On-tool mass flow controller diagnostic systems and methods

Mass flow controllers with on-tool diagnostic capabilities and methods for on-tool diagnosis of mass flow controllers are disclosed herein. One method includes opening a control valve to a fixed position and closing an upstream valve to produce a flow rate that decreases from a high flow rate, acros...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors Nagarajan Arun, Smirnov Alexei V
Format Patent
LanguageEnglish
Published 19.12.2017
Subjects
CONTROLLING
MEASURING
MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUIDLEVEL
METERING BY VOLUME
PHYSICS
REGULATING
SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES
TESTING
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Summary:Mass flow controllers with on-tool diagnostic capabilities and methods for on-tool diagnosis of mass flow controllers are disclosed herein. One method includes opening a control valve to a fixed position and closing an upstream valve to produce a flow rate that decreases from a high flow rate, across a range of flow rates, to a low flow rate. A pressure signal is generated that is indicative of a pressure of the fluid within a volume between the upstream valve and a sensor tube, and a flow sensor signal is provided with the mass flow sensor that is indicative of a mass flow rate of the fluid through the main flow path. Ratio curves are produced that relate, across the range of flow rates, a rate of change of the pressure signal to the flow sensor signal and comparing a test ratio curve to a previously generated baseline ratio curve.
Bibliography:Application Number: US201715459838