Apparatus and method for pressure fluctuation insensitive mass flow control

• US 8,738,187 B2
• Filed: 03/21/2012
• Issued: 05/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: MKS Instruments Incorporated
• Original Assignee: MKS Instruments Incorporated
• Inventors: Shajii, Ali, Kottenstette, Nicholas, Ambrosina, Jesse
• Primary Examiner(s): Ali, Mohammad
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rao, Sheela S
• Application Number:
  US13/425,784
• Publication Number:
  US 20120174992A1
• Time in Patent Office: 797 Days
• Field of Search: 700/1, 700/275, 700/281, 700/282, 137/12, 137/14, 137/486, 137/487, 137/487.5, 137/599.05, 702/12, 702/45, 702/50, 702/100, 73/1, 73/35, 73/13.5
• US Class Current: 700/282
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 7/0635 by action on throttling means G05D7/0688, G05D7/0694 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0396 Involving pressure control
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7759 Responsive to change in rate of fluid flow
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/776 Control by pressures across flow line valve

Abstract

A mass flow controller includes a thermal mass flow sensor in combination with a pressure sensor to provide a mass flow controller that is relatively insensitive to fluctuations in input pressure. The pressure sensor and thermal sensor respectively provide signals to an electronic controller indicating the measured inlet flow rate and the pressure within the dead volume. The electronic controller employs the measured pressure to compensate the measured inlet flow rate and to thereby produce a compensated measure of the outlet flow rate, which may be used to operate a mass flow controller control valve.

Claims

1. A mass flow control system comprising:

a plurality of mass flow controllers configured for use with a plurality of flow paths, each between a gas inlet and an outlet, one mass flow controller for each of the flow paths, respectively, each mass flow controller including a mass flow sensor operative to sense the mass flow along the respective flow path and a control valve, responsive to a control signal, for controlling the mass flow through the corresponding outlet, wherein the mass flow sensor includes (i) a bypass channel with a laminar flow element, and (ii) a dead volume between the laminar flow element and the control valve;

a pressure sensor for each of the flow paths, wherein each pressure sensor is coupled to and configured to measure pressure in the dead volume of the respective mass flow controller and is operative to measure fluctuations in pressure of gas along the respective flow path; and

at least one process controller operative to generate each control signal as a function of the sensed mass flow and measured fluctuations in pressure of gas so as to provide a constant flow of gas at each of the outlets irrespective of fluctuations in pressure of gas at the respective gas inlet.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein each pressure sensor measures fluctuations in pressure of gas along the respective flow path, upstream from the corresponding control valve.

3. A control system for controlling the flow of gas in each of a plurality of flow paths, the control system comprising:

a mass flow controller for each of the flow paths, wherein each mass flow controller is operative to receive fluid flowing from an inlet supply line and includes a thermal mass flow sensor and an outlet control valve, wherein the thermal mass flow sensor includes (i) a bypass channel with a laminar flow element, and (ii) a dead volume between the laminar flow element and the outlet control valve;

a pressure sensor for each of the flow paths, wherein each pressure sensor is coupled to and configured to measure pressure in the dead volume of the respective mass flow controller; and

at least one process controller including at least one pressure sensor interface for coupling the controller to a respective pressure sensor, wherein the controller employs data obtained at the pressure sensor interface to compensate for fluctuations induced in the thermal mass flow sensor by pressure transients in the inlet supply line.

4. A control system according to claim 3, wherein the pressure sensor and pressure sensor interface with respect to each flow path are used to monitor the pressure within the corresponding mass flow controller.

5. A control system according to claim 3, wherein the process controller includes a flow sensor interface for coupling the process controller to the thermal mass flow sensor.

6. A control system according to claim 5, further including a temperature sensor and a temperature sensor interface for each flow path for obtaining data representative of the temperature of the fluid flowing in the corresponding thermal mass flow sensor.

7. A control system according to claim 6, wherein each mass flow sensor includes an outlet and the process controller employs readings of temperature, pressure and mass flow obtained from the respective temperature sensor interface, pressure interface and flow sensor interface to produce a compensated mass flow reading that more closely reflects the mass flow at the outlet of the mass flow sensor than a reading from the thermal mass flow sensor alone provides.