Transient measurements of mass flow controllers

1. A method for measuring the transient response of a mass flow controller (MFC), the MFC being installed in a gas flow system comprising:

a variable orifice positioned upstream of the MFC, wherein a position of the variable orifice controls the variable orifice's size;

a sensor measuring the position of the variable orifice;

a pressure transducer positioned between the variable orifice and the MFC; and,

a controller/recorder for controlling the size of the variable orifice;

the method comprising:

configuring the controller/recorder to control the variable orifice such that regardless of the flow through the MFC, the pressure between the MFC and the variable orifice remains constant;

storing in the controller/recorder a relationship between the position of variable orifice and flow rate through the variable orifice;

configuring the controller/recorder to receive position data from the sensor;

programming the controller/recorder to calculate the flow through the variable orifice at each instance using the position data and the relationship between the variable orifice's position and flow rate through the variable orifice;

wherein prior to starting measurement of the transient response, a set pressure between the variable orifice and the MFC is established by performing the ordered steps comprising:

a. setting the variable orifice to its maximum desirable position;

b. turning on the MFC to its desired flow rate and allowing gas to flow until steady state is reached;

c. determining the pressure drop across the variable orifice;

d. closing the variable orifice and turning off the MFC, while making certain to maintain pressure between the control valve and the MFC that was established in Step c;

e. changing the position of the variable orifice as needed to keep the reading of the second pressure transducer unchanged;

f. starting transient response measurement by turning on the MFC to the desired flow rate while controlling the variable orifice so as to maintain the pressure established in step c.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the relationship between the size of the variable orifice and the flow through the orifice is predetermined.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising placing a second pressure transducer upstream of the variable orifice.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the steps following step f:

g. calculating the flow through the variable orifice for each instant of time during Step f using the position of variable orifice and the stored relationship between the relationship between the position of the variable orifice and flow rate through the variable orifice.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the variable orifice is a control valve.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the control valve contains a piezoelectric actuator.

7. In an apparatus having a mass flow controller (MFC), a control valve positioned upstream of the MFC, a first pressure transducer positioned upstream of the control valve, and a second pressure transducer positioned between the control valve and the MFC, a method for measuring transient response of the MFC, the method comprising the ordered steps:

a. setting the control valve to its maximum desirable position;

turning on the MFC to its desired flow rate and allowing gas to flow until steady state is reached;

b. determining the pressure drop across the control valve by subtracting the pressure of second pressure transducer from that of first pressure transducer;

c. using a combination of the control valve and the MFC, setting the pressure between the control valve and the MFC such that the pressure drop across the control valve is at least equal to that determined in step b;

d. closing the control valve and turning off the MFC, while making certain to maintain the pressure between the control valve and the MFC that was set in Step c;

e. changing the position of the control valve as needed to keep the reading of the second pressure transducer unchanged;

f. turning on the MFC to the desired flow rate, and allowing gas to flow until steady state is reached;

g. during step f, controlling the position of the control valve such that the pressure measured by the second pressure transducer does not change, and recording the position of the control valve at each instance during step f;

h. calculating the flow through the control valve for each instant of time during Step f using the recorded position of the control valve and a priori determined relationship between the position of the control valve and flow rate through the control valve.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein step c comprises one of: the pressure is increased by opening the control valve while the MFC is turned off, or the pressure is decreased by turning on the MFC while the control valve is closed.