Pulse shot-type flow rate control device, pulse shot-type flow rate control method, and program

A pulse shot-type flow rate control method, using a pulse shot-type flow rate control device comprising:

• a first shutoff valve connected to a gas source;
• a second shutoff valve connected to the first shutoff valve;
• a gas filling capacity between the first shutoff valve and the second shutoff valve;
• and
• a pressure sensor for measuring a pressure in the gas filling capacity,
• wherein operations of the pulse shot-type flow rate control device are controlled by a controller communicatively connected to the first shutoff valve, the second shutoff valve, and the pressure sensor,
• wherein the method causes the pulse shot-type flow rate control device to perform:
• two or more processes for controlling gas to a target flow rate;
• in each of the processes, a flow rate control step of:
• repeating a pulse shot of causing the first shutoff valve to open and close and, after that, causing the second shutoff valve to open and close;
• calculating a volume flow rate of gas exhausted from the gas filling capacity based on a pressure after filling measured by use of the pressure sensor after the first shutoff valve is opened and closed to fill gas into the gas filling capacity and a pressure after discharge measured by use of the pressure sensor after the second shutoff valve is opened and closed to discharge gas from the gas filling capacity;
• and changing a manner of repeating the pulse shot to regulate the volume flow rate to the target flow rate;
• an optimal pressure storage step of storing, as an optimal pressure, the pressure after filling measured by the pressure sensor when the pulse shot that regulates the volume flow rate to the target flow rate is performed in the flow rate control step;
• and
• before a first pulse shot is performed in a subsequent process to a process in which the optimal pressure storage processing is executed, a pressure control step of regulating the pressure in the gas filling capacity to the optimal pressure stored in the optimal pressure storage step.

A program installed in a controller for controlling operations of a pulse shot-type flow rate control device comprising:

• a first shutoff valve connected to a gas source;
• a second shutoff valve connected to the first shutoff valve;
• a gas filling capacity between the first shutoff valve and the second shutoff valve;
• and
• a pressure sensor for measuring a pressure in the gas filling capacity,
• wherein when the flow rate control device performs two or more processes for controlling gas to a target flow rate, the program causes the controller, in each of the processes, to execute:
• a flow rate control processing of:
• repeating a pulse shot of causing the first shutoff valve to open and close and, after that, causing the second shutoff valve to open and close;
• calculating a volume flow rate of gas exhausted from the gas filling capacity based on a pressure after filling measured by use of the pressure sensor after the first shutoff valve is opened and closed to fill gas into the gas filling capacity and a pressure after discharge measured by use of the pressure sensor after the second shutoff valve is opened and closed to discharge gas from the gas filling capacity;
• and changing a manner of repeating the pulse shot to regulate the volume flow rate to the target flow rate, and
• the program causes the controller to execute:
• an optimal pressure storage processing of storing, as an optimal pressure, the pressure after filling measured by the pressure sensor when the pulse shot that regulates the volume flow rate to the target flow rate is performed in the flow rate control processing, and
• the program further causes the controller to execute:
• before a first pulse shot is performed in a subsequent process to a process in which the optimal pressure storage processing is executed, a pressure control processing of regulating the pressure in the gas filling capacity to the optimal pressure stored in the optimal pressure storage processing.