Gas Flow Estimation in Reduced Pressure Enclosures

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for measuring gas flow through barrier layers in enclosures maintained in a depression regime are inefficient due to sensitivity issues, long measurement times, and reliability concerns, particularly in detecting permeation rates of gases like water vapor and oxygen, which are crucial for protecting sensitive electronic and photovoltaic devices.

Innovation Solution

A method and device that simulate gas flow evolution in a depression regime, allowing for iterative estimation of parameters to characterize gas flow without waiting for a stationary state, using equations similar to Fick's law to model the gas flow and account for background noise, thereby improving sensitivity and reducing measurement time.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If conventional permeation measurement methods are used to measure gas flow through barrier layers in a depression regime, then measurement reliability is compromised due to sensitivity issues, but measurement precision cannot be improved without extending measurement time

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegas flow detection precisionVSAvoidmeasurement time
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The method performs preliminary estimation of gas flow parameters during the transient regime before the stationary state is reached. By using iterative estimation techniques on measurements taken during the transient phase, the system obtains reliable gas flow data without waiting for the stationary regime, thus reducing measurement time while maintaining precision

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The method implements iterative estimation where initial guesses of gas flow parameters are refined based on feedback from measured pressure evolution. The estimation process continuously adjusts parameters to minimize the difference between model predictions and actual measurements, achieving high precision even with limited measurement time

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If the measurement system waits for the stationary regime to obtain reliable gas flow data, then measurement reliability improves, but the measurement time increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegas flow measurement reliabilityVSAvoidmeasurement time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary parameter estimation during the transient regime by fitting the measured pressure evolution to a diffusion model. This preliminary action provides reliable gas flow estimates without requiring the system to reach the stationary regime, thereby maintaining reliability while reducing measurement time

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The method replaces the traditional mechanical waiting approach (physically waiting for stationary regime) with a computational approach (iterative parameter estimation). By substituting the physical waiting process with mathematical modeling and iterative calculation, the system achieves reliable measurements much faster

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Measurement precision

If the detection system increases sensitivity to detect low gas flows in depression regime, then measurement precision improves, but background noise becomes more significant

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegas flow detection sensitivityVSAvoidbackground noise
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The method extracts and separately characterizes the background noise component from the total measured signal. By modeling the background noise evolution independently and subtracting it from the total signal, the system isolates the gas flow through the barrier layer, thereby maintaining high sensitivity while eliminating the harmful effect of background noise

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The method introduces a mathematical model as an intermediary between the raw measurements and the gas flow calculation. This model acts as a mediator that separates the signal of interest (gas flow through barrier) from the background noise, allowing precise measurement even when background noise is significant

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This approach enables more reliable and faster estimation of gas flow and permeation properties, effectively simulating background noise and permeation measurements, even for complex diffusion regimes, ensuring accurate protection of sensitive devices.

Implementation Method 1

The gas 18 present in the first chamber 12 is then transmitted into the second chamber 14 by a solubility/diffusion process through the barrier layer 10

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectDiffusion: Diffusion

Implementation Method 2

The barrier properties of these barrier layers are measured via the implementation of a permeation measurement of the layers

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPermeation: Permeation

Data Source

PatentEP2917716B1Device and method for estimating a flow of gas in an enclosure maintained at reduced pressure in relation to the gas
Publication Date: 2021.05.19 COMMISSARIAT A LENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVES
  • EP2917716B1 patent drawingFigure 1(a)~6
  • EP2917716B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP2917716B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

Method of estimating a flow of gas (18) in an enclosure (14) maintained in a regime of reduced pressure in relation to the gas, comprising: - a measurement, as a function of time, of a flow of the gas Jmeasurement in the enclosure, and - an estimation of values of parameters A and B which is implemented in an iterative manner while reducing an estimation error based on a difference between Jestim(t) and Jmeasurement, and in which, when Jmeasurement corresponds to a rise in pressure of the gas in the enclosure, Jestim(t) is calculated according to the equation: (I) and when Jmeasurement corresponds to a fall in the pressure of the gas in the enclosure, Jestim(t) is calculated according to the equation: (II)