Liquid Flow Controller and Meter News

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STEC'S NEW LIQUID MASS FLOW CONTROLLER AND METER IS REALLY COOL!

STEC, the world leader in mass flow technology, has launched a new liquid MFC that uses a revolutionary cooling method to beat the heat.

The LF-LV series has been developed in response to growing demand for accurate measurement and control of liquid mass flow as the semiconductor industry turns increasingly to Copper Interconnect, Low-k, High K technologies and other liquid state materials.

In conventional liquid MFCs, there is a risk of readings being distorted by noise caused by cavitation and bubbling when dissolved gases are heated during the commonly used conventional heated sensor tube measurement process. The LF-LV series neatly overcomes this problem by reversing the technology and using a cooling method - for which STEC has a patent pending.

"This is the first MFC of its kind in the world, and it allows us to measure ultra low flow rates of liquids with extreme accuracy and high stability, even for low boiling point liquids," said STEC's European sales manager Stuart Knight.

There are 2 key attributes required to accurately measure and control the flow of liquids for the next generation liquid semiconductor materials

Stability - Localised heating of the liquid causes noise. This may occur in two places, the conventional heated sensor tube and the solenoid control valve.

Dynamic Response - Small flows can only be controlled accurately with fast dynamic response by using the smallest control cavity. Therefore a piezo valve is critical.

The device uses a cooling method sensor and a high precision piezo actuated valve in an all-metal construction.

Flow is detected based on the thermal capacity of the measured liquid. The liquid passes through a stainless capillary tube and is cooled by the Peltier element. By measuring the difference between upstream and downstream temperature of the liquid the device is able to calculate and regulate the exact mass of liquid flowing through it.

Mr Knight said the LF-LV series complemented STEC's existing direct injection vaporisation controllers, the VC range, to give users the ability to measure, control and vaporise the new generation of liquid materials.

<<Home <<News Index

STEC'S NEW LIQUID MASS FLOW CONTROLLER AND METER IS REALLY COOL!
STEC, the world leader in mass flow technology, has launched a new liquid MFC that uses a revolutionary cooling method to beat the heat. The LF-LV series has been developed in response to growing demand for accurate measurement and control of liquid mass flow as the semiconductor industry turns increasingly to Copper Interconnect, Low-k, High K technologies and other liquid state materials. In conventional liquid MFCs, there is a risk of readings being distorted by noise caused by cavitation and bubbling when dissolved gases are heated during the commonly used conventional heated sensor tube measurement process. The LF-LV series neatly overcomes this problem by reversing the technology and using a cooling method - for which STEC has a patent pending. "This is the first MFC of its kind in the world, and it allows us to measure ultra low flow rates of liquids with extreme accuracy and high stability, even for low boiling point liquids," said STEC's European sales manager Stuart Knight. There are 2 key attributes required to accurately measure and control the flow of liquids for the next generation liquid semiconductor materials Stability - Localised heating of the liquid causes noise. This may occur in two places, the conventional heated sensor tube and the solenoid control valve. Dynamic Response - Small flows can only be controlled accurately with fast dynamic response by using the smallest control cavity. Therefore a piezo valve is critical. The device uses a cooling method sensor and a high precision piezo actuated valve in an all-metal construction. Flow is detected based on the thermal capacity of the measured liquid. The liquid passes through a stainless capillary tube and is cooled by the Peltier element. By measuring the difference between upstream and downstream temperature of the liquid the device is able to calculate and regulate the exact mass of liquid flowing through it. Mr Knight said the LF-LV series complemented STEC's existing direct injection vaporisation controllers, the VC range, to give users the ability to measure, control and vaporise the new generation of liquid materials.