Noncontact support platform with blockage detection

A noncontact support platform comprising:

• a plurality of pressure nozzles on an outer surface of a PV stage of the noncontact support platform, the pressure nozzles connected to a pressure source for creating an outflow of fluid through the pressure nozzles;
• a plurality of vacuum nozzles that are interspersed with the pressure nozzles on the outer surface and that are connected to a vacuum manifold via one or a plurality of hoses to create an inflow of the fluid through the vacuum nozzles,
• at least one flowmeter comprising a constriction and a pressure transducer, wherein the at least one flowmeter is configured to generate a signal that is indicative of a measured inflow via at least one hose of said one or a plurality of hoses, and wherein the pressure transducer is configured to generate a signal that is indicative of difference between fluid pressure upstream of the constriction and fluid pressure downstream of the constriction;
• a reference conduit with a constriction substantially identical to the constriction of the at least one flowmeter, and wherein the pressure transducer is alternatively connectable to said at least one hose of said one or a plurality of hoses and to the reference conduit;
• and
• a controller that is configured to analyze the signal to determine whether the measured inflow is indicative of blockage of a vacuum nozzle of said plurality of vacuum nozzles and to generate a response when the blockage is indicated.