초록 ▼

A gas supply system arranged for dispensing of gas at a predetermined flow rate. The system employs a gas dispensing flow circuitry arranged for dispensing gas at selectively variable gas flow conductance conditions, to maintain the flow rate of the dispensed gas at a predetermined, e.g., constant,

A gas supply system arranged for dispensing of gas at a predetermined flow rate. The system employs a gas dispensing flow circuitry arranged for dispensing gas at selectively variable gas flow conductance conditions, to maintain the flow rate of the dispensed gas at a predetermined, e.g., constant, value in the operation of the system. The gas dispensing flow circuitry may include an array of dispensed gas flow passages, each of a differing conductance, or alternatively a variable conductance gas flow passage equipped with a variable conductance assembly for modulating the gas flow conductance of the passage, in response to sensed pressure of the gas or other system parameter. The system permits the flow rate of a dispensed gas to be maintained at a consistent desired level, despite the progressive decline in source gas pressure as the gas source vessel is depleted in use.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A gas supply system arranged for dispensing of gas at predetermined flow rate, comprising a gas source vessel and gas dispensing flow circuitry coupled to said vessel, wherein the gas dispensing flow circuitry comprises a variable size orifice device arranged for dispensing g

What is claimed is: 1. A gas supply system arranged for dispensing of gas at predetermined flow rate, comprising a gas source vessel and gas dispensing flow circuitry coupled to said vessel, wherein the gas dispensing flow circuitry comprises a variable size orifice device arranged for dispensing gas at variable gas flow conductance conditions during gas dispensing operation involving change in amount and pressure of gas in said gas source vessel, to maintain said predetermined flow rate of the dispensed gas in the operation of the system, wherein the gas dispensing flow circuitry is at least partially disposed in an interior volume of the gas source vessel, with the variable size orifice device being disposed in said interior volume, and a pressure sensing device disposed in said interior volume, arranged to sense pressure of the gas in said interior volume, and coupled in controlling relationship with the variable size orifice device to vary open area of its orifice in response to the sensed pressure of the gas in said interior volume. 2. The gas supply system of claim 1, wherein the gas dispensing flow circuitry comprises at least one pressure sensing device arranged to produce output(s) indicative of pressure of gas in said gas source vessel and coupled in controlling relationship to the variable size orifice device to vary open area of its orifice in response to said output(s). 3. The gas supply system of claim 2, wherein the at least one pressure sensing device comprises device(s) selected from the group consisting of: strain gauges coupled to the gas source vessel; pressure transducer sensors; fluid pressure amplifiers; gas source vessel weight monitoring assemblies; manometric sensors coupled with an optoelectronic converter for generating a signal indicative of the manometrically sensed pressure; pressure-responsive translational elements that arc deflectionally translated to an extent determined by the magnitude of the pressure of gas impinged thereon; pressure-responsive colorimetric elements whose spectral character is dependent on the magnitude of pressure of the dispensed gas; and physisorbing media disposed on a surface acoustic wave (SAW) device, in which the physisorbing medium has a sorptive affinity for the dispensed gas, arranged so that the extent of the physical adsorption of the gas on the physisorbing medium is a calibrated function of pressure of the dispensed gas. 4. The gas supply system of claim 1, further comprising a gas dispensing controller coupled in controlling relationship to the adjustable size orifice element to adjust the size of its orifice. 5. The gas supply system of claim 4, wherein the gas dispensing controller comprises a general purpose computer programmatically arranged for controlling the adjustable size orifice element. 6. The gas supply system of claim 1, wherein the gas source vessel contains a semiconductor manufacturing gas. 7. The gas supply system of claim 1, wherein the gas dispensing flow circuitry is coupled to a semiconductor manufacturing tool and said gas source vessel contains a semiconductor manufacturing gas but does not contain an interiorly disposed regulator. 8. The gas supply system of claim 1, wherein the gas dispensing flow circuitry comprises a regulator arranged exteriorly of the gas source vessel to compensate for declining gas supply pressure during gas dispensing by adjusting the supply pressure of the dispensed gas to a predetermined value, and wherein the gas source vessel does not contain an interiorly disposed regulator. 9. The gas supply system of claim 1, wherein the gas dispensing flow circuitry is coupled to a downstream gas-consuming tool or locus, and a mass flow controller is provided at the downstream gas-consuming tool or locus, to control the amount and rate of gas flowed to said tool or locus. 10. The gas supply system of claim 1, wherein the gas source vessel contains a physical adsorbent having sorptive affinity for the gas but does not contain an interiorly disposed regulator. 11. A gas supply system arranged for dispensing of gas at predetermined flow rate, comprising a gas source vessel and gas dispensing flow circuitry coupled to said vessel, wherein the gas dispensing flow circuitry comprises a variable size orifice device arranged for dispensing gas at variable gas flow conductance conditions during gas dispensing operation involving change in amount and pressure of gas in said gas source vessel, to maintain said predetermined flow rate of the dispensed gas in the operation of the system, wherein the variable size orifice device comprises a voltage sensitive orifice proportional solenoid valve that is coupled with a pressure sensing device adapted to sense pressure of gas in said gas source vessel and to responsively modulate the variable size orifice device. 12. A method of dispensing gas at constant pressure and flow rate from a gas source vessel, comprising dispensing said gas under selectively variable gas flow conductance conditions through a variable size orifice device, wherein gas flow conductance is selectively varied during dispensing to maintain a predetermined flow rate of the dispensed gas in the operation of the system involving change in amount and pressure of gas in said gas source vessel, and flowing the dispensed gas after passage through said variable size orifice device through a regulator to compensate for declining gas supply pressure in said gas source vessel and adjust pressure of the dispensed gas to a constant value, further comprising sensing pressure of gas in said gas source vessel, and wherein said gas flow conductance is selectively varied by adjustment of the variable size orifice device during dispensing in response to said sensed pressure.