Abstract: A fluid supply apparatus with a plurality of flow lines branching out from one pressure regulator with the flow lines arranged in parallel and constructed so that opening or closing one flow passage will have no transient effect on the steady flow of the other flow passages. Each flow passage is provided with a time delay-type mass flow controller MFC so that when one closed fluid passage is opened, the mass flow controller on that flow passage reaches a set flow rate Qs in a specific delay time &Dgr;t from the starting point. The invention includes a method and an apparatus in which a plurality of gas types can be controlled in flow rate with high precision by one pressure-type flow control system.

Abstract: A fluid control device comprises a first passageway, and a second passageway communicating therewith and having a terminating end closed with a fluid control unit or instrument. The first passageway is adapted to pass a fluid therethrough with a different fluid remaining in the second passageway. The first passageway comprises an upstream portion and a downstream portion communicating with the upstream portion at an approximate right angle therewith. The second passageway extends from a terminating end of the upstream portion of the first passageway in alignment with the upstream portion.

Abstract: A method of removing moisture efficiently in the gas supply system by evacuation at normal temperature without using the baking method. The method involves flowing a gas to remove moisture in the gas supply system with the flow pressure of the gas to remove moisture set at not lower than a minimum pressure at which the gas flow becomes viscous and not higher than a water saturated vapor pressure at a flow temperature of the gas to remove moisture. The gas to remove moisture achieves a viscous flow when a mean free path of gas molecules is smaller than a diameter of piping of the gas supply system. If the gas for removing moisture is evacuated at normal temperature under such conditions, the adsorbed moisture on an inside surface of the piping and in the valves and filters can be removed effectively.

Abstract: A method of removing moisture efficiently in the gas supply system by evacuation at normal temperature without using the baking method. The method involves flowing a gas to remove moisture in the gas supply system with the flow pressure of the gas to remove moisture set at not lower than a minimum pressure at which the gas flow becomes viscous and not higher than a water saturated vapor pressure at a flow temperature of the gas to remove moisture. The gas to remove moisture achieves a viscous flow when a mean free path of gas molecules is smaller than a diameter of piping of the gas supply system. If the gas for removing moisture is evacuated at normal temperature under such conditions, the adsorbed moisture on an inside surface of the piping and in the valves and filters can be removed effectively.

Abstract: A process of supplying moisture at low flow rates which permits high precision control of the flow of moisture to a semiconductor manufacturing line from an apparatus for the generation of moisture, characterized in that the flow of hydrogen to a moisture-generating reactor is controlled by means of a flow controller in such a way that an amount of hydrogen as fed is gradually increased from the start and reaches a specific set level such that when a specific time has passed, a predetermined rate of moisture begins to be produced and supplied to the semiconductor manufacturing line. The moisture is generated in the apparatus for generation of moisture in which hydrogen and oxygen are (a) fed into a reactor provided with a coat of platinum on the wall in the interior space, (b) enhanced in reactivity by the platinum catalytic action, and (c) caused to instantaneously react with each other at a temperature lower than the ignition point to produce moisture without undergoing combustion at a high temperature.

Abstract: A reactor for generating moisture wherein ignition of hydrogen gas, backfire to the gas supply source side, the peeling off of the platinum coat catalyst layer inside are prevented more completely to further increase the safety of the reactor for generating moisture and wherein the dead space in the interior space is reduced to further reduce the size of the reactor shell.

Abstract: A reactor comprising a body made of a heat-resistant material and having an inlet and an outlet for water/moisture gas, having a gas-diffusing member provided in an internal space of the body, and having a platinum coating on an internal wall surface of the body. Hydrogen and oxygen fed from the inlet are diffused by the gas-diffusing member and then come into contact with the platinum coating to enhance reactivity, thereby producing water. A temperature of the reactor is held to be below an ignition temperature of hydrogen or a hydrogen-containing gas. The platinum-coated catalyst layer on the internal wall of the reactor body is formed by treating the surface of the internal wall of the body, cleaning the treated surface, forming a barrier coating of a nonmetallic material of an oxide or nitride on the wall surface, and forming the platinum coating on the barrier coating.

Abstract: An apparatus for the treatment of exhaust gases containing hydrogen which permits always stable treatment with certainty of the exhaust gases from a semiconductor manufacturing line or the like irrespective of violent fluctuations in the flow rate of the exhaust gases, without having adverse effects on the operation of the semiconductor manufacturing line. The apparatus comprises: an ejector-type vacuum generator having a suction port connected to the discharge source of exhaust gases containing hydrogen and having a drive fluid supply port connected to an oxygen supply source, a hydrogen-oxygen reactor provided with a catalyst and connected to a drive fluid discharge port of the vacuum generator, and a drain reservoir connected to an outlet of the reactor for storing water discharged therefrom.

Abstract: A fluid control device has formed in a valve main body a main channel communicating with an inlet of a channel within a massflow controller, and a relatively long subchannel and a relatively short subchannel both communicating with the main channel. The process gas to be assure of high purity is passed through the relatively long subchannel.

Abstract: A fluid supply apparatus with a plurality of flow lines branching out from one regulator for adjustment of pressure, the flow lines being arranged in parallel, wherein a measure is taken that the operation, that is, opening or closing of one flow passage will have no transient effect on the steady flow of the other flow passages. For this purpose, each flow passage is provided with a time delay-type mass flow controller MFC so that when one closed fluid passage is opened, the mass flow controller on that flow passage reaches a set flow rate Qs in a specific delay time &Dgr;t from the starting point.

Abstract: An improved reactor for generating water from hydrogen and oxygen which allows production of moisture at a high conversion rate exceeding 99 percent with the temperature kept under some 400° C. inside the reactor shell (1) and with the water vapor production being more than 1,000 sccm. One form of the reactor (FIG. 1) according to the invention is constructed with a closed cylinder divided into two compartments by an interior partition, a first reactor structural component (2) and a second reactor structural component (3), united to define a sealed interior space (1a). The sealed interior space (1a) of the reactor shell (1) is partitioned by a diffusion filter (10) into a first chamber (1b) provided with an inlet reflector unit (9) and a second chamber (1c) provided with an outlet reflector-diffuser unit (11). On the inside surface of the second reactor structural component (1c) is formed a platinum coated catalyst layer (13).

Abstract: A fluid feeding apparatus includes parallel flow passages connected at their downstream side, each parallel passage including a pressure flow controller (C) for regulating the flow of fluid and a fluid changeover valve (D) for opening and closing the passage on the downstream side of the pressure flow controller. A fluid feeding control unit (B) controls the pressure flow controllers and changeover valves so that when a changeover valve is closed a control valve (1) upstream of the changeover valve is also closed to prevent a pressure buildup at the changeover valve. In addition to the control valve (1), each pressure flow controller includes an orifice (5) downstream from the control valve, a pressure detector (3) for sensing pressure (P1) in the passage at a point between the control valve and the orifice, and a calculation control unit (6) for producing a control signal Qy for controlling the drive (2) for the control valve.

Abstract: Process for generating moisture for use in semiconductor manufacturing, the process comprising feeding hydrogen and oxygen into a reactor provided with a platinum-coated catalyst layer on an interior wall, thus enhancing the reactivity between hydrogen and oxygen by catalytic action and instantaneously reacting the reactivity-enhanced hydrogen and oxygen at a temperature below the ignition point to produce moisture without undergoing combustion at a high temperature, wherein the amount of unreacted hydrogen occurring in the generated moisture in starting up or terminating the moisture generating reaction is minimized and wherein undesired reactions such as undesired silicon oxide film coating are avoided. When the generation of moisture is started up by feeding hydrogen and oxygen into the reactor provided with a platinum-coated catalyst layer on the inside wall thereof, oxygen first starts to be fed and, some time after that, the supply of hydrogen is begun.

Abstract: A device for heating a fluid controller comprises a pair of platelike side heaters pressed respectively against a pair of opposite side faces of a body of the fluid controller with an insulating layer provided between each heater and each side face, a pair of side holding members each having a recessed portion for fitting the side heater therein and fastened to each other with screws to hold the controller body therebetween from opposite sides of the body, and a cushion member interposed between each side heater and a bottom face of the recessed portion for pressing the side heater against the controller body side face.

Abstract: A device for heating a fluid control apparatus comprises a tape heater disposed on at least one of opposite lateral sides of the fluid control apparatus, and a plurality of brackets each comprising a bottom wall fastened to a panel with a screw and at least one side wall for holding the tape heater in contact with a fluid controller. The bottom wall of each of the brackets is formed with a screw hole, and each bracket is attached to the panel and adjustable in position.

Abstract: A valve mount having two valves removably installed thereon from above as arranged in a direction comprises an inflow channel forming member having a channel in communication with an inlet of the valve disposed at one end thereof, a communication channel forming member having a channel for causing an outlet of the valve at the end to communicate with an inlet of the other valve adjacent thereto, an outflow channel forming member having a channel in communication with an outlet of the other valve, and a subchannel forming member having a channel in communication with an inlet-outlet port formed in the other valve.

Abstract: A fluid control device has formed in a valve main body a main channel communicating with an inlet of a channel within a massflow controller, and a relatively long subchannel and a relatively short subchannel both communicating with the main channel. The process gas to be assure of high purity is passed through the relatively long subchannel.

Abstract: An apparatus for mixing and feeding plural gases flowing at different mass flow rates and having different molecular weights includes a plurality of gas feed lines connected to a mixing region having an outlet for feeding a mixture of the gases to a semiconductor production apparatus. The gas feed line carrying the lowest-flow-rate gas is connected to the mixing region at a location farther from the outlet than where any other feed line is connected to the mixing region. Feed lines carrying gases other than the lowest-flow-rate gas are connected to the mixing region according to (1) the relative mass flow rates of the gases carried by the lines (2) the relative molecular weights of the gases carried by the lines or (3) the product of the respective gas flow rates and molecular weights of the gases. At least the line carrying the lowest-flow-rate gas is provided with an apparatus for increasing the velocity of the gas flowing therein prior to entry of the gas into the mixing region.

Abstract: A pressure type flow rate control apparatus (1) controls flow rate of a fluid in an environment where a ratio of P2/P1 between an absolute pressure P1 at an upstream side of an orifice and an absolute pressure P2 at a downstream side of the orifice is maintained at a value less than about 0.7.

Abstract: A pressure type flow rate control apparatus (1) for controlling flow rate of a fluid maintains an upstream side pressure P1 of an orifice at more than about twice a downstream side pressure P2. In addition to an orifice-forming member (5) the apparatus includes a control valve (2) provided at the upstream side of the orifice, a pressure detector (3) provided between the control valve and the orifice, and an operation control device (6) for calculating a flow rate Qc from the detected pressure P1 of the pressure detector as Qc=KP1 (K being a constant) and issuing a difference as a control signal Qy between a flow rate command signal Qs and the calculated flow rate Qc to a drive unit of the control valve. The orifice upstream side pressure P1 is adjusted by opening and closing the control valve, thereby controlling the orifice downstream side flow rate.