cutoff valve being closed and the second cutoff valve being opened and then the gas filled between the outlet of the flow rate control device and the first valve seat is discharged between the first and second cutoff valves by opening the first cutoff valve from the valve closed-state, and by subtracting a known the volume defined by a channel from the first valve seat to the second valve seat from the tank volume.

16. The gas flow rate verification unit according to claim 1, wherein

the control device samples pressure values detected by the pressure detector at a predetermined interval to calculate a gradient between a newly sampled pressure value and a sampled pressure value prior to the newly sampled pressure value and verifies a flow rate of the gas when the calculated gradient becomes within a measurable range.

17. The gas flow rate verification unit according to claim 1, wherein

the control device samples the pressure values detected by the pressure detector at a predetermined interval to calculate a correlation coefficient with respect to the gradient of the newly sampled pressure value and verifies the flow rate of the gas when the calculated correlation coefficient becomes within a measurable range.