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US 6,779,394 B2Granted
Apparatus and method for thermal management of a mass flow controller
AssigneeMKS Instruments, Inc.
InventorsJesse Ambrosina, Isao Suzuki, Ali Shajii
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Abstract
A thermal mass flow controller includes a sensor assembly, a valve assembly, and mass flow controller housing. A thermal ground limits the conductive thermal path between the mass flow controller housing and the sensor assembly and, due to the limited cross-section of the thermal ground, substantially eliminates externally imposed thermal gradients within the sensor assembly. The controller also includes a thermally dissipative element that conducts thermal energy along a path from the valve assembly away from the sensor assembly.
Claims18
A thermal mass flow controller comprising:
- a thermal mass flow controller housing including a fluid input port and a fluid output port and a bypass channel disposed between the input and output ports;
- a thermal mass flow sensor assembly operatively coupled to the thermal mass flow controller housing for measuring a flow of fluid through the bypass channel, the thermal mass flow sensor assembly including a sensor housing enclosing a mass flow sensor tube, a mounting portion coupled to the thermal mass flow controller housing and a thermal ground device coupled between the sensor housing and the mounting portion for providing a solitary thermal conductive path between the sensor housing and the mounting portion;
- and
- a valve assembly mounted to the thermal mass flow controller housing for controlling the flow of fluid through the bypass channel.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.