WO2011052866A1 - Non-invasive flow meter, and dispensing system including same - Google Patents

Abstract

According to the present invention, a flow meter is attached to the outside of a pipe to perform indirect sensing without contacting fluid, thereby resolving problems of the prior art that arise from direct contact with fluid, such as sensor corrosion, the contamination of fluid, and the inconvenience of having to cut a pipe to install a sensor or having to install a sensor at the end of a pipe. The flow meter can also sense abnormalities in various components along a fluid flow path, such as a pump, a valve, and a filter, as well as leakage or the like from a pipe. A non-invasive flow meter according to the present invention comprises: a detection sensor (110) disposed outside a pipe, for detecting vibrations caused by the flow of fluid within the pipe, and converting the detected vibrations into an electrical signal; and an amplifier (120) for amplifying the electrical signal.

Description

Uncut flow change detector and dispensing system including the same

The present invention relates to a non-cutting flow rate change detector and a dispensing system including the same. Specifically, a non-cutting flow rate change detector which is installed outside the pipe without cutting the pipe and detects an abnormality of the flow rate and the fluid flow, and the same A dispensing system is included.

  Referring to Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2009-0047052, which is a related art, a flow rate change detector is installed directly on a flow path through which a fluid flows to sense a flow rate. As such, when the flow rate change detector is installed inside the pipe and configured to detect the flow of the fluid, there are problems such as corrosion of the detection sensor by the fluid and contamination of the fluid by the detection sensor.

In addition, in order to install the sensor inside the pipe, it is necessary to cut the pipe and install the sensor inside the pipe, or connect the pipes again after installing the sensor in the pipe that has already been cut. The installation process is very cumbersome.

The technical problem to be achieved by the present invention is installed outside the pipe without cutting the pipe, non-cutting flow sensing sensor for detecting the flow of the fluid by the vibration applied to the pipe in a non-contact state with the fluid and dispensing having the same It is to provide a system.

Non-cutting flow rate change sensor according to the present invention for achieving the technical problem is located on the outside of the pipe, the sensing sensor 110 for detecting the vibration according to the flow of the fluid inside the pipe to convert into an electrical signal; And an amplifier 120 for amplifying the electrical signal.

Non-cleavable flow rate change sensor according to the present invention comprises a buffer layer that receives the vibration of the pipe in contact with the pipe from the outside of the pipe; A pickup in contact with the buffer layer to convert vibrations received from the buffer layer into an electrical signal; And an amplifier configured to receive and amplify the electrical signal.

The dispensing system according to the present invention includes a pump 320 for pumping fluid from a storage vessel 310; A filter 330 for removing contaminants from the fluid; A valve 340 for adjusting the amount of fluid; And a flow rate change detector 100 which detects an amount of flow of the fluid by contacting the pipe 350 through which the fluid flows, and detects an abnormal operation of the pump, the filter, or the valve.

The flow rate change sensor according to the present invention does not come into contact with the fluid and is installed outside the pipe to prevent corrosion of the flow rate change sensor or contamination of the fluid generated in the prior art, so that the detection characteristics of the sensor are improved, It has the effect of increasing the lifespan.

In addition, the present invention is constructed by constructing and modeling the data on the characteristics of the pipe oscillation when the fluid flows in advance and then modeling and comparing the real-time vibration to the flow rate, the pressure of the fluid, the presence of bubbles and the configuration that the pipe passes Not only can you measure, check, or predict the abnormal operation of parts, but you can also know the position of the pipe with abnormality only by looking at the waveform outputted to the abnormal waveform analysis unit. It can work.

In addition, the dispensing system including the flow rate change sensor according to the present invention can determine whether there is an abnormality by comparing the pump operation, valve operation, filter clogging and the like with the modeled normal waveform.

In addition, the present invention is provided with an alarm sound generating device has the effect that the user can immediately determine whether the abnormal flow of the fluid even if the user hears only the alarm sound in the proximity of the dispensing system.

1 illustrates an embodiment of an uncut flow rate change detector according to the present invention.

2 to 8 show the three-dimensional shape of the sensor shown in FIG.

9 to 14 show the three-dimensional shape of the second embodiment of the sensor shown in FIG. 1.

15 to 17 illustrate waveform graphs output from the abnormal waveform analyzer illustrated in FIG. 1.

FIG. 18 illustrates one embodiment of a dispensing system to which a non-cutting flow change detector according to the present invention is applied.

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings to describe the present invention in more detail.

1 illustrates an embodiment of an uncut flow rate change detector according to the present invention.

The non-cut flow rate change detector shown in FIG. 1 includes a detection sensor 110, an amplifier 120, and an abnormal waveform analyzer 130.

In the present invention, the term non-cutting means a method of installing a flow rate change detector without cutting a pipe. In addition, the term non-contact in the present invention means that the fluid which is moved in the pipe and the flow rate changer installed outside the pipe does not directly contact each other.

In the present invention, the fluid includes a liquid and a gas. Examples of the semiconductor process include photoresist (PR), thinner, flowable oxide (FOX), and nitrogen gas (N2).

The detection sensor 110 is located outside of the pipe without cutting the pipe, and detects the vibration according to the flow of the fluid inside the pipe and converts it into an electrical signal.

For example, the sensing sensor 110 may use a piezoelectric element (piezo sensor), an infrared sensor, or the like shown in FIG. 1, and means a means capable of detecting vibration and converting it into an electrical signal.

The material of the pipe is, for example, polymer, plastic, metal, rubber, or the like.

Since the amplification unit 120 has a weak magnitude of the electric signal transmitted from the detection sensor, the amplification unit 120 amplifies and outputs the amplified signal to the waveform abnormality analysis unit 130.

The abnormal waveform analysis unit 130 receives the electrical signal transmitted from the amplification unit 120 and analyzes the data with the pre-modeled data to determine the position of the pipe in which there is an abnormality in the flow of the fluid, the presence of bubbles, the flow rate and the fluid. Pressure can be sensed.

15 to 17, the abnormal waveform analyzer 130 data-processes a plurality of measurement results according to various conditions, models the data, and provides or processes data on a waveform range that is an extracted reference. Includes features The abnormal waveform analysis unit compares the electric signal input from the amplification unit with a reference waveform range in real time and compares the flow rate, the pressure of the fluid, the presence or absence of bubbles, or the position of the pipe with clogging or abnormality. To derive.

The abnormal waveform analysis unit 130 extracts an average value and a reference waveform range having no abnormality in the flow of the fluid from values measured several times in the normal state of the fluid flow, and a signal input in real time exceeds or falls short of the reference range. The apparatus may further include an abnormal signal notification device for notifying that the abnormal state.

The reference waveform range allows a predetermined deviation voltage (ΔV) or a predetermined deviation time (Δt) for determining that the flow of the fluid is in a normal state from a value obtained by accumulating and averaging the waveforms for detecting the flow of the flow rate.

Here, the deviations are, for example, the peak voltage of the waveform, a time delay from a normal waveform, or the like.

In addition, the flow rate change sensor according to the present invention may be provided with an elastic member for mitigating the impact transmitted to the detection sensor 110, the elastic member may be a plurality of (151, 152).

 The first elastic member 151 has a form surrounding the detection sensor 110 and the pipe. The second elastic member 152 is positioned to face the first elastic member 151 and has a form surrounding the detection sensor 110 and the pipe. The first elastic member 151 and the second elastic member 152 may be any material having an elastic material that surrounds the sensing sensor 110 to mitigate impact and appropriately transmit vibration of the pipe.

 In addition, the present invention may further include a load control unit 160 is attached to the opposite side of the portion of the second elastic member 152 in contact with the pipe to adjust the intensity of vibration transmitted to the detection sensor 110. have. The load adjusting unit 160 may adjust the pressure applied to the pipe and the detection sensor by, for example, a screw or a spring.

 In addition, the flow rate change detector according to the present invention includes an upper cover 172 and a lower cover 171, which are outer cases of the detection sensor 110, the first elastic member 151, and the second elastic member 152. Equipped. The upper cover 172 and the lower cover 171 are fastened by a screw 170. The flow rate change sensor according to the present invention can be easily detached from the pipe by the screw 170.

  In the above example, the first elastic member and the second elastic member are separated while facing each other, but they may be joined together to surround at least a part of the pipe.

2 to 8 illustrate three-dimensional shapes in multiple angles of the sensor shown in FIG. 1.

2 to 8 includes a piezoelectric element 110, a first elastic member 151, a second elastic member 152, a top cover 172, a bottom cover 171, and a load adjuster 160. ) And screw 170. For a description of each component, refer to the detailed description of FIG. 1.

9 to 14 show a three-dimensional shape of the second embodiment of the sensing sensor shown in FIG. 1.

9 to 14 include a buffer layer 191, a pickup 192, an elastic member 153, and a cover 173, which is an outer case.

The buffer layer 191 protects the pipe 140 and transmits vibrations of the pipe 140 to the pickup 192. As shown in FIG. 9, the buffer layer 191 preferably has a shape surrounding at least a portion of the pipe 140. In addition, the buffer layer 191 may be implemented with a hard material such as metal or plastic.

The pick-up 192 (pickup) is formed in the shape of a pointed tip like a needle and in contact with the buffer layer 191, converts the vibration received from the buffer layer 191 into an electrical signal.

The elastic member 153 supports the pickup 192 and appropriately controls the vibration from the pipe and mitigates the impact. The elastic member 153 may be any elastic material.

The cover surrounds the elastic member 153 to form an outer case.

Compared to FIG. 1, the sensing sensor illustrated in FIGS. 9 to 14 differs in that the sensing sensor 110 of FIG. 1 is replaced with the buffer layer 191 and the pickup 192.

The electrical signal is transferred to an amplification unit (not shown in FIGS. 9 to 14, see FIG. 1) through the lead wire 181 and amplified. After that, the waveform analysis unit (not shown in FIG. 9 to FIG. 14, see FIG. 1) analyzes the waveform and flows through the pipe 140, the pressure of the fluid, the presence or absence of bubbles, and the pipe 140. Detect the position of the pipe 140 is clogged or abnormal.

15 to 17 show waveforms observed in the present invention as shown in FIG. 1 and will be described in detail below.

FIG. 15 is a waveform observed when a fluid flow is steady-state in a pipe, for example.

FIG. 16 is an enlarged view of only peak portions after superimposing waveforms on the waveform of FIG. 15 when abnormal flow of fluid is observed. Several waveforms in a steady state are accumulated. Such abnormal waveforms are observed when an abnormal situation occurs such as bubbles in the pipe or a flow of fluid in the pipe is momentarily interrupted. The abnormal waveform always deviates from the accumulated waveform in the steady state, which can be recognized by the difference in peak voltage or the delay of the voltage waveform itself. For example, as shown in FIG. 16, the peak value of the waveform accumulated in the steady state is about 4V, but the peak value of the abnormal waveform is about 4.5V, and both show a difference of about 0.5V. This difference is large enough to easily indicate that the fluid flow in the piping is abnormal.

On the other hand, even in the time axis, the steady state accumulation waveform and the abnormal state waveform are different from each other. For example, a steady-state waveform slightly exceeds 160ms at the point of crossing 2.0V. However, the non-steady waveform has a time value of about 165 ms at the 2.0 V intersection point, which is also large enough to easily indicate that the fluid flow in the pipe is abnormal.

Naturally, such a voltage difference or time difference may vary depending on how much the vibration transmitted from the sensor is properly amplified, and also depends on the type of abnormality occurring in the pipe.

On the other hand, it was found by the researchers of the present invention that even when the steady-state flow rate in the pipe is different, it is shown by way of example in FIG. 17 is a waveform observed when a flow rate of 0.8cc per second to 0.9cc per second flows through a 0.25cc gap in a pipe. In particular, when 0.9cc per second flowed, the minimum waveform, the maximum waveform, and the average waveform are also shown. In each case where the flow rate changes, it can be seen that as the flow rate increases, the waveform also delays along the time axis. On the basis of this waveform, the flow rate can be measured even without direct contact in the pipe, and the basis for determining the abnormality even when the flow rate gradually changes.

18 illustrates an embodiment of a dispensing system to which a flow rate change sensor 100 according to the present invention is applied.

The dispensing system shown in FIG. 18 includes a chemical vessel 310, a pump 320, a flow rate change detector 100, a filter 330, a valve 340, and a pipe 350.

The pump 320 pumps the chemical until the chemical stored in the chemical container 310 is dispensed to the wafer through the pipe 350, the filter 330 for removing contaminants from the chemical, and a valve for controlling the amount of chemical. Pass 340. If there is a blockage in one of the pump 320, the filter 330, and the valve 340, a problem may occur in the flow of the chemical.

This may determine which part of the pump 320, the filter 330 or the valve 340 is abnormal according to the shape of the waveform output to the abnormal waveform analysis unit of the present invention.

 Of course, when the abnormality of each component occurs, the vibration waveform transmitted to the pipe is measured and modeled in advance.

For example, a difference between the first waveform when a part of the filter 330 is cut off and other components are normal and the second waveform when a part of the valve 340 is cut off and other components are normal. It is possible to know whether there is a blockage in the filter 330 or a blockage in the valve 340. This difference appears more accurately as the waveform of the steady state detected by the pipe 350 is repeatedly measured several times.

Although the flow rate change sensor shown in FIG. 18 is provided at one end of the valve 340, the flow rate change sensor according to the present invention is not limited thereto, and may be provided at an appropriate position.

As described above, the flow rate change sensor according to the present invention can not only prevent the contamination of the flow rate change sensor or the contamination of the fluid by contacting the pipe surrounding the fluid without directly contacting the fluid. The detection characteristic of the is improved, and the life of the flow change detector is increased.

In addition, the present invention can estimate the magnitude of the flow rate flowing through the pipe by data-modeling with a database of the flow rate, the pressure of the fluid, the presence of bubbles or the abnormal operation of the components passing through the pipe, etc. Since the position of the pipe can be seen only by looking at the waveform output to the abnormal waveform analysis unit 130, there is an effect that can quickly derive the cause when a problem of fluid flow occurs.

In addition, the present invention is provided with an alarm sound generating device has the effect that the user can immediately determine whether the abnormal flow of the fluid even if the user hears only the alarm sound in the proximity of the dispensing system.

The technical spirit of the present invention has been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention has been described by way of example only, and is not intended to limit the present invention. In addition, it is apparent that any person having ordinary knowledge in the technical field to which the present invention belongs may make various modifications and imitations without departing from the scope of the technical idea of the present invention.

Claims (14)

Located in the outside of the pipe, the sensing sensor 110 for detecting the vibration according to the flow of the fluid inside the pipe to convert into an electrical signal; And Non-cutting flow rate change detector having an amplifier for amplifying the electrical signal (120).  The method of claim 1, Non-cutting flow rate change, characterized in that it further comprises an abnormal waveform analysis unit 130 for receiving at least one of the change in the amount of the fluid or the flow of the fluid received the amplified electrical signal from the amplification unit sensor.  The method of claim 2,  The abnormal waveform analysis unit 130,  By comparing and analyzing the steady state waveform and the electrical signal input from the amplifying unit in real time from the collection of data which is the result of repeatedly measuring the vibration of the fluid flow in the pipe, the amount of the fluid, the pressure of the fluid, Non-cutting flow rate change detector, characterized in that the analysis of the occurrence or abnormality of the flow of the fluid.  The method of claim 3, wherein  The abnormal waveform analysis unit 130,  Non-cutting flow rate change detector further comprises an abnormal signal notification device for indicating that the abnormal state when the electrical signal output from the amplification unit exceeds or falls below the reference range from the average value of the steady state waveform.  The method of claim 1,  Non-cutting flow rate change sensor further comprises a load control unit for adjusting the transmission degree of the vibration transmitted from the pipe to the detection sensor.  The method of claim 1,  Non-cutting flow rate change sensor further comprises an elastic member for appropriately adding or subtracting vibration transmitted to the detection sensor.  The method of claim 6,  The elastic member includes a first elastic member in close contact with the detection sensor; And  Non-cut flow rate sensor, characterized in that provided with a second elastic member provided to face the first elastic member.  The method of claim 7, wherein  A bottom cover forming an outer case surrounding the first elastic member; And  And a top cover to form an outer case surrounding the second elastic member.  The method of claim 8,  And a screw for fixing the top cover and the bottom cover.  A buffer layer in contact with the pipe from the outside of the pipe to receive vibration of the pipe; A pickup in contact with the buffer layer to convert vibrations received from the buffer layer into an electrical signal; And Non-cutting flow rate change detector having an amplifier for receiving and amplifying the electrical signal.  The method of claim 10, The non-cutter type analysis unit further includes an abnormal waveform analysis unit 130 which receives the electrical signal amplified from the amplification unit and analyzes at least one or more of the change in the flow of the fluid or the abnormal flow of the fluid. Flow change detector.  The method of claim 10,  And an elastic member (153) for supporting the pickup to mitigate the impact transmitted to the pickup.  A pump 320 for pumping fluid from the storage vessel 310;  A filter 330 for removing contaminants from the fluid;  A valve 340 for adjusting the amount of fluid; And  Dispensing, characterized in that it comprises a flow rate change detector 100 for detecting the amount of flow of the fluid in contact with the fluid flowing pipe 350, the abnormal operation of the pump, the filter or the valve system.  The method of claim 13,  The flow rate change detector,  The amount of the fluid, the pressure of the fluid, by comparing and analyzing the electrical signal input from the amplifying unit in real time with a steady-state waveform modeled from a collection of data that is the result of repeatedly measuring the vibration of the fluid flow in the pipe Dispensing system, characterized in that for detecting the presence of bubbles or abnormal flow of the fluid.

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