Detection device and detection method for a valve

Abstract

The present application relates to valve detection technical field, specifically to the detection device and detection method for valve, the detection device for valve, including: the casing has test chamber, first suction port, second suction port and air inlet, test chamber is suitable for installing the valve to be measured in, vacuum and leak detection mechanism, with first suction port communication, including the vacuum structure suitable for carrying out vacuumizing in test chamber and the helium mass spectrum leak detector suitable for carrying out leak rate detection to the valve to be measured, particle monitoring and purging mechanism, including the particle counter suitable for detecting the particle in the gas flowing out of test chamber and the gas path unit suitable for injecting purging gas into test chamber, particle counter and second suction port communication, gas path unit and air inlet communication, central control mechanism, has the preset running-in program stored in, to control the valve to be measured automatic circulation opening and closing, the present application realizes leak detection, deep programed running-in, on-line particle monitoring full-automatic linkage, the device integration degree is high, and the detection efficiency is high.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of valve testing technology, and more specifically to a testing device and method for valves. Background Technology

[0002] In precision industries such as semiconductor manufacturing, valves, such as vertical valves and vacuum isolation valves, are core components for ensuring the cleanliness of process chambers and achieving process stability. Their performance, especially their sealing performance, operational reliability (lifespan), and particle release levels, directly affects the yield and operating costs of the main equipment. Traditional factory testing of these valves typically includes sealing tests, operational tests, and particle testing. Sealing tests use helium mass spectrometry leak detectors for random or full inspection of valves, but this requires a separate leak detection station. Before testing, a series of pre-operations must be completed, including equipment debugging, valve clamping, pipeline connection, and vacuum pre-evacuation. The testing process is cumbersome, redundant, and requires a high degree of manual intervention. During operational testing, some manufacturers perform simple opening and closing action tests, but this only verifies whether the valve can complete basic opening and closing actions. It does not consider the real-world operating conditions of the semiconductor and display industries to build an automated, programmed, and cyclical simulated operating environment. This testing method cannot achieve high-frequency, long-cycle testing. Deep running-in testing under operating conditions can only detect obvious faults such as valve jamming and inability to open or close. It cannot effectively identify and expose early, potential hidden defects such as wear on internal transmission structures, insufficient seal compatibility, delayed opening and closing under operating conditions, and fatigue failure due to long-term operation. Particle detection, on the other hand, is usually offline sampling, involving individual particle collection and counting of valves in a cleanroom environment. This cannot be synchronized with the valve's operation, allowing only static or intermittent particle detection. It cannot capture instantaneous particle release data during dynamic valve operation, resulting in insufficient coverage and the ability to test only a small number of samples, failing to achieve full-coverage testing of all types and quantities of valves before shipment. In short, the above-mentioned discrete testing methods suffer from low efficiency, data silos, large human errors, and the inability to conduct systematic verification under simulated real operating conditions before shipment. This leads to some "sub-healthy" valves entering customer production lines, causing unplanned downtime and significant economic losses. Therefore, there is an urgent need for an integrated testing device that can integrate key performance testing items for valves, achieving automation, data-driven analysis, and traceability. Summary of the Invention

[0003] On the one hand, the present invention provides a valve testing device to solve the problems of poor integration of existing valve testing devices, which leads to low testing efficiency and large human error.

[0004] On the other hand, the present invention provides a valve testing method to solve the problems of low testing efficiency and large human error in existing valve testing methods.

[0005] On one hand, the present invention provides a detection device for valves, comprising: The housing has a test chamber, a first suction port, a second suction port, and an air inlet. The test chamber is suitable for installing the valve to be tested. The vacuum and leak detection mechanism is connected to the first evacuation port and includes a vacuum structure suitable for evacuating the test chamber and a helium mass spectrometer leak detector suitable for leak rate detection of the valve under test. The particle monitoring and purging mechanism includes a particle counter suitable for detecting particles in the gas flowing out of the test chamber and a gas path unit suitable for injecting purging gas into the test chamber. The particle counter is connected to the second suction port, and the gas path unit is connected to the air inlet. The central control unit stores preset break-in programs to control the automatic cyclic opening and closing of the valve under test. The central control unit communicates with the valve under test's actuator, vacuum and leak detection mechanism, and particle monitoring and purging mechanism. It is suitable for controlling the opening of the first extraction port and the closing of the second extraction port and the inlet port during helium leak detection, keeping the valve under test fixed and completely sealed. During the automatic cyclic opening and closing of the valve under test, it controls the closing of the first extraction port and the opening of the second extraction port and the inlet port. It has a reserved interface for the valve under test's actuator to collect the operating current of the valve under test's actuator, the valve core position signal, and the real-time data of the particle counter, and generates a test report.

[0006] Beneficial Effects: The valve testing device provided by this invention requires only one clamping and positioning of the valve to be tested during the testing process. After the valve is securely installed inside the sealed test chamber of the device and the initial sealing connection is completed, the fully automated testing program can be started with one click through the central control mechanism. No manual workstation transfer, equipment switching, pipeline disassembly and assembly, or secondary parameter adjustment is required. It can automatically and continuously complete all core testing items, including high-precision helium leak detection, programmed multi-condition deep opening and closing break-in, and dynamic online particle detection, achieving fully automated closed-loop testing of leak detection, deep break-in, and online particle monitoring. Compared to the traditional discrete testing mode that requires multiple clamping, cross-workstation transfer, and multi-person collaborative operation, this invention significantly simplifies the testing process, greatly reduces the frequency of manual intervention and the operational threshold, effectively avoids mechanical clamping errors, human error, and secondary valve contamination caused by cross-workstation transfer, significantly improves the stability and accuracy of the testing operation, and greatly enhances the overall testing efficiency, adapting to the production needs of large-scale full-inspection of precision valves.

[0007] This invention, relying on an integrated architecture and central synchronous control logic, enables the synchronous, continuous, and real-time acquisition of multi-dimensional performance parameters throughout the entire process of valve deep break-in under all operating conditions. This breaks down the technical barriers of traditional testing methods, which involve the separation of time sequences for various items, independent data, and lack of correlation. Specifically, the device can simultaneously acquire and record mechanical operating parameters such as the real-time operating current curve of the valve actuator, the dynamic position feedback signal of the valve core, the opening and closing action response sequence, and operating load fluctuations. Simultaneously, it can simultaneously acquire cleanliness data such as particle concentration, particle size distribution, and instantaneous particle release peak in the gas flowing out of the test chamber. This achieves time-series alignment, co-source acquisition, and linked analysis of valve mechanical operating reliability parameters and cleanliness performance parameters.

[0008] Based on a multi-parameter synchronous linkage detection mechanism, this device can comprehensively evaluate the overall service performance of the valve under test from three core dimensions: mechanical operation stability, sealing reliability, and operational cleanliness. This completely changes the shortcomings of traditional testing, which can only determine whether the sealing leakage rate is qualified and cannot correlate with the operating conditions and particle release characteristics. Under the traditional testing mode, a large number of valves with hidden defects such as opening and closing jamming, abnormal current fluctuations, and excessive particle release under micro-motion conditions are easily misjudged as good products and enter the market because they pass a single test. However, this invention can accurately identify and effectively screen out such sub-healthy valves with potential failure risks through multi-data linkage verification and full-dimensional performance screening, thereby improving the factory quality and batch consistency of precision valves from the source.

[0009] Meanwhile, this invention achieves unified collection, associated storage, and full traceability of data throughout the entire testing process, constructing a complete valve factory testing data archive. This solves the problems of fragmented, isolated, and untraceable traditional separate testing data, providing precise data support for valve performance optimization, fault tracing, and batch quality control. This invention effectively improves the comprehensiveness, accuracy, and automation level of precision valve factory testing, significantly increasing the full inspection coverage rate and eliminating missed and false inspections. It fundamentally reduces the probability of defective or suboptimal valves entering high-end semiconductor and flat panel display production lines, effectively avoiding significant production losses caused by hidden valve defects, such as process chamber contamination, vacuum environment failure, process parameter deviations, decreased product yield, and unplanned production line downtime. It significantly reduces equipment maintenance costs and production risks for end customers, possessing extremely high engineering application and market promotion value.

[0010] The vacuum structure includes a rough vacuum pump unit and a high vacuum pump unit. The rough vacuum pump unit is suitable for performing a first vacuum pumping in the test chamber, and the high vacuum pump unit is suitable for performing a second vacuum pumping in the test chamber. The helium mass spectrometer leak detector is located on the front pipeline of the high vacuum pump unit.

[0011] By using a coarse vacuum pump unit and a high vacuum pump unit to perform primary and secondary vacuuming within the test chamber, the vacuum level within the test chamber is ensured to meet the testing requirements. Once the leak detection vacuum level is reached, the leak rate is detected using a helium mass spectrometer leak detector, making the process more convenient and efficient. On one hand, it quickly constructs an ultra-high stable vacuum environment that meets the requirements of high-precision helium detection, shortening the detection time and improving leak detection accuracy. On the other hand, it provides graded isolation of dust, water vapor, and atmospheric impurities, protecting the core components of the high vacuum pump and the helium mass spectrometer leak detector, reducing maintenance costs. Simultaneously, it perfectly adapts to the time-sequential, multi-process automatic switching operation logic of the integrated detection device, balancing detection efficiency, detection accuracy, and long-term operational stability.

[0012] The roughing vacuum unit is a mechanical pump used to evacuate the test chamber to 1 Pa, while the high vacuum pump unit is a molecular pump used to further evacuate the test chamber to a level less than or equal to 1 × 10⁻⁶ Pa. -3 Pa.

[0013] Because the internal space of the test chamber, the flow channel of the valve under test, and the pipe connections contain a large amount of air, water vapor, and adsorbed impurities, directly using a high-vacuum pump set to evacuate the chamber can easily cause pump overload, slow pumping speed, and persistently high background impurities. Therefore, a two-stage stepped evacuation process is designed. The first evacuation avoids a large amount of atmospheric pressure gas from directly entering the high-vacuum pump set, preventing the high-vacuum molecular pump and ion pump from being damaged by impact or overload due to excessive pressure difference. At the same time, it removes suspended dust in the chamber in advance, reducing dust from entering the precision vacuum components at the back end and causing wear and contamination. The second evacuation can continuously strip away trace amounts of water vapor and hydrocarbon degassing impurities adsorbed on the chamber wall, the sealing surface of the valve under test, and the surface of the metal flow channel, further pumping the chamber pressure to the ultra-high vacuum range required for helium leak detection, and creating a steady-state leak detection environment with low helium background and low impurity interference.

[0014] The vacuum and leak detection mechanism is connected to the first air extraction port through the first pipeline, and the first high vacuum isolation valve is installed on the first pipeline.

[0015] The first pipeline effectively connects the vacuum and leak detection mechanism with the test chamber, and allows for flexible adjustment of the installation positions of the vacuum and leak detection mechanism. The first high-vacuum isolation valve precisely controls the connection status between the vacuum and leak detection mechanism and the test chamber, facilitating the switching of connections between different mechanisms and the test chamber. The first pipeline establishes a flexible connection channel between the test chamber and the vacuum leak detection mechanism, freeing up assembly space, buffering vibration interference, and reserving integration points for auxiliary components. Combined with the first high-vacuum isolation valve on the pipeline, precise and reliable on / off control between the vacuum leak detection circuit and the test chamber is achieved. Together, these two elements construct a programmable vacuum isolation barrier within the integrated multi-process testing device. This barrier flexibly adapts to equipment layout and a two-stage vacuum architecture, while completely separating the media and environment of the two mutually exclusive operating conditions: helium detection and dynamic particle running-in. This protects the precision components of the vacuum leak detection, shortens process switching time, and stabilizes testing accuracy. From a hardware structure perspective, it solves key pain points in the industry's discrete equipment integration process, such as media crosstalk, operating condition conflicts, and high equipment wear.

[0016] The particle monitoring and purging mechanism is connected to the second extraction port through a second pipeline, and a second high-vacuum isolation valve is installed on the second pipeline.

[0017] The second pipeline effectively connects the particle monitoring and purging mechanism and the test chamber, and allows for flexible adjustment of the particle monitoring and purging mechanism's installation position. The second high-vacuum isolation valve precisely controls the connection status between the particle monitoring and purging mechanism and the test chamber, facilitating the switching of connections between different mechanisms and the test chamber. The second pipeline establishes a flexible connection channel between the test chamber and the particle monitoring and purging mechanism, freeing up assembly space, buffering vibrations and airflow pulses, stabilizing the particle sampling flow field, and reserving integration points for auxiliary gas path components. Combined with the second high-vacuum isolation valve on the pipeline, precise, bidirectional, and leak-free programmable on / off control is achieved between the particle purging circuit and the test chamber. This structure, in conjunction with the first pipeline and the first high-vacuum isolation valve, forms a dual independent isolation loop. Addressing the inherent mutual exclusion of helium detection under ultra-high vacuum static conditions and dynamic particle purging conditions during break-in, it achieves physical isolation and time-sharing independent operation of the two detection systems. This optimizes equipment layout, stabilizes dynamic particle detection accuracy, and prevents cross-contamination of helium, nitrogen, and particles across loops, protecting optical and vacuum precision detection components. It also shortens the pre-processing time for process switching, supporting the integrated detection device from a hardware structure perspective. Simultaneously, it completes three core tests: helium leak detection, operational cycle break-in, and online dynamic particle detection, solving multiple difficulties in the integration process of traditional discrete equipment.

[0018] The central control unit includes an industrial computer, a programmable logic controller (PLC), and a data acquisition card. The industrial computer communicates with the actuator, vacuum and leak detection mechanism, particle monitoring and purging mechanism, first high-vacuum isolation valve, and second high-vacuum isolation valve of the valve under test. The data acquisition card is used to collect the operating current of the actuator, the valve core position signal, and the real-time data of the particle counter of the valve under test.

[0019] The programmable logic controller (PLC) allows for customization of the opening and closing speed and cycle count of the valve under test, simulating real production line conditions. Tens of thousands of cycles can expose hidden defects in the valve in advance, unlike traditional simplified opening and closing tests. A central control unit manages all equipment, binding test data to a unique valve identifier and automatically generating a complete and traceable electronic report, eliminating paper records, data silos, and human error. This control architecture is deeply adapted to the hardware structure of dual-pipeline, dual-high-vacuum isolation valves, achieving automated, time-sharing operation of three mutually exclusive processes—helium leak detection, operational break-in, and dynamic particle online detection—from the software control level. It also solves a series of industry pain points such as distortion in traditional discrete testing simulations, data silos, large human errors, low defect detection rates, and lack of quality traceability, achieving integrated, automated, digital, and traceable quality inspection of valves before they leave the factory.

[0020] The gas path unit is connected to the air inlet through a third pipeline. The gas path unit is suitable for injecting a constant flow of high-purity nitrogen or clean, dry air into the test chamber before or during particle monitoring.

[0021] The coarse vacuum pump unit, high vacuum pump unit, and gas path unit share the same test chamber, enabling simultaneous detection of motion and particles, thus solving the problems of poor representativeness in traditional multi-station disassembly and offline testing. Injecting a constant flow of high-purity nitrogen or clean, dry air into the test chamber as a background gas before or during particle monitoring facilitates the evaluation of the cleanliness of the valve under test. An independent gas supply channel is established between the gas path unit and the test chamber via a third pipeline, equipped with an integrated gas path unit featuring multi-stage filtration and closed-loop flow control. This allows for the phased introduction of a constant flow of high-purity nitrogen or clean, dry air into the test chamber. Simultaneously, the gas path unit shares the same test chamber with the coarse vacuum pump unit and high vacuum pump unit, enabling simultaneous online detection of valve fatigue and dynamic particles. On the one hand, the independent gas supply circuit, coupled with the time-sequential isolation valve, prevents helium, purge gas, and particulates from contaminating the precision detection equipment across the circuit. The constant flow of carrier gas constructs a standardized and stable particle detection flow field, accurately quantifying the cleanliness performance of the valve itself. On the other hand, the single-chamber integrates vacuum leak detection, gas supply purging, fatigue motion, and particle detection functions, eliminating the need for multiple disassembly and relocation processes in traditional multi-station systems. This avoids the defects caused by external impurities interfering with the detection data and fully simulates the real composite working conditions of semiconductor and flat panel production lines, significantly improving the authenticity and representativeness of particle detection results. It addresses the shortcomings of traditional discrete detection equipment from both the gas supply hardware and the integrated chamber architecture.

[0022] The test chamber is equipped with a transparent observation window at the top, and / or the housing is mounted on a support frame, and the air circuit unit is mounted on the support frame.

[0023] The transparent observation window allows for easy observation of the valve core's operating status within the test chamber. The support frame supports and secures the test chamber, various components, and pipelines, facilitating connections with other mechanisms. On one hand, a high-transparency, pressure-resistant transparent observation window is installed at the top of the test chamber, creating a top-down, blind-spot-free visual observation window. During clamping, debugging, automated break-in, and troubleshooting stages, the valve core's actual operating status can be directly observed, enabling dual verification with quantitative data and visual images, and rapid identification of various mechanical and cleanliness-related hidden defects in valves. On the other hand, an integrated support frame supports the entire housing, vacuum pipelines, and testing mechanism, with the gas path unit integrated onto the support frame. Rigid support and layered layout address engineering issues such as equipment vibration, flange stress leakage, messy pipelines, and difficulties in on-site connection. Simultaneously, the centralized integration of the gas path module facilitates consumable replacement and stable flow control. The two work together to ensure the vacuum and clean working conditions and high-precision testing performance of the integrated testing device, while significantly improving the convenience of equipment debugging, the efficiency of fault diagnosis, the stability of the whole machine operation and the adaptability to the production line. This further makes up for the shortcomings of traditional discrete testing equipment, such as closed and invisible conditions, scattered parts without unified support, and air path damage to the cavity seal.

[0024] The test chamber is equipped with a vacuum flange interface, which is connected to a blind flange. The blind flange is suitable for installing the valve to be tested.

[0025] The valve under test is installed on the vacuum flange interface via a blind flange, making disassembly and assembly more convenient. The test chamber is equipped with a standardized vacuum flange interface, and a detachable blind flange serves as the pre-assembly carrier for the valve under test. It adopts a split assembly mode of external pre-assembly and overall connection to the chamber. On the one hand, it completely simplifies the valve disassembly and assembly process, significantly shortens the chamber opening time, reduces the difficulty of manual clamping operations, and enables rapid switching of multiple valve specifications and parallel pre-assembly of multiple blind flanges, thereby improving batch testing capacity. On the other hand, it isolates the chamber from disassembly dust from entering the chamber from a hardware perspective, protecting the inner wall of the test chamber and the vacuum sealing substrate, ensuring long-term stability of helium leak detection and dynamic particle detection, and eliminating data errors caused by manual clamping. At the same time, it limits and fixes the valve under test, adapting to tens of thousands of long-cycle fatigue break-in conditions, perfectly matching the integrated helium detection-break-in-particle testing requirements of this device, and solving many defects of traditional direct clamping and disassembly within the chamber, such as cumbersome disassembly and assembly, easy contamination of the chamber, poor sealing consistency, and susceptibility to impacts to the chamber.

[0026] On the other hand, a detection method using a valve detection device is also provided, comprising the following steps: Install the valve under test in the test chamber and connect the actuator of the valve under test to the central control unit for communication. The test chamber is evacuated to a predetermined vacuum level. Then, helium gas is applied to the valve under test, and the leak rate is detected by a helium mass spectrometer leak detector. After the leak test is passed, clean gas is introduced into the test chamber, the particle counter is started, and the valve under test is controlled to automatically cycle open and close. The particle counter continuously monitors the particle concentration and size distribution in the gas flowing out of the test chamber. The central control mechanism simultaneously records the current of the actuator of the valve under test and the valve core position signal, integrates all data and displays them in real time, and generates a test report.

[0027] Beneficial Effects: The detection method using a valve testing device provided by this invention integrates three key testing processes—leak detection, break-in, and particle testing—into a single platform. All tests can be completed with a single clamping of the valve under test, significantly improving testing efficiency and reducing manual intervention and errors. Programmed deep break-in fully exposes potential defects in the mechanical structure of the valve under test before it leaves the factory, such as jamming, abnormal noise, and motor overload, ensuring the quality of the delivered valve. Particle monitoring is performed simultaneously with the valve break-in process, accurately reflecting the particle release level caused by friction and collision during dynamic operation. The data is more representative and convincing than offline sampling inspection.

[0028] The specific steps for evacuating the test chamber are as follows: The central control unit first turns on the coarse vacuum pump to quickly evacuate the test chamber under normal pressure. Within a predetermined time, the normal pressure air, free water vapor, and suspended particles in the test chamber are extracted, causing the chamber pressure to drop from normal pressure to the low-to-medium vacuum range. When the chamber pressure reaches the preset transfer threshold during the coarse evacuation stage, the central control unit switches the gas path valve group, closes the coarse evacuation pipeline, and starts the high vacuum pump group to perform a second deep evacuation of the test chamber, further pumping the chamber pressure to the ultra-high vacuum range required for helium leak detection.

[0029] The central control unit automatically analyzes the data from the entire process and integrates it to generate a test report containing the unique identification code of the valve under test.

[0030] During testing, the system automatically collects, correlates, and records all raw data and curves from the entire testing process, generating a unique electronic report. This provides an immutable data foundation for quality traceability, failure analysis, and process improvement, significantly enhancing product quality reputation and customer trust. The central control unit automatically and continuously collects all raw data and real-time change curves related to vacuum leakage rate, mechanical motion, clean particles, and equipment sequence throughout the entire helium testing, operational break-in, and dynamic particle testing process. All data is permanently bound to the unique identification code of the valve under test. After testing, the built-in intelligent judgment logic automatically analyzes various performance indicators, generating a unique electronic test report with timestamps, encrypted verification codes, and tamper-proof mechanisms. This fully digital data closed-loop system retains complete and immutable raw test data, providing objective and reliable data support for product lifecycle quality traceability, in-depth analysis of on-site failures, and continuous optimization of product manufacturing processes. It also meets the digital quality control audit requirements of the high-precision manufacturing industry, eliminating data errors and management loopholes caused by manual recording, and significantly improving the quality control level of valves leaving the factory.

[0031] The central control unit automatically analyzes the data throughout the process, including: The central control unit automatically extracts the steady-state helium leak rate value, compares it with the preset leak rate qualification threshold, and marks it according to the level; it simultaneously analyzes the vacuuming curve, identifies equipment interference factors, and distinguishes between valve body leakage and clamping system error; it automatically traverses the full curve of tens of thousands of opening and closing currents and valve core positions, and automatically identifies long-term operating trends; it automatically marks sub-healthy valves with transmission wear and increased sealing friction; it simultaneously counts the number of overload and jamming faults and their corresponding cycle nodes; it automatically deducts the baseline particle value of the pre-purge chamber, extracts the dynamic particle peak value, average release concentration, and the upward trend with the number of cycles, and automatically determines whether particle release exceeds the standard; it correlates the valve core opening and closing actions corresponding to the particle peak value to locate the source of friction dust generation.

[0032] The data includes leak detection results, number of break-in cycles, drive current curve, total number of particles released, and size distribution curve.

[0033] The collection of the aforementioned parameters makes the testing of valves more accurate, overcoming the drawbacks of traditional methods where data from different items are fragmented and unrelated. This device simultaneously collects five core parameters: leak detection results, total number of break-in cycles, full-time drive current curve, total number of particles released, and multi-particle size distribution curve. Using the number of break-in cycles as a unified time benchmark, it achieves time-series binding and automatic linkage analysis of all parameters. Compared to the traditional model where data from three separate devices for helium detection, durability, and particle testing are fragmented and can only provide static evaluations of a single item, the cross-correlation of multiple parameters can capture the cascading degradation patterns of the valve's sealing, mechanical, and cleanliness performance under long-term operation, accurately distinguishing between equipment interference and latent defects in the valve itself, and achieving an upgrade from single-point qualification screening to precise dynamic performance evaluation throughout the entire life cycle.

[0034] When a valve failure occurs on the production line, a refined failure analysis is conducted based on tens of thousands of dynamic raw curves in the report. The refined failure analysis includes: if the feedback valve leaks beyond the standard after a period of use, the original leak rate curve of the helium detection is retrieved to distinguish whether there is micro-leakage at the factory or long-term sealing fatigue failure; if wafer particle contamination occurs on the production line, the particle release curve of the entire break-in cycle is checked to determine whether there is excessive friction dust at the factory stage or dust generation induced by on-site operating conditions; if the valve is stuck when opening and closing, the drive current and valve core position curves of the entire factory process are compared to identify whether there are hidden defects at the factory. Attached Figure Description

[0035] To more clearly illustrate the specific embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the specific embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.

[0036] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a valve detection device according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the shell and support frame; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the working principle of the valve detection device according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a flowchart of a detection method using a valve detection device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0037] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures: 1. Housing; 101. Test chamber; 102. First evacuation port; 103. Second evacuation port; 104. Transparent observation window; 105. Vacuum flange interface; 106. Blind flange; 2. Valve under test; 3. Vacuum and leak detection mechanism; 301. Helium mass spectrometer leak detector; 302. Support; 303. Coarse vacuum pump unit; 304. High vacuum pump unit; 4. Particle monitoring and purging mechanism; 401. Particle counter; 402. Gas path unit; 5. Central control mechanism; 501. Industrial computer; 502. Programmable logic controller; 503. Data acquisition card; 6. First high vacuum isolation valve; 7. Second high vacuum isolation valve; 8. Support frame. Detailed Implementation

[0038] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0039] Existing valve detection devices suffer from cross-contamination of precision sensors by helium tracer gas, high-purity nitrogen, and friction particles. Therefore, sealing tests, operational tests, and particle detection are performed using three separate devices, leading to significant human error in the results. Specifically, helium detection requires an ultra-high clean vacuum substrate, meaning the system's background helium content must be extremely low. Any external helium, dust, or degassed impurities will raise the baseline, causing misjudgments of leak rates. The entire leak detection process requires the chamber to be in a static, stable state, without continuous mechanical movement or the release of large amounts of particulate matter. Operational testing, on the other hand, involves tens of thousands of high-frequency opening and closing cycles of the valve. The solid particles generated by friction and the volatile organic gases from the seals significantly increase the background impurities in the chamber. High-frequency mechanical vibrations are transmitted through the piping to the helium mass spectrometer's molecular pump and quadrupole, disrupting the stability of the mass spectrometer's electric field and directly causing helium leak rate readings to drift and a sharp drop in the signal-to-noise ratio. Semiconductor valve particle detection requires real-time capture of particles released by friction during valve operation. When helium tracer gas is directly mixed with high-purity nitrogen, it enters the optical cavity of the particle counter, contaminating the optical lens, changing the refractive index of the scattering medium, causing particle counting distortion, and permanent damage to optical components. If the cavity is in a high vacuum state of helium detection, the airflow cannot form a stable purging flow field, and the particles will be suspended in the vacuum cavity and cannot be effectively collected, making the dynamic particle data completely invalid.

[0040] Helium molecules, with a particle size much smaller than nitrogen, can penetrate the optical cell of an optical particle counter, altering the intensity of light scattering. Simultaneously, helium adheres to the stainless steel inner wall of the chamber, seals, and the surface of optical lenses for extended periods. After a helium test, tens of hours of high-purity nitrogen purging and high-temperature baking are required to completely remove residual helium. If the integrated platform performs helium testing before particle testing, the continuous release of residual helium will contaminate the particle detection optical path, resulting in persistently high counts and an inability to distinguish between real friction particles and helium optical interference. Metal dust generated during operational break-in, hydrocarbon organic matter volatilized from seals, and water vapor adsorbed on the chamber walls significantly increase the background noise of the helium mass spectrometer. Dust adhering to the ion source and quadrupole of the mass spectrometer causes electrode contamination, reducing helium ion capture sensitivity. Organic degassing and water vapor create continuous virtual leaks, making it impossible for the instrument to distinguish between real micro-leakage from valves and chamber impurities, resulting in completely distorted leak rate data that fails to meet high-precision leak detection standards for semiconductors. The start-up and shut-down shocks and vacuum pump vibrations during the break-in period will be simultaneously transmitted to the two high-precision sensors, the helium mass spectrometer and the particle counter. For the helium mass spectrometer, the vibration will deviate from the quadrupole electric field, causing helium ion sorting failure and leakage rate fluctuations of 1-2 orders of magnitude. For the optical particle counter, the slight vibration will cause the optical path to deviate, the scattering signal to become disordered, and the repeatability of particle counting to be lost.

[0041] The following is combined with Figures 1 to 4 Embodiments of the present invention are described.

[0042] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a detection device for a valve is provided, comprising: The housing 1 has a test chamber 101, a first air extraction port 102, a second air extraction port 103 and an air inlet. The test chamber 101 is suitable for installing the valve 2 to be tested. The vacuum and leak detection mechanism 3 is connected to the first evacuation port 102 and includes a vacuum structure suitable for evacuating the test chamber 101 and a helium mass spectrometer leak detector 301 suitable for leak rate detection of the valve 2 under test. The particle monitoring and purging mechanism 4 includes a particle counter 401 adapted to detect particles in the gas flowing out of the test chamber 101 and a gas path unit 402 adapted to inject purging gas into the test chamber 101. The particle counter 401 is connected to the second air extraction port 103 and the gas path unit 402 is connected to the air inlet. The central control unit 5 stores a preset break-in program to control the automatic cyclic opening and closing of the valve under test 2. The central control unit 5 is communicatively connected to the actuator, vacuum and leak detection mechanism 3 and particle monitoring and purging mechanism 4 of the valve under test 2. It is suitable for collecting the operating current of the actuator, the valve core position signal and the real-time data of the particle counter 401 of the valve under test 2 when the valve under test 2 is automatically cyclically opening and closing, and generating a test report.

[0043] refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 The housing 1 is a rectangular parallelepiped made of stainless steel, but it can also be made of other metals, or even a cube, cylinder, etc. There are no specific limitations here. The interior is hollow to form the test chamber 101. The first exhaust port 102 and the second exhaust port 103 are symmetrically arranged on a pair of side walls of the housing 1, or they can be located on the same side wall, two adjacent side walls, or the top wall. Similarly, the air inlet can also be located on the side wall or bottom wall of the housing 1, without specific limitations. The bottom wall of the test chamber 101 has a mounting position for installing and fixing the valve 2 to be tested. In this embodiment, the valve 2 to be tested is a vertical valve, but it can also be a vacuum isolation valve, etc. Any valve that needs to be tested for performance such as sealing, operational testing, and particle detection can be tested using the device of this embodiment.

[0044] The vacuum and detection mechanism also includes a support 302. The vacuum structure and the helium mass spectrometer leak detector 301 are both mounted on the support 302. The bottom of the support 302 is equipped with casters, which can easily move the vacuum structure and the helium mass spectrometer leak detector 301 to a position close to the housing 1, and then connect them to the first evacuation port 102.

[0045] The particle monitoring and purging mechanism 4 is located on the other side of the housing 1. In this embodiment, the particle counter 401 is a high-precision laser particle counter 401, which is used to monitor particles larger than 0.1μm. The gas path unit 402 includes a gas storage tank and a mass flow meter and a regulating valve connected to the gas storage tank. The gas storage tank contains high-purity nitrogen or clean dry air. The flow rate of high-purity nitrogen or clean dry air is controlled by the mass flow meter and the regulating valve.

[0046] The central control unit 5 is an integrated control cabinet, which is also equipped with casters at the bottom to facilitate movement to a position close to the housing 1. It is connected to the actuator of the valve under test 2, the vacuum and leak detection mechanism 3 and the particle monitoring and purging mechanism 4 via signal lines (such as EtherCAT, RS485), serving as the control center of the entire device.

[0047] Beneficial Effects: The valve testing device provided by this invention integrates a helium mass spectrometer leak detector 301 for leak rate detection of the valve under test 2, a particle counter 401 for detecting particles in the gas flowing out of the test chamber 101, and a central control mechanism 5 for operational break-in into a single device. All testing can be completed simply by clamping the valve under test 2 into the test chamber 101 once. This achieves fully automated linkage of leak detection, deep programmed break-in, and online particle monitoring, eliminating the need for manual process switching. The device boasts high integration, high testing efficiency, and minimal human error. Furthermore, the entire break-in process synchronously collects data on the operating current of the valve under test 2's actuator, valve core position signal, and particle concentration and size in the outflowing gas. This allows for simultaneous evaluation of the mechanical reliability and cleanliness of the valve under test 2, overcoming the drawbacks of fragmented and unrelated data from traditional methods. It achieves one-stop, comprehensive testing across all dimensions, accurately screening out sub-optimal valves 2 that meet sealing standards but fail to meet mechanical cleanliness standards, improving testing efficiency and factory inspection coverage, and reducing downtime losses for customer production lines.

[0048] The device provided by this invention completely isolates the gas paths of the two mechanisms by setting independent first and second extraction ports and an inlet on the housing, thus blocking media crosstalk at the source. Specifically, the helium mass spectrometer leak detector and the vacuum unit are only connected to the first extraction port, and the entire helium detection circuit is completely independent. When performing the helium leak detection process, only the first extraction port is used to draw a high vacuum, and the inlet is filled with helium tracer gas. The second extraction port and the particle counter path are completely closed and isolated. Purge nitrogen and particulate dust will not enter the helium mass spectrometer cavity, avoiding dust contamination of the mass spectrometer ion source and organic degassing to raise the helium background, ensuring the stability of the ultra-high vacuum benchmark for leak rate detection. During the break-in and particle detection stages, the valve group of the first extraction port is closed, and the helium mass spectrometer leak detector is physically disconnected from the test chamber. Nitrogen and friction particles inside the chamber will not flow back to the helium mass spectrometer, preventing residual dust and nitrogen from contaminating the core precision components of the helium detection system for a long time. High-purity nitrogen purging and particle sampling utilize only the second extraction port. Clean nitrogen is introduced into the gas path unit through the inlet, carrying particles generated by valve opening and closing friction, which are then discharged through the second extraction port to the particle counter. During dynamic particle testing and operational break-in phases, the first extraction port is closed, completely isolating the helium circuit. This eliminates the problem of helium mixing into the nitrogen purging flow field and prevents helium interference with the particle counter's optical lenses, thus avoiding scattering and counting distortion. During helium detection, the second extraction port valve is closed, cutting off the nitrogen purging circuit and preventing nitrogen dilution of the helium concentration in the test chamber, ensuring the quantitative accuracy of helium mass spectrometry leak rate detection. Furthermore, this device eliminates the need for prolonged baking and tens of hours of purging to remove helium after each process. The two detection circuits are independent of each other, completely resolving the problem of residual interference from media that prevents particle detection for extended periods after helium detection.

[0049] Because helium leak detection requires a static, vibration-free, ultra-high vacuum steady-state environment, while operational break-in requires tens of thousands of high-frequency reciprocating opening and closing cycles, continuous vibration, and continuous dust generation, these two processes cannot be carried out simultaneously. This device, however, relies on a central control mechanism with a pre-set break-in program to isolate time-sharing processes. The same test chamber switches operating conditions in stages to avoid conflicts: when in the helium leak detection process, the central control mechanism controls the valve driver to lock the valve core, keeping the valve in a fixed open / closed state without any mechanical movement. Only the vacuum and leak detection mechanisms are activated, drawing air through the first extraction port to the required ultra-high vacuum for leak detection, and then filling with helium to complete the leak rate detection. Throughout the process, there is no valve core friction, no vibration, and no particle generation. The chamber is in a static steady state, fully meeting the stringent requirements of helium mass spectrometry leak detection for baseline, airflow, and vibration, and eliminating issues of vibration drift and particle-induced background elevation. After the helium test is completed, the central control unit first closes the first extraction port and cuts off the helium mass spectrometer leak detection path; then, it controls the gas circuit unit to purge with high-purity nitrogen and opens the second extraction port to connect to the particle counter; subsequently, it calls the preset break-in program to drive the valve under test to automatically cycle open and close. During the dynamic motion phase, the helium test module is completely isolated, and vibration and friction particles are confined to the nitrogen purging circuit and will not be conducted or contaminated by the helium mass spectrometer; continuous nitrogen purging carries away the particles generated by the instantaneous friction of the valve core from the second extraction port in real time, and the particle counter synchronously collects dynamic particle data throughout the process, solving the defect of traditional offline particle sampling that can only detect statically and cannot capture instantaneously released particles; the central control unit synchronously collects the driver operating current and valve core position signal, and synchronously binds the particle count data to accurately establish the correspondence between opening and closing action, torque / current fluctuation, and instantaneous particle release, which can directly expose hidden defects that cannot be identified by traditional simple opening and closing tests, such as seal wear, opening and closing delay, and long-term fatigue. That is, this device no longer requires the three sets of tests to be carried out simultaneously, but executes them in stages and with isolated pathways, perfectly avoiding the physical conflict between static vacuum leak detection and dynamic high-frequency motion. It retains the advantages of integrated single-station operation while avoiding mutual interference between signals and the environment.

[0050] Furthermore, the helium testing fixture focuses on pressure sealing, the particle testing fixture focuses on thorough purging, and the break-in fixture focuses on torque drive support. These three fixtures are not interchangeable, making integration extremely difficult. This device uniformly installs the valve under test within a single test chamber, with a single clamping and positioning structure compatible with all three processes: During the helium testing stage, the fixture end face completely seals the valve flange, meeting the requirements for helium filling and high vacuum sealing; during the break-in stage, the fixture has a pre-reserved interface for the actuator, stably supporting the valve's high-frequency reciprocating opening and closing, and real-time acquisition of valve core position and drive current; during the particle detection stage, the fixture's internal cavity has no purging dead zones, and the high-purity nitrogen introduced through the inlet can completely flush the valve core and the friction area of ​​the seals, ensuring that all friction particles are carried by the airflow to the particle counter, with no particles remaining in the chamber. Therefore, this device eliminates the need to replace three independent fixtures, eliminating human error and clamping losses caused by multiple disassembly and assembly at separate workstations, while also reducing manual intervention and improving testing consistency.

[0051] Traditional discrete equipment uses three separate control systems for helium leak rate, particle count, and valve motion parameters. The data is uncorrelated, leading to significant errors in manual recording and making it impossible to pinpoint the root causes of leaks, excessive particle levels, and opening / closing failures. This device achieves synchronous data acquisition of all parameters through a central control unit: the controller is interconnected with the valve actuator, vacuum leak detection mechanism, and particle monitoring mechanism, unifying the timing of these three processes. During the break-in period, it synchronously collects three types of core data at millisecond levels: actuator operating current, valve core real-time position, and opening / closing response delay; real-time dynamic particle concentration from the particle counter; and full-domain leak rate data from previous helium detection records. It automatically integrates the helium leak rate, tens of thousands of opening / closing motion curves, and full-cycle dynamic particle release data for the same valve to generate a unique test report. This achieves full performance data binding and full traceability for a single valve, overcoming the shortcomings of traditional discrete testing methods that fragmented data, making it impossible to determine whether excessive particle levels are caused by seal wear or whether leakage worsens with fatigue operation, and allowing for early identification of valves in poor condition.

[0052] In one embodiment, the vacuum structure includes a rough vacuum pump unit 303 and a high vacuum pump unit 304. The rough vacuum pump unit 303 is adapted to perform a first vacuum pumping in the test chamber 101, and the high vacuum pump unit 304 is adapted to perform a second vacuum pumping in the test chamber 101. The helium mass spectrometer leak detector 301 is located on the front pipeline of the high vacuum pump unit 304.

[0053] Continue to refer to Figure 1 The rough vacuum pump unit 303 is a mechanical pump used to evacuate the test chamber 101 to a vacuum level of 1 Pa. The high vacuum pump unit 304 is a molecular pump unit used to further evacuate the test chamber 101 to a vacuum level of ≤1×10⁻⁶ Pa. -3 After reaching the required vacuum level (Pa), helium gas is applied to the valve 2 under test using a spray gun to detect the leak rate via a helium mass spectrometer leak detector 301. The bracket 302 has two support plates; the helium mass spectrometer leak detector 301 is mounted on the upper support plate, the roughing vacuum unit 303 is mounted on the lower support plate, and the high vacuum pump unit 304 is located on one side of the bracket 302. Alternatively, the roughing vacuum unit 303, the high vacuum pump unit 304, and the helium mass spectrometer leak detector 301 can all be arranged on separate layers on the bracket 302, resulting in a smaller overall footprint.

[0054] Because the internal space of the test chamber, the flow channels of the valve under test, and the pipe connections contain a large amount of air, water vapor, and adsorbed impurities, directly using a high-vacuum pump set for evacuation can easily cause pump overload, slow pumping speed, and persistently high background impurities. Therefore, a two-stage stepped evacuation process is designed: the coarse vacuum pump unit is independently connected to the first evacuation port of the test chamber. After the process starts, the central control mechanism first activates the coarse vacuum pump unit to directly and rapidly evacuate the test chamber under normal pressure. In a short time, it quickly extracts the normal-pressure air, most of the free water vapor, and suspended particles from the chamber, reducing the chamber pressure from normal pressure to the medium-low vacuum range (usually 1-10 Pa). This stage significantly reduces the total gas load in the chamber, preventing a large amount of normal-pressure gas from directly entering the high-vacuum pump set, preventing the high-vacuum molecular pump and ion pump from being damaged by impact or overload due to excessive pressure difference. At the same time, it removes suspended dust from the chamber in advance, reducing the wear and contamination caused by dust entering the precision vacuum components at the downstream end. Once the chamber pressure reaches the preset transfer threshold during the coarse evacuation stage, the central control unit switches the gas path valve group, closes the coarse evacuation pipeline, and starts the high-vacuum pump group to perform a second deep evacuation of the test chamber. The high-vacuum pump group has ultra-high vacuum evacuation capabilities, which can continuously strip trace amounts of water vapor and hydrocarbon degassing impurities adsorbed on the chamber wall, the sealing surface of the valve under test, and the surface of the metal flow channel, further evacuating the chamber pressure to the ultra-high vacuum range required for helium leak detection, thus creating a steady-state leak detection environment with low helium background and low impurity interference. The two-stage stepped vacuum evacuation forms a complete evacuation link of high-flow coarse degassing and fine deep desorption, solving the defects of slow evacuation speed, high pump wear, and high chamber background when a single-stage high-vacuum pump directly evacuates an atmospheric pressure chamber.

[0055] The industry standard typically connects the helium mass spectrometer leak detector to the side branch of the test chamber or the exhaust side of the high vacuum pump group. This application integrates the leak detector at the inlet front of the high vacuum pump group, which is located at the core sampling position between the test chamber and the high vacuum pump group. This has multiple structural advantages: the helium tracer gas that leaks into the chamber from the valve will first flow through the helium mass spectrometer leak detector in the front pipeline with the gas flow. At this time, the helium gas has not been compressed or diluted by the high vacuum pump, and the helium molecule concentration is completely preserved. The mass spectrometer can directly capture the original leak signal. If the leak detector is placed at the rear of the high vacuum pump, the concentration of helium gas will be greatly reduced after being compressed and mixed by the pump body. The signal of small leaks is easily masked by noise, which cannot meet the high-precision leak rate judgment standard of semiconductor valves. The high-vacuum pump unit continuously provides directional vacuum to the upstream pipeline, preventing the backflow of background helium from the external atmosphere and thus avoiding baseline rise due to environmental helium. Simultaneously, the two-stage vacuuming removes moisture and organic impurities from the chamber, ensuring high cleanliness of the gas flow into the leak detector. This significantly reduces the contamination rate of the mass spectrometer ion source, resulting in a substantial decrease in baseline drift during long-term testing and a significant improvement in data repeatability and stability. After coarse evacuation, the high-vacuum pump starts, rapidly bringing the chamber pressure close to the leak detection threshold. A stable directional gas flow is simultaneously formed in the upstream pipeline, allowing the helium mass spectrometer leak detector to continuously monitor the chamber vacuum and helium background in real time, eliminating the need for an additional bypass sampling valve or waiting for gas flow stabilization. Once the system determines that both the chamber vacuum and helium background meet the standards, the helium filling and leak detection process can be initiated immediately, eliminating the additional pipeline replacement and stabilization waiting steps required in traditional bypass leak detection structures, significantly shortening the detection cycle.

[0056] Traditional single-stage high-vacuum pumping solutions often require tens of minutes to reach the leak detection vacuum level in an atmospheric pressure chamber. This application first uses a coarse pump unit to quickly evacuate most of the gas, and then a high-vacuum pump to finely remove adsorbed impurities. The two-stage synergy can reduce the overall pumping time by more than 50%. Simultaneously, the direct-connected leak detector eliminates the need for additional bypass purging and replacement steps; leak rate testing can begin immediately after the vacuum standard is met. The entire helium testing process is significantly time-efficient, adapting to the capacity requirements of integrated equipment for batch full inspection. Helium mass spectrometry leak detection has stringent requirements for the chamber vacuum substrate and impurity content. Trace amounts of water vapor, dust, and hydrocarbon degassing can cause virtual leaks, leading to misjudgments of valve sealing performance. The two-stage vacuuming process handles the gas load in stages: coarse pumping removes free impurities, and the high-vacuum pump strips adsorbed contaminants from the surface. Combined with real-time monitoring of the background by the pre-stage leak detector, it can stably maintain a vacuum environment with an extremely low helium background, completely eliminating leak rate detection interference caused by chamber impurities. It accurately distinguishes between actual micro-leakage in the valve body and system background noise, preventing misjudgments of qualified valves and missed detections of sub-optimal leaking valves. The roughing unit handles all the high-flow-rate vacuum pumping at atmospheric pressure, preventing dust, water vapor, and large amounts of air from directly entering the high-vacuum pump unit and the helium mass spectrometer leak detector, forming the first line of defense. The high-vacuum pump unit blocks large particles from entering the leak detector's ion source, forming a secondary layer of protection. Compared to a single-stage vacuum pumping system with the leak detector located afterward, the probability of the molecular pump and the core precision components of the helium mass spectrometer being impacted by dust and water vapor is significantly reduced. The cleaning and replacement cycle of the ion source and pump body is extended, significantly reducing long-term equipment maintenance costs. When the equipment switches to the break-in or dynamic particle detection process, the central control mechanism can close the isolation valve between the first extraction port and the vacuum leak detection mechanism, completely physically isolating the two-stage vacuum unit, the helium mass spectrometer leak detector, and the test chamber. The two-stage vacuum unit can maintain a low vacuum standby state without repeated start-stop cycles or high-vacuum pumping. When switching back to the helium testing process, only a short-term fine-tuning of the vacuum level is needed to achieve the required level, eliminating the lengthy wait of re-vacuuming the entire unit. This allows for rapid switching between helium testing, break-in, and particle testing processes, balancing multi-process integration with stable equipment operation. The entire two-stage vacuuming and leak detection process is centrally controlled: automatic control of coarse pump start-up, coarse pump pressure threshold judgment, high-vacuum pump start-up and shutdown, real-time vacuum level monitoring, helium mass spectrometry background calibration, and leak rate acquisition are all executed automatically, eliminating the need for manual pump switching, vacuum instrument monitoring, or waiting for the vacuum level to reach the required level. This simplifies the operation process and avoids timing deviations and human error caused by manual judgment of vacuum points and manual operation of pipelines, improving testing consistency.

[0057] The test chamber 101 is evacuated once by the coarse vacuum pump unit 303 and the high vacuum pump unit 304, respectively, to ensure that the vacuum level in the test chamber 101 meets the test requirements. After the leak detection vacuum level is reached, the leak rate is detected by the helium mass spectrometer leak detector 301, which is more convenient and efficient.

[0058] In one embodiment, the vacuum and leak detection mechanism 3 is connected to the first air extraction port 102 via a first pipeline, and a first high vacuum isolation valve 6 is provided on the first pipeline.

[0059] The first extraction port 102 is equipped with a KF flange interface for easy and quick connection to the first pipeline. The length of the first pipeline can be flexibly adjusted according to the distance between the vacuum and leak detection mechanism 3 and the housing 1. When the coarse vacuum pump unit 303 performs a first vacuuming of the test chamber 101, the coarse vacuum valve is opened and the first high vacuum isolation valve 6 is closed. When the set threshold is reached, the coarse vacuum valve is closed, the first high vacuum isolation valve 6 is opened, and the high vacuum pump unit 304 is started to perform a second vacuuming of the test chamber 101.

[0060] The first pipeline, serving as a transit connection between the test chamber and the vacuum leak detection mechanism, is not a rigid direct connection structure. Its routing, bending length, and installation height can be flexibly adjusted according to the overall assembly space, particle monitoring mechanism, drive module, and control cabinet layout requirements, without being constrained by the installation locations of the valve under test, the two-stage vacuum unit, or the helium mass spectrometer leak detector. Traditional integrated equipment often directly flange-connects the vacuum unit to the test chamber, resulting in a compact stacking of components and limited space for disassembly and assembly during later maintenance, replacement of the helium mass spectrometer, and maintenance of the high-vacuum pump unit. This application, through the first pipeline transition, allows the large, regularly maintained coarse pump unit, high-vacuum pump unit, and helium mass spectrometer leak detector to be placed in unused areas such as the side or bottom of the casing, reserving the test chamber area for valve clamping and drive unit installation. The internal space of the equipment is clearly divided, facilitating later operation and maintenance. During the break-in period, the high-frequency opening and closing of the valve under test generates continuous impact vibrations. These vibrations can be directly transmitted through rigid flanges to precision components such as the high-vacuum pump, the quadrupole, and the ion source inside the helium mass spectrometer leak detector, causing mass spectrometer reading drift and wear on the molecular pump bearings. The first pipeline has a certain buffer length, which can absorb and attenuate the mechanical vibrations generated at the end of the test chamber, preventing the vibrations from being directly transmitted to the core precision components of the vacuum leak detector, thus ensuring the long-term stable detection accuracy of the helium mass spectrometer leak detector.

[0061] The first high-vacuum isolation valve is located in the middle of the first pipeline, between the test chamber and the two-stage vacuum unit and helium mass spectrometer leak detector. It is the core control component that achieves physical isolation between the helium detection circuit and the test chamber. The central control mechanism can programmatically drive the valve to open and close, precisely switching the circuit connection status. After the helium detection process is completed, the system automatically closes the first high-vacuum isolation valve, completely physically isolating the vacuum leak detection mechanism from the test chamber, forming two independent closed spaces: during the break-in period, high-purity nitrogen is continuously purged into the test chamber through the inlet, and the valve opening and closing friction generates a large number of solid particles. Without the isolation valve, nitrogen and dust would flow back into the high-vacuum pump unit and the helium mass spectrometer leak detector, contaminating the ion source and molecular pump blades. After the isolation valve is closed, nitrogen and particles can only flow from the second exhaust port to the particle counter, and cannot enter the vacuum leak detection circuit at all, thus preventing cross-contamination of media at the hardware level. The vibrations generated by the valve's tens of thousands of high-frequency opening and closing cycles, and the airflow disturbances within the chamber caused by nitrogen purging, are completely blocked by the isolation valve and will not be transmitted to the helium mass spectrometer or high-vacuum pump, thus avoiding mass spectrometry baseline drift and pump resonance losses. After the isolation valve is closed, the two-stage vacuum unit and the helium mass spectrometer leak detector can maintain a low-vacuum standby state without the need for shutdown and depressurization. When switching back to the helium leak detection process, only the isolation valve needs to be opened and the chamber vacuum level finely adjusted to meet the leak detection standard, saving the tens of minutes of waiting time for the entire machine to be re-evacuated to a high vacuum, and significantly improving the overall cycle time of multi-stage continuous testing. When the valve under test is replaced or manually clamped, the test chamber is opened to connect with the atmosphere. At this time, the first high-vacuum isolation valve remains closed, preventing atmospheric, ambient water vapor, and background helium in the air from back-entering the two-stage vacuum unit and the helium mass spectrometer leak detector, preventing atmospheric impurities from raising the background of the vacuum unit, avoiding the need for long baking and removal of adsorbed water vapor after each component replacement, and reducing the pre-treatment time before startup.

[0062] The first pipeline enables effective connection between the vacuum and leak detection mechanism 3 and the test chamber 101, and the installation position of the vacuum and leak detection mechanism 3 can be flexibly adjusted. The first high vacuum isolation valve 6 can precisely control the connection status between the vacuum and leak detection mechanism 3 and the test chamber 101, making it convenient to switch the connection between different mechanisms and the test chamber 101.

[0063] In one embodiment, the particle monitoring and purging mechanism 4 is connected to the second air extraction port 103 via a second pipeline, and a second high-vacuum isolation valve 7 is provided on the second pipeline.

[0064] The second exhaust port 103 is equipped with a KF flange interface to facilitate quick connection with the second pipeline. The length of the second pipeline can be flexibly adjusted according to the distance between the particle monitoring and purging mechanism 4 and the housing 1. After the leak detection is qualified, a small amount of clean gas is introduced into the test chamber 101, the first high vacuum isolation valve 6 is closed, the second high vacuum isolation valve 7 is opened, and the particle counter 401 is started.

[0065] The second pipeline serves as a transit channel between the test chamber and the particle counter and purge gas unit. Its length, bends, and installation height can be freely adjusted according to the internal space of the equipment, the arrangement of the vacuum leak detection unit, and the valve servo drive module, eliminating the need to rigidly attach the particle counter and nitrogen pressure regulating and purification unit to the test chamber. Traditional integrated testing equipment often directly flange-connects the particle sampling device to the chamber, resulting in large optical counting heads and nitrogen filters that encroach on valve clamping and actuator installation space, making disassembly and assembly of the valves under test and maintenance fixtures extremely inconvenient. This application utilizes the second pipeline as a space transition, allowing the particle counter and high-purity nitrogen purification module to be arranged in unused areas such as the side or bottom of the equipment. The test chamber area retains only the clamping fixtures and drive mechanism, resulting in clear equipment zoning. Simultaneously, the particle counter, being a precision optical component, is kept away from vibration sources generated by the vacuum unit and valve opening and closing, reducing mechanical vibration interference to the optical lens path. During the break-in phase, high-purity nitrogen is introduced through the inlet to flush the internal friction area of ​​the valve under test. The airflow carrying particles is then delivered to the particle counter via a second pipeline. This second pipeline has a certain volume buffering capacity, which can eliminate airflow pulses and pressure fluctuations during the high-frequency opening and closing of the valve, keeping the flow rate and pressure of the purge airflow entering the particle counter constant. If a short, rigid, direct-connection pipeline is used, the impact of valve opening and closing will cause instantaneous airflow pulsation, making the scattering medium in the optical cell unstable, resulting in fluctuating particle counts and poor data repeatability. After buffering and stabilizing the pressure in the second pipeline, the flow field is uniform and stable, enabling accurate capture of the trace particles released during valve opening and closing, avoiding data distortion caused by pulsed airflow.

[0066] The second high-vacuum isolation valve is located in the middle section of the second pipeline, between the test chamber and the particle monitoring and purging mechanism. It is opened and closed by a central control unit to precisely isolate / connect the particle sampling circuit. After completing the helium leak detection process and closing the first high-vacuum isolation valve, the system automatically opens the second high-vacuum isolation valve, ensuring complete connection between the test chamber, particle counter, and nitrogen purging gas path. A constant flow of high-purity clean nitrogen is introduced into the gas path unit through the inlet, flushing the valve core and sealing friction interface of the valve under test. The mixed gas flow carrying friction particles is stably delivered to the particle counter via the second extraction port and the second pipeline. The equipment synchronously collects real-time particle concentration throughout the process. The isolation valve adopts a full-bore, non-reduced structure, preventing particle trapping within the pipeline and avoiding airflow eddies. All dynamically released particles are completely delivered to the detection unit, ensuring no dynamic instantaneous particles are missed. During the helium leak detection stage, the test chamber is filled with high-pressure tracer helium. Without the second high-vacuum isolation valve, the helium would flow back into the particle counter's optical cavity along the second pipeline. Helium molecules can alter the refractive index of the laser scattering medium, causing falsely high counts. Furthermore, helium readily adheres to the inner walls of optical lenses, requiring tens of hours of high-purity nitrogen purging for removal; long-term residue can permanently degrade optical components. The isolation valve completely cuts off the helium flow path, preventing helium contamination of the particle detection system. Solid particles generated by nitrogen purging and valve friction are trapped in the particle-side pipeline by the isolation valve, preventing them from entering the test chamber and flowing into the vacuum leak detection mechanism in the first pipeline. This avoids increasing the background noise of the helium mass spectrometer leak detector, prevents dust contamination of the molecular pump and mass spectrometer ion source, and ensures a stable ultra-high vacuum environment for helium detection. After the isolation valve is closed, the particle counter and nitrogen purification pipeline can maintain a slightly positive pressure of clean nitrogen in standby mode, without the need for depressurization or venting. After the helium detection process is completed, dynamic particle detection can be immediately initiated by quickly opening the isolation valve, eliminating the waiting time for replacing the pipeline with clean nitrogen and stabilizing the airflow, thus improving the continuous detection cycle time.

[0067] The second pipeline enables effective connection between the particle monitoring and purging mechanism 4 and the test chamber 101, and allows for flexible adjustment of the installation position of the particle monitoring and purging mechanism 4. The second high-vacuum isolation valve 7 can precisely control the connection status between the particle monitoring and purging mechanism 4 and the test chamber 101, facilitating the switching of different mechanisms and the connection between the test chamber 101.

[0068] In one embodiment, the central control unit 5 includes an industrial computer 501, a programmable logic controller 502, and a data acquisition card 503. The industrial computer 501 is communicatively connected to the actuator of the valve under test 2, the vacuum and leak detection mechanism 3, the particle monitoring and purging mechanism 4, the first high vacuum isolation valve 6, and the second high vacuum isolation valve 7. The data acquisition card 503 is used to acquire the operating current of the actuator of the valve under test 2, the valve core position signal, and the real-time data of the particle counter 401.

[0069] refer to Figure 1 and Figure 3The data acquisition card 503, industrial computer 501, and programmable logic controller 502 are arranged sequentially from top to bottom on the integrated control cabinet and separated by partitions. The industrial computer 501 is an industrial computer with pre-stored standardized valve break-in programs. This program can control the valve under test 2 to automatically open and close at a set speed, acceleration, residence time, and number of cycles. During the break-in process, it records and plots the drive current-time curve and valve core position-time curve in real time. The data acquisition card 503 is used to acquire the real-time current of the actuator and encoder signal of the valve under test 2.

[0070] The programmable logic controller (PLC) has a built-in editable motion control program. Operators can input parameters through the industrial control computer's interactive interface to freely set the single opening and closing speed, opening and holding time, closing and holding time, single opening and closing stroke, total number of cycles, and opening and closing interval pause time of the valve under test. It can also be set in segments for complex operating conditions such as variable speed opening and closing, intermittent start and stop, and alternating high and low frequency actions, perfectly matching the actual working logic of vacuum valves on production lines such as wafer etching, thin film deposition, and panel evaporation. The data acquisition card, as high-precision signal acquisition hardware, independently interfaces with both valve drivers and particle counters, enabling millisecond-level synchronous sampling of multiple analog and digital signals, solving the problems of signal asynchrony between multiple devices and loss of dynamic instantaneous data. The industrial control computer, as the upper-level management hub, communicates bidirectionally with the PLC, data acquisition card, vacuum leak detector, and particle counter, undertaking functions such as overall machine scheduling, human-machine operation, data storage, and traceability report generation. The entire helium testing, working condition break-in, and dynamic particle testing process is automatically executed in a closed loop by a three-layer control system. There is no need for manual switching of workstations, connection of pipelines, or recording of data. The manual operation time for testing a single valve is reduced by more than 90%, which is suitable for the large-volume full inspection needs of valve manufacturers. Compared with separate multi-workstation testing lines, the testing capacity is significantly improved with the same space and manpower.

[0071] The programmable logic controller 502 can customize the opening and closing speed and cycle count of the valve under test 2, simulating real production line conditions. Tens of thousands of cycles can expose hidden defects in the valve under test 2 in advance, which is different from traditional simple opening and closing tests. The central control unit 5 uniformly manages all equipment, and the test data is bound to the unique valve identifier, automatically generating a complete and traceable electronic report, eliminating paper records, data silos, and human error.

[0072] In one embodiment, the gas path unit 402 is connected to the air inlet via a third pipeline, and the gas path unit 402 is adapted to inject a constant flow of high-purity nitrogen or clean dry air into the test chamber 101 before or during particle monitoring.

[0073] When in use, different background gas conditions can be selected for break-in and particle monitoring according to the application scenario of the valve 2 under test, including high vacuum environment and constant flow clean gas flow environment, to simulate the real airflow environment and carry particles into the particle counter 401.

[0074] The gas supply circuit does not share pipelines with the vacuum leak detection circuit or particle sampling circuit. The high-purity nitrogen / clean, dry air introduced enters the test chamber in only one direction and will not directly flow back into the helium mass spectrometer leak detector or the particle counter optical cavity. Coupled with the time-locked sequence of the first and second high-vacuum isolation valves, this completely eliminates the bidirectional cross-contamination of precision detection elements by tracer helium and purging carrier gas. The gas supply unit is an integrated clean gas supply module, including a multi-stage precision filtration unit, a pressure regulation module, a high-precision mass flow meter, a media switching solenoid valve, and a bypass pressure relief branch. After completing the helium leak detection process and closing the first high-vacuum isolation valve, the system first starts the gas supply unit to introduce a constant flow of clean carrier gas to pre-purge the test chamber and the internal flow channels of the valve under test for an extended period. After the pre-purge meets the standards, the PLC initiates tens of thousands of automatic cycle opening and closing cycles of the valve under test. The gas supply unit continuously maintains a constant flow of gas, and the clean carrier gas continuously flushes all moving parts that rub against each other, such as the valve core, seals, bellows, and valve stem.

[0075] The rough vacuum pump unit 303, the high vacuum pump unit 304, and the gas path unit 402 share the same test chamber 101, enabling simultaneous detection of motion and particles, thus solving the problem of poor representativeness in traditional multi-station disassembly and assembly and offline testing. Injecting a constant flow of high-purity nitrogen or clean, dry air as a background gas into the test chamber 101 before or during particle monitoring facilitates a more convenient evaluation of the cleanliness of the valve 2 under test.

[0076] In one embodiment, the test chamber 101 is provided with a transparent observation window 104 at the top, and / or the housing 1 is provided on the support frame 8, and the air passage unit 402 is provided on the support frame 8.

[0077] The transparent observation window 104 can cover the entire top wall of the test chamber 101, or only a portion of it; there are no specific limitations, as long as the valve core operating status of the valve under test 2 can be clearly observed. Tempered glass, which has high strength, can be used as the observation window, or high-transmittance glass or acrylic sheet can be used. The support frame 8 is constructed of profiles, forming a metal frame structure. Its top area is slightly larger than the bottom wall area of ​​the housing 1, to facilitate stable placement of the housing 1 on the support frame 8. The gas path unit 402 is located on the side wall of the support frame 8 near the bottom wall. The third pipeline can be housed inside the support frame 8 for a neater overall appearance. Because the central control mechanism 5 and the vacuum and leak detection mechanism 3 have a certain vertical height, a support frame 8 is added to increase the height of the housing 1, facilitating the connection between the first suction port 102, the second suction port 103, the vacuum and leak detection mechanism 3, and the particle counter 401.

[0078] The observation window is located at the top of the test chamber, providing a top-down view of the valve core, stem, and core area of ​​the sealing friction pair of the valve under test. With no pipework or tooling obstructing the view, there are no blind spots, allowing for complete capture of the entire valve core opening and closing process. During the pre-purging and helium detection pretreatment stages, the observation window allows observation of airflow disturbances and dust suspension within the chamber, enabling assessment of the purging flow rate and chamber cleanliness standards. This reduces unnecessary prolonged purging, saves high-purity nitrogen and vacuuming energy, and lowers consumable operating costs. The support frame uniformly supports all components of the chamber, vacuum system, and gas path, and features a vibration-damping structure to reduce vibration interference with the helium mass spectrometer and optical particle counter. The gas path unit independently supports the chamber flanges without straining them, ensuring no micro-leakage during long-term operation and maintaining a stable baseline for high-precision helium leak detection.

[0079] The transparent observation window 104 allows for easy observation of the operating status of the valve core of the valve under test 2 inside the test chamber 101; the support frame 8 is used to support and fix the test chamber 101, various components and pipelines, and facilitates connection with other mechanisms.

[0080] In one embodiment, the test chamber 101 is provided with a vacuum flange interface 105, and the vacuum flange interface 105 is connected to a blind flange 106, which is suitable for installing the valve 2 to be tested.

[0081] refer to Figure 2 The vacuum flange interface 105 is located in the center of the bottom wall of the test chamber 101. The blind flange 106 is connected to the vacuum flange interface 105. The valve to be tested 2 is installed on the blind flange 106 for easy disassembly and assembly. The specifications of the blind flange 106 can be flexibly adjusted according to the type of valve to be tested 2, and no specific restrictions are imposed here.

[0082] The blind flange is an independent, detachable fixture. One side has a sealing surface that perfectly matches the vacuum flange of the test chamber, while the other side has multiple sets of standardized mounting threaded holes and positioning steps for locking and fixing valves of different diameters and flange types. During installation, open the test chamber door, remove the blind flange, and on a clean bench, bolt the valve to be tested to the outside of the blind flange to complete valve positioning and sealing checks, keeping it away from the inside of the test chamber throughout the process. Move the blind flange with the pre-installed valve into the test chamber, aligning the inner sealing surface with the vacuum flange interface of the chamber, and evenly tighten the flange fastening bolts to complete the overall sealing assembly. After all testing procedures are completed, loosen the flange fasteners and remove the blind flange and the valve to be tested together as a whole. Then, disassemble the valve on an external clean bench. The chamber does not need to come into contact with the dust generated during the entire process.

[0083] The valve 2 to be tested is installed on the vacuum flange interface 105 via the blind flange 106, making disassembly and assembly more convenient.

[0084] On the other hand, a detection method using a valve detection device is also provided, comprising the following steps: Install the valve under test 2 in the test chamber 101, and connect the actuator of the valve under test 2 to the central control mechanism 5. After the test chamber 101 is evacuated to a predetermined vacuum level, helium gas is applied to the valve 2 to be tested, and the leak rate is detected by the helium mass spectrometer leak detector 301. After the leak test is passed, clean gas is introduced into the test chamber 101, the particle counter 401 is started, and the valve under test 2 is controlled to automatically cycle open and close. The particle counter 401 continuously monitors the particle concentration and size distribution in the gas flowing out of the test chamber 101. The central control mechanism 5 synchronously records the current of the actuator of the valve under test 2 and the valve core position signal, integrates all data and displays them in real time, and generates a test report.

[0085] refer to Figure 4 The specific detection methods include: Install the valve under test 2 onto the vacuum flange interface 105 in the test chamber 101, and connect the control line of the actuator of the valve under test 2 to the central control mechanism 5. Close the first high vacuum isolation valve 6 and the second high vacuum isolation valve 7, and start the coarse vacuum pumping unit 303 to perform a vacuum pumping in the test chamber 101, that is, to pump a low vacuum, so that the pressure in the test chamber 101 reaches about 1 Pa.

[0086] Close the roughing valve, open the first high-vacuum isolation valve 6, and start the high-vacuum pump unit 304 to evacuate the test chamber 101 to a high vacuum, ensuring that the pressure inside the test chamber 101 is ≤1×10⁻⁶. -3 Pa. After reaching the required vacuum level for leak detection, a helium spray gun is used to scan for suspected leaks in valve 2, and a helium mass spectrometer leak detector 301 measures the leak rate. The data is then transmitted to the central control unit 5. If the leak rate is acceptable, for example, <1×10⁻⁶ Pa, the leak rate is considered acceptable. -9 Pa·m³ / s, proceed to the next step.

[0087] The first high-vacuum isolation valve 6 is closed, and the second high-vacuum isolation valve 7 and gas circuit unit 402 are opened to introduce high-purity nitrogen gas into the test chamber 101 at a constant flow rate, for example, 1 slm. Simultaneously, the particle counter 401 is activated. The central control unit 5 calls the preset standard break-in program to control the valve under test 2 with set parameters, such as 10 cycles per minute, and begins automatic cyclic opening and closing, completing 20,000 cycles. During the break-in process, the particle counter 401 continuously monitors the particle concentration and size distribution in the gas flowing out of the test chamber 101. The data acquisition card 503 synchronously records the current of the actuator and the valve core position signal of the valve under test 2. The operating unit integrates all data and displays it in real time.

[0088] After the break-in process is completed, the central control unit 5 automatically analyzes the data throughout the process, integrates all data, curves and judgment results, and generates a PDF test report containing the unique identification code of the valve under test 2, i.e., an "electronic birth certificate".

[0089] Beneficial Effects: The detection method using a valve testing device provided by this invention integrates three key testing processes—leak detection, break-in, and particle testing—into a single platform. All tests can be completed with a single clamping of the valve under test (2), significantly improving testing efficiency and reducing manual intervention and errors. The programmed deep break-in process fully exposes potential defects in the mechanical structure of the valve under test (2) before it leaves the factory, such as jamming, abnormal noise, and motor overload, ensuring the quality of the delivered valve (2). Particle monitoring is performed simultaneously with the valve break-in process, accurately reflecting the particle release level caused by friction and collision during dynamic operation of the valve (2). The data is more representative and convincing than offline sampling inspection.

[0090] The specific steps for evacuating the test chamber 101 are as follows: The central control unit first turns on the coarse vacuum pump to directly and quickly evacuate the test chamber under normal pressure. Within a predetermined time, the normal pressure air, free water vapor, and suspended particles in the test chamber are extracted, causing the chamber pressure to drop from normal pressure to the medium-low vacuum range. When the chamber pressure reaches the preset transfer threshold during the coarse evacuation stage, the central control unit switches the gas circuit valve group, closes the coarse evacuation pipeline, and starts the high vacuum pump group to carry out a second deep evacuation of the test chamber, further evacuating the chamber pressure to the ultra-high vacuum range required for helium leak detection.

[0091] In one embodiment, the central control unit 5 automatically analyzes the data from the entire process and integrates it to generate a test report containing the unique identification code of the valve 2 under test.

[0092] The test report includes the valve serial number, leak detection results, total number of run-in cycles, current curve of the last cycle, and total number of particles released (statistically categorized by size). The test report is automatically stored and uploaded to the server.

[0093] The central control unit automatically analyzes data throughout the entire process, including: automatically extracting steady-state helium leak rate values, comparing them with preset leak rate acceptable thresholds, and marking them as acceptable / minor leak / serious leak levels; simultaneously analyzing the vacuuming curve to identify equipment interference factors such as abnormal cavity sealing and minor leaks in tooling flanges, distinguishing between valve body leakage and clamping system errors; automatically traversing tens of thousands of opening and closing current and valve core position curves, automatically identifying long-term operating trends such as gradually increasing opening and closing current, continuously expanding valve core offset, and longer single opening and closing delays, and automatically marking the presence of transmission wear and increased sealing friction. The system detects sub-optimal valve performance; it also tracks the number of overload and jamming failures and their corresponding cycle nodes; it automatically deducts the baseline particle value from the pre-purge chamber, extracts the dynamic particle peak value, average release concentration, and the upward trend with the number of cycles, and automatically determines whether particle release exceeds the standard; it accurately correlates the valve core opening and closing actions corresponding to the particle peak value to locate the source of frictional dust generation; and it automatically provides a comprehensive valve quality inspection conclusion (qualified / mildly sub-optimal / unqualified) by combining three core indicators: leakage rate, mechanical durability, and dynamic particles, while simultaneously marking the time interval and original curve position corresponding to each unqualified indicator for easy and rapid subsequent review.

[0094] During testing, the system automatically collects, correlates, and records all raw data and curves from the testing process, generating a unique electronic report. This provides an immutable data foundation for quality traceability, failure analysis, and process improvement, greatly enhancing product quality reputation and customer trust.

[0095] In one embodiment, the data includes leak detection results, number of break-in cycles, drive current curve, total number of particles released, and size distribution curve.

[0096] Whether the drive current curve is stable can be judged by observing whether there are any abnormal peaks in the curve. The number of break-in cycles can be 20,000, or it can be adjusted according to the type of valve 2 to be tested.

[0097] Traditional testing only records the final single-point values ​​(single-time leakage rate, single-time opening and closing current, static particle concentration), which cannot capture the gradual deterioration of valves over tens of thousands of operations. This device relies on continuous curves and segmented cyclic node data to capture latent changes such as slow wear and sudden anomalies, and can identify sub-healthy valves that are qualified in the short term but prone to failure in the long term. If the particle level increases instantaneously, but the drive current does not fluctuate and the leak detection rate is stable, it is likely due to residual impurities in the cavity tooling, rather than a defect in the valve itself. If the current and particle level deteriorate synchronously and continuously, and the leak rate increases synchronously, it can be determined that the valve's internal structure has failed due to fatigue, which greatly reduces the probability of misjudgment and missed detection.

[0098] The collection of the above parameters makes the detection of valve 2 under test more accurate, breaking the drawbacks of traditional data being fragmented and unrelated.

[0099] The device in this embodiment can automatically and continuously complete the following tasks after the valve under test 2 is clamped once: leak detection, deep programmed break-in under simulated working conditions, and online particle release monitoring during the break-in process. It generates a complete and traceable electronic report, achieving a "full body check" of the valve before it leaves the factory. This fully automated linkage of leak detection, deep programmed break-in, and online particle monitoring eliminates the need for manual process switching. The device allows for customized opening and closing speeds and cycle counts to simulate real production line conditions, exposing hidden valve defects in advance through tens of thousands of cycles, unlike traditional simplified opening and closing tests. The central control unit 5 centrally manages all equipment, binds test data to the valve's unique identifier, and automatically generates a complete and traceable electronic report, eliminating paper records, data silos, and human error.

[0100] When a valve failure occurs on the production line, a refined failure analysis is conducted based on tens of thousands of dynamic raw curves in the report. The refined failure analysis includes: if the feedback valve leaks beyond the standard after a period of use, the original leak rate curve of the helium detection is retrieved to distinguish whether there is micro-leakage at the factory or long-term sealing fatigue failure; if wafer particle contamination occurs on the production line, the particle release curve of the entire break-in cycle is checked to determine whether there is excessive friction dust at the factory stage or dust generation induced by on-site operating conditions; if the valve is stuck when opening and closing, the drive current and valve core position curves of the entire factory process are compared to identify whether there are hidden defects at the factory.

[0101] Although embodiments of the invention have been described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, those skilled in the art can make various modifications and variations without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and such modifications and variations all fall within the scope defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A detection device for valves, characterized in that, include: The housing (1) has a test chamber (101), a first air extraction port (102), a second air extraction port (103) and an air inlet, wherein the test chamber (101) is suitable for installing the valve (2) to be tested. The vacuum and leak detection mechanism (3) is connected to the first air extraction port (102) and includes a vacuum structure suitable for evacuating the test chamber (101) and a helium mass spectrometer leak detector (301) suitable for leak detection of the valve (2) under test. The particle monitoring and purging mechanism (4) includes a particle counter (401) adapted to detect particles in the gas flowing out of the test chamber (101) and a gas path unit (402) adapted to inject purging gas into the test chamber (101). The particle counter (401) is connected to the second air extraction port (103), and the gas path unit (402) is connected to the air inlet. The central control mechanism (5) stores a preset break-in program to control the automatic cyclic opening and closing of the valve under test (2). The central control mechanism (5) is communicatively connected to the driver of the valve under test (2), the vacuum and leak detection mechanism (3), and the particle monitoring and purging mechanism (4). It is suitable for controlling the first extraction port (102) to open, the second extraction port (103) and the inlet to close during helium leak detection, so that the valve under test (2) remains fixed and completely sealed. When the valve under test (2) automatically cyclically opens and closes, it controls the first extraction port (102) to close, the second extraction port (103) and the inlet to open, reserves a driver interface for the valve under test (2), collects the operating current of the driver of the valve under test (2), the valve core position signal and the real-time data of the particle counter (401), and generates a test report.

2. The valve testing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The vacuum structure includes a coarse vacuum pump unit (303) and a high vacuum pump unit (304). The coarse vacuum pump unit (303) is adapted to perform a first vacuum in the test chamber (101), and the high vacuum pump unit (304) is adapted to perform a second vacuum in the test chamber (101). The helium mass spectrometer leak detector (301) is located on the front pipeline of the high vacuum pump unit (304).

3. The valve testing device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The rough vacuum pump unit (303) is a mechanical pump used to evacuate the test chamber (101) to a vacuum level of 1 Pa. The high vacuum pump unit (304) is a molecular pump unit used to further evacuate the test chamber (101) to a vacuum level less than or equal to 1 × 10⁻⁶ Pa. -3 Pa.

4. The valve testing device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The vacuum and leak detection mechanism (3) is connected to the first air extraction port (102) through the first pipeline, and the first high vacuum isolation valve (6) is provided on the first pipeline.

5. The valve testing device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The particle monitoring and purging mechanism (4) is connected to the second air extraction port (103) through the second pipeline, and the second pipeline is equipped with a second high vacuum isolation valve (7).

6. The valve testing device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The central control unit (5) includes an industrial computer (501), a programmable logic controller (502), and a data acquisition card (503). The industrial computer (501) is communicatively connected to the driver of the valve under test (2), the vacuum and leak detection mechanism (3), the particle monitoring and purging mechanism (4), the first high vacuum isolation valve (6), and the second high vacuum isolation valve (7). The data acquisition card (503) is used to collect the operating current of the driver of the valve under test (2), the valve core position signal, and the real-time data of the particle counter (401).

7. The valve testing device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, The gas path unit (402) is connected to the air inlet through a third pipeline. The gas path unit (402) is adapted to inject a constant flow of high-purity nitrogen or clean dry air into the test chamber (101) before or during particle monitoring.

8. The valve testing device according to claim 7, characterized in that, The test chamber (101) is provided with a transparent observation window (104) at the top, and / or the housing (1) is provided on the support frame (8), and the air circuit unit (402) is provided on the support frame (8).

9. The valve testing device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, The test chamber (101) is provided with a vacuum flange interface (105), and the vacuum flange interface (105) is connected to a blind flange (106), which is suitable for installing the valve (2) to be tested.

10. A detection method using the valve detection device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Install the valve to be tested (2) in the test chamber (101) and connect the actuator of the valve to be tested (2) to the central control mechanism (5) for communication. The test chamber (101) is evacuated to a predetermined vacuum level. Then, helium gas is applied to the valve (2) under test, and the leak rate is detected by a helium mass spectrometer leak detector (301). After the leak test is passed, clean gas is introduced into the test chamber (101), the particle counter (401) is started, and the valve under test (2) is controlled to automatically cycle open and close. The particle counter (401) continuously monitors the particle concentration and size distribution in the gas flowing out of the test chamber (101). The central control mechanism (5) synchronously records the current of the actuator of the valve under test (2) and the valve core position signal, integrates all data and displays them in real time, and generates a test report.

11. The detection method according to claim 10, characterized in that, The specific steps for evacuating the test chamber (101) are as follows: The central control unit first turns on the coarse vacuum pump unit to directly and quickly remove the test chamber under normal pressure. Within a predetermined time, the normal pressure air, free water vapor and suspended particles in the test chamber are extracted, so that the chamber pressure drops from normal pressure to the medium and low vacuum range. Once the chamber pressure reaches the preset transfer threshold during the roughing stage, the central control mechanism switches the gas path valve group, closes the roughing pipeline, starts the high vacuum pump group, and performs a second deep evacuation of the test chamber to further pump the chamber pressure to the ultra-high vacuum range required for helium leak detection.

12. The detection method according to claim 10, characterized in that, The central control unit (5) automatically analyzes the data throughout the process and integrates it to generate a test report containing the unique identification code of the valve (2) under test.

13. The detection method according to claim 12, characterized in that, The central control unit (5) automatically analyzes the data throughout the process, including: The central control unit automatically extracts the steady-state helium leak rate value, compares it with the preset leak rate qualification threshold, and marks it according to the level; it simultaneously analyzes the vacuuming curve, identifies equipment interference factors, and distinguishes between valve body leakage and clamping system error; it automatically traverses the full curve of tens of thousands of opening and closing currents and valve core positions, and automatically identifies long-term operating trends; it automatically marks sub-healthy valves with transmission wear and increased sealing friction; it simultaneously counts the number of overload and jamming faults and their corresponding cycle nodes; it automatically deducts the baseline particle value of the pre-purge chamber, extracts the dynamic particle peak value, average release concentration, and the upward trend with the number of cycles, and automatically determines whether particle release exceeds the standard; it correlates the valve core opening and closing actions corresponding to the particle peak value to locate the source of friction dust generation.

14. The detection method according to claim 12, characterized in that, The data includes leak detection results, number of break-in cycles, drive current curve, total number of particles released, and size distribution curve.

15. The detection method according to any one of claims 10 to 14, characterized in that, When a valve failure occurs on the production line, a refined failure analysis is conducted based on tens of thousands of dynamic raw curves in the report. The refined failure analysis includes: if the feedback valve leaks beyond the standard after a period of use, the original leak rate curve of the helium detection is retrieved to distinguish whether there is micro-leakage at the factory or long-term sealing fatigue failure; if wafer particle contamination occurs on the production line, the particle release curve of the entire break-in cycle is checked to determine whether there is excessive friction dust at the factory stage or dust generation induced by on-site operating conditions; if the valve is stuck when opening and closing, the drive current and valve core position curves of the entire factory process are compared to identify whether there are hidden defects at the factory.

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