Fluid conditioning devices and mass flow controllers

TWI942341BActive Publication Date: 2026-10-11北京華丞電子股份有限公司
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Patent Information

Application Number
TW114123563
Authority / Receiving Office
TW · TW
Patent Type
Patents
Current Assignee / Owner
Priority Date
2024-06-24
Filing Date
2025-06-23
Publication Date
2026-10-11
Estimated Expiration
2045-06-22

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Existing fluid control devices in mass flow controllers, particularly for high-flow-rate applications, face challenges such as large size, manufacturing difficulties, and poor accuracy, consistency, and repeatability.

Method used

A fluid regulating device comprising multiple flat, thin sheet-like members stacked along their normal direction, with corresponding hollow portions forming a fluid channel, allowing for easy processing and assembly, and enabling high-flow-rate operation with improved precision and consistency.

Benefits of technology

The solution facilitates the production of a small-sized, high-flow-rate fluid regulating device with enhanced accuracy, consistency, and repeatability, suitable for mass flow controllers of various sizes.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

This invention provides a fluid regulating device and a mass flow controller. The device includes multiple plate-shaped components fixed in relative positions, stacked along their normal directions. Each plate-shaped component has a hollow portion, and the hollow portions of the multiple plate-shaped components are correspondingly arranged along their normal directions to form a fluid channel for fluid to pass through along the normal direction of the plate-shaped components. This solution utilizes the flat and thin characteristics of a single plate-shaped component, making it easy to process the hollow portion on a single plate-shaped component. Furthermore, it is easy to incorporate a large number of through holes into the processed hollow portion. Therefore, it not only has low manufacturing difficulty but also easily achieves small size and large flow rate. It can also improve the accuracy, consistency, and repeatability of the flow distribution effect of the fluid regulating device and is applicable to mass flow controllers of different sizes.
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Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This invention relates to the field of semiconductor manufacturing, and more specifically, to a fluid regulating device and a mass flow controller. [Previous Technology]

[0002] A mass flow controller (MFC) is an instrument used for the precise measurement and control of the mass flow rate of fluids (including gases and liquids). They have important applications in research and production in various fields such as semiconductor microelectronics, special materials development, chemical industry, petroleum industry, pharmaceuticals, environmental protection, and vacuum systems.

[0003] Fluid regulating devices can be used at least to split fluids (e.g., gases or liquids) (i.e., as a flow splitter), or to achieve laminar flow based on flow splitting (i.e., as a laminar flow device). As a key component of a mass flow controller, the fluid regulating device has a significant impact on parameters such as accuracy, linearity, and repeatability of the entire product. However, existing fluid regulating devices, when applied to high-flow-rate (e.g., above 100 L / min) mass flow controllers (MFCs), suffer from problems such as large size, manufacturing difficulties, and poor accuracy, consistency, and repeatability. [Summary of the Invention]

[0004] The present invention aims to solve at least one of the technical problems existing in the prior art, and proposes a fluid regulating device and a mass flow controller, which can solve the problems of large size, difficult manufacturing, poor accuracy, consistency and repeatability in the prior art.

[0005] To achieve the purpose of the present invention, a fluid regulating device is provided, comprising a plurality of sheet-like members fixed in relative positions, the plurality of sheet-like members being stacked along the normal direction of the sheet-like members, each sheet-like member having a hollow portion, the hollow portions of the plurality of sheet-like members being correspondingly arranged along the normal direction of the sheet-like members, forming a fluid channel for allowing fluid to pass through along the normal direction of the sheet-like members.

[0006] In some embodiments, the fluid regulating device is a flow-dividing device, and the hollow portion of each of the sheet-like members includes at least one through hole. The sum of the areas of all the through holes of each of the sheet-like members accounts for a proportion of the area of ​​the sheet-like member and / or the number of the sheet-like members, which is related to the flow rate of the fluid flowing through the flow-dividing device.

[0007] In some embodiments, the fluid regulating device is a laminar flow device, and the hollow portion of each sheet includes at least one through hole, the through hole being slit-shaped.

[0008] In some embodiments, the length of the fluid channel in the normal direction is greater than 60 times the equivalent diameter of each of the through holes.

[0009] In some embodiments, the hollow portion of each sheet-like member includes at least one set of through holes, and multiple sets of through holes are distributed at intervals along the circumference of the sheet-like member; each set of through holes includes multiple through holes, and the multiple through holes are distributed at intervals along the direction from the center to the edge of the sheet-like member.

[0010] In some embodiments, one of the extending directions of the through hole is a preset extending direction, and the preset extending direction is parallel to a portion of the edge contour of the sheet-like member corresponding to the through hole group in which the through hole is located.

[0011] In some embodiments, the cross-sectional shape of the sheet-like member perpendicular to the normal direction of the sheet-like member is circular, the cross-sectional shape of the through hole perpendicular to the normal direction of the sheet-like member is arc-shaped, and the preset extension direction is the arc-shaped extension direction of the through hole; or, the cross-sectional shape of the sheet-like member perpendicular to the normal direction of the sheet-like member is polygonal, the cross-sectional shape of the through hole perpendicular to the normal direction of the sheet-like member is straight or broken, and the preset extension direction is the straight or broken extension direction of the through hole.

[0012] In some embodiments, the length of a plurality of the through holes in each group of the through holes increases along the predetermined extension direction from the center of the sheet to the edge.

[0013] In some embodiments, the fluid regulating device further includes a plurality of regulating pads, and at least one regulating pad is stacked on each side of the plurality of sheet-like members in the normal direction; each regulating pad on the same side is correspondingly formed with an opening that passes through the regulating pad along the normal direction, and the opening communicates with the hollow portion.

[0014] In some embodiments, the hollow portion of each sheet-like member includes at least one set of through holes, and multiple sets of through holes are distributed at intervals along the circumference of the sheet-like member; each set of through holes includes multiple through holes; the number of openings of each adjusting pad is the same as the number of through holes in each sheet-like member, and each opening corresponds one-to-one with each set of through holes, and each opening is connected to each through hole in the corresponding set of through holes.

[0015] In some embodiments, the fluid regulating device further includes a connecting rod; each of the sheet-like members has a first mounting hole, each of the regulating pads has a second mounting hole, and each second mounting hole corresponds to each of the first mounting holes; the connecting rod passes through a plurality of first mounting holes and a plurality of second mounting holes, and the cross-sectional shape of the connecting rod, the second mounting holes and the first mounting holes perpendicular to the normal direction is non-circular and compatible.

[0016] In some embodiments, the non-circular shape includes a polygon.

[0017] In some embodiments, enlarged holes are provided at the corners of the second mounting hole and the first mounting hole of the polygon.

[0018] In some embodiments, the fluid regulating device further includes two fixing members, which are respectively located at both ends of the connecting rod and fixedly connected to the connecting rod, for fixing the plurality of sheet-like parts and the plurality of adjusting pads between the two fixing members.

[0019] In some embodiments, the fixing member includes a connecting post and a fixing plate disposed at one end of the connecting post; both ends of the connecting rod are provided with connecting holes, the connecting post is located in the connecting hole and is fixedly engaged with the connecting hole; the fixing plate is stacked on the end face of the connecting rod; the connecting rod is also provided with a drainage channel, one end of the drainage channel is connected to the connecting hole, and the other end extends to the peripheral wall of the connecting rod.

[0020] In some embodiments, the thickness of the sheet-like member in the normal direction is greater than or equal to 0.1 mm and less than or equal to 1 mm.

[0021] In some embodiments, the thickness of the adjusting shim in the normal direction is greater than or equal to 0.1 mm and less than or equal to 1 mm.

[0022] As another technical solution, the present invention also provides a mass flow controller, including a measuring body, wherein the measuring body is provided with two branches, one of which is provided with a flow sensor, and the other branch is provided with the fluid regulating device provided by the present invention.

[0023] The present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0024] The fluid regulating device provided by the present invention comprises stacking multiple sheet-like parts along their normal direction and fixing their relative positions. Each sheet-like part has a hollow portion, and the hollow portions of the multiple sheet-like parts are correspondingly arranged along the normal direction of the sheet-like parts to form a fluid channel for fluid to pass through along the normal direction of the sheet-like parts. Since a single sheet-like part is flat and thin, by processing a single sheet-like part and its hollow portion, and then stacking multiple sheet-like parts together, the hollow portions of the multiple sheet-like parts can form a narrow and elongated through hole. Compared with the processing of the narrow and elongated through hole of a traditional cylindrical distributor, it is easier to achieve. Moreover, it is also easy to include a larger number of through holes in the hollow portion processed on a single sheet-like part. The larger the fluid passage area of ​​the hollow portion and the more through holes it contains, the greater the flow rate. Thus, it is easy to manufacture a small-sized fluid regulating device with a large flow rate, which greatly reduces the manufacturing difficulty of the fluid regulating device. In addition, the stacking of multiple sheet-like parts makes it easier to install and fix, thereby reducing the installation difficulty. Furthermore, due to the small thickness of individual sheet components, the processing consistency and dimensional accuracy of each component are easier to control, thereby improving the accuracy, consistency, and repeatability of the fluid control device. Based on this, the stacking of multiple sheet components allows for easy adjustment of the fluid control device's length by varying the number of components, making it suitable for mass flow controllers of different sizes.

[0025] The mass flow controller provided by the present invention utilizes the above-mentioned fluid regulating device provided by the present invention. By taking advantage of the flat and thin characteristics of a single sheet, it is easy to process a hollow part on a single sheet. It is also easy to include a larger number of through holes in the processed hollow part. Therefore, it is not only easy to manufacture, but also easy to achieve small size and large flow rate. It can also improve the accuracy, consistency and repeatability of the fluid regulating device, and can be applied to mass flow controllers of different sizes.

Implementation Method

[0027] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solution of the present invention, the fluid regulating device and mass flow controller provided by the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0028] This embodiment of the invention provides a fluid regulation device, which is at least used for diverting a fluid (e.g., a gas or liquid), or achieving laminar flow based on diversion. This fluid regulation device is applied, for example, to a fluid MFC (Multi-Fluid Flow Control System), and is installed in a corresponding branch of the MFC to serve as a diversion device, or to achieve laminar flow based on diversion. However, this embodiment of the invention is not limited to this; the fluid regulation device provided by this embodiment can also be applied to other devices that require diversion or to achieve laminar flow based on diversion.

[0029] As shown in Figure 1, the working principle of the traditional MFC is as follows: the fluid enters the inlet channel 101c of the measuring body 101 from the inlet 101a of the measuring body 101 of the MFC, and is divided into two paths by the flow regulating device 200 in the branch downstream of the inlet channel 101c. One path of fluid passes directly through the flow regulating device 200, and the other path of fluid passes through another branch 301 (i.e., the capillary of the flow sensor 300). Ru and Rd, as shown in Figure 1, are the two windings of the flow sensor 300. Then, the two paths of fluid merge in the outlet channel 101d at the rear end of the flow regulating device 200 and flow into the electromagnetic regulating valve 400. After the flow is regulated by the electromagnetic regulating valve 400, the fluid flows out from the outlet 101b of the measuring body 101. The flow sensor 300 is used to measure the flow rate of the fluid passing through branch 301. The obtained flow signal is sent to amplifier 302 for amplification. R1 and R2, as shown in Figure 1, are two resistors, I is the total input current, I1 is the branch current, and U is the input voltage. The relationship between the output signal of the flow sensor 300 and the flow rate of the gas passing through branch 301 is shown in Figure 2. When the flow rate of the fluid passing through branch 301 is less than or equal to 10 sccm (standard cubic centimeters / minute, equivalent to mln / min (under standard conditions (0°C and 1 atmosphere), ml / min, n is a subscript representing normal conditions)), the output signal is approximately directly proportional to the flow rate of the fluid passing through branch 301. When the flow rate of the fluid passing through branch 301 is greater than 10 sccm, as the flow rate of the fluid passing through branch 301 increases, the output signal exhibits a non-linear relationship with the flow rate of the fluid passing through branch 301. Therefore, within the full-scale flow range, in order to ensure that the measurement accuracy meets the requirements, the fluid flow rate through branch 301 must be controlled within a range of less than or equal to 10 sccm.

[0030] The fluid regulating device 200 has two functions. One function is to divert the flow so that the fluid passing through branch 301 has a certain flow ratio with the fluid directly passing through the fluid regulating device 200. Based on this flow ratio and the fluid flow rate of branch 301 detected by the flow sensor 300, the flow rate of the fluid passing through the fluid regulating device 200 can be calculated. The other function is to keep the fluid passing through the fluid regulating device 200 in a laminar flow state to ensure the measurement accuracy of MFC.

[0031] The flow splitting principle of the fluid regulating device 200 is as follows: Assuming the flow rate specification of the MFC is Qmax, when the MFC is operating at full scale (i.e., the current flow rate Q = Qmax), the fluid flow rate through branch 301 (i.e., the capillary tube of the flow sensor) is qmax. Then, the fluid flow rate through the fluid regulating device 200 is Qfmax = Qmax - qmax. From this, the ratio i of the fluid flow rate qmax through branch 301 to the fluid flow rate Qfmax through the fluid regulating device 200 can be calculated. When the MFC is at any flow rate Q (0 ≤ Q ≤ Qmax), the fluid flow rate through branch 301 is q, and the ratio i is a constant, that is, the ratio i satisfies the following relationship:

[0032] By performing an equation transformation on the above relation, we can obtain:

[0033] As can be seen from the transformed relationship, if the ratio i changes while q remains constant, Q will change accordingly, thus allowing for the acquisition of MFCs of different specifications. However, for MFCs with large flow rates (e.g., above 100 L / min), the fluid regulating device 200 needs to ensure that the fluid flow rate is large enough to satisfy the ratio i, while also maintaining a laminar flow state to guarantee the measurement accuracy of the MFC. This requires a very large mechanical structure. An excessively large mechanical structure not only increases costs but also complicates the processing of the narrow channels in the fluid regulating device 200, making it more difficult to achieve a laminar flow state. Furthermore, it introduces problems with accuracy, consistency, and repeatability.

[0034] In order to solve at least one of the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention provides a fluid regulating device, which is not only applicable to mass flow controllers with large flow rates (e.g., above 100 L / min), but also has advantages such as small size, simple manufacturing, high precision, good repeatability and consistency, thereby effectively improving the overall performance of the mass flow controller.

[0035] Specifically, please refer to Figures 3 to 6 together. The fluid regulating device 500 provided in this embodiment of the invention includes a plurality of relatively fixed sheet-like members 1, which are stacked along the normal direction of the sheet-like members 1. Each sheet-like member 1 is flat and thin, and its normal direction is perpendicular to the plane in which the sheet-like member 1 is located, that is, parallel to the X-axis in Figure 3. The relatively fixed positions of the plurality of sheet-like members 1 mean that the plurality of sheet-like members 1 stacked together are set to have no relative movement, for example, they cannot rotate relative to each other, nor can they move relative to each other along the normal direction or other directions.

[0036] Each sheet-like member 1 has a cutout portion 11. As shown in FIG6, the cutout portions 11 of multiple sheet-like members 1 are correspondingly arranged along the normal direction of the sheet-like member 1, forming a fluid channel 12 for fluid to pass through along the normal direction of the sheet-like member 1. The cutout portion 11 includes, for example, at least one through hole 111 penetrating the sheet-like member 1 along the normal direction. That is, all the through holes 111 on each sheet-like member 1 together constitute the cutout portion 11. Moreover, in some examples, the structure of the cutout portions 11 of multiple sheet-like members 1 can be the same. Specifically, the number, shape, size and distribution of the through holes 111 included in the cutout portions 11 of multiple sheet-like members 1 are the same, and each through hole 111 of multiple sheet-like members 1 corresponds one-to-one along the normal direction of the sheet-like member 1, forming at least one sub-channel 121. The at least one sub-channel 121 together constitute the fluid channel 12. In other words, each through hole 111 of each sheet 1 can form a sub-channel 121 with the corresponding through holes 111 of other sheet 1. If each sheet 1 has only one through hole 111, then the sub-channel 121 formed by that through hole 111 and the through holes 111 of other sheet 1 is the fluid channel 12. If each sheet 1 has multiple through holes 111, then these through holes 111 and the multiple through holes 111 of other sheet 1 correspond one-to-one to form multiple sub-channels 121, and these sub-channels 121 together form the fluid channel 12. Conversely, the fluid channel 12 is composed of at least one sub-channel 121, and each sub-channel 121 is composed of multiple corresponding through holes 111 of sheet 1.

[0037] In some embodiments, when the structures of the hollow portions 11 of multiple sheet-like parts 1 are identical, the shape and size of the fluid channel 12 formed by the hollow portions 11 of the multiple sheet-like parts 1 are identical everywhere in the normal direction of the sheet-like parts 1 when the multiple sheet-like parts 1 are stacked together. In this way, the fluid channel 12 can be made by simply batch processing sheet-like parts 1 with the same structure, stacking them along the normal direction, and fixing their relative positions, which greatly reduces the processing difficulty and cost.

[0038] In other embodiments, the structures of the hollow portions 11 of the plurality of sheet-like members 1 are different. Specifically, they may have the same shape but different sizes. In this case, the cross-sectional shape of the fluid channel 12 formed by the hollow portions 11 of the plurality of sheet-like members 1 perpendicular to the normal direction of the sheet-like members 1 is the same everywhere in the normal direction, but the area of ​​the cross-section is different in the normal direction of the sheet-like members 1. Alternatively, the structures of the hollow portions 11 of the plurality of sheet-like members 1 may also have different shapes and sizes. In this case, the cross-sectional shape of the fluid channel 12 formed by the hollow portions 11 of the plurality of sheet-like members 1 perpendicular to the normal direction of the sheet-like members 1 is different in the normal direction, and the area of ​​the cross-section is also different in the normal direction of the sheet-like members 1. The term "different" means at least partially different.

[0039] Because a single sheet 1 is flat and thin, by processing the single sheet 1 and its hollow portion 11, and then stacking multiple sheet 1s together, the hollow portions 11 of multiple sheet 1s can form a narrow through hole (i.e., fluid channel 12). This is easier to achieve than processing the narrow through hole of a traditional cylindrical distributor. Moreover, it is also easy to include more through holes 111 in the hollow portion 11 processed on a single sheet 1. The larger the fluid passage area of ​​the hollow portion 11 and the more through holes it contains, the greater the flow rate. This makes it easy to manufacture a small-sized fluid regulating device with a large flow rate, greatly reducing the manufacturing difficulty of the fluid regulating device. In addition, the stacking of multiple sheet 1s makes installation and fixation easier, thereby reducing installation difficulty. Furthermore, because the thickness of a single sheet 1 is very small, the processing consistency and dimensional accuracy of a single sheet 1 are easier to control, thereby improving the accuracy, consistency, and repeatability of the fluid regulating device. Based on this, the length of the fluid regulating device 500 can be easily changed by altering the number of sheet-like components 1, thus making it suitable for mass flow controllers of different sizes.

[0040] In some embodiments, in order to facilitate the processing of a single sheet 1, the thickness of the sheet 1 in the normal direction of the sheet 1 is greater than or equal to 0.1 mm and less than or equal to 1 mm. For example, the thickness of the sheet 1 in the normal direction of the sheet 1 is 0.1 mm, 0.2 mm, 0.45 mm, 0.6 mm, 0.85 mm, 0.9 mm or 1 mm, etc.

[0041] In some embodiments, the fluid regulating device 500 provided in this embodiment of the invention can be a flow-diverting device for diverting fluid, or a laminar flow device for achieving laminar flow of fluid. It is easily understood that a laminar flow device also has a flow-diverting function; that is, it achieves laminar flow of fluid based on its flow-diverting function. For example, the fluid regulating device 500 can be a laminar flow device. When applied to an MFC (Multi-Fluid Flow Controller), it has two functions: one is to divert the fluid through the branch containing the flow sensor of the MFC to have a certain flow ratio with the fluid directly passing through the fluid regulating device 500. Based on this flow ratio and the fluid flow rate of the branch detected by the flow sensor, the flow rate of the fluid passing through the fluid regulating device 500 can be calculated. The other function is to ensure that the fluid passing through the fluid regulating device 500 is in a laminar flow state to guarantee the measurement accuracy of the MFC. It is easily understood that when the fluid regulating device 500 is a flow-diverting device, it can be applied to equipment that needs to divert fluid, and this equipment does not require the fluid to be laminar.

[0042] In the case where the fluid regulating device 500 is a flow-diverting device, in some embodiments, the hollow portion 11 of each sheet 1 includes at least one through hole 111. The proportion of the sum of the areas of all through holes 111 of each sheet 1 to the area of ​​the sheet 1 and / or the number of sheet 1 are related to the flow rate of fluid flowing through the flow-diverting device (i.e., the fluid regulating device 500). Specifically, the area of ​​the sheet 1 is the total area of ​​the cross section of the sheet 1 perpendicular to its normal direction. A portion of this cross section is hollow, i.e., the portion where the hollow portion 11 is located. The proportion of the area of ​​this portion to the total area of ​​the cross section is the proportion of the sum of the areas of all through holes 111 of each sheet 1 to the area of ​​the sheet 1. Under the condition that the total area remains unchanged, the larger this proportion is, the larger the flow rate of the flow-diverting device (i.e., the fluid regulating device 500); conversely, the smaller the proportion is, the smaller the flow rate of the flow-diverting device (i.e., the fluid regulating device 500). As shown in Figure 6, the number of sheet-like components 1 determines the length L of the fluid channel 12 in the normal direction of the sheet-like components 1. The length L is related to the fluid resistance when the fluid flows through the diversion device (i.e., the fluid regulating device 500). The smaller the length L, the smaller the fluid resistance and the larger the flow rate of the diversion device (i.e., the fluid regulating device 500); conversely, the larger the length L, the greater the fluid resistance and the smaller the flow rate of the diversion device (i.e., the fluid regulating device 500). Therefore, according to the actual flow rate requirement of the diversion device (i.e., the fluid regulating device 500), the proportion of the sum of the areas of all through holes 111 of each sheet-like component 1 in the area of ​​the sheet-like component 1 and / or the number of sheet-like components 1 can be set to obtain the desired flow rate of the diversion device (i.e., the fluid regulating device 500).

[0043] In the case where the fluid regulating device 500 is a laminar flow device, in some embodiments, the hollow portion 11 of each sheet 1 includes at least one through hole 111, which is slit-shaped, i.e., the through hole 111 is a narrow and long through hole. By making the through hole 111 slit-shaped, under the premise that the through hole 111 meets certain shape and size conditions, the flowing fluid can be made to be in a laminar flow state. For example, when the laminar flow device (i.e., the fluid regulating device 500) is applied to MFC, the laminar flow device can ensure the measurement accuracy of MFC by making the flowing fluid in a laminar flow state. It is easy to understand that the laminar flow device applied to MFC obtains the desired ratio i by setting the above-mentioned proportion and / or the number of sheet 1, and achieves the desired specifications and accuracy of MFC by making the through hole 111 slit-shaped to make the flowing fluid in a laminar flow state.

[0044] In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 5 and 6, the length L of the fluid channel 12 in the normal direction is greater than 60 times the equivalent diameter of each through hole 111. A length L and an equivalent diameter of the through holes 111 that satisfy this condition can ensure that the fluid flowing through each through hole 111 is in a laminar flow state. It is easy to understand that the length L of the fluid channel 12 in the normal direction is the total thickness of all the sheet-like parts 1 in their normal direction, and the number of sheet-like parts 1 determines the size of this total thickness. Furthermore, the number of sheet-like parts 1 is also related to the flow rate of the fluid flowing through the laminar flow device. Therefore, when applied to MFC, by selecting appropriate values ​​for the length L and the equivalent diameter of each through hole 111 while satisfying the above conditions, the fluid passing through the laminar flow device can be kept in a laminar flow state. This ensures the measurement accuracy of the MFC while also obtaining the desired ratio i, thus achieving the desired MFC specifications. In some examples, if it is necessary to maximize the fluid flow rate through the laminar flow device so that the laminar flow device can be used for MFCs with high flow rates (e.g., above 100 L / min), then it is necessary to reduce the length L and / or increase the equivalent diameter of the through-hole 111, provided that the above conditions are met.

[0045] It should be noted that the equivalent diameter of each slit-shaped through hole 111 refers to the diameter of a circular channel with the same hydraulic radius. The hydraulic radius is equal to the ratio of the effective cross-sectional area of ​​each through hole 111 to the wetted perimeter, and the wetted perimeter is the circumference of the wall surface in contact with the fluid and each through hole 111.

[0046] Specifically, as shown in Figure 5, taking the cross-sectional shape of each through-hole 111 perpendicular to the above-mentioned normal direction as an example, the hydraulic radius ri is equal to the ratio of the cross-sectional area Ai (i.e., the effective cross-sectional area) of each through-hole 111 perpendicular to the above-mentioned normal direction to the wetted perimeter Li (the perimeter of the hole wall of each through-hole 111 in contact with the fluid), and the equivalent diameter D of each through-hole 111 is equal to 4 times the hydraulic radius ri. Through the relationship ri=Ai / Li, it can be derived that the above-mentioned hydraulic radius ri is approximately equal to half of the radial width δ of each through-hole 111, thus calculating D=2δ. Based on this, based on the condition that the length L>60D, it can be obtained that L>120δ. Thus, it can be seen that, under the condition that the length L is determined, by setting the radial width δ of each through-hole 111 to satisfy that the length L is greater than 120 times the radial width δ, the fluid flowing through each through-hole 111 can be in a laminar flow state. For example, if L = 25.4 mm, then δ < 0.21 mm.

[0047] It is easy to understand that in this embodiment, the equivalent diameter D of each through hole 111 is equal at all positions in the normal direction of the sheet 1. However, the embodiments of the present invention are not limited to this. In practical applications, the equivalent diameter D of each through hole 111 may also be different at various positions in the normal direction of the sheet 1. In this case, the maximum value of the equivalent diameter D of each through hole 111 at various positions in the normal direction of the sheet 1 is used for calculation. This is because if the position where the maximum value of the equivalent diameter D of each through hole 111 is located satisfies the laminar flow condition, then the positions where the relatively smaller equivalent diameter D of the through hole 111 is located must also satisfy the laminar flow condition.

[0048] Based on this, the structures of the through holes 111 of the multiple sheet-like parts 1 can be the same or different. When the structures of the through holes 111 of the multiple sheet-like parts 1 are the same, and the equivalent diameter D of each through hole 111 is equal at all positions along the normal direction of the sheet-like parts 1, the equivalent diameter D of the sub-channel 121 formed by the through holes 111 of the multiple sheet-like parts 1 is equal at all positions along the normal direction of the sheet-like parts 1. When the structures of the through holes 111 of the multiple sheet-like parts 1 are the same, and the equivalent diameter D of each through hole 111 is different at all positions along the normal direction of the sheet-like parts 1, the equivalent diameter D of the sub-channel 121 is different at all positions along the normal direction of the sheet-like parts 1. In this case, the maximum value of the equivalent diameter D of the sub-channel 121 at all positions along the normal direction of the sheet-like parts 1 is used for calculation. This method also applies to cases where the structures of the through holes 111 of the multiple sheet-like parts 1 are different.

[0049] It should be noted that the through holes 111 of the multiple sheet-like parts 1 may have different structures, such as the same shape but different sizes. In this case, the cross-sectional shape of the sub-channel 121 formed by the through holes 111 of the multiple sheet-like parts 1 is the same in the direction perpendicular to the normal of the sheet-like parts 1, but the equivalent diameter D is different in the direction normal of the sheet-like parts 1. Alternatively, the through holes 111 of the multiple sheet-like parts 1 may also have different shapes and sizes. In this case, the cross-sectional shape of the sub-channel 121 formed by the through holes 111 of the multiple sheet-like parts 1 is different in the direction perpendicular to the normal of the sheet-like parts 1, and the equivalent diameter D is also different in the direction normal of the sheet-like parts 1. It is easy to understand that even if the through holes 111 of the multiple sheet-like parts 1 have different structures, if the position where the maximum value of the equivalent diameter D of the sub-channel 121 formed by them satisfies the laminar flow condition, then the positions where the other relatively smaller equivalent diameters D of the sub-channel 121 are located must also satisfy the laminar flow condition. Furthermore, the shapes of the through holes 111 of the multiple sheet-like components 1 can be different, but they are all slit-shaped to meet laminar flow conditions. The slit-shaped through holes 111 include, for example, arc-shaped through holes, straight through holes, zigzag through holes, etc. Specifically, in this embodiment, the cross-sectional shape of each slit-shaped through hole 111 perpendicular to the aforementioned normal direction is a preset shape, which in this embodiment can be an arc shape. However, the embodiments of the present invention are not limited to this; in practical applications, the preset shape can also be, but is not limited to, straight lines, zigzag lines, etc. Under the premise of meeting laminar flow conditions, the through holes 111 of the multiple sheet-like components 1 can be one or more combinations of these through holes.

[0050] In some embodiments, regardless of whether the fluid regulating device 500 is a flow splitting device or a laminar flow device, the requirements for high-flow-rate applications can be met by increasing the proportion of the sum of the areas of all through holes 111 of each sheet 1 in the area of ​​the sheet 1, under the condition that the area of ​​the sheet 1 (i.e., the cross-sectional area perpendicular to its normal direction) is the same. This is especially true for laminar flow devices applied to MFC, where the requirements for high-flow-rate MFC can be met by increasing this proportion. There are various ways to increase this proportion. In some embodiments, the hollow portion 11 of each sheet 1 includes at least one group of through holes. For example, Figure 4 shows three groups of through holes 11a, 11b, and 11c. The multiple groups of through holes are distributed circumferentially along the sheet 1. Each group of through holes includes multiple through holes 111, which are distributed circumferentially from the center to the edge of the sheet 1. Thus, through holes 111 are distributed both circumferentially and radially (i.e., from the center to the edge of the sheet 1) of the sheet-like member 1, thereby increasing the aforementioned proportion. In some examples, multiple sets of through holes are evenly distributed along the circumference of the sheet 1 to improve the uniformity of the distribution of through holes 111 in the circumferential direction of the sheet 1. In some examples, multiple through holes 111 are equally spaced along the direction from the center to the edge of the sheet 1 to improve the uniformity of the distribution of through holes 111 in the radial direction of the sheet 1.

[0051] Further, in some embodiments, in order to further increase the above proportion, one of the extension directions of the through hole 111 is a preset extension direction, which is parallel to a portion of the edge contour of the sheet 1 corresponding to the through hole group to which the through hole 111 is located. It is easy to understand that the through hole 111 can have multiple different extension directions, and the above-mentioned preset extension direction is one of these extension directions. Since multiple groups of through holes are distributed at intervals along the circumference of the sheet 1, different groups of through holes are distributed in different regions along the circumference of the sheet 1, and the edge contour of this region is the portion of the edge contour of the sheet 1 corresponding to the through hole group. Taking the sheet 1 shown in FIG4 as an example, the sheet 1 is circular, and the edge contour of the circular sheet 1 is divided into multiple arc-shaped contour segments along its circumference. Each arc-shaped contour segment corresponds to each through hole group, and the shape of the preset extension direction of each through hole 111 is arc-shaped and parallel to the arc-shaped contour segment corresponding to the through hole group to which the through hole 111 is located. This increases the sum of the areas of the through holes 111 distributed in each region of the circumferential direction of the sheet 1, thereby further increasing the aforementioned proportion. It should be noted that the aforementioned multiple different extension directions of the through holes 111 refer to multiple different extension directions of the orthographic projection of the through holes 111 onto a plane perpendicular to the normal direction of the sheet 1. One of these multiple different extension directions is a preset extension direction, which is parallel to the orthographic projection of the partial edge contour of the sheet 1 corresponding to the through hole group containing the through holes 111 onto a plane perpendicular to the normal direction of the sheet 1. When they are parallel, the shape of each through hole 111 along the preset extension direction is the same as the shape of its corresponding partial edge contour, and both shapes can be arc-shaped, straight, polygonal, or any other arbitrary shape. For example, if the shape of each through hole 111 along the preset extension direction and its corresponding partial edge contour are both arc-shaped, then these two arcs are concentric (i.e., their centers coincide). If the shape of each through hole 111 along the preset extension direction and the corresponding partial edge contour shape are both straight lines, then these two straight lines are parallel. If the shape of each through hole 111 along the preset extension direction and the corresponding partial edge contour shape are both polygonal lines, then these two polygonal lines have the same number of line segments and are parallel to each other. When the shape of each through hole 111 along the preset extension direction and the corresponding partial edge contour shape adopt the same other arbitrary shape, the way in which they are parallel to each other is similar to the parallel way of the two arc shapes, two straight lines, and two polygonal lines mentioned above. As long as each through hole 111 and the corresponding partial edge contour are set at equal intervals, they can be arranged as long as they are not listed one by one here.

[0052] Further, in some embodiments, the length of the plurality of through holes 111 in each group of through holes increases along the predetermined extension direction from the center to the edge of the sheet 1. Since the circumferential diameter of the sheet 1 gradually increases from the center to the edge, that is, the area where each group of through holes of the sheet 1 is located is approximately fan-shaped, if the length of the plurality of through holes 111 in each group of through holes is the same in the predetermined extension direction, the outer ring area of ​​the area where each group of through holes of the sheet 1 is located cannot be fully utilized. Therefore, by making the length of the plurality of through holes 111 in each group of through holes increase along the predetermined extension direction from the center to the edge of the sheet 1, the plurality of through holes 111 in each group of through holes can almost fill the entire fan-shaped area, further increasing the above-mentioned proportion.

[0053] In some examples, when the fluid regulating device is a laminar flow device, the through-hole 111 is slit-shaped, and the aforementioned preset extension direction is the slit extension direction of the through-hole 111. This increases the aforementioned proportion while ensuring that the airflow is in a laminar state. In other examples, when the fluid regulating device is a flow splitting device, the shape of the through-hole 111 is not particularly limited. It can be slit-shaped or any other arbitrary shape. In this case, the aforementioned preset extension direction can be the length extension direction of the through-hole 111, the width extension direction of the through-hole 111, or any other arbitrary extension direction.

[0054] In a specific embodiment, as shown in Figures 3 to 6, the cross-sectional shape of the sheet-like member 1 perpendicular to its normal direction is circular, and the cross-sectional shape of the through hole 111 perpendicular to the normal direction of the sheet-like member 1 is arc-shaped. Furthermore, the aforementioned preset extension direction is the arc-shaped extension direction of the through hole 111. In some embodiments, to further reduce the processing difficulty, the center of the circumference of the arc-shaped cross-section of the through hole 111 coincides with the geometric center O of the sheet-like member 1. However, the embodiments of the present invention are not limited to this. In practical applications, depending on different actual needs, the center of the circumference of the arc-shaped cross-section of the through hole 111 may not coincide with the geometric center O of the sheet-like member 1. Taking the three through hole groups 11a, 11b, and 11c shown in Figure 4 as an example, the three through hole groups 11a, 11b, and 11c are evenly distributed around the geometric center O of the sheet-like member 1, and the structures of the three through hole groups 11a, 11b, and 11c are the same.

[0055] Specifically, as shown in Figure 5, the multiple through holes 111 in each group of through holes are distributed in a fan-shaped region with a central angle α in the circumferential direction of the sheet-like part 1. The central angle of the arc-shaped cross-section of the multiple through holes 111 in each group of through holes is approximately equal to α. When the fluid regulating device is a laminar flow device, any through hole 111 in each group of through holes is called the i-th through hole 111i, i=1,2,...,n, where n is the number of through holes 111 in each group of through holes, and its flow rate satisfies the following relationship:

[0056] where qi is the fluid flow rate of the i-th through hole 111i; α is the central angle of the arc-shaped cross section of the through hole 111; Ri is the inner circumferential radius of the i-th through hole 111i; δ is the radial width of each through hole 111; ΔP is the pressure difference between the two sides of the laminar flow device along the normal direction of the sheet 1; μ is the dynamic viscosity of the fluid; L is the length of the fluid channel 12 in the normal direction of the sheet 1 (i.e., the sum of the thicknesses of multiple sheet 1 in its normal direction); and c is the correction coefficient.

[0057] The total fluid flow rate of the n through holes 111 in each group of through holes is q, and the total fluid flow rate q satisfies the following relationship:

[0058] If each sheet 1 has k groups of through holes, then the fluid flow rate of the laminar flow device is Qb, and satisfies the following relationship:

[0059] Qb=k×q.

[0060] As can be seen from the above, in some examples, under the premise that other parameters remain unchanged, increasing the number n of through holes 111 in each group of through holes can increase the fluid flow rate Qb of the laminar flow device, thus making it suitable for MFCs with a larger capacity; conversely, decreasing the number n of through holes 111 in each group of through holes can decrease the fluid flow rate Qb of the laminar flow device, thus making it suitable for MFCs with a smaller capacity. In other examples, under the premise that other parameters remain unchanged, increasing the radial width δ of the through holes 111 can increase the fluid flow rate Qb of the laminar flow device, thus making it suitable for MFCs with a larger capacity; conversely, decreasing the radial width δ of the through holes 111 can decrease the fluid flow rate Qb of the laminar flow device, thus making it suitable for MFCs with a smaller capacity.

[0061] In another specific embodiment, as shown in Figures 7 to 10, the cross-sectional shape of the sheet member 1' perpendicular to its normal direction is polygonal. For example, Figures 7 to 10 show a sheet member 1' with a square cross-sectional shape. Furthermore, the cross-sectional shape of the through hole 111' perpendicular to the normal direction of the sheet member 1' is straight or polygonal, and the aforementioned preset extension direction is the extension direction of the straight or polygonal through hole 111'. For example, the cross-sectional shape of the through hole 111' shown in Figures 7 and 9 is polygonal; the cross-sectional shape of the through hole 111' shown in Figures 8 and 10 is straight. In addition, Figures 7 and 8 show four sets of through hole groups 11a', 11b', 11c', and 11d', and Figures 9 and 10 show two sets of through hole groups 11a' and 11b'. In both schemes, multiple sets of through holes are uniformly distributed around the geometric center of the sheet member 1, and the structures of the multiple sets of through holes are identical.

[0062] Based on this, when the fluid regulating device is a laminar flow device, in some examples, under the premise that other parameters remain unchanged, increasing the number of through holes 111' in each group of through holes can increase the fluid flow rate of the laminar flow device, thus making it suitable for MFCs with a larger capacity; conversely, by decreasing the number of through holes 111' in each group of through holes, the fluid flow rate of the laminar flow device can be decreased, thus making it suitable for MFCs with a smaller capacity. In other examples, the width of each through hole 111' in each group of through holes (i.e., the width perpendicular to the straight or broken line extension direction) is equivalent to the radial width δ of the through hole 111 in the above embodiments. By increasing or decreasing the width of the through hole 111', the fluid flow rate of the laminar flow device can be increased or decreased. The flow rate calculation method of the through holes 111' in each group of through holes is similar to that of the through holes 111 in the above embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0063] The fluid regulating device 500 provided in this embodiment of the invention is easier to install and fix by using a stacking of multiple sheet-like parts 1. For example, as shown in Figures 3, 5, 6, and 11, the fluid regulating device 500 also includes multiple adjusting pads 2, with at least one adjusting pad 2 stacked on each side of the multiple sheet-like parts 1 in their normal direction. For example, Figure 6 shows multiple sheet-like parts 1 with one adjusting pad 2 stacked on each side of their normal direction. Each adjusting pad 2 on the same side has an opening 21 that extends through the adjusting pad 2 along the normal direction of the sheet-like part 1, and this opening 21 communicates with the hollow portion 11. By stacking at least one adjusting shim 2 on each side of multiple sheet-like parts 1 in their normal direction, deformation of the multiple sheet-like parts 1 can be prevented by clamping them between the adjusting shims 2 on both sides. Furthermore, since fluid flows through the opening 21 of the adjusting shim 2 into the fluid channel 12 formed by the hollow portions 11 of the multiple sheet-like parts 1, the effective cross-sectional area of ​​the opening 21 is related to the fluid flow rate into the fluid channel 12. Therefore, the fluid flow rate into the fluid channel 12 can be controlled by controlling the effective cross-sectional area of ​​the opening 21, thereby adjusting the MFC range. Specifically, the effective cross-sectional area of ​​the opening 21 refers to the overlapping area of ​​the opening 21 and the hollow portion 11 on the cross-section perpendicular to the normal direction. The larger the effective cross-sectional area of ​​the opening 21, the larger the fluid flow rate into the fluid channel 12; conversely, the smaller the effective cross-sectional area of ​​the opening 21, the smaller the fluid flow rate into the fluid channel 12.

[0064] In some embodiments, in order to maximize the flow rate of fluid flowing into the fluid channel 12 to meet the requirements of high-flow-rate MFC, based on embodiments where the hollow portion 11 of the sheet-like member 1 includes at least one set of through-hole groups, the number of openings 21 of each adjusting pad 2 is the same as the number of through-hole groups of each sheet-like member 1, and each opening 21 corresponds one-to-one with each through-hole group, and each opening 21 is connected to each through-hole 111 in the corresponding through-hole group. Further, in some embodiments, the orthographic projection of the opening 21 on the cross section perpendicular to the normal direction of the sheet-like member 1 completely covers each through-hole 111 in the corresponding through-hole group. In a specific embodiment, as shown in FIG5, the number of openings 21 of each adjusting pad 2 is three, namely openings 21a, 21b and 21c, and the three openings 21a, 21b and 21c correspond one-to-one with three sets of through-hole groups 11a, 11b and 11c. Furthermore, the orthographic projection shape of each opening 21 on the cross section perpendicular to the normal direction of the sheet 1 is adapted to the shape of the area where the through holes 111 in the corresponding through hole group are distributed, and they are all fan-shaped. Moreover, each through hole 111 in each through hole group is connected to the corresponding opening 21. That is, the area of ​​each through hole group blocked by the adjusting shim 2 is 0, and at this time the fluid flow rate into the fluid channel 12 is the maximum.

[0065] In some embodiments, in order to more effectively prevent deformation of the plurality of sheet-like members 1, the sum of the thicknesses of at least one adjusting shim 2 located on the same side of the plurality of sheet-like members 1 in the normal direction is greater than the thickness of a single sheet-like member 1. For example, FIG6 shows that a plurality of sheet-like members 1 are stacked with an adjusting shim 2 on each side of their normal direction, in which case the thickness of each adjusting shim 2 is greater than the thickness of a single sheet-like member 1. Further, in some embodiments, the thickness of the adjusting shim 2 in the normal direction is greater than or equal to 0.1 mm and less than or equal to 1 mm, preferably 0.5 mm.

[0066] There are various ways to stack the adjusting shims 2 and the sheet-like parts 1 together and fix their relative positions. In order to further simplify the installation steps and reduce the installation difficulty, in some preferred embodiments, as shown in Figures 6, 12 to 14, the fluid regulating device 500 also includes a connecting rod 4. Each sheet-like part 1 forms a first mounting hole 14 (as shown in Figure 4), and each adjusting shim 2 forms a second mounting hole 22 (as shown in Figure 11). Each second mounting hole 22 is correspondingly arranged with each first mounting hole 14. The connecting rod 4 passes through multiple first mounting holes 14 and multiple second mounting holes 22, and the cross-sectional shape of the connecting rod 4, the second mounting holes 22 and the first mounting holes 14 perpendicular to the normal direction of the sheet-like parts 1 are all non-circular and compatible. Specifically, each sheet-like part 1 is fitted onto the connecting rod 4 through the first mounting hole 14, and each adjusting shim 2 is fitted onto the connecting rod 4 through the second mounting hole 22, thereby enabling the adjusting shims 2 and the sheet-like parts 1 to be stacked together. Each second mounting hole 22 and each first mounting hole 14 are, for example, coaxially arranged, and the axes of each second mounting hole 22 and each first mounting hole 14 can coincide with or be parallel to the axis of the connecting rod 4. Since the cross-sectional shape of the connecting rod 4, the second mounting holes 22 and the first mounting holes 14 perpendicular to the normal direction of the sheet member 1 are all non-circular, this allows each second mounting hole 22 and each first mounting hole 14 to be limited and fitted with the outer peripheral surface of the connecting rod 4, so as to prevent each adjusting shim 2 and each sheet member 1 from rotating in the circumferential direction of the connecting rod 4. This makes it easier to limit the relative angle between each adjusting shim 2 and each sheet member 1 and the connecting rod 4, so that the hollow part 11 of each sheet member 1 corresponds, and the opening 21 on each adjusting shim 2 corresponds to the hollow part 11.

[0067] In some embodiments, the aforementioned non-circular shape includes polygons such as triangles, squares, rectangles, pentagons, etc., or other non-circular shapes such as ellipses, irregular shapes, etc. For example, as shown in FIG4, the cross-sectional shape of the first mounting hole 14 perpendicular to the normal direction of the sheet member 1 is an equilateral triangle, that is, the aforementioned non-circular shape is an equilateral triangle. As another example, as shown in FIG7 to FIG10, the cross-sectional shape of the first mounting hole 14' perpendicular to the normal direction of the sheet member 1 is a square, that is, the aforementioned non-circular shape is a square. It is easy to understand that the cross-sectional shape can be freely set as needed, and is independent of the shape of the sheet member 1.

[0068] In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 6 and 15, the fluid regulating device 500 further includes two fixing members 3, which are located at both ends of the connecting rod 4 and are fixedly connected to the connecting rod 4 to fix a plurality of sheet-like parts 1 and a plurality of adjusting shims 2 between the two fixing members 3. The outer circumferential dimension of the fixing member 3 is larger than the inner circumferential dimension of the second mounting hole 22 of the adjusting shim 2, so that a part of the fixing member 3 can be stacked on the adjusting shim 2, thereby fixing a plurality of sheet-like parts 1 and a plurality of adjusting shims 2 between the two fixing members 3.

[0069] Further, in some embodiments, each fixing member 3 includes a connecting post 31 and a fixing plate 32 disposed at one end of the connecting post 31; as shown in FIG13, both ends of the connecting rod 4 are provided with connecting holes 41, the connecting post 31 is located in the connecting hole 41 and is fixedly engaged with the connecting hole 41; the fixing plate 32 is stacked on the end face of the connecting rod 4, thereby enabling multiple sheet-like parts 1 and multiple adjusting shims 2 to be fixed between the two fixing members 3. There are various ways in which the connecting post 31 and the connecting hole 41 are fixedly engaged, such as welding, bonding, interference fit or threaded fit, etc. Since the outer peripheral dimension of the fixing plate 32 is larger than the inner peripheral dimension of the second mounting hole 22 of the adjusting shim 2, this not only enables multiple sheet-like parts 1 and multiple adjusting shims 2 to be fixed between the two fixing plates 32, but the fixing plate 32 can also play a certain role in blocking the fluid, so as to prevent some fluid from flowing directly into each second mounting hole 22 and each first mounting hole 14 (or first mounting hole 14').

[0070] When installing multiple sheet-like parts 1 and multiple adjusting shims 2, one of the fixing parts 3 can be fixedly connected to one end of the connecting rod 4 first. Then, multiple sheet-like parts 1 and multiple adjusting shims 2 can be sequentially fitted onto the connecting rod 4 (for example, all sheet-like parts 1 are located between two adjusting shims 2). The fixing part 3 can act as a limit when fitting multiple sheet-like parts 1 and multiple adjusting shims 2. In addition, the number of sheet-like parts 1 can be determined according to the length of the connecting rod 4, the thickness of the sheet-like parts 1, and the number and thickness of the adjusting shims 2. Taking the length of the connecting rod 4 as 25.4mm as an example, if there are two adjusting shims 2, and the thickness of each adjusting shim 2 is 0.5mm, and the thickness of each sheet-like part 1 is 0.2mm, then 122 sheet-like parts 1 can be fitted onto the connecting rod 4. After fitting all the sheet-like parts 1 and adjusting shims 2 onto the connecting rod 4, another fixing part 3 can be fixedly connected to the other end of the connecting rod 4.

[0071] In some embodiments, to prevent fluid from flowing into the connecting hole 41 from the gap between the fixed plate 32 and the adjacent adjusting shim 2 and the gap between the connecting post 31 and the connecting hole 41, which could potentially put pressure on the connecting rod 4 and cause it to dislodge, a drainage channel 42 is also provided in the connecting rod 4. One end of the drainage channel 42 communicates with the connecting hole 41, and the other end extends to the peripheral wall of the connecting rod 4. In this way, the fluid flowing into the connecting hole 41 can flow out through the drainage channel 42, thereby reducing the pressure on the connecting rod 4 and improving structural stability and reliability.

[0072] In some embodiments, based on the above-described non-circular, polygonal embodiments, enlarged holes are provided at the corners of the polygonal second mounting hole 22 and the first mounting hole 14. For example, Figure 4 shows a first enlarged hole 13 at the corner of the first mounting hole 14; Figure 11 shows a second enlarged hole 23 at the corner of the second mounting hole 22. These enlarged holes extend outward relative to the corners, which not only removes burrs generated during machining of the second mounting hole 22 and the first mounting hole 14 during the enlargement process, but also prevents interference between the second mounting hole 22 and the first mounting hole 14 and the connecting rod 4 at the corners when multiple sheet-like parts 1 and multiple adjusting shims 2 are fitted onto the connecting rod 4, thereby further improving the ease of installation. The enlarged holes can be, for example, circular holes, elliptical holes, or arc-shaped holes, etc.

[0073] It should be noted that in this embodiment, there is one connecting rod 4, but the present invention is not limited to this. In practical applications, there can be multiple connecting rods 4. In this case, the number of second mounting holes 22 on each adjusting pad 2 and the number of first mounting holes 14 on each sheet 1 are the same as the number of connecting rods 4, and are set in a one-to-one correspondence.

[0074] As another technical solution, please refer to Figure 16. This embodiment of the invention also provides a mass flow controller (MFC) 400, which includes a measuring body 401. The measuring body 401 has two branches. One branch 403a is equipped with a flow sensor 403, which serves as the capillary tube for the flow sensor 403. The other branch is equipped with the fluid regulating device 500 provided in this embodiment of the invention. This fluid regulating device 500 can both divert the flow and achieve laminar flow.

[0075] In some embodiments, the measuring body 401 has an inlet 401a and an inlet channel 401c disposed at the front end of the branch where the fluid regulating device 500 is located. The inlet 401a may specifically be composed of an inlet connector connected to the measuring body 401 and communicating with the inlet end of the inlet channel 401c. The outlet end of the inlet channel 401c is communicating with the branch where the fluid regulating device 500 is located. The measuring body 401 also has an outlet 401b and an outlet channel 401d disposed at the rear end of the branch where the fluid regulating device 500 is located. The outlet 401b may specifically be composed of an outlet connector connected to the measuring body 401 and communicating with the outlet end of the outlet channel 401d. The inlet end of the outlet channel 401d is communicating with the branch where the fluid regulating device 500 is located.

[0076] Based on this, the mass flow controller also includes a flow regulating valve 404 (e.g., an electromagnetic regulating valve), which is connected between the outlet end of the outlet channel 401d and the outlet 401b. Furthermore, the aforementioned measuring body 401 is also provided with a first branch port 403b and a second branch port 403c, one end of which is connected to the inlet channel 401c and the outlet channel 401d respectively, and the other end is connected to both ends of the branch 403a respectively.

[0077] The fluid enters the inlet channel 401c from the inlet 401a of the measuring body 401 and is divided into two paths under the action of the fluid regulating device 500. One path of fluid flows directly through the fluid regulating device 500, while the other path of fluid flows into the branch 403a (i.e., the capillary of the flow sensor 403) through the first branch port 403b. Then, it flows into the outlet channel 401d from the second branch port 403c. After merging with the fluid that directly passes through the fluid regulating device 500, it flows into the flow regulating valve 404. After the flow rate is regulated by the flow regulating valve 404, it flows out from the outlet 401b.

[0078] In some embodiments, the mass flow measurement device further includes a first pressure sensor, a second pressure sensor, and a controller (not shown in the figure). The first pressure sensor and the second pressure sensor are used to detect the pressure at the inlet and outlet of the fluid regulating device 500 (e.g., the pressure of the inlet channel 401c and the outlet channel 401d), respectively, and send the data to the controller. The controller is used to control the opening of the flow regulating valve 404 according to the pressure detected by the first pressure sensor and the second pressure sensor, and the set flow value, so that the fluid flow rate of the fluid channel is equal to the set flow value.

[0079] The mass flow control device provided in the embodiments of the present invention utilizes the fluid regulating device 500 provided in the embodiments of the present invention. By taking advantage of the flat and thin characteristics of a single sheet, it is easy to process a hollow part on a single sheet. It is also easy to include a larger number of through holes in the processed hollow part. Therefore, it is not only easy to manufacture, but also easy to achieve small size and large flow rate. It can also improve the accuracy, consistency and repeatability of the flow diversion effect of the fluid regulating device 500. It can also be applied to mass flow controllers with fluid channels of different lengths.

[0080] It is understood that the above embodiments are merely exemplary embodiments used to illustrate the principles of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited thereto. For those skilled in the art, various modifications and improvements can be made without departing from the spirit and essence of the present invention, and these modifications and improvements are also considered to be within the scope of protection of the present invention. [Simplified Explanation of the Diagram]

[0026] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the working principle of a conventional mass flow controller. Figure 2 is a graph showing the output signal of the flow sensor and the gas flow rate through the capillary tube. Figure 3 is a perspective view of the fluid regulating device provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4 is a front view of the circular sheet-like component used in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 5 is a front view of a fluid regulating device provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view along line AA in Figure 5. Figures 7 to 10 are front views of four square sheet-like components used in embodiments of the present invention. Figure 11 is a front view of the adjusting shim used in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 12 is a side view of the connecting rod used in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 13 is a cross-sectional view along line BB in Figure 12. Figure 14 is a front view of the connecting rod used in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 15 is a perspective view of the fixing component used in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 16 is a partial cross-sectional view of the mass flow controller provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

Claims

1. A fluid regulating device, wherein, The device includes multiple sheet-like components with fixed relative positions, stacked along the normal direction of the sheet-like components, each sheet-like component having a cutout portion, and the cutout portions of the multiple sheet-like components being correspondingly arranged along the normal direction of the sheet-like components to form a fluid channel for fluid to pass through along the normal direction of the sheet-like components; and multiple adjusting pads, with at least one adjusting pad stacked on each side of the multiple sheet-like components in the normal direction; each adjusting pad on the same side correspondingly forming an opening that penetrates the adjusting pad along the normal direction, the opening communicating with the cutout portion.

2. The fluid regulating device according to claim 1, wherein, The fluid regulating device is a flow-dividing device, and the hollow portion of each of the sheet-like parts includes at least one through hole. The proportion of the sum of the areas of all the through holes of each sheet-like part in the area of ​​the sheet-like part and / or the number of the sheet-like parts are related to the flow rate of the fluid flowing through the flow-dividing device.

3. The fluid regulating device according to claim 1, wherein, The fluid regulating device is a laminar flow device, and the hollow portion of each of the sheet-like parts includes at least one through hole, the through hole being slit-shaped.

4. The fluid regulating device according to claim 2 or 3, wherein, The length of the fluid channel in the normal direction is greater than 60 times the equivalent diameter of each of the through holes.

5. The fluid regulating device according to claim 2 or 3, wherein, Each of the sheet-like components has a cutout portion including at least one set of through holes, and multiple sets of through holes are distributed at intervals along the circumference of the sheet-like component; each set of through holes includes multiple through holes, and the multiple through holes are distributed at intervals along the direction from the center to the edge of the sheet-like component.

6. The fluid regulating device according to claim 5, wherein, One of the extension directions of the through hole is a preset extension direction, and the preset extension direction is parallel to a portion of the edge contour of the sheet-like member corresponding to the through hole group in which the through hole is located.

7. The fluid regulating device according to claim 6, wherein, The cross-sectional shape of the sheet-like component perpendicular to the normal direction of the sheet-like component is circular, and the cross-sectional shape of the through hole perpendicular to the normal direction of the sheet-like component is arc-shaped, with the preset extension direction being the arc-shaped extension direction of the through hole; or, the cross-sectional shape of the sheet-like component perpendicular to the normal direction of the sheet-like component is polygonal, and the cross-sectional shape of the through hole perpendicular to the normal direction of the sheet-like component is straight or polygonal, with the preset extension direction being the straight or polygonal extension direction of the through hole.

8. The fluid regulating device according to claim 6, wherein, The length of multiple through holes in each group of through holes increases in the predetermined extension direction from the center to the edge of the sheet-like member.

9. The fluid regulating device according to claim 1, wherein, Each of the sheet-like components has a hollow portion including at least one set of through holes, and multiple sets of through holes are distributed at intervals along the circumference of the sheet-like component; each set of through holes includes multiple through holes; the number of openings of each adjusting pad is the same as the number of through holes in each sheet-like component, and each opening corresponds one-to-one with each set of through holes, and each opening is connected to each through hole in the corresponding set of through holes.

10. The fluid regulating device according to claim 1, wherein, The fluid regulating device further includes a connecting rod; each of the sheet-like members has a first mounting hole, and each of the regulating pads has a second mounting hole, with each second mounting hole corresponding to each of the first mounting holes; the connecting rod passes through a plurality of first mounting holes and a plurality of second mounting holes, and the cross-sectional shape of the connecting rod, the second mounting holes and the first mounting holes perpendicular to the normal direction are all non-circular and are compatible.

11. The fluid regulating device according to claim 10, wherein, The non-circular shape includes polygons.

12. The fluid regulating device according to claim 11, wherein, Enlarged holes are provided at the corners of the second mounting hole and the first mounting hole of the polygon.

13. The fluid regulating device according to claim 10, wherein, The fluid regulating device further includes two fixing members, which are located at both ends of the connecting rod and are fixedly connected to the connecting rod to fix the plurality of sheet-like parts and the plurality of adjusting pads between the two fixing members.

14. The fluid regulating device according to claim 13, wherein, The fastener includes a connecting post and a fixing plate disposed at one end of the connecting post; both ends of the connecting rod are provided with connecting holes, the connecting post is located in the connecting hole and is fixedly engaged with the connecting hole; the fixing plate is stacked on the end face of the connecting rod; the connecting rod is also provided with a drainage channel, one end of the drainage channel is connected to the connecting hole, and the other end extends to the peripheral wall of the connecting rod.

15. The fluid regulating device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, The thickness of the sheet-like member in the normal direction is greater than or equal to 0.1 mm and less than or equal to 1 mm.

16. The fluid regulating device according to claim 1, wherein, The thickness of the adjusting shim in the normal direction is greater than or equal to 0.1 mm and less than or equal to 1 mm.

17. A mass flow controller, wherein, It includes a measuring body, which has two branches, one of which is equipped with a flow sensor and the other of which is equipped with a fluid regulating device as described in any one of claims 1 to 16.

Citation Information

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