Mass flow ratio system and method

A method of dividing a single mass flow into two or more secondary mass flows accordance with a preselected ratio, comprising:

• A) receiving a setting of the desired preselected ratio of mass flow through the secondary flow lines;
• B) receiving the single mass flow into an inlet and dividing the single mass flow into at least two secondary flow lines connected to the inlet,
• C) measuring mass flow through each secondary flow line;
• D) calculating an actual ratio of mass flow through the secondary flow lines based upon the measured flows, wherein said calculation is made without reference to the total mass flow through the inlet, nor the sum total of the mass flows through the secondary flow lines;
• E) calculating a desired flow through at least one of the secondary flow lines if the actual ratio does not equal the desired ratio;
• and
• F) regulating the flow line to the desired flow through the at least one of the secondary flow lines.

A system for dividing a single mass flow provided at a system inlet into two or more secondary flows through two or more secondary flow lines in accordance with a desired ratio, comprising:

• a plurality of secondary flow lines, each of the secondary flow lines including:
• (i) a flow meter for providing a flow signal as a function of the actual flow though the secondary flow line, and
• (ii) a control valve responsive to a control signal for controlling the flow through the secondary flow line;
• and
• a controller configured and arranged so as to:
• (a) receive a ratio setting input representing the desired flow ratio and the flow signal from each of the flow meters,
• (b) provide the control signal to each of the control valves,
• (c) calculate an actual ratio of flow through the secondary flow lines based upon the actual flow through at least one of the secondary flow lines, wherein said calculation is made without reference to the total flow through the system inlet, nor the sum total of the secondary flows through the secondary flow lines, and
• (d) adjust one or more of the control signals applied to one or more of the control valves as a function of the difference between the actual ratio and desired ratio.

A method of dividing a single mass flow provided at a system inlet into two or more secondary flows through two or more secondary flow lines in accordance with a desired ratio, the system comprising:

• (A) a plurality of secondary flow lines, each of the secondary flow lines including (i) a flow meter for providing a flow signal as a function of the actual flow though the secondary flow line, and (ii) a control valve responsive to a control signal for controlling the flow through the secondary flow line, and a controller, the method comprising:
• (a) receiving a ratio setting input representing the desired flow ratio and the flow signal from each of the flow meters,
• (b) providing the control signal to each of the control valves,
• (c) calculating an actual ratio of flow through the secondary flow lines based upon the actual flow through at least one of the secondary flow lines, wherein said calculation is made without reference to the total flow through the system inlet, nor the sum total of the secondary flows through the secondary flow lines, and
• (d) adjusting one or more of the control signals applied to one or more of the control valves as a function of the difference between the actual ratio and desired ratio.