This section provides an overview for mass flow controllers as well as their applications and principles. Also, please take a look at the list of 24 mass flow controller manufacturers and their company rankings.
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Mass flow controllers are devices that measure and control the flow rate of a fluid. Mass flow controllers are utilized in process fields where advanced flow control is required. There are two types of flow rates: volumetric flow rate and mass flow rate. Mass flow sensors measure mass flow, not volume flow. Mass flow is not affected by ambient conditions such as fluid type, characteristics, temperature, etc. Therefore, it can measure and control flow more accurately than volumetric pressure.
Mass flow controllers can control fluids in addition to measuring flow rates. Because of their high accuracy and stable control, they are used in all kinds of process sites and laboratories. In the semiconductor manufacturing process, they are utilized in film deposition and etching. In addition to semiconductors, a wide variety of products are used, including optical fiber, liquid crystals, and biotechnology. In laboratories, analytical instruments use mass flow controllers to control carrier gases.
Mass flow controllers consist of a sensor, a bypass, a fluid control valve, and an electrical circuit. Thermal flow sensors are often used as flow sensors. Fluid passes through the mass flow controller to the sensor and bypasses. In the sensor, a heater is wrapped around the tubing through which the fluid passes. The temperature difference between the gas flowing upstream and downstream of the tubing is converted to an electrical signal for flow measurement. In thermal mass sensors, there is a limit to the amount of fluid that can be sent to the sensor. Therefore, by sending a portion of the fluid to the sensor and the rest to the bypass, the ratio of the flow distribution can be kept constant, enabling highly accurate flow control even when the flow rate is significant. The fluid control valve adjusts the flow rate based on the sensor's measured flow rate. Fluid control valves use solenoid actuators, thermal actuators, and piezoelectric actuators as actuators (devices that convert electrical signals into physical motion).
To select a Mass flow controller, the gas type, maximum flow rate, and working pressure requirements are necessary. Mass flow controllers are set up according to the gas species used, so different gas species cannot be measured correctly.
Sealing materials and other materials with high corrosion resistance must be selected in the case of corrosive gases. Since the flow control range of Mass flow controllers is generally 2-100% F.S. (maximum flow rate), the maximum flow rate should be selected to match the flow rate used. The flow control valve used in Mass flow controllers adjusts the flow rate by valve opening, so a pressure difference between the primary and secondary sides is required. Generally, 50-300 kPa is considered appropriate, but if the pressure difference is too large or too small, the flow rate cannot be adjusted correctly. In addition, the temperature to be controlled and fittings should also be considered in the selection process.
*Including some distributors, etc.
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AW-Lake is based in Oak Creek, Wisconsin. AW-Lake is a distributor of process flow measurement equipment for oil and gas, automotive, hydrogen fueling, chemical, manufacturing, marine, industrial, and aerospace industries among others. AW-Lake is ISO-9001:2015 certified. AW-Lake products include gear & PD flow meters, turbine flow meters, Coriolis mass flow meters, variable area meters, paddle wheel flowstat meters, ultrasonic flow meters, monitors, controllers, flow sensors, pickups, turbidity sensors, and wireless/Bluetooth devices. AW-Lake products are often used in oil, lubricants, water, chemicals, paints, coatings, adhesives, sealants, and sanitary liquids gas.
AIRMATIC was founded in Philadelphia in 1944. AIRMATIC serves a many industries including cement and concrete, oil, gas, energy, biomass, chemical products, feed & grain, food manufacturing, glass & ceramics, and clay. For these industries, AIRMATIC provides installation, maintenance, fabrication, silo cleaning, inspection, and repair, as well as repair and rebuilding of power tools. AIRMATIC also has an extensive lineup of products for sale including air cannons, automatic lubrication systems, belt conveyor components, flow detectors, finishing equipment, safety equipment, industrial vibrators, railcar openers and unloading equipment, rebar tools, valves and actuators, and mechanical force exciters.
HORIBA RADIO LABORATORY was established in Japan in 1945 and has spent the last three-quarters of a century growing as an R&D company and engaged in international operations. HORIBA Scientific offers 200 years of experience developing high-performance scientific instruments and analytical solutions. The HORIBA Group of worldwide companies provides an extensive array of instruments and systems for applications ranging from automotive R&D, process and environmental monitoring, in-vitro medical diagnostics, semiconductor manufacturing, and metrology to a broad range of scientific R&D and QC measurements. Operating in Asia, Europe, and North and South America, HORIBA scientific develops solutions that go beyond just products.
Saddle Brook Controls is a division of Ribble Engineering, which was founded in 1933 in Saddle Brook, New Jersey. Saddle Brook Controls is a manufacture as well as a designer, distributor, and support service provider of automation solutions for factory automation. Product groups include PLCs, controllers, Remote IO devices, HMIs, industrial computers, machine vision and inspection machines, motion devices, drives, motor controls, enclosures, circuit breakers, safety products, sensing and control products, power supplies, and UPS.
Trimble Combustion Systems was founded in. 2000 and operates out of Sunman, Indiana. Trimble Combustion Systems cooperates with project and plant engineers, supervisors, technicians, and maintenance mangers in designing, building, and installing combustion processing equipment for manufacturing applications. Trimble is ISO/IEC 17025:2017 certified. Trimble Combustion Systems product offerings include pressure gauges, analyzers, igniters, and safety controllers. Trimble Combustion Systems services include fast equipment servicing, custom packaged systems solutions, installations, training, and audits.
B&B Instruments (BBI) was incorporated in Indiana in 1972 and still operates out of Indianapolis, Indiana today. BBI is an authorized stocking distributor for manufacturers of measurement, control & calibration equipment for pressure, temperature, flow, humidity, & level instrumentation serving both startups as well as Fortune 500 clients in industries such as utilities, metals, food, process, industrial, OEMs, and technical. BBI’s product categories include calibrators, controllers, meters, flow, gauges, humidity, level, meters, pressure, switches, temperature, and transmitters. Featured products include Autrol Transmitters APPT-3100 Differential Pressure Transmitter, Barksdale’s UDS7 Series Solid State Pressure Switches, Kytronic’s actuator positioner, and Monarch DataChart’s DC1250 2-Channel Paperless Recorder.
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