KR100927391B1 - Chiller device for semiconductor process equipment and its control method - Google Patents

Abstract

A common high pressure unit comprising a compressor and a condenser installed at the rear of the compressor; And a plurality of evaporators forming independent brine paths in association with each of the semiconductor processing equipment and forming independent refrigerant paths in association with the common high pressure unit, wherein each refrigerant inlet of the evaporator comprises a first path and a first path. A second path is connected to the rear end of the condenser and the front of the condenser, an electronic expansion valve is installed in the first path, and a pair of a solenoid valve and a hot gas control valve connected in series are installed in the second path, and the refrigerant of each of the evaporators is provided. Disclosed is a chiller apparatus for semiconductor processing equipment, each outlet connected to the front end of the compressor.

Solenoid valve, hot gas, expansion valve, receiver

Description

Chiller Apparatus for Semiconductor Process Equipment and Control Method of the same}

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a chiller device for semiconductor processing equipment, and more particularly to a chiller device for controlling multiple chambers to which a single high pressure unit is applied.

In the semiconductor processing equipment, there are various methods of maintaining the temperature of the chamber uniformly, but a method using a refrigeration cycle is most widely used.

1 shows a cooling system diagram of a chiller device of a conventional semiconductor processing equipment.

As shown, a compressor 10, a condenser 20, an expansion valve 25 and an evaporator 31 are basically required to perform a refrigeration cycle.

In order to supply a brine of a predetermined temperature to the chamber of the semiconductor processing equipment 40, as shown in Figure 1, the brine need to maintain the brine at a constant temperature through heat exchange with the evaporator 31 and the brine heater 33 have.

This will be described in detail as follows.

The evaporator 31 has a pair of refrigerant inlets and outlets, and another pair of brine inlets and outlets, so that the refrigerant and brine can be heat-exchanged with each other, and the evaporator 31 and the evaporator 31 are in the brine tank 30. The brine heater 33 is separated by the tank inner separator 32.

The brine introduced into the brine inflow pipe 42 from the semiconductor processing equipment 40 enters the evaporator 31 and reaches a temperature below the brine temperature set through heat exchange with the refrigerant pipe and then is discharged into the brine tank 30.

The brine cooled below the set temperature is heat-exchanged with the brine heater 33 in the lower part of the tank inner separator 32 to be set at the set temperature, and then passes through the brine outlet pipe 41 to the semiconductor process facility 40. Inflow.

At this time, in order to keep the brine temperature constant within the deviation range of the set temperature, the brine heater 33 is turned on / off by PID (proportional, integral, derivative) control.

The above process was a process for maintaining the temperature of the brine constant, and if the brine set temperature is raised to a high temperature outside the range of the existing set temperature deviation, by continuing to operate only the brine heater 33 without performing a refrigeration cycle When the temperature is raised to the changed set temperature, and the temperature of the brine is lowered to a low temperature outside the set temperature deviation range, only the refrigeration cycle is performed without the operation of the brine heater 33 to lower the changed temperature.

However, according to this conventional technology, since the chamber and the chiller device correspond one-to-one, as many chiller devices as the number of chambers are required. Therefore, the amount of power consumed in the entire chiller apparatus is increased, which increases the operating cost of the apparatus excessively.

In addition, since the brine heater must be controlled for the entire operating temperature range (-20 ° C. to 80 ° C.), the power consumption of the device increases, the operating current value increases, and the capacity of the main circuit breaker increases, while the power supply piping There is a problem that the size or size of the end to increase the size of the warping apparatus eventually increases.

In addition, as the number of chiller devices increases, the overall operating noise increases, and there is a problem that the installation area increases.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a chiller apparatus employing a single high pressure unit for multiple chambers.

Another object of the present invention is to apply the brine heater only for a specific temperature range, thereby reducing the amount of power consumption and the capacity, size and installation cost of the relevant components.

The above object is a common high pressure unit consisting of a compressor and a condenser installed at the rear of the compressor; And a plurality of evaporators forming independent brine paths in association with each of the semiconductor processing equipment and forming independent refrigerant paths in association with the common high pressure unit, wherein each of the refrigerant inlets comprises a first path and a first path. A second path is connected to the rear end of the condenser and the front of the condenser, an electronic expansion valve is installed in the first path, and a pair of a solenoid valve and a hot gas control valve connected in series are installed in the second path, and the refrigerant of each of the evaporators is provided. The outlet is achieved by a chiller apparatus for semiconductor processing equipment, each connected to the front end of the compressor.

Preferably, the apparatus may further include a receiver installed at a position before the first and second paths after the condenser.

Further, the rear end of the receiver and the front end of the compressor may be connected through a third path, and the third path may be provided with an electronic expansion valve for liquid injection.

Optionally, the pair of series-connected solenoid valves and hot gas regulating valves may be further installed in parallel.

According to the above structure, by not using the brine heater for maintaining the temperature of the brine can reduce the power consumption of the equipment to reduce the operating cost.

In addition, by using only one compressor and a condenser, it is easy to install, reduce the overall size of the chiller device, it is possible to significantly reduce the operating noise.

In addition, by reducing the number of installation can be naturally reduced costs.

2 is a cooling system diagram showing a chiller apparatus for a semiconductor process according to the present invention. For the sake of convenience, we will take an example where two facilities are operated for one condenser and compressor.

Referring to FIG. 2, the chiller apparatus of the present invention includes a refrigerant path Ra and Rb configured by a common high-pressure unit H and each of the evaporators 121 and 122, and each of the evaporators 121 and 122. The semiconductor processing facilities 161 and 162 are made up of the brine paths Ba and Bb which are associated with each other.

The common high pressure unit H is composed of one compressor 111 and one condenser 112 installed at the rear of the compressor 111.

According to this configuration, by using only one compressor 111 and the condenser 112, it is easy to install, the overall size of the chiller device can be reduced, and operation noise can be significantly reduced. In addition, by reducing the number of installation can be naturally reduced costs.

Preferably, a receiver tank 113 may be further installed at the rear end of the condenser 112. Specifically, when the temperature is raised because a plurality of semiconductor processing facilities 161 and 162 are operated using one compressor 111, for example, the low-temperature refrigerant flowing into the evaporator 122 is an electronic expansion valve 117. By closing the opening of the valve) to block the refrigerant, a change in the condensation pressure, which is the inlet pressure of the other electronic expansion valve 114, may occur.

In this way, it is preferable to provide the receiver 113 in order to reduce the change in the condensation pressure caused by the disturbance such as the change in the set temperature of the other semiconductor processing equipment or the change in the cooling load.

In addition, the liquid injection electronic expansion valve 120 may be further installed in a path connecting the rear end of the receiver 113 and the front end 111 of the compressor. In other words, when supplying a high-temperature refrigerant to stabilize the overall refrigeration cycle by installing an electronic expansion valve 120 for liquid injection in order to prevent the temperature rise of the suction gas flowing into the compressor (111).

As described above, the plurality of refrigerant paths are configured in parallel with the paths circulating between the evaporators 121 and 122 and the high pressure unit H.

Referring to FIG. 2, the refrigerant inlets of each refrigerant path are connected to the rear end of the receiver 113 through the electronic expansion valves 114 and 117, and the solenoid valves 131 and 132 connected in series and the hot gas control valve 115 are connected in series. 116 is connected to the front end of the condenser 112.

In this case, the series-connected solenoid valves 131 and 132 and the hot gas control valves 115 and 116 are installed in parallel pairs, for example, to use one pair for high temperature and the other pair for low temperature. It is for convenience and does not have to be installed in parallel pairs. In the following description, it is assumed that a pair of the solenoid valve 132 and the hot gas control valve 116 connected in series is used for high temperature.

Meanwhile, the refrigerant outlet of each refrigerant path is connected to the front end of the compressor 111.

The operation of the chiller device having the above-described configuration will be described below.

When raising the temperature of one of the facilities for semiconductor processing

3 is a cooling system diagram illustrating a case where only the set temperature of the semiconductor process equipment 162 is increased while the semiconductor process equipment 161 and 162 maintains the set temperature.

Referring to FIG. 3, the high temperature refrigerant discharged from the compressor 111 flows into the inlet of the evaporator 121 inside the refrigerant tank 141 through the hot gas regulating valve 116 and the solenoid valve 132. The refrigerant condensed in the condenser 112 flows into the evaporator 121 inside the refrigerant tank 141 after being throttled in the electronic expansion valve 114 in a state of low temperature / low pressure two-phase gas. To maintain the set temperature.

At the same time, the hot refrigerant discharged from the compressor 111 flows into the evaporator 122 inside the refrigerant tank 143 through the hot gas regulating valve 119 and the solenoid valve 134, but is condensed in the condenser 112. The refrigerant is blocked from entering the evaporator 122 by closing the opening degree of the electronic expansion valve 117. In addition, the brine heater 144 generates heat, thereby increasing the temperature of the brine in the evaporator 122.

Accordingly, the semiconductor processing equipment 161 maintains the temperature as it is, while the semiconductor processing equipment 162 increases in temperature.

When lowering the temperature of semiconductor processing equipment

4 is a cooling system diagram showing a case where the temperature of the semiconductor process equipment is lowered in the present invention. This process is the same as the prior art and briefly described as follows.

Referring to FIG. 4, the refrigerant discharged from the compressor 111 and the condenser 112 performs the condensation process and the refrigerant introduced into the receiver are expanded in the electronic expansion valves 114 and 117 of each refrigeration cycle in the liquefied state. The expanded refrigerant flows into the evaporators 121 and 122, exchanges heat with brine, performs an evaporation process, and is then sucked back into the compressor 111.

At this time, the valve opening degree of the liquid injection electronic expansion valve 120, which was used to constantly lower the temperature of the suction refrigerant in the high temperature region immediately before the temperature is lowered, is gradually closed to close.

When maintaining the temperature of semiconductor processing equipment at the set temperature

5 is a cooling system diagram showing a case where the temperature of a semiconductor process facility is maintained at a set temperature in the present invention.

The purpose can be achieved by simultaneously lowering and raising the temperature of the brine.

Referring to FIG. 5, the refrigerant discharged from the compressor 111 flows into the condenser 112 and is temporarily stored in the receiver 113 through the condensation process.

At this time, the receiver 113 serves to send 100% of the liquefied refrigerant to the expansion valve, and additionally, an electronic expansion valve that performs a temperature reduction role according to disturbances such as cooling loads of the respective semiconductor processing facilities 161 and 162. The fluctuation range of the condensation pressure according to the opening degree of the valves 114 and 117 can be absorbed substantially.

The liquid refrigerant discharged from the receiver 113 performs an expansion process in each of the electronic expansion valves 114 and 117, and the expanded refrigerant flows into the evaporators 121 and 122 to exchange heat with brine. In the brine the temperature is lowered and the refrigerant undergoes an evaporation process. The refrigerant from the evaporators 121 and 122 flows into the compressor 111 in a gaseous state.

In addition, the process for adjusting the temperature of the brine to the set temperature in the evaporator (121, 122) is as follows.

The refrigerant discharged from the compressor 111 flows into the electronic expansion valves 114 and 117 to cool the brine as described above and simultaneously maintain the brine at a set temperature without using a brine heater. Hot gas is used.

The hot gas, which is a heat source that maintains the temperature of the brine not to fall, passes through the hot gas regulating valve 115 and the solenoid valve 131 in the case of the semiconductor processing equipment 161 and flows out to the electronic expansion valve 114. It is mixed with cold refrigerant and flows into the evaporator 121. The refrigerant mixed as described above maintains the set temperature by performing a heat exchange process with brine in the evaporator 121.

In addition, in the case of the semiconductor processing equipment 162, the hot gas discharged from the same compressor 111 passes through the hot gas control valve 118 and the solenoid valve 133, and then passes through the electronic expansion valve 117. After mixing with one refrigerant and entering the evaporator 121, the temperature of the brine is maintained in the manner described above.

On the other hand, if the temperature of the low-pressure refrigerant in the gaseous state sucked into the compressor 111 is high, the liquid injection-type electronic expansion valve 120 is opened by an external controller to open a cold high-pressure liquid refrigerant from the receiver 113. Is supplied and recovered to the compressor 111.

In the above, when maintaining the high temperature brine set temperature, the refrigerant of the high-temperature low-pressure gas state may be introduced into the compressor 111, in this case it can act as an unstable load (reflection) in the refrigeration cycle to ensure stable operation of the system. The liquid injection system can be applied to the present invention to achieve a stable refrigeration cycle.

In the present invention, the components for performing the expansion process and the components for hot gas control as shown in Figure 2, the electronic expansion valve 114, 117, 120 to which the stepping motor (stepping motor) is applied to remove the temperature valve used in the prior art The valve lift rate in the expansion device can be fully realized from 0% to 100%.

 In addition, the hot gas bypass method of supplying hot gas, which is a heat source generated by the compressor 111, to the hot gas control valves 115, 116, 118, and 119 during temperature control is combined with the technology of the electronic expansion valve described above. By doing so, it is possible to perform a temperature control process that has been realized using a heater in the prior art.

Although the above has been described with reference to the embodiments of the present invention, various changes and modifications are possible at the level of those skilled in the art. Therefore, the scope of the present invention should not be limited to the above embodiment but should be interpreted by the claims described below.

1 shows a cooling system diagram of a chiller device of a conventional semiconductor processing equipment.

2 is a cooling system diagram showing a chiller apparatus for a semiconductor process according to the present invention.

3 is a cooling system diagram illustrating a case where only the set temperature of the semiconductor process equipment 162 is increased while the semiconductor process equipment 161 and 162 maintains the set temperature.

4 is a cooling system diagram showing a case where the temperature of the semiconductor process equipment is lowered in the present invention.

5 is a cooling system diagram showing a case where the temperature of a semiconductor process facility is maintained at a set temperature in the present invention.

Claims (7)

delete delete delete delete A common high pressure unit consisting of a compressor and a condenser installed at the rear of the compressor and a plurality of independent evaporators, each evaporator having a brine heater, and forming a brine path between the corresponding semiconductor processing equipments, An electronic expansion valve is installed in the refrigerant liquid supply line connecting the evaporator and the rear end of the condenser, and a pair of solenoid valves and hot gas control valves connected in series with the hot gas supply line connecting the evaporator and the front end of the condenser are installed. Refrigerant outlet of each evaporator is applied to a chiller device for semiconductor processing equipment, respectively, connected to the front end of the compressor, When raising the temperature of one of the semiconductor processing equipment, the opening of the electronic expansion valve of the refrigerant liquid supply line is closed and the opening of the solenoid valve and the hot gas control valve of the hot gas supply line to open hot gas to the evaporator. While supplying the brine heater to generate heat, When the temperature of one of the semiconductor processing equipments is lowered, the opening of the electronic expansion valve of the refrigerant liquid supply line is opened, and the opening of the solenoid valve and the hot gas control valve of the hot gas supply line is closed to cool the coolant liquid to the evaporator. Supplies to When maintaining the temperature of one of the semiconductor processing equipment at a predetermined temperature, the opening of the electronic expansion valve of the refrigerant liquid supply line and the opening of the solenoid valve and hot gas control valve of the hot gas supply line A method of controlling a chiller device for semiconductor processing equipment. Comprising a common high pressure unit consisting of a compressor and a condenser installed after the compressor and a plurality of independent evaporators, Each evaporator includes a brine heater, and forms a brine path between the semiconductor processing equipments corresponding thereto. An electronic expansion valve is installed in the refrigerant liquid supply line connecting the evaporator and the rear end of the condenser, and a pair of solenoid valves and hot gas control valves connected in series with the hot gas supply line connecting the evaporator and the front end of the condenser are installed. Become, Refrigerant outlets of each evaporator are respectively connected to the front end of the compressor, In the case of raising the temperature of one of the semiconductor processing equipments, the opening of the electronic expansion valve of the refrigerant liquid supply line is closed and the opening of the solenoid valve and the hot gas control valve of the hot gas supply line is supplied to supply hot gas. Chiller device for semiconductor processing equipment, characterized in that to heat the brine heater. The method according to claim 6, In order to reduce the change in the condensation pressure caused by closing the opening degree of each of the electronic expansion valve, a receiver is further installed at the rear end of the condenser, And a liquid injection electronic expansion valve is installed at a path connecting the rear end of the receiver and the front end of the compressor to prevent a temperature rise of the suction gas flowing into the compressor.

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