Control Plate Flow Paths for High-Conductance Valve Shut-Off
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fluid control valves face challenges in achieving high conductance while maintaining leak-tight shut-off and proportional control, especially in applications requiring high purity and fast acting proportional control, such as semiconductor manufacturing.
Innovation Solution
A high purity fluid control valve design featuring a moveable control plate with flow-through passages, including radial and axial fluid paths, that allows for nested orifice ridges to increase conductance with minimal actuator movement, ensuring efficient fluid flow and shut-off by using a continuous uninterrupted flat portion to bridge orifice segments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If a traditional valve design is used, then the structure is simple, but the conductance is limited and dead space is large
Solution Approach 1:
The valve seat is segmented into multiple orifice ridge segments arranged radially around the valve chamber. Each segment creates a separate flow path, increasing total conductance while allowing the control plate to seal against multiple segments simultaneously. This segmentation enables high conductance without requiring a single large opening that would compromise sealing capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The design transitions from a single-plane sealing approach to a three-dimensional sealing geometry where the control plate seals against radially arranged orifice ridge segments. The control plate has a sealing surface that contacts multiple segments at different radial positions, effectively utilizing radial dimension to increase conductance while maintaining sealing integrity through axial movement of the control plate.
2Quantity of substance
If the valve is designed for high conductance, then fluid flow is improved, but the actuator movement required increases
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the valve seat into multiple radially arranged orifice ridge segments, the total conductance is increased through parallel flow paths. The control plate seals against multiple segments simultaneously with a single axial movement, eliminating the need for increased actuator travel distance that would be required if a single large opening were used to achieve the same conductance.
Solution Approach 2:
The orifice ridge segments are nested radially around the valve chamber, with each segment creating a flow path. The control plate is positioned to seal against all segments simultaneously through its radial extent. This nested arrangement allows high conductance through multiple concentric flow paths while the control plate achieves sealing with minimal axial movement.
3Reliability
If a moveable control plate with flow-through passages is used, then fluid stagnation is reduced and cleanliness is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control plate incorporates flow-through passages that segment the fluid flow path, allowing fluid to pass through the control plate itself rather than flowing around it. This segmentation of the flow path eliminates dead spaces where fluid could stagnate, improving cleanliness through continuous sweeping flow while the control plate maintains its sealing function against the orifice ridge segments.
4Quantity of substance
If nested orifice ridges are used, then conductance is increased with minimal actuator movement, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The orifice ridge segments are nested radially around the valve chamber in a concentric arrangement. This nested geometry provides inherent alignment references, where each segment's position is defined by its radial distance from the center. The control plate is similarly positioned to seal against all segments simultaneously, and the concentric nesting provides natural alignment tolerances that reduce manufacturing precision requirements compared to non-concentric arrangements.
Data Source
Figure 1A~1D
Figure 2A~2D
Figure 3A~3D
AI summary
A high purity control valve for use in high conductance, proportional control applications includes a moveable control plate (2000-1) having a flow-through passage to enhance fluid sweep of the internal valve volume. Nested orifice ridges are used to achieve high conductance with small actuator movement. Enhanced leak tightness can be provided by incorporating into the control plate materials softer than the material comprising the orifice ridge. The control plate comprises a control plate body having a counterbore (2042) in fluid communication with a conduit, radial fluid flow paths (2054-1) and axial fluid flow paths (2046-1). A flat side of the control plate includes a continuous uninterrupted flat portion to shut-off fluid flow in the valve. The radial fluid flow paths provide fluid communication from the counterbore to a circumferential perimeter of the control plate and the axial fluid flow paths provide fluid communication with the fluid conduit through an intermediate valve chamber portion.