Patent · US Active

Methods, systems, and apparatus for mass flow verification based on rate of pressure decay

US10866135B2 · kind B2 · utility

0Cited by
3References
16Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 26, 2018
Grant dateDec 15, 2020
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 15, 2038

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01L21/67017
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

Mass flow verification systems and apparatus verify mass flow rates of mass flow controllers (MFCs) based on pressure decay principles. Embodiments include a location for coupling a calibrated gas flow standard or a MFC to be tested in a line to receive a gas flow from a gas supply; a control volume serially coupled to the location in the line to receive the gas flow; a flow restrictor serially coupled to the control volume; a pump serially coupled to the flow restrictor; and a controller adapted to allow the gas supply to flow gas through the mass flow control verification system to achieve a stable pressure in the control volume, terminate the gas flow from the gas supply, and measure a rate of pressure decay in the control volume over time. Numerous additional aspects are disclosed.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.