Mass Flow Controllers

Published on: 
Pharmaceutical Technology, Pharmaceutical Technology-09-02-2019, Volume 43, Issue 9
Pages: 12

The SLA5800 Series Biotech and the SLAMf Series Biotech are two new mass flow controller (MFC) models from Brooks Instrument designed specifically for improved gas flow control in biotechnology applications.

The SLA5800 Series Biotech and the SLAMf Series Biotech are two new mass flow controller (MFC) models from Brooks Instrument designed specifically for improved gas flow control in biotechnology applications. The new models allow biotech equipment manufacturers to reduce the number of MFCs they need for their equipment, which allows them to simplify their designs along with reducing system costs, purchasing complexity, and spare parts inventory requirements.

The MFCs have an enhanced control valve with a leak rate of 0.005 sccm for flow rates between 5 sccm and 150 slpm, and a rate of 15.6 sccm for higher flow rates. The low leak rate potentially eliminates the need for a separate shut-off valve in the gas delivery system, reducing component purchasing costs and saving engineering, testing, and validation time. The MFCs accommodate a wider range of gas flows and control up to four different gas flows including air, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and oxygen. The MFC user can select any of these gasses using Brooks BEST software or through digital communications. This combination of high turndown ratio and multi-gas, multirange functionality allows system designers to reduce the number of MFC configurations by up to 90%. 

Brooks Instrument