Full-automatic cleaning equipment and cleaning process for quartz heat-insulating ring used for polysilicon production

Abstract

This invention provides a fully automated cleaning equipment and process for quartz heat insulation rings used in polycrystalline silicon production, relating to the technical field of cleaning equipment for semiconductor production. The equipment includes a truss with a workpiece loading area and a workpiece unloading area at both ends; a robotic arm slidably mounted within the truss, forming at least one set of grippers capable of lifting and lowering; an automated cleaning and drying line assembled within the truss and located below the robotic arm, with sequentially arranged alkaline solution automatic circulating cleaning station, pure water automatic rinsing station, pure water automatic circulating cleaning station, and automatic drying station for the heat insulation ring between the workpiece loading and unloading areas; and a control cabinet assembled on one side of the truss, connected to the robotic arm, the alkaline solution automatic circulating cleaning station, the pure water automatic rinsing station, the pure water automatic circulating cleaning station, and the automatic drying station. This invention enables workpiece cleaning and drying without manual operation, thereby accelerating production speed, improving production efficiency, and enhancing product quality.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of cleaning equipment technology for semiconductor production, specifically to a fully automatic cleaning equipment and cleaning process for quartz heat insulation rings used in polycrystalline silicon production. Background Technology

[0002] Because materials, low-temperature polymers, and silicon powder adhere to the outer surface of the quartz heat insulation ring during the production of semiconductor polycrystalline silicon, they can affect the product quality of semiconductor polycrystalline silicon in the next batch of production, so cleaning and drying are necessary.

[0003] However, the materials, low-temperature polymers, and silicon powder adhering to the outer surface of the quartz heat insulation ring are difficult to clean manually, resulting in low efficiency and difficulty in cleaning them thoroughly. Furthermore, manual cleaning can easily cause secondary contamination to the ultra-pure quartz heat insulation ring used in semiconductor polycrystalline silicon production.

[0004] Therefore, there are areas for improvement. The present invention provides a fully automatic cleaning equipment and cleaning process for quartz heat insulation rings used in polycrystalline silicon production. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, the present invention aims to provide a fully automated cleaning equipment and process for quartz heat insulation rings used in polycrystalline silicon production. The specific solution is as follows:

[0006] A fully automated cleaning device for quartz heat insulation rings used in polycrystalline silicon production includes:

[0007] The truss has a workpiece loading area and a workpiece unloading area at each end.

[0008] The robotic arm is slidably mounted in the truss, and its sliding direction is along the direction of approaching or moving away from the workpiece loading area and workpiece unloading area, forming at least one set of grippers that perform lifting and lowering movements;

[0009] The automatic cleaning and drying line is assembled in the truss and located below the robotic arm. Between the workpiece loading area and the workpiece unloading area, there are sequentially formed alkaline automatic circulating cleaning station, pure water automatic rinsing station, pure water automatic circulating cleaning station and automatic drying station for the heat insulation ring.

[0010] The control cabinet is mounted on one side of the truss and is connected to the robotic arm, the automatic alkaline solution circulation cleaning station, the automatic pure water rinsing station, the automatic pure water circulation cleaning station, and the automatic drying station.

[0011] Furthermore, the pure water automatic rinsing station uses a spray system, including:

[0012] The flushing tank is detachably mounted on the base plate of the truss, and a pneumatic sealing door is slidably connected to the opening at the top.

[0013] At least one set of nozzle spraying devices is provided and arranged on the inner wall of the rinsing tank;

[0014] The spray pump is connected to the nozzle spraying device.

[0015] Furthermore, the nozzle spraying device includes a fixed nozzle spraying assembly, with at least two sets fixedly installed on the two opposite side walls of the rinsing tank;

[0016] The nozzle spraying device also includes movable nozzle spraying components, with one set rotatably installed on each of the two opposite side walls of the rinsing tank;

[0017] Two sets of movable nozzle spraying assemblies are located on the outer wall of the rinsing tank and are each linked by a set of connecting rod assemblies. A double-headed cylinder is installed between the two sets of connecting rod assemblies.

[0018] Furthermore, the automatic alkaline solution circulation cleaning station employs ultrasonic cleaning, including:

[0019] The alkaline cleaning tank is detachably installed on the base plate of the truss, and a pneumatic sealing door is slidably connected to the opening at the top.

[0020] An ultrasonic device is installed at the bottom of the alkaline cleaning tank;

[0021] The alkali solution circulating heating tube is installed in the alkali solution cleaning tank via a bracket and is suspended above the bottom of the alkali solution cleaning tank.

[0022] Furthermore, the base plate of the truss is equipped with an alkali preparation box that is connected to the alkali cleaning tank, and the outer wall of the alkali preparation box is covered with a heat insulation layer.

[0023] The alkali preparation tank is equipped with an alkali preparation heating tube, a metering water addition device, and a stirring device.

[0024] Furthermore, the upper part of the alkaline cleaning tank is equipped with an overflow structure and a steam exhaust structure. A waste liquid collector and an alkaline steam treatment machine are installed on the truss. The overflow structure is connected to the waste liquid collector, and the steam exhaust structure is connected to the alkaline steam treatment machine.

[0025] Furthermore, the pure water automatic circulating cleaning station employs ultrasonic cleaning, including:

[0026] The pure water cleaning tank is detachably installed on the base plate of the truss, and a pneumatic sealing door is slidably connected to the opening at the top.

[0027] The pure water cleaning tank is equipped with an ultrasonic device, a steam coil for heating, and a steam exhaust structure.

[0028] Furthermore, the automated drying station includes:

[0029] The drying trough is detachably installed on the base plate of the truss. A pneumatic sealing door is slidably connected to the top opening, and air inlets and outlets are provided on the side walls.

[0030] Air filters and hot air blowers can be detachably installed on the base plate of the truss;

[0031] The air filter provides filtered air to the hot air blower, which is connected to the air inlet on the drying tank.

[0032] The workpiece unloading area is equipped with a wavelength ultraviolet lamp for detecting workpieces, and the pure water automatic rinsing station is equipped with a conductivity testing instrument.

[0033] Furthermore, the lower part of the alkaline vapor treatment machine is equipped with ultrapure water, and the upper part is equipped with an ultrapure water atomizing device.

[0034] Furthermore, a liquid level switch is installed on the upper part. When the liquid level is higher than the set value, the alkaline vapor treatment machine will automatically discharge it.

[0035] A cleaning process for a fully automated cleaning equipment for quartz heat insulation rings used in polycrystalline silicon production includes the following steps:

[0036] Step 1: Set the working parameters for the robotic arm, the automatic alkaline solution circulation cleaning station, the automatic pure water rinsing station, the automatic pure water circulation cleaning station, and the automatic drying station in the control cabinet.

[0037] Step 2: Place the workpiece-containing frame into the workpiece loading area, start the robotic arm. With a workpiece frame in the workpiece loading area, the robotic arm will grab the workpiece frame and slide it along the truss to directly above the pure water automatic rinsing station.

[0038] Step 3: The robotic arm descends and places the material frame into the pure water automatic rinsing station, where high-pressure ultrapure water is used to spray and rinse the surface of the workpiece.

[0039] Step 4: The robotic arm automatically grabs the material frame and slides it directly above the alkaline solution automatic circulation cleaning station. The robotic arm descends and places the material frame into the alkaline solution automatic circulation cleaning station. The alkaline solution automatic circulation cleaning station uses 5%-20% alkaline solution to perform circulating ultrasonic cleaning on the surface of the workpiece under the condition of steam temperature of 60-80℃. After the circulating ultrasonic cleaning is completed, the robotic arm automatically grabs the material frame and slides it directly above the pure water automatic rinsing station.

[0040] Step 5: Repeat the steps in Step 3;

[0041] Step Six: The robotic arm automatically grabs the material frame and slides it directly above the automatic pure water circulation cleaning station. The robotic arm descends and places the material frame into the automatic pure water circulation cleaning station. The automatic pure water circulation cleaning station uses high-pressure ultrapure water with a resistivity ≥18MΩ·cm to perform circulating ultrasonic cleaning on the surface of the parts under the condition of steam temperature of 60-80℃. After the circulating ultrasonic cleaning is completed, the robotic arm automatically grabs the material frame and slides it directly above the automatic pure water rinsing station.

[0042] Step 7: Repeat the steps in Step 3;

[0043] Step 8: The robotic arm automatically grabs the material frame and slides it directly above the automatic drying station. The robotic arm descends and places the material frame into the automatic drying station, where hot air at 45-55°C is applied to the surface of the workpiece until it is dry.

[0044] Step 9: The robotic arm automatically grabs the material frame and slides it directly below the workpiece unloading area. If there is no material frame in the workpiece unloading area, the robotic arm automatically lowers the cleaned material frame.

[0045] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows:

[0046] (1) The robotic arm is controlled by the control cabinet to drive the workpiece into the automatic cleaning and drying line. The automatic cleaning and drying line can clean and dry the workpiece without manual operation, thereby speeding up the production speed, reducing the production time, improving the production efficiency, and reducing the risk of secondary pollution to ultra-clean workpieces. Specifically, the cleaning quality is improved by rinsing the surface of the parts in advance with the ultrapure water automatic rinsing station to wash away the alkaline solution adhering to the surface of the parts. The alkaline solution automatic circulation cleaning station and the pure water automatic circulation cleaning station can ensure that the surface of the workpiece is thoroughly cleaned, removing dirt and residues, improving product quality. Finally, the automatic drying station is used to dry the workpiece.

[0047] (2) In semiconductor manufacturing environments that require high cleanliness, the use of cleaning stations and rinsing stations helps prevent contamination and cross-contamination between workpieces; the use of rinsing stations and cleaning stations can reduce waste and chemical waste, which is conducive to environmental protection.

[0048] (3) Through the process of the present invention, the automatic cleaning and drying line can achieve the cleanliness of ultrapure water (PPM level) on the surface of the workpiece while cleaning the surface of the workpiece. The automatic cleaning and drying line reduces the dependence on operators, thereby reducing labor costs. The automated workflow can reduce the operator's chance of contact with chemicals and high-temperature equipment, thereby improving the safety of the working environment. Attached Figure Description

[0049] Figure 1This is a top view of a fully automatic cleaning device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0050] Figure 2 This is a perspective view of the fully automatic cleaning equipment of the present invention;

[0051] Figure 3 A side view showing the specific structure of the robotic arm for this invention;

[0052] Figure 4 This is a perspective view showing the specific structure of the horizontal guide rail of the present invention;

[0053] Figure 5 This is a structural diagram illustrating the specific structure of the automatic cleaning and drying line of the present invention;

[0054] Figure 6 This is an architectural diagram showing the relationship between the air filter, air inlet duct, and hot air blower.

[0055] Figure 7 This is a structural diagram illustrating the specific structure of the alkaline vapor treatment machine of the present invention;

[0056] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the alkaline vapor treatment machine, the ultrapure water atomization device, and the level switch.

[0057] Attached reference numerals: 1. Truss; 01. Base plate; 02. Horizontal guide rail; 2. Robotic arm; 21. Gripper; 22. Fixing plate; 23. Power unit; 3. Control cabinet; 4. Workpiece loading area; 5. Workpiece unloading area; 6. Automatic alkaline solution circulating cleaning station; 61. Alkaline solution cleaning tank; 62. Ultrasonic device; 63. Alkaline solution circulating heating pipe; 64. Support; 641. Overlapping rod; 642. Load-bearing rod; 643. Limiting block; 65. Overflow structure; 66. Exhaust structure; 7. Automatic pure water rinsing station; 71. Rinsing tank; 72. Spray... 721. Nozzle spraying device; 722. Fixed nozzle spraying assembly; 73. Mobile nozzle spraying assembly; 74. Spray pump; 8. Automatic pure water circulation cleaning station; 85. Pure water cleaning tank; 86. Load-bearing frame; 87. Support unit; 9. Automatic drying station; 98. Drying tank; 99. Air filter; 90. Air inlet pipe; 91. Hot air blower; 12. Pneumatic sealing door; 13. Linkage assembly; 14. Double-headed cylinder; 15. Alkali vapor treatment machine; 16. Ultrapure water atomizing device; 17. Liquid level switch; 18. Alkali preparation tank. Detailed Implementation

[0058] The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the embodiments and accompanying drawings, but the embodiments of the present invention are not limited thereto.

[0059] Based on the technical requirements for cleaning and drying the outer surface of quartz heat insulation rings, this invention proposes a fully automated cleaning equipment and process for quartz heat insulation rings, which completes the cleaning and drying of quartz heat insulation rings. This equipment and process can also be used for cleaning precision parts in the chemical, military, and automotive industries.

[0060] It should be noted that the quartz heat insulation rings used in this embodiment are generally Φ70mm*H32mm in size. The deposits on the quartz heat insulation rings generally include contaminants such as silicon powder, polymers, and amorphous silicon. The cleaned quartz heat insulation rings should be bright and clean, with no visible stains and no dead corners. The cleaned quartz heat insulation rings should be checked by wiping with test paper, and the alkaline solution concentration should be very low.

[0061] In this regard, such as Figure 1 This type of fully automatic cleaning equipment includes a truss 1, a robotic arm 2, an automatic cleaning and drying line, and a control cabinet 3. The control cabinet 3 controls the robotic arm 2 on the truss 1 and the automatic cleaning and drying line to complete the cleaning and drying work.

[0062] The truss 1 is used to install the automatic cleaning and drying line and to cooperate with the operation of the robotic arm 2. As shown in Figure 1, the bottom of the truss 1 has a base plate 01, which is used to support the automatic cleaning and drying line. The top is a hollow crossbeam, and two sets of horizontal guide rails 02 are provided between the crossbeams. The horizontal guide rails 02 are used to connect the robotic arm 2.

[0063] To facilitate the loading of quartz heat insulation rings to be cleaned and dried, as well as the removal of quartz heat insulation rings after cleaning and drying, workpiece loading area 4 and workpiece unloading area 5 are formed at both ends of truss 1. Workpiece loading area 4 and workpiece unloading area 5 can simultaneously accommodate at least one mobile trolley. Material frames are formed on the mobile trolleys, and each material frame can load dozens of workpieces (quartz heat insulation rings) at a time. Each material frame is a batch and enters the automatic cleaning and drying line.

[0064] It should be noted that electronic sensors are installed at the loading and unloading positions of the workpiece loading area 4 and the workpiece unloading area 5. When a material frame containing a certain number of workpieces is placed at the loading and unloading positions, the electronic sensors will be triggered because the entire material frame has a certain weight, and the sensors will detect that a material frame has been placed in the workpiece loading area 4 and the workpiece unloading area 5.

[0065] Combination Figure 2 , Figure 3 and Figure 4Secondly, the robotic arm 2 is used to automatically feed the material frame containing the workpieces to be cleaned into the automatic cleaning and drying line for the required cleaning process, and automatically unload the material frame after completion. The robotic arm 2 is slidably mounted between two sets of horizontal guide rails 02 on the truss 1, and its sliding direction is along the direction of approaching or moving away from the workpiece loading area 4 and the workpiece unloading area 5. Specifically, the robotic arm 2 has two sets of symmetrically arranged grippers 21, and the two sets of grippers 21 are integrated on the same fixed plate 22. A power device 23 driven by a motor to drive two sets of gears is installed on the upper part of the fixed plate 22. Correspondingly, the truss 1 has two sets of horizontal racks for meshing with the gears near the horizontal guide rails 02. The fixed plate 22 is also equipped with a drive device driven by a motor to move the gears along the vertical rack. The grippers 21 and the motor-driven gears moving along the rack are conventional structures in the robotic arm 2 and will not be described in detail.

[0066] After the gripper 21 holds the material frame, if the motor drives the gear to move along the vertical rack, it will drive the fixed plate 22 to move up or down in the vertical direction, which in turn will drive the material frame on the gripper 21 to move up or down. When the motor drives the gear to move along the horizontal rack, the robotic arm 2 slides along the horizontal guide rail 02, which will drive the fixed plate 22 to move left or right in the horizontal direction, which in turn will drive the material frame on the gripper 21 to move closer to the workpiece loading area 4 or the workpiece unloading area 5.

[0067] After a material frame is placed in the workpiece loading area 4, the robotic arm 2 automatically grabs the material frame in the loading position. Two sets of grippers 21 respectively hold the four edges of the material frame. Then the robotic arm 2 makes the above-mentioned movement along the vertical or horizontal direction of the truss 1 to send the material frame to the automatic cleaning and drying line.

[0068] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 The automatic cleaning and drying line is the core structure for completing the cleaning and drying operations. It is assembled in truss 1 and located below robotic arm 2. Between workpiece loading area 4 and workpiece unloading area 5, there are sequentially formed four stations: an automatic alkaline solution circulation cleaning station 6 for the heat insulation ring, an automatic pure water rinsing station 7, an automatic pure water circulation cleaning station 8, and an automatic drying station 9. Through these four independently set stations, the workpieces in the material frame are cleaned in different ways and finally dried.

[0069] like Figure 1 It can be seen that the pure water automatic rinsing station 7 is set between the alkaline solution automatic circulation cleaning station 6 and the pure water automatic circulation cleaning station 8. This setting is not arbitrary. The pure water automatic rinsing station 7 can cooperate with the adjacent alkaline solution automatic circulation cleaning station 6 and pure water automatic circulation cleaning station 8 to achieve pure water rinsing in front and behind.

[0070] It should be noted that when the robotic arm 2 moves along the truss 1 with the material frame, it does not complete the cleaning and drying by sequentially passing through the automatic circulating cleaning station, the pure water automatic rinsing station 7, the pure water automatic circulating cleaning station 8, and the automatic drying station 9. Instead, it requires the robotic arm 2 to slide back and forth in the horizontal direction to achieve the above-mentioned cleaning of the workpieces in the material frame in different ways.

[0071] Among them, the pure water automatic rinsing station 7 uses spraying, which is one of the cleaning methods. Since there are contaminants with weak adhesion on the surface of the workpiece, the pure water automatic rinsing station 7 first uses high-pressure ultrapure water to pre-rinse the workpiece to wash away the contaminants attached to the surface.

[0072] Combination Figure 4 and Figure 5 The pure water automatic rinsing station 7 includes a rinsing tank 71, a nozzle spraying device 72, and a spray pump 73. The rinsing tank 71 is a tank made of SUS316L stainless steel plate, which is detachably installed on the base plate 01 of the truss 1 via a column. A pneumatic sealing door 10 is slidably connected to the top opening. The pneumatic sealing door 10 is controlled by a cylinder to slide. The cylinder is set with control commands by a control element. The cylinder can be of the "Airtac" brand, and the control element can be of the "SMC" brand.

[0073] The nozzle spraying device 72 includes a fixed nozzle spraying assembly 721 and a movable nozzle spraying assembly 722. Two sets of the fixed nozzle spraying assembly 721 are fixedly installed on two opposite side walls of the rinsing tank 71, each set being a spray pipe integrating multiple nozzles, with the nozzles facing the center of the rinsing tank 71. One set of the movable nozzle spraying assembly 722 is rotatably installed on each of the two opposite side walls of the rinsing tank 71, each set being a spray pipe integrating multiple nozzles, with the nozzles initially facing the center of the rinsing tank 71.

[0074] Unlike the fixed nozzle spray assembly 721, the spray pipes of the movable nozzle spray assembly 722 are rotatably inserted through the rinsing tank 71 and extend outwards. Two sets of movable nozzle spray assemblies 722 are respectively connected to a set of connecting rod assemblies 11 on the outer wall of the rinsing tank 71. One end of the connecting rod assembly 11 is fixedly sleeved on the end of the spray pipe. A double-headed cylinder 12 is installed between the two sets of connecting rod assemblies 11. The double-headed cylinder 12 and the connecting rod assembly 11 are readily available products. The extension movement of the piston in the double-headed cylinder 12 pushes the connecting rod assembly 11 to open or close, thereby causing the spray pipes of the two sets of movable nozzle spray assemblies 722 to rotate back and forth at a certain angle. During the rotation, the direction of the nozzles can be changed. When a material frame is placed in the rinsing tank 71, the fixed-angle nozzles and the adjustable-angle nozzles in the fixed nozzle spray assembly 721 and the movable nozzle spray assembly 722 can work together to spray and rinse the surface of the workpiece from multiple directions.

[0075] To supply water to the nozzles and provide a certain water pressure, the spray pump 73 is connected to the spray pipes in the fixed nozzle spray assembly 721 and the mobile nozzle spray assembly 722 through the branch pipe assembly. A stainless steel filter is also installed between the water inlet of the spray pump 73 and the water source. The filter contains a 5 or 10 micron filter element to filter the water.

[0076] When the pure water automatic rinsing station 7 is working, the pneumatic sealing door 10 is pushed by the cylinder to the opening at the top of the sealing rinsing tank 71, the spray pump 73 is turned on, and water is supplied and water pressure is provided to the fixed nozzle spray device 72 and the mobile nozzle spray assembly 722 to realize the spraying of the nozzles.

[0077] like Figure 5 Secondly, the automatic alkaline solution circulation cleaning station 6 uses ultrasonic cleaning, which is the second cleaning method. Because the workpiece surface is coated with polymers with strong adhesion, the workpiece is pre-rinsed by the automatic pure water rinsing station 7, and then the automatic alkaline solution circulation cleaning station 6 uses alkaline solution to clean away the polymers adhering to the surface.

[0078] The automatic alkaline solution circulation cleaning station 6 includes an alkaline solution cleaning tank 61, an ultrasonic device 62, and an alkaline solution circulation heating tube 63. The alkaline solution cleaning tank 61 has the same structure as the rinsing tank 71, and is also equipped with a pneumatic sealing door 10, a cylinder, and control components. It is also installed on the base plate 01 in the same way.

[0079] An ultrasonic device 62 is installed at the bottom of the alkaline cleaning tank 61. Specifically, it includes an ultrasonic generator and an ultrasonic plate. The ultrasonic generator is fixedly installed between the alkaline cleaning tank 61 and the bottom plate 01. The intensity of the vibration can be adjusted by regulating its current. The ultrasonic generator is equipped with a power digital display, allowing users to obtain ultrasonic information by viewing the data on the display. The ultrasonic plate is a custom-designed structure adapted to the shape of the alkaline cleaning tank 61. Installed at the bottom of the alkaline cleaning tank 61, it senses the vibration from the ultrasonic generator, causing the ultrasonic plate to vibrate as well. This provides ultrasonic vibration energy to the alkaline solution in the alkaline cleaning tank 61 and the workpieces in the material frame.

[0080] To achieve the desired temperature parameters of the alkali solution in the alkali cleaning tank 61 and the generation of alkali vapor, multiple alkali circulating heating tubes 63 are integrated on a bracket 64. This bracket 64 is detachably installed in the alkali cleaning tank 61. As shown in Figure 5, each of the four corners of the bracket 64 has an overlapping rod 641, supported by a load-bearing rod 642 on the alkali cleaning tank 61. This allows the entire bracket 64, integrating the alkali circulating heating tubes 63, to be suspended above the bottom of the alkali cleaning tank 61. The alkali circulating heating tubes 63 are existing technology and can be heating tubes with built-in heating wires. The temperature of the alkali circulating heating tubes 63 is controlled by an Omron thermometer for easy adjustment. Optimally, four limiting blocks 643 are distributed on the bracket 64, each with a limiting groove. The limiting groove matches the protrusion at the bottom of the material frame, restricting the material frame's movement along the limiting groove on the bracket 64, thus coordinating with the vibration generated by the alkali cleaning tank 61.

[0081] When the automatic alkaline solution circulation cleaning station 6 is working, the pneumatic sealing door 10 is pushed by the cylinder to the opening at the top of the sealed alkaline solution cleaning tank 61. The ultrasonic device 62 and the alkaline solution circulation heating pipe 63 are turned on. The heated alkaline solution generates steam, and at the same time, the ultrasonic device 62 vibrates, causing the vibrating alkaline solution to peel off from the surface of the workpiece.

[0082] like Figure 4 Since the alkali level rises after the material frame is placed in the alkali cleaning tank 61, the upper part of the alkali cleaning tank 61 is equipped with an overflow structure 65. The overflow structure 65 is an overflow pipe connected to the outside of the alkali cleaning tank 61, and the end of the overflow pipe away from the alkali cleaning tank 61 is connected to a waste liquid collector. The waste liquid collector can collect the alkali. Since the overflowing alkali has not yet acted on the workpiece in the material frame, its properties are not damaged and it can be reused. Whenever the alkali cleaning tank 61 needs to be replaced with new alkali, the alkali collected in the waste liquid collector flows back to the alkali cleaning tank 61 through the return pipe to serve as new alkali.

[0083] The alkaline cleaning tank 61 is kept in a sealed cleaning state for a long time, and the internal steam increases, which will lead to an increase in the internal pressure of the alkaline cleaning tank 61. To address this, the upper part of the alkaline cleaning tank 61 is equipped with a steam exhaust structure 66, which is a steam exhaust pipe connected to the outside of the alkaline cleaning tank 61. The end of the steam exhaust pipe away from the alkaline cleaning tank 61 is connected to the alkaline steam treatment machine 13. Figure 8 The alkali vapor treatment machine 13 is a tank with ultrapure water at the bottom and an ultrapure water atomizing device 131 at the top. The steam discharged from the alkali cleaning tank 61 enters from the bottom of the tank. The ultrapure water first dilutes the steam. When it floats to the top, the atomized water sprayed by the ultrapure water atomizing device 131 at the top further dilutes the steam and reduces the temperature inside the tank. The filtered steam is discharged from the top of the tank.

[0084] The optimized design includes a liquid level switch 132 at the top of the tank. When the liquid level is higher than the set value, the alkali vapor treatment machine 13 will automatically discharge the liquid.

[0085] like Figure 7 To provide alkali solution to the alkali cleaning tank 61, an alkali solution preparation box 14 is provided on the bottom plate 01 of the truss 1. The alkali solution preparation box 14 is a cabinet, and the interior is used to melt solid alkali tablets to form alkali solution. The dimensions of the alkali solution preparation box 14 are approximately 1200mm*650mm*510mm. It is made of 3mm thick SUS316L stainless steel plate and the exterior is covered with 100um PTFE as a heat insulation layer.

[0086] To achieve uniform melting of the alkali solution, the alkali solution preparation tank 14 is equipped with an alkali solution heating tube, a metering water addition device, and a stirring device. The alkali solution heating tube is made of SUS316 stainless steel steam coil and is temperature-controlled by an Omron thermometer. The metering water addition device uses a water pump and an electronic liquid level sensor switch. The water pump is connected to the alkali solution preparation tank 14 through a pipeline. The electronic liquid level sensor switch is installed inside the alkali solution preparation tank 14. When the internal liquid level exceeds the set value, the electronic liquid level switch 132 is triggered, and the water pump stops supplying water, thus achieving metered water addition. The stirring device uses an internal circulation pump to achieve liquid stirring. After the liquid level is reached, the alkali solution heating tube heats the water containing solid alkali tablets, while the stirring device agitates the water to mix and form the alkali solution.

[0087] It should be noted that the solid alkali tablets are 98% pure and are mixed with high-purity water with a resistivity ≥18MΩ·cm to form an alkali solution of 5% to 20%. The steam temperature of the alkali solution during use is 60-80℃.

[0088] Thirdly, the pure water automatic circulating cleaning station 8 uses ultrasonic cleaning, which is the third cleaning method. After the alkaline solution in the alkaline solution automatic circulating cleaning station 6 cleans the surface of the workpiece, it is easy to leave residue on the surface of the workpiece. The pure water automatic circulating cleaning station 8 can perform deep cleaning on the surface of the workpiece.

[0089] like Figure 5The automatic pure water circulation cleaning station 8 includes a pure water cleaning tank 81. The pure water cleaning tank 81 has the same structure as the alkaline cleaning tank 61 and the rinsing tank 71, and also features a pneumatic sealing door 10, a cylinder, and control components. It is also installed on the base plate 01 using the same installation method. Similar to the alkaline cleaning tank 61, the pure water cleaning tank 81 also includes an ultrasonic device 62, a heating steam coil, and a steam exhaust structure 66. It should be noted that the heating steam coil has the same structure as the alkaline circulation heating pipe 63. The difference lies in the way the bracket 64 used for installing the heating steam coil is installed in the pure water cleaning tank 81. The pure water cleaning tank 81 has load-bearing frames 82 at both ends along its length. The load-bearing frames 82 extend into the pure water cleaning tank 81 to form stepped support parts 821, which support the overlapping rods 641 on the bracket 64.

[0090] When the pure water automatic circulating cleaning station 8 is working, the pneumatic sealing door 10 is pushed by the cylinder to the opening at the top of the sealed pure water cleaning tank 81. The ultrasonic device 62 and the alkaline solution circulating heating tube 63 are turned on. The heated pure water generates steam, and at the same time, the ultrasonic device 62 generates vibration, which causes the vibrating pure water to peel off from the surface of the workpiece.

[0091] At this point, all three stations—automatic alkali circulation cleaning station 6, automatic pure water rinsing station 7, and automatic pure water circulation cleaning station 8—use either water or alkali solution. The frequency of liquid replacement is set by the operator; it can be replaced after each cleaning of the material frame, with no specific restriction. Wastewater and waste liquid discharged from each liquid replacement are uniformly discharged through the waste liquid collection and discharge system. The waste liquid from the alkali steam treatment machine 13 in the automatic alkali circulation cleaning station 6 is also discharged through the waste liquid collection and discharge system. Each water inlet pipe is equipped with a 1" SUS304 stainless steel ball valve, and each drain pipe is equipped with a 2" SUS304 stainless steel ball valve.

[0092] like Figure 5 Fourth, the automatic drying station 9 is used to generate hot air to remove moisture from the surface of the workpiece. The medium for the hot air is filtered clean air.

[0093] The automatic drying station 9 specifically includes a drying tank 91, an air filter 92, and a hot air blower 94. The drying tank 91 has the same structure as the pure water cleaning tank 81, the alkaline cleaning tank 61, and the rinsing tank 71, and is also equipped with a pneumatic sealing door 10, a cylinder, and control components, and is installed on the base plate 01 in the same way. The difference is that the drying tank 91 has an air inlet and an air outlet on its side wall. The air inlet uses an air inlet pipe 93 with multiple air nozzles integrated. The air inlet pipe 93 is connected to the hot air blower 94. The hot air blower 94 is detachably installed on the base plate 01 of the truss 1. The hot air blower 94 uses a low-noise centrifugal fan with a heating power of 9KW (dry-burning heating wire), a temperature control range of RT~120℃, a motor power of 1500W, and an air volume ≥1500m3 / H. During operation, the hot air blower 94 continuously supplies hot air to form positive pressure and prevent air dust and dirt from entering the drying tank 91. The exhaust vent uses an exhaust pipe that can generate negative pressure, and can switch between active and passive exhaust modes depending on the conditions.

[0094] like Figure 6 An air filter 92 is installed after the hot air blower 94 and the air source. The filter is a Class 100 high-efficiency hot air filter 92, which provides filtered air to the hot air blower 94.

[0095] The operation of the robotic arm 2, including its gripping and lowering of the material frame, and the operation of the four stations in the automatic cleaning and drying line, all involve automatic control. This includes the lifting and lowering movement of the robotic arm 2, the opening and closing of the pneumatic sealing door 10 at each station, the spraying action in the pure water automatic rinsing station 7, the ultrasonic cleaning actions in the alkaline solution automatic circulating cleaning station 6 and the pure water automatic circulating cleaning station 8, and the drying action in the automatic drying station 9, etc. To this end, the control cabinet 3 is mounted on one side of the truss 1 and is connected to the robotic arm 2, the alkaline solution automatic circulating cleaning station 6, the pure water automatic rinsing station 7, the pure water automatic circulating cleaning station 8, and the automatic drying station 9. All components involving triggering, opening, closing, and control actions, such as electronic sensors, motors, control elements, spray pump 73, ultrasonic generator, level switch 132, ball valve, and hot air blower 94, are uniformly controlled by the control cabinet 3. This enables the automatic operation of the cleaning equipment and real-time monitoring of its status, ensuring safe production and facilitating control implementation.

[0096] Control cabinet 3 is existing technology, controlled by a Siemens PLC controller and touch screen. The control circuit can be implemented by a person skilled in the art through programming. It is common knowledge in the field. It is used without modification, so the control method and circuit connection will not be explained in detail.

[0097] Specifically, the control is operated by a programmable controller, which controls processes such as pure water spraying, alkaline ultrasonic cleaning, pure water ultrasonic cleaning, and hot air dehydration; the cleaning time, cleaning temperature, and cleaning duration are also integrated and controlled by the PLC controller.

[0098] It adopts touch screen operation, and all commands such as switching and time can be directly controlled on the touch screen. At the same time, various monitoring systems are set up and dynamically displayed.

[0099] If a control malfunction occurs, an immediate alarm (audio and light signal) will be issued to inform the operator so that appropriate action can be taken. All alarms (audio and light signals) will be placed in a prominent position on the surface, and the relevant malfunction will be clearly listed.

[0100] Control parameters (time, temperature) can be modified on the touchscreen.

[0101] Emergency devices are located in prominent positions (emergency stop switches are provided on both the left and right sides of the equipment), allowing operators to immediately disconnect the power supply to stop all operations of the cleaning machine in an emergency.

[0102] Based on the above-mentioned fully automatic cleaning equipment for quartz heat insulation rings used in polycrystalline silicon production, this invention also proposes a corresponding cleaning process. The essence of this cleaning process is as follows: First, the components are pre-rinsed with high-pressure ultrapure water with a resistivity ≥18 MΩ·cm to remove contaminants with low adhesion to the surface. Then, the components are immersed in a 5%-20% alkaline solution heated to approximately 70°C using ultrasonic immersion cleaning to clean the surface. Next, the components are rinsed with high-pressure ultrapure water with a resistivity ≥18 MΩ·cm to remove any remaining alkaline solution. Then, the components are immersed in high-purity water using ultrasonic immersion cleaning to perform deep cleaning. Next, the components are rinsed again with high-pressure ultrapure water with a resistivity ≥18 MΩ·cm to achieve an ultrapure water cleanliness level (PPM level). Finally, the components are dried by passing them through hot air at approximately 50°C.

[0103] It should be noted that after the final high-pressure ultrapure water rinse, a conductivity meter is installed in the automatic rinsing station 7 to test whether the conductivity of the high-pressure ultrapure water meets the standard. This conductivity meter is a readily available product used to measure the conductivity of high-pressure ultrapure water, understanding the properties and ion concentration of the liquid. Operators can set a threshold range for the conductivity. If the conductivity measured by the meter is outside the threshold range, it indicates that the workpiece is not cleaned properly. To check whether the outer surface of the workpiece is clean, a 365nm wavelength ultraviolet lamp is installed in the workpiece unloading area 5. This lamp is aimed at the surface of the quartz heat shield ring, and a suitable lens or optical equipment is used to observe the surface. By examining the reflected or transmitted images on the surface of the quartz heat shield ring, any impurities, dirt, defects, or cracks can be identified.

[0104] The specific cleaning process includes the following steps:

[0105] Step 1: Set the working parameters for robotic arm 2, alkaline solution automatic circulation cleaning station 6, pure water automatic rinsing station 7, pure water automatic circulation cleaning station 8, and automatic drying station 9 in control cabinet 3.

[0106] Step 2: Place the workpiece-containing frame into the workpiece loading area 4, start the robotic arm 2. With the workpiece loading area 4 containing the workpiece frame, the robotic arm 2 will grab the workpiece frame from the workpiece loading area 4 and slide it along the truss 1 to directly above the pure water automatic rinsing station 7.

[0107] Step 3: The robotic arm 2 descends and places the material frame into the pure water automatic rinsing station 7. The pure water automatic rinsing station 7 uses high-pressure ultrapure water to spray and rinse the surface of the workpiece.

[0108] Step 4: The robotic arm 2 automatically grabs the material frame and slides it directly above the alkaline solution automatic circulation cleaning station 6. The robotic arm 2 descends and places the material frame into the alkaline solution automatic circulation cleaning station 6. The alkaline solution automatic circulation cleaning station 6 uses 5%-20% alkaline solution to perform circulating ultrasonic cleaning on the surface of the workpiece under the condition of steam temperature of 60-80℃. After the circulating ultrasonic cleaning is completed, the robotic arm 2 automatically grabs the material frame and slides it directly above the pure water automatic rinsing station 7.

[0109] Step 5: Repeat the steps in Step 3;

[0110] Step Six: The robotic arm 2 automatically grabs the material frame and slides it directly above the pure water automatic circulating cleaning station 8. The robotic arm 2 descends and places the material frame into the pure water automatic circulating cleaning station 8. The pure water automatic circulating cleaning station 8 uses high-pressure ultrapure water with a resistivity ≥18MΩ·cm to perform circulating ultrasonic cleaning on the surface of the parts under the condition of steam temperature of 60-80℃. After the circulating ultrasonic cleaning is completed, the robotic arm 2 automatically grabs the material frame and slides it directly above the pure water automatic rinsing station 7.

[0111] Step 7: Repeat the operation in Step 3 and use a conductivity meter to test the conductivity of the high-pressure ultrapure water after use at the automatic pure water rinsing station 7.

[0112] Step 8: The robotic arm 2 automatically grabs the material frame and slides it directly above the automatic drying station 9. The robotic arm 2 descends and places the material frame into the automatic drying station 9. The automatic drying station 9 applies hot air at 45-55℃ to the surface of the workpiece until it is dry.

[0113] Step 9: The robotic arm 2 automatically grabs the material frame and slides it directly below the workpiece unloading area 5. When there is no material frame in the workpiece unloading area 5, the robotic arm 2 automatically puts down the cleaned material frame, and the wavelength ultraviolet light detects the workpiece in the material frame.

[0114] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The scope of protection of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. All technical solutions falling within the scope of the present invention's concept are within the scope of protection of the present invention. It should be noted that for those skilled in the art, any improvements and modifications made without departing from the principles of the present invention should also be considered within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A full-automatic cleaning device for a quartz heat-insulating ring for polysilicon production, characterized in that, include: The truss (1) has a workpiece loading area (4) and a workpiece unloading area (5) at both ends; The robotic arm (2) is slidably installed in the truss (1), and its sliding direction is along the direction of approaching or moving away from the workpiece loading area (4) and the workpiece unloading area (5), forming at least one set of grippers (21) that perform lifting and lowering movements; An automatic cleaning and drying line is assembled in the truss (1) and located below the robotic arm (2). Between the workpiece loading area (4) and the workpiece unloading area (5), there are an automatic alkaline solution circulation cleaning station (6), an automatic pure water rinsing station (7), an automatic pure water circulation cleaning station (8), and an automatic drying station (9) for the heat insulation ring. The control cabinet (3) is mounted on one side of the truss (1) and is connected to the robotic arm (2), the alkaline solution automatic circulation cleaning station (6), the pure water automatic rinsing station (7), the pure water automatic circulation cleaning station (8), and the automatic drying station (9). The pure water automatic rinsing station (7) uses spraying, including: The flushing tank (71) is detachably installed on the base plate (01) of the truss (1), and a pneumatic sealing door (10) is slidably connected to the opening at the top. At least one set of nozzle spraying devices (72) is provided and arranged on the inner wall of the rinsing tank (71); A spray pump (73) is connected to a nozzle spraying device (72); The nozzle spraying device (72) includes a fixed nozzle spraying assembly (721), with at least two sets fixedly installed on two opposite side walls of the rinsing tank (71); The nozzle spraying device (72) also includes a movable nozzle spraying assembly (722), one of which is rotatably arranged on each of the two opposite side walls of the rinsing tank (71); Two sets of movable nozzle spraying assemblies (722) are located on the outer wall of the rinsing tank (71) and are respectively linked to a set of connecting rod assemblies (11). A double-headed cylinder (12) is installed between the two sets of connecting rod assemblies (11). The automatic alkaline solution circulation cleaning station (6) uses ultrasonic cleaning, including: The alkaline cleaning tank (61) is detachably installed on the base plate (01) of the truss (1), and a pneumatic sealing door (10) is slidably connected to the opening at the top. An ultrasonic device (62) is installed at the bottom of an alkaline cleaning tank (61); The alkali circulation heating tube (63) is installed in the alkali cleaning tank (61) via a bracket (64) and suspended above the bottom of the alkali cleaning tank (61).

2. The full-automatic cleaning apparatus for the quartz heat-insulating ring for polysilicon production according to claim 1, characterized in that, The truss (1) has an alkali preparation box (14) on its base plate (01) that is connected to the alkali cleaning tank (61), and the outer wall of the alkali preparation box (14) is covered with a heat insulation layer. The alkali preparation tank (14) is equipped with an alkali preparation heating tube, a metering water addition device and a stirring device.

3. The full-automatic cleaning apparatus for the quartz heat-insulating ring for polysilicon production according to claim 1, characterized in that, The upper part of the alkaline cleaning tank (61) is provided with an overflow structure (65) and a steam exhaust structure (66). A waste liquid collector and an alkaline steam treatment machine (13) are installed on the truss (1). The overflow structure (65) is connected to the waste liquid collector, and the steam exhaust structure (66) is connected to the alkaline steam treatment machine (13).

4. The full-automatic cleaning apparatus for the quartz heat-insulating ring for polysilicon production according to claim 1, characterized in that, The pure water automatic circulating cleaning station (8) uses ultrasonic cleaning, including: A pure water cleaning tank (81) is detachably installed on the base plate (01) of the truss (1), and a pneumatic sealing door (10) is slidably connected to the opening at the top. The pure water cleaning tank (81) is equipped with an ultrasonic device (62), a steam coil for heating, and a steam exhaust structure (66).

5. The fully automatic cleaning equipment for quartz heat insulation rings used in polycrystalline silicon production according to claim 4, characterized in that, The automatic drying station (9) includes: The drying trough (91) is detachably installed on the bottom plate (01) of the truss (1). A pneumatic sealing door (10) is slidably connected to the opening at the top. An air inlet and an air outlet are provided on the side wall. The air filter (92) and the hot air blower (94) can both be detachably installed on the base plate (01) of the truss (1); An air filter (92) provides filtered air to a hot air blower (94), which is connected to an air inlet on a drying trough (91); The workpiece unloading area (5) is equipped with a wavelength ultraviolet lamp for detecting workpieces, and the pure water automatic rinsing station (7) is equipped with a conductivity detector.

6. The full-automatic cleaning apparatus for the quartz heat-insulating ring for polysilicon production according to claim 3, characterized in that, The lower part of the alkaline vapor treatment machine (13) is equipped with ultrapure water, and the upper part is equipped with an ultrapure water atomizing device (131). Furthermore, a liquid level switch (132) is provided on the upper part. When the liquid level is higher than the set value, the alkali vapor treatment machine (13) will automatically discharge.

7. The cleaning process of the full-automatic cleaning equipment for the quartz heat-insulating ring for polysilicon production according to any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Step 1: Set the working parameters corresponding to the robotic arm (2), alkaline solution automatic circulation cleaning station (6), pure water automatic rinsing station (7), pure water automatic circulation cleaning station (8), and automatic drying station (9) in the control cabinet (3); Step 2: Place the workpiece-containing frame into the workpiece loading area (4), start the robotic arm (2), and under the condition that there is a workpiece in the workpiece loading area (4), the robotic arm (2) grabs the workpiece in the workpiece loading area (4) and slides it along the truss (1) to the top of the pure water automatic rinsing station (7). Step 3: The robotic arm (2) descends and places the material frame into the pure water automatic rinsing station (7). The pure water automatic rinsing station (7) uses high-pressure ultrapure water to spray and rinse the surface of the workpiece. Step 4: The robotic arm (2) automatically grabs the material frame and slides it directly above the alkaline solution automatic circulation cleaning station (6). The robotic arm (2) descends and places the material frame into the alkaline solution automatic circulation cleaning station (6). The alkaline solution automatic circulation cleaning station (6) uses 5%-20% alkaline solution to perform circulating ultrasonic cleaning on the surface of the workpiece under the condition that the steam temperature is 60-80℃. After the circulating ultrasonic cleaning is completed, the robotic arm (2) automatically grabs the material frame and slides it directly above the pure water automatic rinsing station (7). Step 5: Repeat the steps in Step 3; Step 6: The robotic arm (2) automatically grabs the material frame and slides it directly above the pure water automatic circulating cleaning station (8). The robotic arm (2) descends and places the material frame into the pure water automatic circulating cleaning station (8). The pure water automatic circulating cleaning station (8) uses high-pressure ultrapure water with a resistivity ≥18MΩ•cm to perform circulating ultrasonic cleaning on the surface of the parts under the condition of steam temperature of 60-80℃. After the circulating ultrasonic cleaning is completed, the robotic arm (2) automatically grabs the material frame and slides it directly above the pure water automatic rinsing station (7). Step 7: Repeat the steps in Step 3; Step 8: The robotic arm (2) automatically grabs the material frame and slides it directly above the automatic drying station (9). The robotic arm (2) descends and places the material frame into the automatic drying station (9). The automatic drying station (9) applies hot air at 45-55°C to the surface of the workpiece until it is dry. Step 9: The robotic arm (2) automatically grabs the material frame and slides it directly below the workpiece unloading area (5). When there is no material frame in the workpiece unloading area (5), the robotic arm (2) automatically puts down the cleaned material frame.

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