Method and apparatus for blending process materials
AssigneeMega Fluid Systems, Inc.
InventorsJeffrey Alexander Wilmer, Daniel Kase Mackenzie, John Michael Lull, Eric A. Zadai
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for blending and supplying process materials. The method and apparatus are particularly applicable to the blending of ultra-high purity chemicals, the blending of abrasive slurries with other chemicals for the polishing of semiconductor wafers, and high-accuracy blending of chemicals. The apparatus may include a dispensing subsystem that supplies process materials to a mixing subsystem where they are blended with a static mixer. The method may include supplying process materials with a dispensing subsystem and blending the process materials in a static mixer.
Claims35
A blending system, comprising:
- a first material supply line;
- a second material supply line;
- a static mixer fluidly connected downstream of the first and the second material supply lines;
- and
- a process control system comprising a first flow control device positioned on at least one of the first and the second material supply lines, a first sensor positioned downstream of the static mixer, and a controller comprising logic code to provide a control signal to the first flow control device based upon a sensor signal provided by the first sensor.
A blending system, comprising:
- a plurality of material supply lines;
- a static mixer positioned downstream of the plurality of material supply lines and fluidly connected to the plurality of material supply lines;
- a process control system comprising a controller, an input device in communication with the controller to provide an input signal representing a desired blend of process materials and a first valve connected to one of the plurality of material supply lines and to the controller;
- and
- a dispensing subsystem, comprising a holding vessel having an inlet and an outlet, a recirculation line fluidly connected to the inlet and the outlet and a second valve fluidly connected to the recirculation line and to one of the plurality of material supply lines such that material from the recirculation line may be selectively diverted to the material supply line.
The blending system of claim 24, wherein the sensor is selected from the group consisting of a density sensor, a pH sensor, a conductivity sensor, an oxidation and reduction potential sensor, a particle counter, a refractive index sensor, a percent solids sensor, and combinations thereof, and is connected to the recirculation line.
The blending system of claim 24, wherein the controller comprises logic code to provide a signal to the first valve based upon a signal provided by the sensor.
A method of supplying blended process materials, comprising:
- supplying a first process material through a first of material supply line;
- supplying a second process material through a second of material supply line;
- blending the first and the second process materials in a static mixer fluidly connected downstream of the first and the second material supply lines;
- and
- regulating the supply of one of the first and the second process materials with a first valve positioned on one of the first and the second material supply lines based upon a sensor signal provided by a sensor positioned downstream of the static mixer.
A method of supplying blended process materials, comprising:
- supplying a plurality of process materials through a plurality of material supply lines;
- blending the plurality of process materials in a static mixer positioned downstream of the plurality of material supply lines;
- regulating the supply of the plurality of process materials with a process control system comprising:
- a controller,
- an input device, wherein the input device is connected to the controller to provide an input signal representing a desired blend of process materials, and
- a first valve connected to one of the plurality of material supply lines and to the controller;
- holding one or more of the plurality of process materials in a holding vessel having an inlet and an outlet;
- recirculating the one or more of the plurality of process materials in a recirculation line connected to the holding vessel inlet and outlet;
- and
- diverting a portion of the one or more of the plurality of process materials into one of the plurality of material supply lines with a second valve connected to the recirculation line and to the one or more of the plurality of material supply lines.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.