Extreme flow rate and/or high temperature fluid delivery substrates

Abstract

A flow substrate including a body having a first surface, a second opposing surface, a plurality of pairs of ports defined in the first surface, a plurality of fluid pathways extending between each respective pair of ports and in fluid communication with each port of the respective pair of ports, and at least one cap. Each fluid pathway is formed in the second surface. The at least one cap has a first surface constructed to seal at least one fluid pathway, and a second opposing surface. At least one of the body and the at least one cap includes a weld formation formed in at least one of the second surface of the body and the second surface of the at least one cap constructed to surround the at least one fluid pathway and facilitate welding of the at least one cap to the body along the weld formation.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A flow substrate comprising:
 a substrate body formed from a solid block of a first material, the substrate body having a first surface and a second surface opposing the first surface;   a plurality of pairs of component conduit ports defined in the first surface of the substrate body;   a plurality of fluid pathways extending between each respective pair of component conduit ports and in fluid communication with each component conduit port of the respective pair of component conduit ports, each respective fluid pathway being formed in the second surface of the substrate body; and   at least one cap formed from a second material, the at least one cap having a first surface constructed to seal at least one fluid pathway of the plurality of fluid pathways, and a second surface opposing the first surface of the at least one cap, the at least one cap including a weld formation formed in the second surface of the at least one cap and surrounding the at least one fluid pathway to facilitate welding of the at least one cap to the substrate body along the weld formation, the weld formation including a groove formed in the second surface of the at least one cap and surrounding the at least one fluid pathway.   
     
     
         2 . The flow substrate of  claim 1 , wherein the component conduit ports extend through the substrate body to the second surface of the substrate body. 
     
     
         3 . The flow substrate of  claim 1 , wherein the first material and the second material are stainless steel of the same alloy type. 
     
     
         4 . The flow substrate of  claim 1 , wherein the groove is formed in the second surface of the at least one cap by chemical etching. 
     
     
         5 . The flow substrate of  claim 4 , wherein the groove facilitates welding of the at least one cap to the substrate body by identifying a location of where the at least one cap is to be welded to the substrate body and by reducing power needed to weld the at least one cap to the substrate body. 
     
     
         6 . The flow substrate of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one cap includes a plurality of weld formations, each weld formation of the plurality of weld formations including a respective groove formed in the second surface of the at least one cap, each respective groove of the plurality of grooves surrounding a respective one of the plurality of fluid pathways. 
     
     
         7 . The flow substrate of  claim 6 , wherein each respective groove is formed in the second surface of the at least one cap by chemical etching. 
     
     
         8 . The flow substrate of  claim 7 , wherein each respective groove facilitates welding of the at least one cap to the substrate body by identifying a location of where the at least one cap is to be welded to the substrate body and by reducing power needed to weld the at least one cap to the substrate body. 
     
     
         9 . The flow substrate of  claim 8 , wherein a first fluid pathway of the plurality of fluid pathways has a different cross-sectional area than a second fluid pathway of the plurality of fluid pathways. 
     
     
         10 . The flow substrate of  claim 9 , wherein the plurality of fluid pathways are a first plurality of fluid pathways that extend between each respective pair of component conduit ports in a first direction, and wherein the flow substrate further includes at least one second fluid pathway formed in one of the first surface and the second surface of the substrate body that extends in a second direction that is transverse to the first direction. 
     
     
         11 . The flow substrate of  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of fluid pathways are a first plurality of fluid pathways that extend between each respective pair of component conduit ports in a first direction, and wherein the flow substrate further includes at least one second fluid pathway formed in one of the first surface and the second surface of the substrate body that extends in a second direction that is transverse to the first direction. 
     
     
         12 . The flow substrate of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one cap includes a plurality of caps corresponding to each of the plurality of fluid pathways, each respective cap of the plurality of caps including a respective groove formed in the second surface of the respective cap. 
     
     
         13 . The flow substrate of  claim 12 , wherein the substrate body includes a plurality of weld formations formed in the second surface of the substrate body, each respective weld formation of the plurality of weld formations formed in the second surface of the substrate body including a recessed weld wall surface that is recessed from the second surface of the substrate body and surrounding a respective fluid pathway of the plurality of fluid pathways. 
     
     
         14 . The flow substrate of  claim 13 , wherein each respective groove facilitates welding of a respective cap to the substrate body by identifying a location of where the respective cap is to be welded to the substrate body and by reducing power needed to weld the respective cap to the substrate body. 
     
     
         15 . The flow substrate of  claim 14 , wherein the flow substrate forms a portion of a gas stick for conveying one of semiconductor process fluids and sampling fluids and petrochemical fluids. 
     
     
         16 . The flow substrate of  claim 14 , wherein the flow substrate forms substantially all of a fluid delivery panel. 
     
     
         17 . The flow substrate of  claim 14 , wherein a first fluid pathway of the plurality of fluid pathways has a different cross-sectional area than a second fluid pathway of the plurality of fluid pathways. 
     
     
         18 . The flow substrate of  claim 14 , wherein the plurality of fluid pathways are a first plurality of fluid pathways that extend between each respective pair of component conduit ports in a first direction, and wherein the flow substrate further includes at least one second fluid pathway formed in one of the first surface and the second surface of the substrate body that extends in a second direction that is transverse to the first direction. 
     
     
         19 . The flow substrate of  claim 1 , wherein the groove is formed in the second surface of the at least one cap by machining.