Flow control system, method, and apparatus
AssigneeIchor Systems, Inc.
InventorsDaniel T. Mudd, Marshall B. Grill, Norman L. Batchelor, II, Sean Penley, Michael Maeder, Patti J. Mudd
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Abstract
A mass flow control apparatus having a monolithic base. The monolithic base has a gas inlet, a gas outlet, a first flow component mounting region, a second flow component mounting region, and a third flow component mounting region. The first flow component mounting region has a first inlet port and a first outlet port, the first inlet port being fluidly coupled to the gas inlet of the monolithic base. The third flow component mounting region has a first sensing port fluidly coupled to the gas outlet of the monolithic base.
Claims18
A mass flow control apparatus comprising:
- a monolithic base, the monolithic base comprising a gas inlet, a gas outlet, a first flow component mounting region, a second flow component mounting region, and a third flow component mounting region;
- wherein the first flow component mounting region comprises a first inlet port and a first outlet port, the first inlet port fluidly coupled to the gas inlet of the monolithic base;
- and
- wherein the third flow component mounting region comprises a first sensing port fluidly coupled to the gas outlet of the monolithic base.
A mass flow control apparatus comprising:
- a monolithic base, the monolithic base comprising a gas inlet, a gas outlet, a first flow component mounting region, a second flow component mounting region, and a third flow component mounting region;
- a first valve coupled to the first flow component mounting region;
- and
- a cap component coupled to the second flow component mounting region;
- and
- a second valve fluidly coupled to the third flow component mounting region;
- wherein the first flow component mounting region comprises a first inlet port and a first outlet port, the first inlet port fluidly coupled to the gas inlet of the monolithic base.
A gas flow control system for delivering a gas a predetermined flow rate, the gas flow control system comprising:
- a gas flow path extending from a gas inlet to a gas outlet;
- a proportional valve operably coupled to the gas flow path;
- an on/off valve operably coupled to the gas flow path downstream of the proportional valve, a volume of the gas flow path being defined between the proportional valve and the on/off valve;
- a flow restrictor having a flow impedance located downstream of the proportional valve;
- a bleed valve operably coupled to the volume of the gas flow path;
- and
- a controller configured to:
- (1) pressurize the volume with the gas to a target pre-flow pressure by opening the proportional valve while the on/off valve is in an off-state, the target pre-flow pressure selected to achieve a predetermined flow rate;
- (2) open the bleed valve by moving the bleed valve to an on-state and flow the gas at the predetermined flow rate through the bleed valve;
- and (3) simultaneously open the on/off valve by moving the on/off valve to an on-state and close the bleed valve by moving the bleed valve to an off-state to deliver the gas to the gas outlet at the predetermined flow rate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.