Flow control device

Abstract

The application discloses a flow control device and relates to the technical field of flow regulation. The flow control device comprises a shell, a control valve assembly, a flow splitting assembly and a flow sensor. The shell is provided with a cavity, a first air inlet and a first air outlet. The control valve assembly is arranged in the cavity and comprises a valve body and a blocking piece. The valve body is provided with a valve cavity, the valve cavity is communicated with the first air outlet, and the blocking piece is movably arranged in the valve body. The flow splitting assembly is arranged in the cavity and located at the periphery of the control valve assembly. The flow splitting assembly is provided with a plurality of flow splitting channels. One end of at least one of the flow splitting channels is communicated with the cavity, and the other end of the at least one flow splitting channel is communicated with the valve cavity. The air inlet end of the flow sensor is communicated with the cavity, the air outlet end of the flow sensor is communicated with the valve cavity, or the air outlet end of the flow sensor is communicated with the valve cavity through the cavity. The application can solve the problem that the sensor is affected by heat and the zero drift of the sensor is affected.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application belongs to the field of flow regulation technology, specifically relating to a flow control device. Background Technology

[0002] A mass flow controller (MFC) consists of a mass flow meter and a controller. It not only functions as a flow meter but also automatically controls gas flow. Users can set the flow rate as needed, and the MFC automatically maintains a constant flow rate at the set value. It comprises components such as a splitter channel, a flow sensor, and an amplifier circuit. By adding a regulating valve and a proportional-integral-differential (PID) control circuit to the mass flow meter, a mass flow controller is formed.

[0003] Electro-pneumatic conversion components convert electrical signals into pneumatic signals, with the electrical signal input controlling the pneumatic output. The most commonly used electro-pneumatic conversion components are solenoid valves. Solenoid valves serve as the interface between the electrical control unit and the pneumatic actuator, as well as the interface with the air supply system. Upon receiving a command, the solenoid valve releases, stopping or changing the flow direction of compressed gas. In electro-pneumatic control, solenoid valves can perform functions including controlling the ON / OFF switching of gas by the action of the pneumatic actuator, and controlling the flow rate at different opening degrees. The main working principle of a solenoid valve is to utilize the electromagnetic force generated by an electromagnetic coil to drive the valve core, thereby achieving the switching of airflow or flow control.

[0004] In one type of MFC (Multi-Functional Controller) technology, the solenoid valve is located downstream of the thermal sensor. When the solenoid valve is working, it generates heat, which is transferred to the thermal sensor. This causes the upstream and downstream of the sensor to be affected by heat to be inconsistent, thus affecting the zero drift of the sensor and the accuracy of the MFC. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this application is to provide a flow control device that can solve problems such as sensor zero drift caused by heat.

[0006] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, this application is implemented as follows: This application provides a flow control device, including: a housing, a control valve assembly, a flow splitting assembly, and a flow sensor; The housing has a cavity and a first air inlet and a first air outlet respectively connected to the cavity; The control valve assembly is disposed in the cavity. The control valve assembly includes a valve body and a sealing element. The valve body has a valve cavity that communicates with the first air outlet. The sealing element is movably disposed in the valve body for closing or opening the first air outlet. The diversion assembly is disposed in the cavity and located on the periphery of a portion of the control valve assembly. The diversion assembly has multiple diversion channels, at least one end of which is connected to the cavity, and the other end of which is connected to the valve cavity. The inlet of the flow sensor is connected to the cavity, and the outlet of the flow sensor is connected to the valve cavity; alternatively, the outlet of the flow sensor is connected to the valve cavity through the cavity.

[0007] In this embodiment, gas can enter the cavity through the first inlet. Since the diversion component is installed in the cavity, a portion of the gas in the cavity can enter at least one of the multiple diversion channels of the separation component and flow into the valve cavity through at least one of the multiple diversion channels. In addition, another portion of the gas in the cavity can enter the flow sensor to detect the gas flow rate. After detection, the gas flows back into the valve cavity or through the cavity. The valve cavity is connected to the first outlet, and the sealing component can close or open the first outlet. Thus, when the sealing component opens the first outlet, the gas collected in the valve cavity can flow out through the first outlet, thereby realizing the flow or interruption of gas. In this embodiment, the control valve assembly is placed inside the cavity. Compared to placing the control valve assembly outside the housing, the overall volume of the flow control device can be reduced. Furthermore, the control valve assembly and the flow sensor are separated by the diversion assembly and the side wall of the housing, which can effectively reduce the heat generated by the control valve assembly from being transferred to the flow sensor. This can reduce the impact of heat on the zero drift of the flow sensor and ensure the accuracy of the flow sensor. Attached Figure Description

[0008] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a gas mass flow controller in related technologies; Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the flow control device disclosed in the embodiments of this application; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the housing and control valve assembly disclosed in the embodiments of this application; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the base and shunt pipe disclosed in the embodiments of this application; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the base, diversion pipe, and diversion plug disclosed in the embodiments of this application; Figure 6This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the first or second reed disclosed in the embodiments of this application; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the shell body structure disclosed in the embodiments of this application; Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the flow diversion assembly and control valve assembly disclosed in the embodiments of this application; Figure 9 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the valve body and flow diversion assembly disclosed in the embodiments of this application; Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the valve body and base disclosed in the embodiments of this application; Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the flow-limiting valve disclosed in the embodiments of this application; Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the flow control device disclosed in the embodiments of this application.

[0009] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures: 10-Shell; 11-Shell body; 111-Second air outlet; 112-Second air inlet; 12-Inlet connector; 121-First air inlet; 13-Outlet connector; 131-First air outlet; 14-Flow limiting valve; 141-Flow limiting valve channel; 20-Control valve assembly; 21-Valve body; 211-First protrusion; 212-Second protrusion; 213-Valve cavity; 214-Slide rail; 215-Valve hole; 22-Blocking component; 23-Electromagnetic component; 231-Valve core; 232-Coil coil; 24-Return component; 241-First reed; 242-Second reed; 30-Diverter assembly; 31-Base; 311-Mounting hole; 312-Third protrusion; 313-Fourth protrusion; 32-Diverter pipe; 321-Diverter channel; 33-Diverter plug; 40 - Flow sensor; 50 - Seals; 60 - Circuit board; 70-Outer cover. Detailed Implementation

[0010] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0011] The terms "first," "second," etc., used in the specification and claims of this application are used to distinguish similar objects and not to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such use of data can be interchanged where appropriate so that embodiments of this application can be implemented in orders other than those illustrated or described herein, and the objects distinguished by "first," "second," etc., are generally of the same class and the number of objects is not limited; for example, a first object can be one or more. Furthermore, in the specification and claims, "and / or" indicates at least one of the connected objects, and the character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following objects are in an "or" relationship.

[0012] The embodiments of this application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific examples and application scenarios.

[0013] A mass flow controller (MFC) consists of a mass flow meter and a controller. It not only functions as a flow meter but also automatically controls gas flow; that is, it is used to set the flow rate according to demand, and the MFC automatically maintains the flow rate at the set value. Figure 1 As shown, a mass flow controller mainly includes a splitter channel, a flow sensor, and an amplifier circuit. A mass flow controller is formed by adding a regulating valve and a proportional-integral-differential (PID) control circuit to a mass flow meter.

[0014] The working principle of the gas mass flow controller is as follows: gas enters the main channel of the mass flow controller from the inlet. Under the action of the flow splitter, the airflow is divided into two paths. One path of gas passes directly through the flow splitter, while the other path passes through the capillary tube of the flow sensor. The two paths of gas then merge and enter the solenoid valve together. The flow rate is controlled by the control valve, and finally, the gas flows out from the outlet.

[0015] In the aforementioned gas mass flow controller, the solenoid valve is located downstream of the thermal sensor. When the solenoid valve operates, it generates heat, which is transferred to the thermal sensor. This uneven heat distribution upstream and downstream of the thermal sensor affects its zero drift, lengthening the MFC preheating time. Furthermore, the zero drift impacts the MFC's accuracy during operation. Additionally, the large size of the solenoid valve results in a larger overall MFC size, which cannot meet customer requirements.

[0016] Based on the above, this application discloses a flow control device, which includes a housing 10, a control valve assembly 20, a flow splitting assembly 30, and a flow sensor 40.

[0017] The housing 10 is a basic component that provides a mounting and support base for the control valve assembly 20, the flow divider assembly 30, the flow sensor 40, etc. In some embodiments, the housing 10 has a cavity, a first air inlet 121, and a first air outlet 131, with the first air inlet 121 and the first air outlet 131 respectively communicating with the cavity to input gas into the cavity through the first air inlet 121 and output gas through the first air outlet 131. Optionally, the housing 10 can be a long cylindrical structure, with the first air inlet 121 and the first air outlet 131 located at opposite ends of the length of the long cylindrical structure. Other shapes are also possible and are not specifically limited here.

[0018] The control valve assembly 20 is used to control the gas flow rate. The control valve assembly 20 is disposed within a cavity, which serves to contain and protect the control valve assembly 20. The control valve assembly 20 includes a valve body 21 and a sealing element 22. The valve body 21 has a valve cavity 213, which communicates with a first gas outlet 131. The sealing element 22 is movably disposed within the valve body 21, used to close or open the first gas outlet 131. Optionally, at least a portion of the sealing element 22 may be located within the valve cavity 213, allowing it to move toward or away from the first gas outlet 131.

[0019] Based on the above configuration, during normal operation of the flow control device, the sealing member 22 is spaced apart from the first outlet 131, allowing the first outlet 131 to be open. This allows gas entering the cavity via the first inlet 121 to enter the valve chamber 213 and flow from the valve chamber 213 towards the first outlet 131, ultimately discharging through the first outlet 131. When gas discharge is not required, the sealing member 22 can be moved to a position flush with the first outlet 131, effectively sealing it. Of course, changing the distance between the sealing member 22 and the first outlet 131 can adjust the flow rate of the gas output from the first outlet 131, thereby achieving gas flow rate regulation.

[0020] The flow divider assembly 30 is disposed in the cavity and is used to divide the gas entering the cavity. The flow divider assembly 30 is located on the periphery of a part of the control valve assembly 20. Thus, the housing 10 can accommodate the flow divider assembly 30 and provide a certain degree of protection for the flow divider assembly 30.

[0021] The flow divider assembly 30 has multiple flow divider channels 321, at least one end of which is connected to the cavity, and the other end of which is connected to the valve cavity 213. Based on this configuration, a portion of the gas in the cavity can be delivered to the valve cavity 213 through at least one of the flow divider channels 321.

[0022] The inlet of the flow sensor 40 is connected to the cavity, and the outlet of the flow sensor 40 is connected to the valve cavity 213. Alternatively, the outlet of the flow sensor 40 is connected to the valve cavity 213 through the cavity. Based on this configuration, another part of the gas in the cavity flows into the flow sensor 40 through the inlet to measure the flow rate of the other part of the gas. After the measurement is completed, the gas flows back to the cavity through the outlet and then flows into the valve cavity 213 from the cavity, and is finally discharged through the first outlet 131. Of course, the gas after the measurement can also flow directly back to the valve cavity 213 and finally be discharged through the first outlet 131.

[0023] It should be noted that the flow sensor 40 alone can only measure a small flow rate. However, by adding a flow splitter 30, most of the gas can be transmitted through the flow splitter 30, while only a small portion of the gas enters the flow sensor 40. This allows the gas flow rate to be amplified proportionally, making the flow control device suitable for the detection and regulation of large flow rates of gas.

[0024] For example, a flow sensor 40 with a full scale of 5 SCCM can only be used for gas flow transmission of 5 SCCM without the flow splitter 30 installed; while a flow sensor 40 with a full scale of 100 SCCM can be installed with the flow splitter 30 so that 5 SCCM flows through the flow sensor 40 and 95 SCCM flows through the flow splitter 30, thereby enabling the detection and control of large flow rates of gas.

[0025] In this embodiment, gas can enter the cavity through the first inlet 121. Since the diversion component 30 is installed in the cavity, a portion of the gas in the cavity can enter at least one of the multiple diversion channels 321 of the separation component and flow into the valve cavity 213 through at least one of the multiple diversion channels 321. In addition, another portion of the gas in the cavity can enter the flow sensor 40 to detect the gas flow rate. After detection, the gas flows back to the valve cavity 213 or flows back to the valve cavity 213 through the cavity. The valve cavity 213 is connected to the first outlet 131, and the sealing component 22 can close or open the first outlet 131. Thus, when the sealing component 22 opens the first outlet 131, the gas collected in the valve cavity 213 can flow out through the first outlet 131, thereby realizing the flow or interruption of gas.

[0026] In this embodiment, the control valve assembly 20 is disposed within the cavity. Compared to disposing the control valve assembly 20 on the outside of the housing 10, this reduces the overall volume of the flow control device. Furthermore, the control valve assembly 20 and the flow sensor 40 are separated by the diversion assembly 30 and the side wall of the housing 10, increasing the distance between them. This effectively reduces the heat generated by the control valve assembly 20 from being transferred to the flow sensor 40, thereby reducing the impact of heat on the zero drift of the flow sensor 40 and ensuring the accuracy of the flow sensor 40.

[0027] refer to Figure 4 and Figure 5 In some embodiments, the flow diversion assembly 30 may include a base 31 and a plurality of flow diversion pipes 32. The base 31 is sleeved on the outer side of a portion of the valve body 21, and the plurality of flow diversion pipes 32 are all disposed on the base 31, with each flow diversion pipe 32 having a flow diversion channel 321. This arrangement allows for a radial fit between the base 31 and the valve body 21, which helps reduce the axial dimension of the flow control device; furthermore, the base 31 can support and install the plurality of flow diversion pipes 32, ensuring the installation stability of the flow diversion pipes 32.

[0028] For example, the base 31 can be an annular component, such as a circular annular component, a polygonal annular component, etc. The diverter 32 can be a circular pipe, a polygonal pipe, etc.

[0029] To further facilitate the cooperation between the valve body 21 and the flow divider assembly 30, the valve body 21 may be provided with at least one valve port 215, such as... Figure 8 and Figure 10 As shown, at least one valve port 215 is connected to the valve cavity 213; one end of at least one of the plurality of diverter pipes 32 is connected to the area of ​​the cavity near the first air inlet 121, and the other end of at least one of the plurality of diverter pipes 32 is connected to the valve cavity 213 via the corresponding valve port 215. Based on this configuration, a portion of the gas entering the cavity through the first air inlet 121 can enter one end of at least one of the plurality of diverter pipes 32 and flow along the diverter pipe 32, then flow into the valve cavity 213 through the valve port 215, and finally be discharged through the first air outlet 131.

[0030] Optionally, the valve body 21 may be provided with a plurality of valve holes 215, which are arranged circumferentially along the valve body 21; correspondingly, the flow splitting assembly 30 may include a plurality of flow splitting pipes 32, which are arranged correspondingly to the plurality of valve holes 215, so as to increase the gas transmission flow rate.

[0031] In some other embodiments, the number of valve orifices 215 may exceed the number of diversion pipes 32, resulting in some valve orifices 215 not corresponding to diversion pipes 32. Therefore, the diversion assembly 30 may further include at least one diversion plug 33, which is disposed on the base 31 and used to block the corresponding valve orifice 215. This effectively prevents valve orifices 215 without diversion pipes 32 from connecting the cavity and the valve cavity 213 and affecting gas flow.

[0032] It should be noted that when designing and manufacturing the valve body 21, a ring of valve holes 215 can be distributed around the circumference of the valve body 21. However, in actual use, the number of valve holes 215 can be selected according to requirements. For example, when a larger flow rate of gas is required, more valve holes 215 can be equipped with corresponding diversion pipes 32 to deliver the gas in the cavity to the valve cavity 213 through more diversion pipes 32, thereby increasing the gas flow rate. When a smaller flow rate of gas is required, some valve holes 215 can be blocked with diversion plugs 33, while diversion pipes 32 can be installed at the unblocked valve holes 215 to deliver the gas in the cavity to the valve cavity 213 through fewer diversion pipes 32, thereby reducing the gas flow rate. Therefore, different specifications of the gas diversion function of the diversion assembly 30 can be achieved by combining different numbers of diversion pipes 32 and different numbers of diversion valves.

[0033] Optionally, the diversion plug 33 can be a plug head, plug column, plug rod, plug block, or other structures. Of course, it can also be in other forms, which are not specifically limited here.

[0034] In some embodiments, the sidewall of the base 31 may be provided with a plurality of mounting holes 311, such as Figure 5 As shown, multiple mounting holes 311 are distributed circumferentially along the base 31, and each mounting hole 311 extends along the centerline of the base 31; multiple diversion pipes 32 and at least one diversion plug 33 are respectively inserted through the corresponding mounting holes 311. Based on this arrangement, multiple diversion pipes 32 and at least one diversion plug 33 can be installed through the mounting holes 311 respectively to ensure the stability of the installation.

[0035] It should be noted here that the number of mounting holes 311 is equal to the sum of the number of diversion pipes 32 and the number of diversion plugs 33, ensuring that all diversion holes are used.

[0036] refer to Figure 3In some embodiments, the outer wall of the valve body 21 may be provided with a first protrusion 211 and a second protrusion 212. The first protrusion 211 and the second protrusion 212 extend circumferentially along the valve body 21, and the second protrusion 212 is located on the side of the first protrusion 211 near the first air outlet 131. The second protrusion 212 protrudes beyond the first protrusion 211 to form a stepped surface. For example, the first protrusion 211 may be an annular protrusion, the second protrusion 212 may be an annular protrusion, and the outer annular surface of the second protrusion 212 protrudes beyond the outer annular surface of the first protrusion 211 to form an annular stepped surface.

[0037] Accordingly, such as Figure 9 As shown, the inner wall of the base 31 may be provided with a third protrusion 312, which extends circumferentially along the base 31 and is fitted on the outside of the first protrusion 211 and abuts against the step surface.

[0038] Based on the above configuration, the sleeve engagement between the third protrusion 312 and the first protrusion 211, and the abutment engagement between the third protrusion 312 and the stepped surface, can ensure both the radial positional accuracy between the base 31 and the valve body 21 and the axial positional accuracy between the base 31 and the valve body 21. Furthermore, it can achieve limiting in both the radial and axial directions, effectively preventing the base 31 and the valve body 21 from moving in the radial and axial directions.

[0039] It should be noted that, since the gas inside the cavity exerts pressure on the diversion component 30, causing the separation component to tend to move toward the first air outlet 131, in this embodiment, the second protrusion 212 is disposed on the side of the first protrusion 211 near the first air outlet 131, which can form a stepped surface to prevent the base 31 from moving toward the first air outlet 131. Thus, even if the diversion component 30 is subjected to air pressure toward the first air outlet 131, it can be ensured that the base 31 and even the entire diversion component 30 will not move toward the first air outlet 131.

[0040] Continue to refer to Figure 9 In some embodiments, the outer wall of the base 31 may be provided with a fourth protrusion 313, which extends circumferentially along the base 31 and abuts against the inner wall of the cavity. Based on this arrangement, the fourth protrusion 313 can make the base 31 cooperate with the housing 10, thereby achieving radial limitation and positioning to prevent the diversion assembly 30 from moving radially within the housing 10; in addition, the first protrusion 211 has frictional resistance with the inner wall of the cavity, which allows for axial limitation and positioning of the diversion assembly 30 to prevent axial movement within the housing 10.

[0041] refer to Figure 3In some embodiments, the control valve assembly 20 may further include an electromagnetic component 23 and a return component 24. The electromagnetic component 23 includes a valve core 231 and a coil 232. The valve body 21 is provided with a slide 214. The valve core 231 is movably disposed in the slide 214 and connected to the sealing component 22. The coil 232 is disposed in the valve body 21 and surrounds the outer periphery of the valve core 231, so that the valve core 231 moves in the slide 214 under the influence of the magnetic field generated by the coil 232. The return component 24 connects the valve body 21 and the valve core 231 and is used to return the valve core 231 to its original position.

[0042] Optionally, the sealing element 22 can be connected to the valve core 231 by means of threads, and the end face of the sealing element 22 facing the first air outlet 131 can be inlaid with non-metallic sealing material to achieve a sealing effect.

[0043] In addition, the lead wire of coil 232 can be led out from one end of valve body 21 to facilitate power supply to coil 232.

[0044] Based on the above configuration, when the coil 232 is energized, the magnetic field generated by the coil 232 can drive the valve core 231, causing the valve core 231 to move along the slide 214 and drive the sealing member 22 to move toward or away from the first air outlet 131, thereby achieving the blocking or opening of the first air outlet 131; when the coil 232 is de-energized, the valve core 231 will not be subjected to the magnetic field force, and under the action of the return member 24, the valve core 231 can move in the opposite direction along the slide 214, and drive the sealing member 22 away from or toward the first air outlet 131, thereby achieving the opening or blocking of the first air outlet 131.

[0045] Furthermore, such as Figure 3 As shown, the return component 24 may include a first spring 241 and a second spring 242. The first spring 241 is located in the region of the valve body 21 at one end of the slide 214, and one end of the valve core 231 is connected to the first spring 241. The second spring 242 is located in the region of the valve body 21 at the other end of the slide 214, and the other end of the valve core 231 is connected to the second spring 242. Based on this arrangement, the first spring 241 and the second spring 242 can work together to apply a return elastic force to the valve core 231, so that the valve core 231 can return to its original position when the magnetic field force of the coil 232 is lost.

[0046] In other embodiments, the first reed 241 and the second reed 242 can also be used independently, that is, only one of them is provided to apply a return force to the valve core 231.

[0047] Optionally, such as Figure 6As shown, both the first spring 241 and the second spring 242 can be butterfly springs, although other forms are also possible, which are not specifically limited here. The butterfly spring can be fastened to the frame of the coil 232 with a nut to reset the valve core 231.

[0048] To enable gas transfer between the flow sensor 40 and the cavity, the side wall of the cavity may be provided with a second air outlet 111 and a second air inlet 112, such as... Figure 2 As shown. The second air outlet 111 is located in the area of ​​the housing 10 near the first air inlet 121, and the second air outlet 111 connects the air inlet end of the flow sensor 40 with the cavity. The second air inlet 112 is located in the area of ​​the housing 10 away from the first air inlet 121, and the second air inlet 112 connects the air outlet end of the flow sensor 40 with the valve cavity 213, or the second air inlet 112 connects the air outlet end of the flow sensor 40 with the cavity, and is connected to the valve cavity 213 through the cavity.

[0049] Based on the above settings, another part of the gas in the cavity can flow into the flow sensor 40 through the second air outlet 111 for flow detection. After the detection is completed, it can flow back into the cavity through the second air inlet 112 and then flow into the valve chamber 213. Of course, it can also flow back directly into the valve chamber 213 through the second air inlet 112.

[0050] Continue to refer to Figure 2 In some embodiments, the housing 10 may include a housing body 11, an air inlet connector 12 connected to one end of the housing body 11, and an air outlet connector 13 connected to the other end of the housing body 11; wherein the air inlet connector 12 is provided with a first air inlet 121, and the air outlet connector 13 is provided with a first air outlet 131.

[0051] Furthermore, the flow control device may also include a valve cap that is threaded to the housing 10 and covers the outside of the first air inlet 121.

[0052] Additionally, a flow-limiting valve 14 may be installed inside the air outlet connector 13, such as... Figure 11 As shown, the flow-limiting valve 14 is provided with a flow-limiting valve channel 141. One end of the flow-limiting valve channel 141 is disposed opposite to the sealing member 22, and the other end of the flow-limiting valve channel 141 is disposed opposite to and connected to the first air outlet 131. By setting the flow-limiting valve 14, a certain flow-limiting effect can be achieved at the first air outlet 131. In addition, the end of the flow-limiting valve 14 can contact the sealing member 22.

[0053] Optionally, the flow limiting valve 14 can be threaded into the interior of the air outlet connector 13, and the relative position of the flow limiting valve 14 and the air outlet connector 13 can be adjusted by turning the thread.

[0054] Furthermore, a seal 50 may be provided between the flow-limiting valve 14 and the gas outlet connector 13 to provide a seal, ensuring that gas can pass through the flow-limiting valve passage 141 without overflow. For example, the seal 50 may be an O-ring or similar material.

[0055] In addition, the flow control device may also include components such as an outer casing 70 and a circuit board 60, for example... Figure 2 As shown. The outer cover 70 is fastened to the outer wall of the housing 10, forming an installation space. The circuit board 60 and the flow sensor 40 can be respectively housed within this space, protected by the outer cover 70. Furthermore, the current board is electrically connected to the flow sensor 40 for signal transmission. Based on this arrangement, the control valve assembly 20 can be housed inside the housing 10 instead of inside the outer cover 70, thus freeing up more space within the outer cover 70 for wiring the circuit board 60. This allows for a reduction in the height of the outer cover 70, further minimizing the size of the flow control device.

[0056] In this embodiment, gas enters the cavity through the first inlet 121 and is split into two. One part enters the flow sensor 40 for flow measurement, while the other part is transmitted to the valve chamber 213 via the flow splitter 30 and finally discharged through the first outlet 131. The voltage output by the flow sensor 40 is proportional to the gas flow rate passing through it, and this flow rate is related to the design of the flow splitter 30. The circuit board 60 amplifies and linearizes the signal obtained from the flow sensor 40. The output value of the circuit board 60 is the displayed value, which is proportional to the gas flow rate passing through the flow sensor 40. For example, the output signal is a 0-5V voltage: when the signal is zero, it indicates that no gas is flowing; when the signal is 5V, it indicates that the gas flow rate has reached full scale, which is the designed and calibrated maximum flow rate.

[0057] In summary, the flow control device in this embodiment has a smaller size, and the heat generated by the control valve assembly 20 will not be transferred to the flow sensor 40, which can reduce the impact of heat on the zero drift of the flow sensor 40 and ensure the accuracy of the flow sensor 40.

[0058] The embodiments of this application have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, this application is not limited to the specific embodiments described above. The specific embodiments described above are merely illustrative and not restrictive. Those skilled in the art can make many other forms under the guidance of this application without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims, and all of these forms are within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A flow control device, characterized in that, include: Housing (10), control valve assembly (20), flow splitting assembly (30) and flow sensor (40); The housing (10) has a cavity and a first air inlet (121) and a first air outlet (131) respectively connected to the cavity. The control valve assembly (20) is disposed in the cavity. The control valve assembly (20) includes a valve body (21) and a sealing member (22). The valve body (21) is provided with a valve cavity (213), which is connected to the first air outlet (131). The sealing member (22) is movably disposed in the valve body (21) for closing or opening the first air outlet (131). The diversion assembly (30) is disposed in the cavity and located on the periphery of a portion of the control valve assembly (20). The diversion assembly (30) has a plurality of diversion channels (321). At least one end of the plurality of diversion channels (321) is connected to the cavity, and the other end of the plurality of diversion channels (321) is connected to the valve cavity (213). The inlet of the flow sensor (40) is connected to the cavity, and the outlet of the flow sensor (40) is connected to the valve cavity (213). Alternatively, the outlet of the flow sensor (40) is connected to the valve cavity (213) through the cavity.

2. The flow control device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The diversion assembly (30) includes a base (31) and a plurality of diversion pipes (32). The base (31) is sleeved on the outer side of a portion of the valve body (21). The plurality of diversion pipes (32) are all disposed on the base (31), and each diversion pipe (32) is provided with the diversion channel (321). The valve body (21) is provided with a valve hole (215) communicating with the valve cavity (213). One end of at least one of the plurality of diverter pipes (32) is connected to the area of ​​the cavity near the first air inlet (121), and the other end of at least one of the plurality of diverter pipes (32) is connected to the valve cavity (213) via the corresponding valve hole (215).

3. The flow control device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The diversion assembly (30) further includes at least one diversion plug (33), at least one of the diversion plugs (33) is disposed on the base (31) for blocking the corresponding valve hole (215).

4. The flow control device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The sidewall of the base (31) is provided with a plurality of mounting holes (311), the plurality of mounting holes (311) are distributed circumferentially along the base (31), and each mounting hole (311) extends along the center line of the base (31). Multiple diversion pipes (32) and at least one diversion plug (33) are respectively inserted into the corresponding mounting holes (311).

5. The flow control device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The outer wall of the valve body (21) is provided with a first protrusion (211) and a second protrusion (212) extending circumferentially along the valve body (21). The second protrusion (212) is located on the side of the first protrusion (211) near the first air outlet (131), and the second protrusion (212) protrudes from the first protrusion (211) to form a stepped surface. The inner wall of the base (31) is provided with a third protrusion (312) extending circumferentially along the base (31). The third protrusion (312) is sleeved on the outside of the first protrusion (211) and abuts against the stepped surface.

6. The flow control device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The outer wall of the base (31) is provided with a fourth protrusion (313) extending circumferentially along the base (31), and the fourth protrusion (313) abuts against the inner wall of the cavity.

7. The flow control device according to any one of claims 2 to 6, characterized in that, The base (31) is a ring-shaped component.

8. The flow control device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control valve assembly (20) also includes an electromagnetic component (23) and a return component (24). The electromagnetic component (23) includes a valve core (231) and a coil (232). The valve body (21) is provided with a slide (214). The valve core (231) is movably disposed in the slide (214) and connected to the sealing component (22). The coil (232) is disposed in the valve body (21) and surrounds the outer periphery of the valve core (231) so that the valve core (231) moves in the slide (214) under the action of the magnetic field generated by the coil (232). The return component (24) connects the valve body (21) and the valve core (231) to return the valve core (231) to its original position.

9. The flow control device according to claim 8, characterized in that, The return component (24) includes a first spring (241) and a second spring (242). The first reed (241) is located in the region of the valve body (21) at one end of the slide (214), and one end of the valve core (231) is connected to the first reed (241); The second reed (242) is located in the region of the valve body (21) at the other end of the slide (214), and the other end of the valve core (231) is connected to the second reed (242).

10. The flow control device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The side wall of the cavity is provided with a second air outlet (111) and a second air inlet (112). The second air outlet (111) is located in the area of ​​the housing (10) near the first air inlet (121), and the second air outlet (111) connects the air inlet end of the flow sensor (40) with the cavity; The second air inlet (112) is located in the area of ​​the housing (10) away from the first air inlet (121), and the second air inlet (112) connects the outlet of the flow sensor (40) to the valve chamber (213), or the second air inlet (112) connects the outlet of the flow sensor (40) to the cavity, and connects to the valve chamber (213) through the cavity.

11. The flow control device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The housing (10) includes a housing body (11), an air inlet connector (12) connected to one end of the housing body (11), and an air outlet connector (13) connected to the other end of the housing body (11). The air inlet connector (12) is provided with a first air inlet (121), and the air outlet connector (13) is provided with a first air outlet (131). The air outlet connector (13) is provided with a flow limiting valve (14), the flow limiting valve (14) is provided with a flow limiting valve channel (141), one end of the flow limiting valve channel (141) is disposed opposite to the sealing member (22), and the other end of the flow limiting valve channel (141) is opposite to and connected to the first air outlet (131).

12. The flow control device according to claim 11, characterized in that, A sealing element (50) is provided between the flow limiting valve (14) and the air outlet connector (13).

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