Cooling device and cooling control method thereof

Abstract

The present application provides a cooling device and a cooling control method thereof, which relates to the field of cooling process technology, and is used to solve the technical problem of uneven temperature of a reaction chamber in the cooling stage of the cooling device. The cooling device comprises: a reaction chamber and a controller, wherein the reaction chamber is surrounded by a chamber wall, and the reaction chamber comprises a plurality of space units, each of which is provided with a temperature detection device, each of which is provided with at least one gas delivery pipe connected thereto, and for each space unit, at least one gas delivery pipe is provided with a flow regulating device; the controller is connected to each flow regulating device and each temperature detection device by signal, and the controller is used to control each flow regulating device according to the temperature detected by each temperature detection device, so as to adjust the flow of the gas delivery pipe where each flow regulating device is located. The cooling device can ensure the temperature uniformity in the reaction chamber.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of cooling process technology, and in particular to a cooling device and a cooling control method thereof. Background Art

[0002] In the manufacturing process of OLED display panels, some film layers need to undergo an annealing process after preparation to improve the properties of the film layers.

[0003] Annealing furnace is a commonly used annealing equipment. In the cooling stage of the annealing process, cooling gas is usually introduced into the chamber of the annealing furnace to cool it down.

[0004] However, the above-mentioned cooling method will lead to large temperature differences at various locations in the chamber of the annealing furnace, thus affecting the annealing effect. Summary of the invention

[0005] In view of the above problems, the embodiments of the present application provide a cooling device and a cooling control method thereof, which can improve the temperature uniformity in the annealing furnace during the cooling process.

[0006] In order to achieve the above objectives, the embodiments of the present application provide the following technical solutions:

[0007] The first aspect of an embodiment of the present application provides a cooling device, comprising: a reaction chamber, the reaction chamber is surrounded by a chamber wall, the reaction chamber includes a plurality of space units, each of the space units is provided with a temperature detection device, each of the space units is provided with at least one gas delivery pipe connected thereto, and for each of the space units, at least one of the gas delivery pipes is provided with a flow regulating device; a controller, signal-connected to each of the flow regulating devices and each of the temperature detection devices, the controller being used to control each of the flow regulating devices according to the temperature detected by each of the temperature detection devices, so as to adjust the flow of the gas delivery pipe where each of the flow regulating devices is located.

[0008] In the cooling device provided in the embodiment of the present application, the reaction chamber is divided into a plurality of space units, each space unit is provided with a temperature detection device, and each space unit is provided with a corresponding gas delivery pipe, and a flow regulating device is provided on the gas delivery pipe. When the cooling device enters the cooling stage of the annealing process, each gas delivery pipe is used to deliver cooling gas to each space unit, so that the heat in each space unit can be taken away by the flowing cooling gas, thereby achieving the purpose of cooling. At the same time, the flow rate of each gas delivery pipe is adjusted according to the temperature detected by the temperature detection device in each space unit, and then the flow rate of the cooling gas in each space unit is adjusted to reduce or eliminate the temperature difference between each space unit.

[0009] The cooling device provided in the embodiment of the present application can specifically adjust the temperature of each space unit in the reaction chamber to ensure the temperature uniformity in the reaction chamber, thereby improving the quality of the product prepared by using the cooling device. For example, the cooling device provided in the embodiment of the present application can be used to perform an activation annealing process on the IGZO (indium gallium zinc oxide) film layer, the gate insulation layer and other film layers of the OLED display panel. Since the temperature in the reaction chamber is uniform during the cooling stage of the activation annealing process, the temperature uniformity of the OLED display panel in different areas of the reaction chamber can be improved, thereby ensuring the electrical uniformity of the product.

[0010] In one possible implementation, the cavity wall includes a first side wall and a second side wall that are opposite to each other, and each of the space units extends from the first side wall to the second side wall; the first side wall includes a plurality of first side wall units corresponding one-to-one to the plurality of space units, the gas delivery pipe includes an air inlet pipe connected to the first side wall unit, and the air inlet pipe is provided with the flow regulating device; and / or, the second side wall includes a plurality of second side wall units corresponding one-to-one to the plurality of space units, the gas delivery pipe includes an exhaust pipe connected to the second side wall unit, and the exhaust pipe is provided with the flow regulating device.

[0011] In a possible implementation, a first guide plate is provided on the inner wall surface of the first side wall, and the first guide plate is located between the intake pipes; and / or a second guide plate is provided on the inner wall surface of the second side wall, and the second guide plate is located between the exhaust pipes.

[0012] In one possible implementation, the spatial unit includes a plurality of subspaces connected in sequence along its extension direction, each of the subspaces is provided with a heating device and the temperature detection device, each of the heating devices is connected to the controller signal, and the controller is also used to adjust the heating power of each of the heating devices in the spatial unit according to the temperature detected by the temperature detection device in each of the subspaces in the same spatial unit.

[0013] In a possible implementation, the temperature reduction device includes an exhaust pump, one end of each of the exhaust pipes is connected to the second side wall, and the other end of each of the exhaust pipes is connected to the exhaust pump.

[0014] In a possible implementation, the exhaust pump is connected to the controller signal, and the controller is also used to adjust the exhaust flow rate of the exhaust pump.

[0015] In a possible implementation, a flow detection device is provided on the gas delivery pipe provided with the flow regulating device, and each of the flow detection devices is connected to the controller signal.

[0016] A second aspect of an embodiment of the present application provides a cooling control method for a cooling device.

[0017] The temperature-lowering device comprises an annealing furnace, a reaction chamber, wherein the reaction chamber is surrounded by a chamber wall, and the reaction chamber comprises a plurality of space units, each of which is provided with at least one gas delivery pipe connected thereto; the temperature-lowering control method comprises: obtaining the temperature value of each of the space units; determining the target gas delivery pipe that needs to be flow-regulated and the flow regulation parameters of the target gas delivery pipe based on the temperature value of each of the space units; and regulating the flow of the target gas delivery pipe according to the flow regulation parameters.

[0018] In the cooling control method of the cooling device provided in the embodiment of the present application, the temperature of each space unit is obtained, and the flow rate of each gas delivery pipe is adjusted according to the temperature of each space unit, thereby adjusting the flow rate of the cooling gas in each space unit to reduce or eliminate the temperature difference between each space unit. The cooling control method can perform targeted adjustment on the temperature of each space unit in the annealing furnace, ensure the temperature uniformity in the annealing furnace, thereby improving the quality of the product prepared by the cooling device. For example, the cooling control method of the cooling device provided in the embodiment of the present application can be used in the activation annealing process of the IGZO (indium gallium zinc oxide) film layer, gate insulation layer and other film layers of the OLED display panel. Since the temperature in the annealing furnace is uniform during the cooling stage of the activation annealing process, the temperature uniformity of the OLED display panel in different areas of the furnace can be improved, thereby ensuring the electrical uniformity of the product.

[0019] In a possible implementation, for each of the space units, at least one of the gas delivery pipes is provided with a flow control valve, and the flow control parameter includes an opening variation of the flow control valve.

[0020] In one possible implementation, based on the temperature value of each of the spatial units, a method for determining a target gas delivery pipe that requires flow regulation includes: comparing the temperature values ​​of each of the spatial units to obtain a minimum temperature value; and determining a gas delivery pipe corresponding to a spatial unit having a temperature value higher than the minimum temperature value as the target gas delivery pipe.

[0021] In a possible implementation, the opening change of the flow control valve is an opening increase ΔD1, and the calculation formula of the opening increase ΔD1 is:

[0022] ΔD1=k1×(T1-T min )+k2;

[0023] Wherein, k1 is the first adjustment coefficient;

[0024] k2 is the first compensation constant;

[0025] T1 is the temperature value of the space unit corresponding to the target gas delivery pipe;

[0026] T min is the minimum temperature value.

[0027] In a possible implementation, the spatial unit includes a plurality of subspaces connected in sequence along its extension direction, and a heating device is provided in each of the subspaces; the temperature reduction control method includes: obtaining the temperature values ​​of each of the subspaces in the same spatial unit; based on the temperature values ​​of each of the subspaces, determining the target heating device that needs to adjust the heating power and the power adjustment parameters of the target heating device; and adjusting the power of the target heating device according to the power adjustment parameters.

[0028] In one possible implementation, a method for determining a target heating device that requires heating power adjustment based on the temperature values ​​of each of the subspaces includes: comparing the temperature values ​​of each of the subspaces to obtain a maximum temperature value; and determining a heating device in a subspace having a temperature value lower than the maximum temperature value as the target heating device.

[0029] In a possible implementation, the power adjustment parameter includes a power increase ΔP, and a calculation formula for the power increase ΔP is:

[0030] ΔP=k3×(T max -T2)+k4;

[0031] Wherein, k3 is the second adjustment coefficient;

[0032] k4 is the second compensation constant;

[0033] T2 is the temperature value of the subspace where the target heating device is located;

[0034] T max is the maximum temperature value.

[0035] In a possible implementation, the temperature reduction control method includes: obtaining a target reaction chamber temperature value at a current moment according to a correspondence between time and the target reaction chamber temperature value; and adjusting a total exhaust flow rate of the annealing furnace according to the target reaction chamber temperature value.

[0036] In a possible implementation, the total exhaust flow rate S of the reaction chamber is 总 and the target reaction chamber temperature value T 反应腔 The corresponding relationship is:

[0037] T 反应腔 =A×S 总 2+B×S 总 +C / S 总 ;

[0038] Among them, A is the first constant, B is the second constant, and C is the third constant.

[0039] In one possible implementation, the temperature reduction control method includes: after adjusting the flow of the target gas delivery pipe, obtaining the current flow of the target gas delivery pipe and the actual temperature value of the corresponding spatial unit; determining the target temperature value of the corresponding spatial unit based on the current flow of the target gas delivery pipe; and adjusting the flow of the target gas delivery pipe according to the target temperature value and the actual temperature value.

[0040] In a possible implementation, the current flow S 管 With the target temperature value T 目标 The corresponding relationship is:

[0041] T 目标 =A1×S 管 2 +B1×S 管 +C1 / S 管 ;

[0042] Among them, A1 is the fourth constant, B1 is the fifth constant, and C1 is the sixth constant.

[0043] In a possible implementation, at least one of the gas delivery pipes is provided with a flow control valve, and adjusting the flow of the target gas delivery pipe according to the target temperature value and the actual temperature value includes: calculating the opening change ΔD2 of the flow control valve, and the calculation formula of the opening change ΔD2 is:

[0044] ΔD2=k5×(T3-T 目标 )+k6;

[0045] Among them, k5 is the third adjustment coefficient;

[0046] k6 is the third compensation constant;

[0047] T3 is the actual temperature value;

[0048] T 目标 is the target temperature value;

[0049] The opening of the flow regulating device is adjusted according to the calculated opening change ΔD2. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0050] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present application or the technical solutions in the prior art, a brief introduction will be given below to the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present application. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative work.

[0051] Figure 1 It is a structural schematic diagram of an annealing furnace in the related art;

[0052] Figure 2 for Figure 1 Schematic diagram of air flow in the annealing furnace shown;

[0053] Figure 3 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the temperatures at different positions of the same OLED display panel in the annealing furnace;

[0054] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the structure of a cooling device provided in one embodiment of the present application;

[0055] Figure 5 A system block diagram of a cooling device provided in one embodiment of the present application;

[0056] Figure 6 for Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the matching structure of the second side wall and the exhaust pipe in the reaction chamber of the cooling device shown;

[0057] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the structure of a cooling device provided in another embodiment of the present application;

[0058] Figure 8 for Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the matching structure of the second side wall and the exhaust pipe in the annealing furnace of the cooling device shown;

[0059] Fig. 9 A schematic diagram of the structure of a cooling device provided in yet another embodiment of the present application;

[0060] Fig.10 A flow chart of a cooling control method for a cooling device provided in one embodiment of the present application;

[0061] Fig.11 A curve diagram of the corresponding relationship between time and target reaction chamber temperature value in a cooling control method for a cooling device provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0062] Description of reference numerals:

[0063] 100-annealing furnace; 200-controller;

[0064] 110-space unit; 111-subspace;

[0065] 10- cavity wall; 11- first side wall;

[0066] 12-a second side wall; 121-a second side wall unit;

[0067] 13-second guide plate; 20-temperature detection device;

[0068] 30-intake pipe; 40-exhaust pipe;

[0069] 50-flow regulating device; 60-heating device;

[0070] 70-exhaust pump; 90-flow detection device;

[0071] 300-OLED display panel; 101-partition. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0072] As described in the background art, in the related art, during the cooling stage of the annealing process, cooling gas is introduced into the chamber of the annealing furnace to cool the chamber. Figure 1 As shown, an air inlet pipe 30 is provided on one side of the annealing furnace 100, and an exhaust pipe 40 is provided on the side of the annealing furnace 100 opposite to the air inlet pipe 30. Cooling gas is blown into the annealing furnace 100 through the air inlet pipe 30, and the cooling gas is discharged through the exhaust pipe 40 after heat exchange in the annealing furnace 100.

[0073] Since the flow rate of the cooling gas in the annealing furnace 100 is uncontrollable, the temperature and flow rate of the cooling gas at various locations in the annealing furnace 100 are different, resulting in poor uniformity of the temperature in the annealing furnace 100, thereby affecting product quality. Figure 1 , Figure 1 The annealing furnace 100 is used in the related art to perform an activation annealing process on the IGZO (indium gallium zinc oxide) film layer, the gate insulation layer and other film layers of the OLED display panel 300. The reaction chamber of the annealing furnace 100 is provided with a plurality of partitions 101 spaced from top to bottom, and the plurality of partitions 101 divide the reaction chamber into multiple layers of space.

[0074] During the activation annealing process, an OLED display panel 300 is placed on each partition 101, that is, an OLED display panel 300 is placed in each layer of space. During the cooling stage of the activation annealing process, the air inlet pipe 30 blows cooling gas into the annealing furnace 100, and the cooling gas is discharged through the exhaust pipe 40 after heat exchange in the annealing furnace 100. Figure 2As shown, the flow rate of cooling gas in each layer of space in the annealing furnace 100 is quite different, which leads to a large temperature difference in each layer of space, thereby affecting the electrical uniformity of the product. For the same layer of space, there is also the problem of uneven temperature in each area, for example, Figure 3 As shown, the temperatures at various locations of the same OLED display panel 300 are different, thereby affecting the electrical uniformity of different locations of the OLED display panel 300 itself.

[0075] In response to the above technical problems, an embodiment of the present application provides a cooling device, which divides the reaction chamber into multiple space units, each space unit is provided with a corresponding temperature detection device and a gas delivery pipe, and the flow rate of the gas delivery pipe is adjusted according to the temperature detected by each temperature detection device, thereby reducing or eliminating the temperature difference between the space units, ensuring the temperature uniformity in the reaction chamber, and further improving the quality of the products prepared using the cooling device.

[0076] In order to make the above-mentioned purposes, features and advantages of the embodiments of the present application more obvious and understandable, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present application, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work belong to the scope of protection of this application.

[0077] like Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the cooling device provided in the embodiment of the present application includes a reaction chamber and a controller 200. The cooling device can be applied to an annealing device, and the reaction chamber can be used to perform an annealing process on the product placed therein, for example, in the manufacturing process of an OLED display panel, an activation annealing process is performed on the formed IGZO film layer to improve the semiconductor properties of the material, and for another example, in the manufacturing process of an OLED display panel, an activation annealing process is performed on the gate insulation layer to improve the film uniformity and device characteristics of the film layer. The controller 200 is used to control various electrical components of the reaction chamber.

[0078] Continue to refer Figure 4 The reaction chamber is surrounded by a chamber wall 10, and the reaction chamber includes a plurality of space units 110, each of which is provided with a temperature detection device 20, such as a temperature sensor. Each space unit 110 is provided with at least one gas delivery pipe connected thereto, and the gas delivery pipe is used to deliver cooling gas into the reaction chamber to cool the reaction chamber.

[0079] The gas delivery pipe may be an air intake pipe 30 connected to the cavity wall 10, or an exhaust pipe 40 connected to the cavity wall 10. For a space unit 110, only an air intake pipe 30 may be provided on the corresponding cavity wall 10, and the number of air intake pipes 30 is not limited, and may be one or more. In this case, the cooling gas is introduced into the space unit 110 through the air intake pipe 30, and the space unit 110 uses the exhaust pipes 40 of other space units 110 to discharge the cooling gas. Alternatively, only an exhaust pipe 40 may be provided on the corresponding cavity wall 10, and the number of exhaust pipes 40 is not limited, and may be one or more. In this case, the cooling gas is introduced into the space unit 110 through the air intake pipes 30 of other space units 110, and the cooling gas is discharged through the exhaust pipe 40 corresponding to the space unit 110. Alternatively, both an air inlet pipe 30 and an exhaust pipe 40 may be provided on the corresponding cavity wall 10, and the space unit 110 uses its own air inlet pipe 30 to take in cooling gas and uses its own exhaust pipe 40 to exhaust cooling gas. In this case, there is no restriction on the number of air inlet pipes 30 and exhaust pipes 40, and both may be one or more.

[0080] For each space unit 110, at least one gas delivery pipe is provided with a flow regulating device 50, and the flow regulating device 50 may be any device capable of regulating the flow of the gas delivery pipe, for example, a flow control valve such as a controllable butterfly valve. For a space unit 110, in an embodiment where only an inlet pipe 30 is provided on the corresponding cavity wall 10, if there is one inlet pipe 30, a flow regulating device 50 is provided on the inlet pipe 30, and if there are multiple inlet pipes 30, a flow regulating device 50 is provided on at least one of the inlet pipes 30. Similarly, for a space unit 110, in an embodiment where only an exhaust pipe 40 is provided on the corresponding cavity wall 10, if there is one exhaust pipe 40, a flow regulating device 50 is provided on the exhaust pipe 40, and if there are multiple exhaust pipes 40, a flow regulating device 50 is provided on at least one of the exhaust pipes 40. For a space unit 110, in an embodiment where both an air inlet pipe 30 and an exhaust pipe 40 are provided on its corresponding cavity wall 10, the flow regulating device 50 may be provided only on the air inlet pipe 30, or only on the exhaust pipe 40, or on both the air inlet pipe 30 and the exhaust pipe 40.

[0081] like Figure 5As shown, the controller 200 is connected to each flow regulating device 50 and each temperature detection device 20 by signal. The controller 200 is used to control each flow regulating device 50 according to the temperature detected by each temperature detection device 20, so as to adjust the flow of the gas delivery pipe where each flow regulating device 50 is located. For example, when it is detected that the temperature of a certain space unit 110 is too high, the flow of the gas delivery pipe corresponding to the space unit 110 is increased to improve the heat exchange efficiency between the cooling gas and the space unit 110.

[0082] In the cooling device provided in the embodiment of the present application, the reaction chamber of the cooling device 0 is divided into a plurality of space units 110, each space unit 110 is provided with a temperature detection device 20, and each space unit 110 is provided with a corresponding gas delivery pipe, and a flow regulating device 50 is provided on the gas delivery pipe. When the cooling device enters the cooling stage of the annealing process, each gas delivery pipe is used to deliver cooling gas to each space unit 110, so that the heat in each space unit 110 is taken away by the flowing cooling gas, thereby achieving the purpose of cooling. At the same time, the flow of each gas delivery pipe is adjusted according to the temperature detected by the temperature detection device 20 in each space unit 110, and then the flow rate of the cooling gas in each space unit 110 is adjusted to reduce or eliminate the temperature difference between each space unit 110.

[0083] The cooling device provided in the embodiment of the present application can specifically adjust the temperature of each space unit 110 in the reaction chamber to ensure the temperature uniformity in the reaction chamber, thereby improving the quality of the product prepared by using the cooling device. For example, the cooling device provided in the embodiment of the present application can be used to perform an activation annealing process on the IGZO (indium gallium zinc oxide) film layer, the gate insulation layer and other film layers of the OLED display panel. Since the temperature in the reaction chamber is uniform during the cooling stage of the activation annealing process, the temperature uniformity of the OLED display panel in different areas of the reaction chamber can be improved, thereby ensuring the electrical uniformity of the product.

[0084] The division method of the space unit 110 is not limited, and it can correspond to the gas delivery pipe, so that adjusting the flow rate of the gas delivery pipe can adjust the flow rate of the cooling gas in the corresponding space unit 110. In an optional embodiment, Figure 4 As shown, the chamber wall 10 includes a first side wall 11 and a second side wall 12 opposite to each other, an air inlet pipe 30 is arranged on the first side wall 11, and an exhaust pipe 40 is arranged on the second side wall 12, thereby forming a cooling gas flow path from the first side wall 11 to the second side wall 12 in the reaction chamber, and each space unit 110 extends from the first side wall 11 to the second side wall 12, so that the flow rate of the cooling gas in the corresponding space unit 110 can be conveniently adjusted by adjusting the flow of the air inlet pipe 30 and / or the exhaust pipe 40.

[0085] Furthermore, a plurality of spaced partitions are provided in the reaction chamber, and the partitions are vertically arranged with the first side wall 11 and the second side wall 12. Products for cooling or annealing processes can be placed on each partition. For example, an OLED display panel after preparing an IGZO film layer or a gate insulating layer can be placed on the partition for activation annealing process. By adjusting the cooling gas flow rate of each space unit 110, the temperature difference between each space unit 110 can be reduced or eliminated, thereby ensuring the uniformity of the electrical properties between each OLED display panel.

[0086] In one embodiment, Figure 4 and Figure 6 As shown, the second side wall 12 includes a plurality of second side wall units 121 corresponding to the plurality of space units 110 one by one. Figure 6 In the illustrated embodiment, a plurality of second side wall units 121 form a second side wall unit array of multiple rows and columns, so that, with the plane perpendicular to the extension direction of the space unit 110 as the cross section, the cross-sectional shape of the space unit 110 is the same as the shape of the corresponding second side wall unit 121. At this time, the second side wall unit 121 of each second side wall 12 is the cavity wall 10 corresponding to the position of the space unit 110. The above-mentioned gas delivery pipe connected to the space unit 110 includes an exhaust pipe 40 connected to the second side wall unit 121, and a flow regulating device 50 is provided on the exhaust pipe 40. In this way, the flow regulating device 50 on the exhaust pipe 40 can adjust the flow of the cooling gas in the exhaust pipe 40, thereby adjusting the flow rate of the cooling gas of the corresponding space unit 110, and then adjusting the heat exchange efficiency between the cooling gas and the space unit 110, so as to change the temperature of the product located in the space unit 110.

[0087] Furthermore, if Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, the inner wall surface of the second side wall 12 is provided with a second guide plate 13, and the second guide plate 13 is located between the exhaust pipes 40. The second guide plate 13 is used to separate the exhaust pipes 40, thereby reducing the interference between the exhaust pipes 40 and ensuring the accuracy of the cooling gas flow rate regulation of each space unit 110. Figure 8 In the embodiment shown, the plurality of exhaust pipes 40 form an exhaust pipe array in multiple rows and columns, and the second guide plate 13 forms a plurality of exhaust pipe arrays in multiple rows and columns. Figure 8 In the mesh structure shown, an exhaust pipe 40 is arranged in each mesh.

[0088] In the above embodiment, there may be one or more air intake pipes 30 disposed on the first side wall 11 . The multiple air intake pipes 30 may correspond one-to-one to the multiple space units 110 , or several space units 110 may share one air intake pipe 30 .

[0089] In the above embodiments, each exhaust pipe 40 is used to correspond to each space unit 110 one by one, and the flow rate of the cooling gas in the corresponding space unit 110 is adjusted by adjusting the flow rate of the exhaust pipe 40. Of course, it can be understood that each air intake pipe 30 can also be set to correspond to each space unit 110 one by one. For example, the first side wall 11 includes a plurality of first side wall units corresponding to the plurality of space units 110 one by one. In this way, the cross-sectional shape of the space unit 110 is the same as the shape of the corresponding first side wall unit, with the surface perpendicular to the extension direction of the space unit 110 as the cross section. The gas delivery pipe connected to the space unit 110 includes an air intake pipe 30 connected to the first side wall unit, and a flow regulating device 50 is provided on the air intake pipe 30. In this way, the flow regulating device 50 on the air intake pipe 30 can adjust the flow rate of the cooling gas in the air intake pipe 30, thereby adjusting the flow rate of the cooling gas in the corresponding space unit 110, and then adjusting the heat exchange efficiency between the cooling gas and the space unit 110, so as to change the temperature of the product located in the space unit 110.

[0090] In the above embodiment, there may be one or more exhaust pipes 40 disposed on the second side wall 12 . The multiple exhaust pipes 40 may correspond one-to-one to the multiple space units 110 , or several space units 110 may share one exhaust pipe 40 .

[0091] Similarly, a first guide plate can also be set on the inner wall surface of the first side wall 11. The first guide plate is located between the air inlet pipes 30. The first guide plate is used to separate the air inlet pipes 30, thereby reducing interference between the air inlet pipes 30 and ensuring the accuracy of regulating the cooling gas flow rate of each space unit 110.

[0092] Furthermore, if Fig. 9 As shown, the space unit 110 includes a plurality of subspaces 111 connected in sequence along its extension direction, and each subspace 111 is provided with a heating device 60 and a temperature detection device 20. The heating device 60 is used to heat the subspace 111 in which it is located, and can be, for example, a heating resistance wire. Figure 5 As shown, each heating device 60 is connected to the controller 200 by signal, and the controller 200 is also used to adjust the heating power of each heating device 60 in the space unit 110 according to the temperature detected by the temperature detection device 20 in each subspace 111 in the same space unit 110. For example, in a space unit 110, when the temperature of a subspace 111 is lower than the temperature of other subspaces 111, the heating device 60 in the subspace 111 can be controlled to heat to increase the temperature in the subspace 111. Such control can ensure the temperature uniformity of each area in the same space unit 110, thereby further improving product quality.

[0093] For example, when the cooling device provided in the above embodiment is used to perform an activation annealing process on the IGZO (indium galliumzinc oxide) film layer, the gate insulation layer and other film layers of the OLED display panel, by adjusting the temperature of each subspace 111, the temperature uniformity of each position of the same OLED display panel during the cooling stage can be ensured, thereby ensuring the uniformity of the electrical properties of the same OLED display panel.

[0094] In each space unit 110, the number of subspaces 111 is not specifically limited and can be set according to specific circumstances. For example, Fig. 9 In the illustrated embodiment, each space unit 110 includes four subspaces 111 .

[0095] Furthermore, if Figure 4 As shown, the cooling device includes an exhaust pump 70, one end of each exhaust pipe 40 is connected to the second side wall 12, and the other end of each exhaust pipe 40 is connected to the exhaust pump 70. Figure 4 In the illustrated embodiment, the other end of each exhaust pipe 40 is connected to an exhaust pump 70 via a flow divider. By providing the exhaust pump 70, the overall exhaust efficiency of the reaction chamber can be improved, thereby improving the heat exchange efficiency between the cooling gas and the reaction chamber.

[0096] During the cooling stage, the exhaust pump 70 may maintain a certain exhaust flow rate unchanged. In other embodiments, such as Figure 5 As described above, the exhaust pump 70 is connected to the controller 200 by signal, and the controller 200 is also used to adjust the exhaust flow rate of the exhaust pump 70. For example, when the temperature reduction speed of the reaction chamber is too fast, the controller 200 controls to reduce the exhaust flow rate of the exhaust pump 70, so as to reduce the cooling gas flow rate in each space unit 110 as a whole, so as to reduce the temperature reduction speed of the reaction chamber as a whole. For another example, when the temperature reduction speed of the reaction chamber is too slow, the controller 200 controls to increase the exhaust flow rate of the exhaust pump 70, so as to increase the cooling gas flow rate in each space unit 110 as a whole, so as to increase the temperature reduction speed of the reaction chamber as a whole.

[0097] Furthermore, a flow detection device 90 is provided on the gas delivery pipe provided with the flow regulating device 50. The flow detection device 90 may be, for example, a gas flow sensor, such as Figure 5As shown, each flow detection device 90 is connected to the controller 200 by signal. In this way, the controller 200 can also adjust the flow of the gas delivery pipe according to the flow of the gas delivery pipe and the actual temperature of the corresponding space unit 110, and then correct the cooling rate of the space unit 110. For example, the temperature that the corresponding space unit 110 should reach, that is, the target temperature, can be calculated based on the flow of the gas delivery pipe. If the target temperature is lower than the actual temperature of the space unit 110, the flow of the gas delivery pipe is increased to speed up the cooling rate of the space unit 110. If the target temperature is higher than the actual temperature of the space unit 110, the flow of the gas delivery pipe is reduced to reduce the cooling rate of the space unit 110.

[0098] In addition, a flow detection device 90 may also be provided between the flow divider and the exhaust pump 70, so as to adjust the exhaust flow rate of the exhaust pump 70 using the flow rate detected by the flow detection device 90 and the actual temperature of the reaction chamber, thereby correcting the overall cooling rate of the reaction chamber. The specific method may refer to the method for correcting the cooling rate of each space unit 110, which will not be described in detail here.

[0099] The embodiment of the present application also provides a cooling control method of a cooling device, which is used to control the cooling process of the cooling device. The cooling device can be the cooling device described in the above embodiments, and the details can be found in the above description, which will not be repeated here.

[0100] like Fig.10 As shown, the temperature reduction control method includes:

[0101] S10, obtaining the temperature value of each space unit;

[0102] S20, determining the target gas delivery pipe that needs to be flow-regulated and the flow regulation parameters of the target gas delivery pipe based on the temperature value of each space unit;

[0103] S30, regulating the flow rate of the target gas delivery pipe according to the flow rate regulation parameter.

[0104] In the cooling control method provided in the embodiment of the present application, the flow rate of the corresponding target gas delivery pipe can be adjusted in a targeted manner according to the temperature value of each spatial unit, so as to adjust the temperature of each spatial unit in the reaction chamber in a targeted manner, ensure the temperature uniformity in the reaction chamber, and thus improve the quality of the product prepared by the cooling device. For example, the cooling control method of the cooling device provided in the embodiment of the present application can be used in the activation annealing process of the IGZO (indium gallium zinc oxide) film layer, the gate insulation layer and other film layers of the OLED display panel. Since the temperature in the reaction chamber is uniform during the cooling stage of the activation annealing process, the temperature uniformity of the OLED display panel in different areas of the reaction chamber can be improved, thereby ensuring the electrical uniformity of the product.

[0105] As described in the various embodiments of the cooling device, the gas delivery pipe can be an air inlet pipe or an exhaust pipe. Therefore, in the embodiments of the cooling control method of the present application, the flow detection and flow regulation of the gas delivery pipe can be flow detection and flow regulation of the air inlet pipe or flow detection and flow regulation of the exhaust pipe.

[0106] In step S10, a temperature detection device may be provided in each spatial unit, and the temperature value detected by the temperature detection device is the temperature value of the spatial unit. Alternatively, multiple temperature detection devices may be provided in each spatial unit, and the temperature values ​​detected by the multiple temperature detection devices may be averaged as the temperature value of the spatial unit.

[0107] In step S20, the temperature value of each space unit may be compared with a reference value, and the flow rate of the gas delivery pipe corresponding to the space unit whose temperature value is equal to the reference value or the difference is within a predetermined range is not adjusted, and the remaining space units are determined as target gas delivery pipes. Alternatively, the flow rate of the gas delivery pipe corresponding to the space unit with the lowest temperature value is not adjusted, and the remaining space units are determined as target gas delivery pipes.

[0108] The flow regulation parameter may be, for example, a flow change in the gas delivery pipe. To facilitate flow regulation of the gas delivery pipe, a flow regulation valve is provided on the gas delivery pipe. In this embodiment, the flow regulation parameter includes an opening change of the flow regulation valve.

[0109] In an embodiment where the flow control parameter includes the opening variation of the flow control valve, optionally, step S20 specifically includes:

[0110] S21, comparing the temperature values ​​of each space unit to obtain the lowest temperature value;

[0111] S22, determining the gas delivery pipe corresponding to the space unit whose temperature value is higher than the lowest temperature value as the target gas delivery pipe;

[0112] S23, calculating the opening change of the flow control valve according to the minimum temperature value and the temperature value of the space unit corresponding to the target gas delivery pipe.

[0113] In step S23, the opening change of the flow regulating device is the opening increase ΔD1. Optionally, the calculation formula of the opening increase ΔD1 is:

[0114] ΔD1=k1×(T1-T min )+k2;

[0115] Wherein, k1 is the first adjustment coefficient;

[0116] k2 is the first compensation constant;

[0117] T1 is the temperature value of the space unit corresponding to the target gas delivery pipe;

[0118] T min is the minimum temperature value.

[0119] It can be understood that the first adjustment coefficient k1 and the first compensation constant k2 are both determined values, which may be empirical values ​​or values ​​obtained through experiments.

[0120] Furthermore, after the flow of the target gas delivery pipe is adjusted, the flow of the target gas delivery pipe can also be compensated and adjusted according to the flow of the target gas delivery pipe, the actual temperature value of the corresponding space unit, and the temperature value that the corresponding space unit should reach under the flow.

[0121] In an optional embodiment, the temperature reduction control method further includes the following steps performed after step S30:

[0122] S40, obtaining the current flow rate of the target gas delivery pipe and the actual temperature value of the corresponding space unit;

[0123] S50, determining a target temperature value of a corresponding spatial unit based on a current flow rate of the target gas delivery pipe;

[0124] S60, adjusting the flow rate of the target gas delivery pipe according to the target temperature value and the actual temperature value.

[0125] In step S50, the current flow S 管 and the target temperature value T 目标 The corresponding relationship is used to determine the target temperature value T 目标 For example, optionally, the current flow S 管 and the target temperature value T 目标 The corresponding relationship is:

[0126] T 目标 =A1×S管 2 +B1×S 管 +C1 / S 管 ;

[0127] Among them, A1 is the fourth constant, B1 is the fifth constant, and C1 is the sixth constant.

[0128] According to the above formula, the target temperature value T can be calculated 目标 It can be understood that the fourth constant A1, the fifth constant B1, and the sixth constant C1 are all determined values, which may be empirical values ​​or values ​​obtained through experiments.

[0129] In step S60, illustratively, adjusting the flow rate of the target gas delivery pipe according to the target temperature value and the actual temperature value includes:

[0130] Calculate the opening change ΔD2 of the flow control valve. The calculation formula for the opening change ΔD2 is:

[0131] ΔD2=k5×(T3-T 目标 )+k6;

[0132] Among them, k5 is the third adjustment coefficient;

[0133] k6 is the third compensation constant;

[0134] T3 is the actual temperature value;

[0135] T 目标 is the target temperature value;

[0136] The opening of the flow regulating device is adjusted according to the calculated opening change ΔD2.

[0137] It can be understood that the third adjustment coefficient k5 and the third compensation constant k6 are both determined values, which can be empirical values ​​or values ​​obtained through experiments.

[0138] Furthermore, the space unit includes a plurality of subspaces connected in sequence along its extension direction, and a heating device is provided in each subspace. The temperature reduction control method includes:

[0139] S100, obtaining the temperature value of each subspace in the same space unit;

[0140] S200, determining a target heating device that needs to adjust heating power and a power adjustment parameter of the target heating device based on the temperature value of each subspace;

[0141] S300: adjusting the power of the target heating device according to the power adjustment parameter.

[0142] In step S100, a temperature detection device may be provided in each subspace, and the temperature value detected by the temperature detection device is the temperature value of the subspace. Alternatively, multiple temperature detection devices may be provided in each subspace, and the temperature values ​​detected by the multiple temperature detection devices may be averaged as the temperature value of the subspace.

[0143] In step S200, the temperature value of each subspace may be compared with a reference value, and the heating devices in the subspaces whose temperature values ​​are equal to the reference value or whose difference is within a predetermined range do not adjust the heating power, and the remaining heating devices are determined as target heating devices. Alternatively, the heating power of the heating device in the subspace with the lowest temperature value is not adjusted, and the heating devices in the remaining subspaces are determined as target heating devices.

[0144] In an optional embodiment, step S200 specifically includes:

[0145] S201, compare the temperature values ​​of each subspace to obtain the highest temperature value;

[0146] S202, determining a heating device in a subspace whose temperature value is lower than the maximum temperature value as a target heating device;

[0147] S203: Calculate a power adjustment parameter according to the maximum temperature value and the temperature value of the subspace where the target heating device is located.

[0148] The power adjustment parameter includes a power increase ΔP. Optionally, the power increase ΔP is calculated as follows:

[0149] ΔP=k3×(T max -T2)+k4;

[0150] Wherein, k3 is the second adjustment coefficient;

[0151] k4 is the second compensation constant;

[0152] T2 is the temperature value of the subspace where the target heating device is located;

[0153] T max is the maximum temperature value.

[0154] It can be understood that the second adjustment coefficient k3 and the second compensation constant k4 are both determined values, which can be empirical values ​​or values ​​obtained through experiments.

[0155] Furthermore, the temperature reduction control method further includes:

[0156] S1. Obtain the target reaction chamber temperature value at the current moment according to the corresponding relationship between time and the target reaction chamber temperature value;

[0157] S2. Adjust the total exhaust flow rate of the annealing furnace according to the target reaction chamber temperature value.

[0158] By adjusting the total exhaust flow rate of the annealing furnace, the cooling speed of the annealing furnace can be adjusted as a whole, so that the speed change of the annealing furnace tends to be linear, so as to ensure the annealing effect and thus improve the product quality.

[0159] In step S1, the correspondence between time and target reaction chamber temperature value can be a mapping, a table or a Fig.11 The graphs shown are not limited here. Fig.11 Taking the curve graph shown in FIG. 1 as an example, the temperature value corresponding to the current moment in the curve graph can be obtained according to the current moment, and the temperature value is the target reaction chamber temperature value at the current moment.

[0160] In step S2, the total exhaust flow rate S of the annealing furnace can be established. 总 and the target reaction chamber temperature T 反应腔 The corresponding relationship is used to determine the total exhaust flow rate S 总 For example, optionally, the total exhaust flow rate S of the annealing furnace 总 and the target reaction chamber temperature T 反应腔 The corresponding relationship is:

[0161] T 反应腔 =A×S 总 2 +B×S 总 +C / S 总 ;

[0162] Among them, A is the first constant, B is the second constant, and C is the third constant.

[0163] It can be understood that the first constant A, the second constant B and the third constant C mentioned above are all determined values, which may be empirical values ​​or values ​​obtained through experiments.

[0164] Of course, it can be understood that in the above embodiment, after the total exhaust flow rate of the annealing furnace is adjusted, the total exhaust flow rate of the annealing furnace can also be compensated and adjusted according to the total exhaust flow rate of the annealing furnace, the actual temperature of the reaction chamber of the annealing furnace, and the temperature that should be reached at the flow rate. The method is similar to the compensatory adjustment of the flow rate of the target gas delivery pipe, and will not be repeated here.

[0165] The various embodiments or implementation methods in this specification are described in a progressive manner. Each embodiment focuses on the differences from other embodiments, and the same or similar parts between the various embodiments can be referenced to each other.

[0166] It should be noted that the phrases "one embodiment", "an embodiment", "an exemplary embodiment", "some embodiments", etc. mentioned in the specification indicate that the described embodiments may include certain features, structures or characteristics, but not every embodiment may include the certain features, structures or characteristics. In addition, such phrases do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. In addition, when describing certain features, structures or characteristics in conjunction with an embodiment, it is within the knowledge of those skilled in the art to implement such features, structures or characteristics in conjunction with other embodiments, whether explicitly or not explicitly described.

[0167] In general, terms should be understood, at least in part, by the context in which they are used. For example, the term "one or more" as used herein may be used to describe any feature, structure, or characteristic in a singular sense, or may be used to describe a combination of features, structures, or characteristics in a plural sense, depending, at least in part, on the context. Similarly, terms such as "a," "an," or "the" may also be understood to convey singular usage or to convey plural usage, depending, at least in part, on the context.

[0168] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present application, rather than to limit it. Although the present application has been described in detail with reference to the aforementioned embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that they can still modify the technical solutions described in the aforementioned embodiments, or replace some or all of the technical features therein with equivalents. However, these modifications or replacements do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application.

Claims

1. A cooling device, characterized in that: include: A reaction chamber, wherein the reaction chamber is enclosed by a chamber wall, and the reaction chamber comprises a plurality of space units, each of which is provided with a temperature detection device, each of which is provided with at least one gas delivery pipe connected thereto, and for each of the space units, at least one of the gas delivery pipes is provided with a flow regulating device; A controller, connected to each of the flow regulating devices and each of the temperature detecting devices by signal, the controller being used to control each of the flow regulating devices according to the temperature detected by each of the temperature detecting devices, so as to adjust the flow of the gas delivery pipe where each of the flow regulating devices is located; The spatial unit includes a plurality of subspaces connected in sequence along its extension direction, each of the subspaces is provided with a heating device and the temperature detection device, each of the heating devices is connected to the controller signal, and the controller is also used to adjust the heating power of each of the heating devices in the spatial unit according to the temperature detected by the temperature detection device in each of the subspaces in the same spatial unit.

2. The cooling device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The cavity wall comprises a first side wall and a second side wall opposite to each other, and each of the space units extends from the first side wall to the second side wall; The first side wall includes a plurality of first side wall units corresponding one-to-one to the plurality of space units, the gas delivery pipe includes an air inlet pipe connected to the first side wall unit, and the air inlet pipe is provided with the flow regulating device; and / or the second side wall includes a plurality of second side wall units corresponding one-to-one to the plurality of space units, the gas delivery pipe includes an exhaust pipe connected to the second side wall unit, and the exhaust pipe is provided with the flow regulating device.

3. The cooling device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The inner wall surface of the first side wall is provided with a first guide plate, and the first guide plate is located between the intake pipes; and / or the inner wall surface of the second side wall is provided with a second guide plate, and the second guide plate is located between the exhaust pipes.

4. The cooling device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The temperature reduction device includes an exhaust pump, one end of each exhaust pipe is connected to the second side wall, and the other end of each exhaust pipe is connected to the exhaust pump.

5. The cooling device according to claim 4, characterized in that: The exhaust pump is connected to the controller signal, and the controller is also used to adjust the exhaust flow rate of the exhaust pump.

6. The cooling device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: A flow detection device is arranged on the gas delivery pipe provided with the flow regulating device, and each of the flow detection devices is connected with the controller signal.

7. A cooling control method for a cooling device, characterized in that: The cooling device comprises a reaction chamber, which is surrounded by a chamber wall, and comprises a plurality of space units, each of which is provided with at least one gas delivery pipe connected thereto; the space unit comprises a plurality of subspaces sequentially connected along its extension direction, and each of the subspaces is provided with a heating device; The temperature reduction control method comprises: Obtaining the temperature value of each of the spatial units; Based on the temperature value of each of the spatial units, determining a target gas delivery pipe that needs to be flow-regulated and a flow regulation parameter of the target gas delivery pipe; Regulating the flow rate of the target gas delivery pipe according to the flow rate regulation parameter; The temperature reduction control method further comprises: Obtaining the temperature value of each subspace in the same spatial unit; Based on the temperature values ​​of each of the subspaces, determining a target heating device that needs to adjust the heating power and a power adjustment parameter of the target heating device; The power of the target heating device is adjusted according to the power adjustment parameter.

8. The temperature reduction control method according to claim 7, characterized in that: For each of the space units, at least one of the gas delivery pipes is provided with a flow regulating device, and the flow regulating parameter includes an opening variation of the flow regulating device.

9. The temperature reduction control method according to claim 8, characterized in that: The method for determining the target gas delivery pipe that needs to be flow-regulated based on the temperature value of each of the spatial units includes: Comparing the temperature values ​​of the spatial units to obtain the lowest temperature value; The gas delivery pipe corresponding to the space unit having a temperature value higher than the minimum temperature value is determined as the target gas delivery pipe.

10. The temperature reduction control method according to claim 9, characterized in that: The opening change of the flow regulating device is the opening increase ΔD1, and the calculation formula of the opening increase ΔD1 is: ΔD1=k1×(T1-T min )+k2; Wherein, k1 is the first adjustment coefficient; k2 is the first compensation constant; T1 is the temperature value of the space unit corresponding to the target gas delivery pipe; T min is the minimum temperature value.

11. The temperature reduction control method according to claim 7, characterized in that: The method for determining the target heating device that needs to adjust the heating power based on the temperature value of each subspace includes: Compare the temperature values ​​of each subspace to obtain the maximum temperature value; A heating device in a subspace having a temperature value lower than the maximum temperature value is determined as the target heating device.

12. The temperature reduction control method according to claim 11, characterized in that: The power adjustment parameter includes a power increase ΔP, and the calculation formula of the power increase ΔP is: ΔP=k3×(T max -T2)+k4; Wherein, k3 is the second adjustment coefficient; k4 is the second compensation constant; T2 is the temperature value of the subspace where the target heating device is located; T max is the maximum temperature value.

13. The temperature reduction control method according to claim 7, characterized in that: The temperature reduction control method comprises: According to the corresponding relationship between time and target reaction chamber temperature value, the target reaction chamber temperature value at the current moment is obtained; The total exhaust flow rate of the reaction chamber is adjusted according to the target reaction chamber temperature value.

14. The temperature reduction control method according to claim 13, characterized in that: The total exhaust flow rate S of the reaction chamber 总 and the target reaction chamber temperature value T 反应腔 The corresponding relationship is: T 反应腔 =A×S 总 2 +B×S 总 +C / S 总 ; Among them, A is the first constant, B is the second constant, and C is the third constant.

15. The temperature reduction control method according to claim 7, characterized in that: The temperature reduction control method comprises: After adjusting the flow rate of the target gas delivery pipe, obtaining the current flow rate of the target gas delivery pipe and the actual temperature value of the corresponding space unit; Determine a target temperature value of a corresponding spatial unit based on a current flow rate of the target gas delivery pipe; The flow rate of the target gas delivery pipe is adjusted according to the target temperature value and the actual temperature value.

16. The temperature reduction control method according to claim 15, characterized in that: The current flow S 管 With the target temperature value T 目标 The corresponding relationship is: T 目标 =A1×S 管 2 +B1×S 管 +C1 / S 管 ; Among them, A1 is the fourth constant, B1 is the fifth constant, and C1 is the sixth constant.

17. The temperature reduction control method according to claim 15, characterized in that: A flow regulating device is provided on at least one of the gas delivery pipes, and regulating the flow of the target gas delivery pipe according to the target temperature value and the actual temperature value includes: The opening change ΔD2 of the flow regulating device is calculated, and the calculation formula of the opening change ΔD2 is: ΔD2=k5×(T3-T 目标 )+k6; Among them, k5 is the third adjustment coefficient; k6 is the third compensation constant; T3 is the actual temperature value; T 目标 is the target temperature value; The opening of the flow regulating device is adjusted according to the calculated opening change ΔD2.

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