A mass flow controller comprises: a first flow meter constructed and arranged to measured flow rate of mass through the mass flow controller; a second flow meter constructed and arranged to measure flow rate of mass through the mass flow controller; a control valve constructed and arranged so as to control the flow rate of mass through the mass flow controller in response to a control signal generated as a function of the flow rate as measured by one of the flow meters; and a system controller constructed and arranged to generate the control signal, and to provide an indication when a difference between the flow rate of mass as measured by the first flow meter and the flow rate of mass as measured by the second flow meter exceeds a threshold.

System for and method of monitoring flow through mass flow controllers in real time

A valve fully closing part; a calibrating volume calculation part that calculates a calibrating volume on the basis value of an integration of a flow rate measured value outputted from a flow rate sensor in a fluid parameter changing interval; and a calibration part that calibrates a flow rate on the basis of the calculated calibrating volume and a preset reference volume are provided.

Self-calibrating mechanism and self-calibrating method for flow rate sensor, and diagnostic mechanism and diagnostic method for fluid sensor

The disclosed embodiments include a method, apparatus, and computer program product for providing a self-validating mass flow controller or mass flow meter without requiring any software modification to a tool/tool controller in which the mass flow controller is being utilized. For example, the disclosed embodiments include a mass flow controller comprising an internal valve configured to receive a first pneumatic line coupled to a tool pilot valve and couple a second pneumatic line from the internal valve to an external isolation valve upstream of the inlet. The mass flow controller also includes at least one processing component configured to execute instructions to perform an in-situ rate of decay measurement after executing instructions to close the external isolation valve by using the internal valve to block airflow being received through the first pneumatic line.

System and method for providing a self validating mass flow controller and mass flow meter

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a diagnostic mechanism and a diagnostic method capable of quantitatively examining at which section of a measured value outputted from a fluid sensor a measurement error occurs, and how large the measurement error is, and for, on the basis of the examination result or the like, making the fluid sensor highly accurate over the whole area of a measurement range, by performing correction according to the measurement error of each section.SOLUTION: The diagnostic mechanism includes: a part 7 for closing all valves; a diagnostic parameter calculation part 5 for dividing a fluid parameter changing section where a state of valves 2, 21 are kept in a completely closed state, or where a state of the valves has changed from the completely closed state into an opened state, into multiple diagnostic sections, and for calculating diagnostic parameters of the respective diagnostic sections, on the basis of measured values of a flow rate or pressure outputted from a fluid sensor, in the respective diagnostic sections; and a diagnostic part 6 for, on the basis of the diagnostic parameters calculated for the respective diagnostic sections and a predetermined reference parameter, examining or correcting the measured values of the flow rate or the pressure outputted by the fluid sensor at the respective diagnostic sections.

Diagnostic mechanism and diagnostic method of fluid sensor

The flow rate controller controlling a flow rate of gas supplied through a gas passage includes: a main gas pipe; a flow rate detecting unit detecting the flow rate of gas supplied through the main gas pipe and outputting a flow rate signal; a flow rate control valve mechanism controlling a flow rate; a conversion data storage unit storing a plurality of pieces of conversion data corresponding to a plurality of gaseous species, to indicate a relationship between a flow rate instruction signal input from outside and a target flow rate; and a flow rate control main body which selects the corresponding conversion data from the conversion data based on a gaseous species selection signal input from outside, calculates the target flow rate based on the flow rate instruction signal, and controls the flow rate control valve mechanism based on the target flow rate and the flow rate signal

Flow rate controller and processing apparatus

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a gas supply equipment flow path block on/from which a filter with a gasket is easily mounted/demounted and whose leakage is easily inspected, and to provide a semiconductor manufacturing gas supply unit. SOLUTION: A body member 2 having a flow path 21 in which fluid flows and a joint member 3 having a flow path 31 which is communicated with the flow path 21 are fastened to each other with a bolt 5 to form the flow path block. The filter 4 with the gasket is held between a protruded portion 31c of the joint member 3 and a protruded portion 21d of the body member 2. Into the side of the outer diameter of the filter, a guide ring 6 is pressed whose inner diameter is larger than that and which has a slit 61. The block is communicated inside with outside air through the slit. COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Gas supply equipment flow path block and semiconductor manufacturing gas supply unit

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide mass flow rate controller which enables high-accuracy assay by reflecting both pressure and mass flow and also allowing for variation in tank volume. SOLUTION: This is the method for assay of the mass flow rate controller which comprises a valve for assay 42 installed in utmost upstream of channel 6, mass flow rate control valve mechanism 10; tank 44 mounted on the channel 6 of upstream from the mass flow rate control valve mechanism 10; mass flow detecting means 8, pressure detecting means 46, means 18 for controlling the mass flow rate control valve mechanism 10, and mass flow rate assay control means 48. The method includes (1) streaming the fluid of a defined mass flow rate to the channel 6, (2) for maintain opening of the mass flow rate control valve mechanism 10 so as to match the mass flow of the fluid with the defined mass flow; (3) closing the valve for assay 42, (4) for measuring pressure and mass flow rate of the fluid after flow of the fluid running out from the tank 44 is stabilized; (5) calculating the rate of change in pressure and mass flow rate with respect to the reference pressure and mass flow measured by the same procedure in the initial state, and then (6) conduct assay, depending on the rate of change. COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Mass flow rate controller, assay method therefor, and semiconductor manufacturing equipment

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a mass flow rate control unit capable of absorbing a pressure variation, having high controllability of a mass flow rate SOLUTION: The mass flow rate control unit includes a mass flow rate detection means 8 for detecting the mass flow rate and outputting a flow rate signal, and a flow control valve mechanism 10 for controlling the mass flow rate by varying the valve aperture using a valve drive signal, intervening in a flow path 6 for making a fluid flowing; and a control means 44 for controlling the flow control valve mechanism, based on a flow rate set signal S0 and the flow rate signal S1 being input externally In the above mass flow rate control unit, a pressure detection means 42 is provided for detecting a fluid pressure and outputting a pressure detection signal, intervening in the flow path Based on a pressure change amount obtained from the pressure detection signal, a control means selectively switches to either a first control mode for controlling the mass flow rate based on the flow signal and the flow set signal without using the pressure detection signal, or a second control mode for controlling the mass flow rate based on the pressure detection signal, the flow rate signal, and the flow set signal COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Mass flow rate control unit

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a valve and a fluid supply system superior in cleaning performance or purge performance. SOLUTION: This valve body is characterized in that (1) mutually opposed surfaces have two kinds of valve element part A and valve element part B, (2) the valve element part A has three valve holes, and the valve element part B has two valve holes, and among three of the valve element part A, one valve hole directly communicates with one valve hole among two of the valve element part B, and a straight line-shaped flow passage (a) is formed in the direction orthogonal to an existing opposed surface of the two kinds of valve element parts, and (3) two valve holes of not communicating the valve element part A with the valve element part B respectively form a flow passage (b) and a flow passage (c) to a valve body external part, and one valve hole of not communicating the valve element part B with the valve element part A forms a flow passage (d) to the valve body external part. COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Valve body, composite valve, fluid supply line having cleaning function using composite valve and fluid vessel with composite valve

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a compact mass flow rate controller dissolving an overshoot phenomenon of flow rate control and allowing integrated unitization, and a compact gas supply unit having the mass flow rate controller. SOLUTION: This mass flow rate controller 50 is provided with: a flow control valve mechanism 10 controlling a mass flow rate; and a flow control valve control means 18 outputting a valve drive signal to the flow control valve mechanism. In the mass flow rate controller 50, cutoff valve mechanisms 52, 54 are interposed on the upstream side and/or the downstream side of the flow control valve mechanism 10, air supply/exhaust ports of the cutoff valve mechanisms 52, 54 are provided integrally with a valve block body 80 such that the air supply/exhaust ports are directly communicated with a solenoid valve mechanism 102, and the flow control valve control means 18 outputs solenoid valve drive signals S3, S4 operating the solenoid valve mechanism 102, and synchronizes the valve drive signal S2 and the solenoid valve drive signals S3, S4. COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Toru Matsuoka

Papers

Gas supply equipment flow path block and semiconductor manufacturing gas supply unit

Mass flow rate controller, assay method therefor, and semiconductor manufacturing equipment

Mass flow rate control unit

Valve body, composite valve, fluid supply line having cleaning function using composite valve and fluid vessel with composite valve

Mass flow rate controller and gas supply unit