System and method of operation of a digital mass flow controller
AssigneeMykrolis Corporation
InventorsKenneth E. Tinsley, Faisal Tariq
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The mass flow controller of the present invention includes a sensor. This sensor is used to detect a mass flow within a gas line. Additionally, this sensor provides an output to an electronic control system coupled to the sensor. The electronic control system will determine an expected mass flow based on the output of the sensor. The electronic control system will adjust a control valve with a control signal to regulate a first gas flow through the control valve.
Claims26
A method for determining the flow of mass through a mass flow controller comprising:
- storing one or more variables corresponding to a current set of non-setpoint conditions;
- receiving a signal from a sensor, wherein the signal corresponds to the flow of mass through a mass flow controller;
- and
- computing an actual flow of mass through the mass flow controller based on the received signal and the stored variables.
A method for determining the flow of mass through a mass flow controller comprising:
- storing one or more variables corresponding to a current set of non-setpoint conditions;
- receiving a signal from a sensor, wherein the signal corresponds to the flow of mass through a mass flow controller;
- computing an actual flow of mass through the mass flow controller based on the received signal and the stored variables;
- comparing the actual mass flow to a desired mass flow indicated by a set point variable;
- and
- controlling a valve to the actual mass flow to the desired mass flow.
A method for determining the flow of mass through a device comprising:
- storing one or more non-setpoint condition variables corresponding to a set of potentially transient conditions;
- receiving a signal from a sensor, wherein the signal corresponds to the flow of mass through the device;
- and
- computing an actual flow of mass through the device based on the received signal and the stored non-setpoint condition variables.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.