Temperature control system, pressure adjusting method and semiconductor technology processing system

Abstract

The invention relates to a temperature control system, a pressure adjusting method and a processing system. The temperature control system comprises a circulating liquid supply unit, a liquid pump, a temperature adjusting unit, a pressure adjusting unit, a pressure detecting unit and a control unit. The liquid pump extracts the circulating liquid from the circulating liquid supply unit. The temperature adjusting input end of the temperature adjusting unit is connected with the output end of the liquid pump so as to adjust the temperature of the circulating liquid output by the liquid pump. The temperature adjusting output end of the temperature adjusting unit is connected with an external liquid using device so as to provide circulating liquid obtained after temperature adjusting for the external liquid using device. And the pressure adjusting unit circularly inputs the unused circulating liquid to the circulating liquid supply unit. The pressure detection unit detects the pressure of the circulating liquid at the temperature adjusting output end so as to output system pressure data. And the control unit is electrically connected with the pressure detection unit, the pressure regulation unit and the liquid pump, and regulates and controls the opening degree of the pressure regulation unit and the working frequency of the liquid pump according to the received system pressure data so as to regulate the pressure of the circulating liquid in the temperature control system.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of temperature control devices, and in particular to a temperature control system, a pressure regulation method, and a semiconductor process system. Background Art

[0002] Semiconductor-specific temperature control equipment is a device used to provide a circulating liquid with a constant temperature and constant flow rate. This temperature control equipment can be applied to the integrated circuit manufacturing process to use the circulating liquid to take away the heat generated in the process, thereby meeting the temperature control requirements of the semiconductor main process equipment.

[0003] In temperature control equipment, a water pump usually draws circulating fluid from a water tank and delivers it to a temperature control device. The temperature control device adjusts the temperature of the circulating fluid and then outputs the adjusted circulating fluid to an external fluid-using device.

[0004] During the normal operation of the temperature control equipment, if the outlet pressure of the water pump is high, the water pump may be damaged. Therefore, a bypass pipeline is connected to the outlet of the water pump, and the other end of the bypass pipeline is connected to the water tank. A safety valve is also provided on the bypass pipeline. When the pressure at the outlet of the water pump reaches the opening pressure of the safety valve, the safety valve opens to relieve the pressure of the water pump.

[0005] However, the inventors found that the temperature control device in the prior art adjusts the outlet pressure of the water pump by opening and closing the safety valve. However, after the safety valve is opened and closed many times, the reliability of the safety valve will be reduced, and it is easy to be difficult to open when opening, and then it is easy to cause the pressure of the water pump outlet of the temperature control device to be too high and difficult to adjust. Summary of the invention

[0006] The present application aims to provide a temperature control system, a pressure regulation method and a semiconductor process system.

[0007] According to one aspect of the present application, a temperature control system is proposed. The temperature control system includes a circulating liquid supply unit, a liquid pump, a temperature regulating unit, a pressure regulating unit, a pressure detection unit and a control unit. The circulating liquid supply unit provides circulating liquid. The input end of the liquid pump is connected to the circulating liquid supply unit to extract the circulating liquid from the circulating liquid supply unit. The temperature regulating input end of the temperature regulating unit is connected to the output end of the liquid pump to adjust the temperature of the circulating liquid output by the liquid pump. The temperature regulating output end of the temperature regulating unit is connected to an external liquid device to provide the external liquid device with temperature-regulated circulating liquid. One end of the pressure regulating unit is connected to the temperature regulating output end, and the other end of the pressure regulating unit is connected to the circulating liquid supply unit to circulate the unused circulating liquid into the circulating liquid supply unit. The pressure detection unit detects the pressure of the circulating liquid at the temperature regulating output end to output system pressure data. The control unit is electrically connected to the pressure detection unit, the pressure regulating unit and the liquid pump respectively, and regulates the opening of the pressure regulating unit and the operating frequency of the liquid pump according to the system pressure data received from the pressure detection unit to adjust the pressure of the circulating liquid in the temperature control system.

[0008] According to some embodiments, the control unit determines the current system pressure value based on the system pressure data. The control unit determines the relative size of the current system pressure value to the first preset pressure upper limit value and the first preset pressure lower limit value, respectively. When the current system pressure value is greater than or equal to the first preset pressure upper limit value, or when the current system pressure value is less than or equal to the first preset pressure lower limit value, the control unit adjusts the opening of the pressure regulating unit according to the current system pressure value and the preset target pressure value to adjust the pressure of the circulating fluid in the temperature control system. Among them, the first preset pressure upper limit value is obtained by adding the first pressure value on the basis of the preset target pressure value. The first preset pressure lower limit value is obtained by reducing the second pressure value on the basis of the preset target pressure value. The first preset pressure lower limit value < preset target pressure value < first preset pressure upper limit value < system pressure upper limit value.

[0009] According to some embodiments, the control unit determines the relative size of the current system pressure value and the second preset pressure upper limit value and the second preset pressure lower limit value, respectively. When the system pressure value is greater than or equal to the second preset pressure upper limit value, or when the system pressure value is less than or equal to the second preset pressure lower limit value, the control unit adjusts the operating frequency of the liquid pump and adjusts the opening of the pressure regulating unit to adjust the pressure of the circulating fluid in the temperature control system. Among them, the second preset pressure upper limit value is obtained by adding the third pressure value on the basis of the preset target pressure value. The second preset pressure lower limit value is obtained by reducing the fourth pressure value on the basis of the preset target pressure value. Among them, the system pressure lower limit value < the second preset pressure lower limit value < the first preset pressure lower limit value < the preset target pressure value < the first preset pressure upper limit value < the second preset pressure upper limit value < the system pressure upper limit value.

[0010] According to some embodiments, when the current system pressure value is greater than or equal to the second preset pressure upper limit value, the control unit controls the liquid pump to operate in a first preset manner until the current system pressure value is less than the second preset pressure upper limit value, and the first preset manner is a manner in which the operating frequency of the liquid pump decreases by a first preset frequency value per second. When the current system pressure value is between the second preset pressure upper limit value and the second preset pressure lower limit value, the control unit controls the liquid pump to operate in a second preset manner according to the current frequency of the liquid pump and the preset target frequency until the operating frequency of the liquid pump reaches the preset target frequency, and the second preset manner is a manner in which the operating frequency of the liquid pump changes by a second preset frequency value per second. Wherein, the first preset frequency value is greater than the second preset frequency value.

[0011] According to some embodiments, when the system pressure value is less than or equal to the second preset pressure lower limit value, the control unit controls the liquid pump to operate in a third preset mode until the current system pressure value is greater than the second preset pressure lower limit value, and the third preset mode is a mode in which the operating frequency of the liquid pump increases by a third preset frequency value per second. The third preset frequency value is greater than the second preset frequency value.

[0012] According to some embodiments, the circulating liquid supply unit includes a liquid tank, a liquid level detector, a liquid replenishment regulating valve, a main line solenoid valve, and a backup solenoid valve.

[0013] The liquid tank includes a first liquid inlet, a second liquid inlet, a circulating liquid inlet and a liquid outlet, and the liquid tank contains circulating liquid. The circulating liquid inlet is connected to the other end of the pressure regulating unit to receive the circulating liquid. The liquid outlet is connected to the liquid pump to output the circulating liquid in the liquid tank. The liquid level detector is arranged in the liquid tank, detects the liquid level of the circulating liquid in the liquid tank, and outputs a liquid level signal. The liquid replenishment regulating valve is arranged outside the liquid tank, and one end of the liquid replenishment regulating valve is connected to the first liquid inlet. The main solenoid valve is arranged outside the liquid tank, one end of the main solenoid valve is connected to the other end of the liquid replenishment regulating valve, and the other end of the main solenoid valve is connected to an external liquid supply device to receive the circulating liquid transported by the external liquid supply device. The spare solenoid valve is arranged outside the liquid tank, one end of the spare solenoid valve is connected to the second liquid inlet, and the other end of the spare solenoid valve is connected to one end of the main solenoid valve. The control unit is also electrically connected to the liquid level detector, the liquid replenishment regulating valve, the main solenoid valve and the spare solenoid valve, and controls the opening and closing states of the liquid replenishment regulating valve, the main solenoid valve and the spare solenoid valve according to the liquid level signal to adjust the liquid level in the liquid tank.

[0014] According to another aspect of the present application, a pressure regulating method for a temperature control system is provided. The temperature control system may be specifically the temperature control system described in the above aspect. The pressure regulating method includes regulating the opening of the pressure regulating unit and the operating frequency of the liquid pump according to the system pressure data output by the pressure detection unit to adjust the system pressure.

[0015] According to some embodiments, the opening of the pressure regulating unit and the operating frequency of the liquid pump are adjusted according to the system pressure data output by the pressure detection unit to adjust the system pressure, including determining the current system pressure value according to the system pressure data. When the system pressure value is greater than or equal to the first preset pressure upper limit value, or when the system pressure value is less than or equal to the first preset pressure lower limit value, the opening of the pressure regulating unit is adjusted according to the system pressure value and the preset target pressure value to adjust the pressure of the circulating fluid of the temperature control system. When the system pressure value is greater than or equal to the second preset pressure upper limit value, or when the system pressure value is less than or equal to the second preset pressure lower limit value, the operating frequency of the liquid pump is adjusted, and the opening of the pressure regulating unit is adjusted to adjust the pressure of the circulating fluid of the temperature control system.

[0016] According to some embodiments, adjusting the operating frequency of the liquid pump includes, when the system pressure value is greater than or equal to the second preset pressure upper limit value, controlling the liquid pump to operate in a first preset manner until the current system pressure value is less than the second preset pressure upper limit value, and the first preset manner is that the operating frequency of the liquid pump decreases by the first preset frequency value per second. When the system pressure value is between the second preset pressure upper limit value and the second preset pressure lower limit value, according to the current frequency of the liquid pump and the preset target frequency, the liquid pump is controlled to operate in a second preset manner until the operating frequency of the liquid pump reaches the preset target frequency, and the second preset manner is that the operating frequency of the liquid pump changes by the second preset frequency value per second. When the system pressure value is less than or equal to the second preset pressure lower limit value, the liquid pump is controlled to operate in a third preset manner until the current system pressure value is greater than the second preset pressure lower limit value, and the third preset manner is that the operating frequency of the liquid pump increases by the third preset frequency value per second. Among them, the first preset frequency value is greater than the second preset frequency value. The third preset frequency value is greater than the second preset frequency value.

[0017] According to another aspect of the present application, a semiconductor process system is provided. The semiconductor process system includes the temperature control system described in the above aspect and semiconductor process equipment. The semiconductor process equipment is connected to the temperature control output end of the temperature control unit of the temperature control system to receive the circulating fluid after temperature control by the temperature control unit to perform semiconductor process manufacturing.

[0018] Beneficial Effects

[0019] The present application detects the system pressure through the pressure detection unit, and the control unit regulates the pressure regulating unit and the liquid pump according to the system pressure data detected by the pressure detection unit, so that the system pressure can be adjusted to a normal level. On the one hand, this can effectively prevent the occurrence of excessive system pressure. On the other hand, the temperature control system of the present application does not use a safety valve, but uses a pressure regulating unit and a liquid pump to adjust the opening of the pressure regulating unit and the operating frequency of the liquid pump, which also solves the problem that the frequent switching of the safety valve makes the system pressure regulation unreliable. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application, the drawings required for use in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present application. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative work.

[0021] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the system structure of the temperature control system of the present application embodiment.

[0022] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a pressure regulation method according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0023] Figure 3 This is a flow chart of step S210 of the embodiment of the present application;

[0024] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the process of adjusting the operating frequency of the liquid pump in step S213 of the embodiment of the present application.

[0025] Description of reference numerals:

[0026] 1. Circulating liquid supply unit; 11. Liquid tank; 12. Liquid level detector; 13. Liquid replenishment regulating valve; 14. Main line solenoid valve; 15. Backup solenoid valve; 2. Liquid pump; 3. Temperature control unit; 31. Refrigerator; 32. Heater; 4. Pressure regulating unit; 5. Pressure detection unit; 51. Pressure sensor; 52. Temperature sensor; 53. Flow sensor. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0027] Example embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, example embodiments can be implemented in many forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this application will be comprehensive and complete and will fully convey the concepts of the example embodiments to those skilled in the art. The same reference numerals in the figures represent the same or similar parts, and thus their repeated description will be omitted.

[0028] The described features, structures or characteristics may be combined in one or more embodiments in any suitable manner. In the following description, many specific details are provided to provide a full understanding of the embodiments of the present disclosure. However, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the technical solutions of the present disclosure may be practiced without one or more of these specific details, or other modes, components, materials, devices, etc. may be adopted. In these cases, known structures, methods, devices, implementations, materials or operations will not be shown or described in detail.

[0029] In addition, the terms "include" and "have" and any variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusions. For example, a process, method, system, product or device that includes a series of steps or units is not limited to the listed steps or units, but may optionally include steps or units that are not listed, or may optionally include other steps or units that are inherent to these processes, methods, products or devices.

[0030] The terms "first", "second" and the like in the specification and claims of this application and the above drawings are used to distinguish different objects rather than to describe a specific order.

[0031] The following is a clear and complete description of the technical solution of the present application in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are 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 those skilled in the art without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present application.

[0032] According to one aspect of the present application, an embodiment of the present application provides a temperature control system. Figure 1 The system architecture of the temperature control system of the embodiment of the present application is shown. Figure 1 The temperature control system includes a circulating liquid supply unit 1, a liquid pump 2, a temperature adjustment unit 3, a pressure adjustment unit 4, a pressure detection unit 5 and a control unit.

[0033] According to the exemplary embodiment, the circulating liquid supply unit 1 is used to supply the circulating liquid.

[0034] The liquid pump 2 includes an input end and an output end. The temperature control unit 3 includes a temperature control input end and a temperature control output end. The input end of the liquid pump 2 is connected to the circulating liquid supply unit 1, and the output end of the liquid pump 2 is connected to the temperature control input end of the temperature control unit 3. The temperature control output end of the temperature control unit 3 is used to connect to an external liquid device.

[0035] The liquid pump 2 draws the circulating liquid from the circulating liquid supply unit 1 and outputs it to the temperature control unit 3. The temperature control unit 3 adjusts the temperature of the circulating liquid, and the temperature-controlled circulating liquid can be output to the external liquid-using device. The external liquid-using device can use the temperature-controlled circulating liquid to adjust the temperature and perform corresponding work.

[0036] According to some embodiments, the temperature adjustment unit 3 may include a refrigerator 31 and a heater 32. The refrigerator 31 is used to reduce the temperature of the circulating fluid, and the heater 32 is used to increase the temperature of the circulating fluid.

[0037] Exemplarily, the circulating liquid can be water, and the liquid pump 2 can be a water pump. The circulating liquid can also be other cooling liquids such as oil, which will not be described in detail here.

[0038] According to the exemplary embodiment, one end of the pressure regulating unit 4 is also connected to the temperature regulating output end of the temperature regulating unit 3 , and the other end of the pressure regulating unit 4 is connected to the circulating liquid supply unit 1 .

[0039] Exemplarily, a portion of the circulating liquid after temperature control by the temperature control unit 3 flows into the external liquid device to be used by the external liquid device. The temperature-controlled circulating liquid not used by the external liquid device can be circulated into the circulating liquid supply unit 1 through the pressure regulating unit 4, so that the circulating liquid can continue to be used, reducing waste.

[0040] For example, the pressure regulating unit 4 may be a pressure regulating valve, and the flow rate of the circulating liquid per unit time flowing through the pressure regulating unit 4 can be adjusted by adjusting the opening of the pressure regulating valve. The larger the opening, the greater the flow rate.

[0041] According to the exemplary embodiment, the pressure detection unit 5 is disposed at the temperature control output end of the temperature control unit 3 , and is used to detect the pressure of the circulating fluid at the temperature control output end to output system pressure data.

[0042] Exemplarily, the pressure detection unit 5 may specifically include a pressure sensor 51 .

[0043] According to some embodiments, the pressure detection unit 5 may further include a temperature sensor 52 to measure the temperature of the circulating fluid at the temperature adjustment output end to output circulating fluid temperature data, which is not limited here.

[0044] According to some embodiments, the pressure detection unit 5 may further include a flow sensor 53 to measure the flow rate of the circulating fluid output from the temperature adjustment output end to the external fluid-using device.

[0045] According to the exemplary embodiment, the control unit is electrically connected to the pressure detection unit 5, the pressure regulating unit 4 and the liquid pump 2, respectively, so as to regulate the opening of the pressure regulating unit 4 and the operating frequency of the liquid pump 2 according to the system pressure data measured by the pressure detection unit 5, thereby adjusting the pressure of the circulating fluid in the temperature control system.

[0046] For example, when the system pressure is high, the control unit can increase the opening of the pressure regulating unit 4 to speed up the circulation of the circulating fluid, thereby alleviating the system pressure. In addition, when the system pressure is high, the control unit can also reduce the operating frequency of the liquid pump 2 to reduce the flow rate of the circulating fluid in the system, thereby reducing the system pressure.

[0047] Similarly, when the system pressure is low, the control unit can also reduce the opening of the pressure regulating unit 4 to reduce the circulation rate of the circulating fluid, thereby adjusting the system pressure to a normal level. And when the system pressure is low, the control unit can also increase the operating frequency of the liquid pump 2 to increase the flow rate of the circulating fluid in the system, thereby adjusting the system pressure value to a normal level.

[0048] Through the above embodiments, the present application detects the system pressure through the pressure detection unit 5, and the control unit regulates the pressure regulating unit 4 and the liquid pump 2 according to the system pressure data detected by the pressure detection unit 5, so that the system pressure can be adjusted to a normal level. On the one hand, this can effectively prevent the occurrence of excessive system pressure. On the other hand, the temperature control system of the present application does not use a safety valve, but uses a pressure regulating unit 4 and a liquid pump 2 to adjust the opening of the pressure regulating unit 4, which also solves the problem that the system pressure regulation is unreliable due to the frequent switching of the safety valve.

[0049] According to some embodiments, the control unit may first determine the current system pressure value according to the received system pressure data when controlling the opening of the pressure regulating unit 4 .

[0050] Exemplarily, when the pressure detection unit 5, that is, the pressure sensor 51, currently measures that the pressure at the temperature control output end is 20 Pa, the current system pressure value is 20 Pa.

[0051] Then the control unit determines the relative magnitudes of the current system pressure value and the first preset pressure upper limit value and the first preset pressure lower limit value respectively.

[0052] The first preset pressure upper limit value and the first preset pressure lower limit value are specifically determined by the user according to a preset target pressure value. The preset target pressure value is a pressure value of the system expected by the user, for example, the target value is 5.

[0053] The first preset pressure upper limit value is obtained by adding the first pressure value to the preset target pressure value. For example, the first preset pressure upper limit value is 5.1.

[0054] The first preset pressure lower limit is obtained by reducing the second pressure value based on the preset target pressure value. The first pressure value and the second pressure value may be equal or different, which is not limited here. For example, the first preset pressure lower limit may be 4.9.

[0055] It is worth noting that the first preset upper pressure limit should be less than the system pressure upper limit. The system pressure upper limit is the upper limit of the pressure of the circulating fluid in the temperature control system. When the pressure of the circulating fluid exceeds the system pressure upper limit, the temperature control system will be at risk of damage, such as the possibility of damage to the circulation pipeline of the circulating fluid and the possibility of damage to the liquid pump 2.

[0056] Furthermore, the first preset pressure lower limit should be greater than the system pressure lower limit. The system pressure lower limit is the lower limit of the pressure of the circulating fluid in the temperature control system. If the pressure of the circulating fluid is lower than the system pressure lower limit, the temperature control system will be at risk of not being able to work properly.

[0057] That is, the system pressure lower limit value < the first preset pressure lower limit value < the preset target pressure value < the first preset pressure upper limit value < the system pressure upper limit value.

[0058] After the control unit determines the relative magnitudes of the current system pressure value and the first preset pressure upper limit value and the first preset pressure lower limit value, when the current system pressure value is greater than or equal to the first preset pressure upper limit value, or when the current system pressure value is less than or equal to the first preset pressure lower limit value, the control unit may adjust the opening of the pressure regulating unit 4 to adjust the pressure of the circulating fluid in the temperature control system.

[0059] Exemplarily, when the current system pressure value is greater than or equal to the first preset pressure upper limit value, the control unit may increase the opening of the pressure regulating unit 4 .

[0060] Exemplarily, when the current system pressure value is less than or equal to the first preset pressure lower limit value, the control unit may reduce the opening of the pressure regulating unit 4 .

[0061] Specifically, the control unit controls the opening of the pressure regulating unit 4 by performing a PID (Proportional-Integral-Derivative) calculation based on the current system pressure value and the preset target pressure value to obtain a target opening, and adjust the opening of the pressure regulating unit 4 to the target opening.

[0062] According to some embodiments, the control unit further determines relative magnitudes of the current system pressure value and a second preset upper pressure limit value and a second preset lower pressure limit value, respectively.

[0063] The second preset pressure upper limit value and the second preset pressure lower limit value may be determined by a user according to a preset target pressure value.

[0064] The second preset upper pressure limit value may be obtained by adding the third pressure value to the preset target pressure value.

[0065] The second preset lower pressure limit value may be obtained by reducing the fourth pressure value on the basis of the preset target pressure value.

[0066] It is worth noting that the third pressure value and the fourth pressure value may be equal or different, and no limitation is made here.

[0067] According to an exemplary embodiment, the second preset upper pressure limit value should also be smaller than the system pressure upper limit value. The second preset lower pressure limit value should also be larger than the preset system pressure lower limit value.

[0068] Furthermore, the second preset pressure upper limit value is greater than the first preset pressure upper limit value, and the second preset pressure lower limit value is less than the first preset pressure lower limit value.

[0069] For example, the second preset pressure upper limit value may be 5.4, and the second preset pressure lower limit value may be 4.6.

[0070] That is, the system pressure lower limit value < the second preset pressure lower limit value < the first preset pressure lower limit value < the preset target pressure value < the first preset pressure upper limit value < the second preset pressure upper limit value < the system pressure upper limit value.

[0071] According to an example embodiment, when the current system pressure value is greater than the second preset pressure upper limit value, or the current system pressure value is less than the second preset pressure lower limit value, the current system pressure value also exceeds the first preset pressure upper limit value, or the current system pressure value is also lower than the first preset pressure lower limit value.

[0072] In this case, the control unit controls the opening of the pressure regulating unit 4 while also controlling the operating frequency of the liquid pump 2 , so as to adjust the pressure of the circulating liquid by regulating the operating frequency of the liquid pump 2 .

[0073] For example, when the current system pressure value is 5.2, the control unit adjusts the opening of the pressure regulating unit 4. If the control unit cannot effectively control the pressure reduction of the circulating fluid through the adjustment of the pressure regulating unit 4, and the pressure of the circulating fluid is still increasing. Assuming that when the pressure of the circulating fluid rises to 5.4, the control unit adjusts the opening of the pressure regulating unit 4 while also controlling the operating frequency of the liquid pump 2, so as to reduce the pressure of the circulating fluid of the current system by adjusting the opening of the pressure regulating valve and the operating frequency of the liquid pump 2. In this way, the pressure of the circulating fluid can be effectively adjusted so that the pressure of the circulating fluid of the temperature control system can be limited to the normal pressure range.

[0074] According to some embodiments, when the current system pressure value is greater than or equal to the second preset pressure upper limit value, the control unit controls the operating frequency of the liquid pump 2 to adjust the pressure of the circulating fluid of the temperature control system. Specifically, the control unit may include controlling the liquid pump 2 to operate in a first preset manner until the current system pressure value is less than the second preset pressure upper limit value.

[0075] The first preset mode is a mode in which the working frequency of the liquid pump 2 decreases by a first preset frequency value every second.

[0076] When the pressure of the circulating fluid of the temperature control system is within a normal range, the operating frequency of the liquid pump 2 is usually a fixed value, that is, a preset target frequency. For example, the preset target frequency is 50 Hz.

[0077] For example, when the current system pressure value is 5.4, the control unit controls the operating frequency of the liquid pump 2 to decrease by 5 Hz per second.

[0078] When the current system pressure value is less than the second preset pressure upper limit value and greater than the second preset pressure lower limit value, it means that the pressure of the circulating fluid in the current temperature control system is within the normal range. In this case, the operating frequency of the liquid pump 2 can be readjusted to the preset target frequency and continue to operate at the preset target frequency.

[0079] That is, when the current system pressure value is between the second preset pressure upper limit value and the second preset pressure lower limit value, the control unit controls the liquid pump 2 to operate in the second preset mode according to the current frequency of the liquid pump 2 and the preset target frequency until the operating frequency of the liquid pump 2 reaches the preset target frequency.

[0080] The second preset mode is a mode in which the operating frequency of the control liquid pump 2 changes by a second preset frequency value per second. In addition, the first preset frequency value is greater than the second preset frequency value.

[0081] For example, when the operating frequency of the liquid pump 2 is reduced to 25 Hz, the control unit detects that the current system pressure value is less than the second preset pressure upper limit value, and the current system pressure value is greater than the second preset pressure lower limit value. In this case, the control unit can control the liquid pump 2 to operate in a manner of increasing the frequency by 2 Hz per second until the operating frequency of the liquid pump 2 is adjusted to 50 Hz.

[0082] In this way, when the pressure of the circulating fluid in the current temperature control system is not within the normal range, the operating frequency of the liquid pump 2 can be quickly adjusted to quickly adjust the pressure of the circulating fluid in the current temperature control system to the normal range. And when the pressure of the circulating fluid in the current temperature control system is adjusted to the normal range, the operating frequency of the liquid pump 2 can be slowly adjusted so that the operating frequency of the liquid pump 2 gradually stabilizes to the preset target frequency for operation. This abnormal fast adjustment and normal slow adjustment method is conducive to improving the stability of the temperature control system.

[0083] According to some embodiments, when the current system pressure value is less than or equal to the second preset pressure lower limit value, the control unit controls the liquid pump 2 to operate in a third preset mode until the current system pressure value is greater than the second preset pressure lower limit value.

[0084] According to an exemplary embodiment, the third preset mode is a mode in which the operating frequency of the liquid pump 2 increases by a third preset frequency value per second, and the third preset frequency value is also greater than the second preset frequency value.

[0085] It is worth noting that the third preset frequency value may be equal to or different from the first preset frequency value, which is not limited here.

[0086] Exemplarily, when the pressure of the circulating fluid of the current temperature control system is 4.5, the current system pressure value is less than the second preset pressure lower limit value 4.6, and the control unit controls the working frequency of the liquid pump 2 to start increasing by 5 Hz per second to increase the pressure of the circulating fluid of the current temperature control system, so that the pressure of the circulating fluid of the current temperature control system returns to the normal range.

[0087] According to some embodiments, when the pressure of the circulating fluid of the current temperature control system returns to the normal range, that is, when the current system pressure value is between the second preset pressure lower limit value and the second preset pressure upper limit value, the control unit can continue to control the operating frequency of the liquid pump 2 to change the second preset frequency value per second until the operating frequency of the liquid pump 2 reaches the preset target frequency.

[0088] Exemplarily, when the current system pressure value is between the second preset pressure lower limit value and the second preset pressure upper limit value, the control unit can determine the relative size of the current frequency of the liquid pump 2 and the preset target frequency. When the current frequency of the liquid pump 2 is greater than the preset target frequency, the control unit controls the working frequency of the liquid pump 2 to increase by the second preset frequency value per second. When the current frequency of the liquid pump 2 is less than the preset target frequency, the control unit controls the working frequency of the liquid pump 2 to decrease by the second preset frequency value per second until the working frequency of the liquid pump 2 reaches the preset target frequency.

[0089] Through the above embodiment, when the pressure of the circulating liquid is lower than the second preset pressure lower limit, the control unit adjusts the opening of the pressure regulating unit 4 and simultaneously adjusts the operating frequency of the liquid pump 2. Moreover, when the pressure of the circulating liquid is lower than the second preset pressure limit, the control unit controls the operating frequency of the liquid pump 2 to increase rapidly, so that the pressure of the circulating liquid is quickly adjusted to a normal range. And when the pressure of the circulating liquid is between the second preset pressure lower limit and the second preset pressure upper limit, the control unit controls the operating frequency of the liquid pump 2 to decrease slowly, so that the operating frequency of the liquid pump 2 is adjusted to the preset target frequency for operation. This abnormal fast adjustment and normal slow adjustment method is beneficial to the stability of the temperature control system.

[0090] According to some embodiments, the circulating liquid supply unit 1 may specifically include a liquid tank 11, a liquid level detector 12 arranged in the liquid tank 11, a liquid replenishment regulating valve 13 arranged outside the liquid tank 11, a main circuit solenoid valve 14 arranged outside the liquid tank 11, and a spare solenoid valve 15 arranged outside the liquid tank 11.

[0091] The liquid box 11 includes a first liquid inlet, a second liquid inlet, a circulating liquid inlet and a liquid outlet. The liquid box 11 is used to contain circulating liquid.

[0092] The circulating liquid inlet is connected to the other end of the pressure regulating unit 4 to receive the circulating liquid circulated through the pressure regulating unit 4 .

[0093] The first liquid inlet is connected to one end of the liquid replenishment regulating valve 13, and the other end of the liquid replenishment regulating valve 13 is connected to one end of the main electromagnetic valve 14. The other end of the main electromagnetic valve 14 is connected to an external liquid supply device. The external liquid supply device is used to transport circulating liquid into the liquid tank 11.

[0094] The second liquid inlet is communicated with one end of the standby solenoid valve 15 , and the other end of the standby solenoid valve 15 is communicated with one end of the main solenoid valve 14 .

[0095] The liquid outlet is connected to the liquid pump 2. The liquid pump 2 can extract circulating liquid from the liquid tank 11 through the liquid outlet.

[0096] According to the exemplary embodiment, the circulating liquid delivered by the external liquid supply device can flow into the liquid tank 11 through the main electromagnetic valve 14 and the liquid replenishment regulating valve 13, and can also flow into the liquid tank 11 through the main electromagnetic valve 14 and the backup electromagnetic valve 15. The liquid pump 2 can extract the circulating liquid from the liquid tank 11 and deliver the circulating liquid to the temperature control unit 3 for temperature control so as to be delivered to the external liquid-using device for use.

[0097] According to the exemplary embodiment, the main electromagnetic valve 14 and the backup electromagnetic valve 15 are electromagnetic valves, which are in the first state when powered and in the second state when not powered. For example, the main electromagnetic valve 14 is open when powered and closed when not powered.

[0098] According to the exemplary embodiment, the liquid replenishment regulating valve 13 is an electric regulating valve with an adjustable opening. By adjusting the opening of the liquid replenishment regulating valve 13 , the flow rate of the circulating fluid flowing through the liquid replenishment regulating valve 13 can be adjusted.

[0099] According to some embodiments, in order to meet the demand of the external liquid-using device for circulating liquid, the liquid level of the circulating liquid in the liquid tank 11 should be maintained within a preset liquid level range. When the liquid level of the circulating liquid is too high, the circulating liquid in the liquid tank 11 is prone to overflow.

[0100] When the circulating liquid level is too low, the circulating liquid in the liquid tank 11 may not be able to meet the liquid demand of the external liquid-using device. In addition, when the circulating liquid level is too low, the liquid pump 2 is likely to be emptied when pumping the circulating liquid out of the liquid tank 11, which may easily damage the liquid pump 2.

[0101] Therefore, a liquid level detector 12 is further provided in the liquid tank 11. The liquid level detector 12 is used to detect the liquid level of the circulating liquid in the liquid tank 11 and output liquid level information.

[0102] The control unit is also electrically connected to the liquid level detector 12, the liquid replenishment regulating valve 13, the main solenoid valve 14 and the backup solenoid valve 15, and controls the opening and closing states of the liquid replenishment regulating valve 13, the main solenoid valve 14 and the backup solenoid valve 15 according to the liquid level information to adjust the liquid level of the liquid tank 11.

[0103] For example, the control unit can determine the liquid level of the circulating liquid in the liquid tank 11 according to the liquid level information. When the liquid level is lower than the preset minimum alarm limit, the control unit can control the main electromagnetic valve 14. The standby electromagnetic valve 15 and the liquid replenishment regulating valve 13 are all closed, and a shutdown alarm instruction is output to alarm, so as to shut down the liquid pump 2 and reduce the probability of damage to the liquid pump 2 caused by too low a liquid level.

[0104] When the liquid level is between the preset minimum alarm limit and the preset low operating limit, the control unit can control the main solenoid valve 14 and the backup solenoid valve 15 to open, and control the opening of the liquid replenishment regulating valve 13 to the maximum, so as to replenish the circulating liquid in the liquid tank 11 in time.

[0105] When the liquid level is between the preset low operating limit and the preset high operating limit, the control unit can control the main solenoid valve 14 to open, control the standby solenoid valve 15 to close, and control the opening of the liquid replenishment regulating valve 13 according to the real-time liquid level to maintain the liquid level of the circulating fluid in the liquid tank 11 between the preset low operating limit and the preset high operating limit.

[0106] When the liquid level is higher than the preset operating upper limit, the control unit can control the main solenoid valve 14 to close, control the backup solenoid valve 15 to close, and control the liquid replenishment regulating valve 13 to close to prevent the circulating liquid in the liquid tank 11 from overflowing.

[0107] Exemplarily, the preset minimum alarm limit is less than the preset operating low limit which is less than the preset operating high limit.

[0108] The control unit controls the opening of the liquid replenishment regulating valve 13, the main solenoid valve 14 and the standby solenoid valve 15 according to the liquid level of the circulating liquid in the liquid tank 11 detected by the liquid level detector 12, so that the liquid level in the liquid tank 11 can be replenished in time when it is too low, and the liquid intake can be stopped in time when the liquid level in the liquid tank 11 is too high, so that the liquid level of the circulating liquid in the liquid tank 11 is within the preset range to meet the liquid demand of the external liquid-using device and reduce the adverse effects of the circulating liquid level of the liquid tank 11 being too low or too high on the temperature control system.

[0109] According to another aspect of the present application, an embodiment of the present application further provides a pressure regulating method for a temperature control system. The temperature control system may be the temperature control system described in the above embodiment. The pressure regulating method may be specifically executed by a control unit of the above temperature control system.

[0110] Figure 2 The steps of the pressure regulation method are shown. Figure 2 , the pressure regulation method includes step S210.

[0111] In step S210, the control unit adjusts the opening of the pressure regulating unit and the operating frequency of the liquid pump according to the system pressure data output by the pressure sensor to adjust the pressure of the circulating fluid of the temperature control system.

[0112] The pressure detection unit in the temperature control system detects the system pressure to obtain system pressure data. In step S210, the control unit can adjust the opening of the pressure regulating unit and the operating frequency of the liquid pump according to the system pressure data detected by the pressure detection unit, and can adjust the system pressure to a normal level.

[0113] For example, when the system pressure is high, the control unit can control the opening of the pressure regulating unit to increase, and can also simultaneously control the operating frequency of the liquid pump to decrease, so as to reduce the pressure of the circulating fluid of the temperature control system, so as to adjust the pressure of the circulating fluid of the temperature control system to within a normal level.

[0114] Correspondingly, when the system pressure is low, the control unit can control the opening of the pressure regulating unit to decrease, and can also simultaneously control the operating frequency of the liquid pump to increase, so as to increase the pressure of the circulating fluid of the temperature control system, so as to adjust the pressure of the circulating fluid of the temperature control system to within the normal level range.

[0115] On the one hand, this can effectively prevent the occurrence of excessive system pressure. On the other hand, the temperature control system of the present application does not use a safety valve, but instead uses a pressure regulating unit and a liquid pump to adjust the opening of the pressure regulating unit and the frequency of the liquid pump. This also solves the problem of frequent switching of the safety valve making the system pressure regulation unreliable.

[0116] According to some embodiments, reference Figure 3 In step S210, the control unit adjusts the opening of the pressure regulating unit and the operating frequency of the liquid pump according to the system pressure data output by the pressure sensor to adjust the pressure of the circulating fluid of the temperature control system, which may specifically include step S211, step S212 and step S213.

[0117] In step S211, the control unit determines the current system pressure value according to the system pressure data.

[0118] In step S212, the control unit adjusts the opening of the pressure regulating unit according to the system pressure value and the preset target pressure value to adjust the pressure of the circulating fluid of the temperature control system when the system pressure value is greater than or equal to the first preset pressure upper limit value, or when the system pressure value is less than or equal to the first preset pressure lower limit value.

[0119] In step S213, the control unit adjusts the operating frequency of the liquid pump and the opening of the pressure regulating unit to adjust the pressure of the circulating fluid of the temperature control system when the system pressure value is greater than or equal to the second preset pressure upper limit value, or when the system pressure value is less than or equal to the second preset pressure lower limit value.

[0120] According to some embodiments, reference Figure 4 In step S213, the control unit adjusts the operating frequency of the liquid pump, which can be specifically implemented through steps S2131, S2132 and S2133.

[0121] In step S2131, when the system pressure value is greater than or equal to the second preset pressure upper limit value, the control unit controls the liquid pump to operate in the first preset mode until the current system pressure value is less than the second preset pressure upper limit value.

[0122] In step S2132, when the system pressure value is between a second preset pressure upper limit value and a second preset pressure lower limit value, the control unit controls the liquid pump to operate in a second preset mode according to the current frequency of the liquid pump and the preset target frequency until the operating frequency of the liquid pump reaches the preset target frequency.

[0123] In step S2132, when the system pressure value is less than or equal to the second preset pressure lower limit value, the control unit controls the liquid pump to operate in a third preset mode until the current system pressure value is greater than the second preset pressure lower limit value.

[0124] Among them, the third preset mode is that the working frequency of the liquid pump increases by a third preset frequency value per second, the first preset mode is that the working frequency of the liquid pump decreases by a first preset frequency value per second, and the second preset mode is that the working frequency of the liquid pump changes by a second preset frequency value per second.

[0125] The first preset frequency value is greater than the second preset frequency value; the third preset frequency value is greater than the second preset frequency value.

[0126] It is worth noting that technicians in the relevant field can clearly understand that for the convenience and simplicity of description, the specific working process of the pressure regulation method performed by the control unit described above can refer to the corresponding process in the aforementioned temperature control system embodiment, and will not be repeated here.

[0127] According to another aspect of the present application, an embodiment of the present application further provides a semiconductor process system, which includes semiconductor process equipment and the temperature control system described in the above embodiment.

[0128] The semiconductor process equipment is connected to the temperature control output end of the temperature control unit of the temperature control system, and receives the circulating fluid after the temperature is adjusted by the temperature control unit to carry out the manufacture of the semiconductor process.

[0129] It should be clearly understood that the present application describes how to form and use specific examples, but the present application is not limited to any details of these examples. On the contrary, based on the teaching of the content disclosed in the present application, these principles can be applied to many other embodiments.

[0130] Finally, it should be noted that the above are only preferred embodiments of the present application and are not intended to limit the present application. Although the present application is described in detail with reference to the aforementioned embodiments, those skilled in the art can still modify the technical solutions of the aforementioned embodiments or replace some of the technical features therein by equivalents. Any modifications, equivalent replacements, improvements, etc. made within the spirit and principles of the present application shall be included in the protection scope of the present application.

Claims

1. A temperature control system, characterized in that: include: A circulating fluid supply unit, providing circulating fluid; a liquid pump, the input end of which is in communication with the circulating liquid supply unit so as to extract the circulating liquid from the circulating liquid supply unit; A temperature control unit, wherein the temperature control input end of the temperature control unit is connected to the output end of the liquid pump to adjust the temperature of the circulating liquid output by the liquid pump, and the temperature control output end of the temperature control unit is connected to an external liquid device to provide the external liquid device with the temperature-controlled circulating liquid; A pressure regulating unit, one end of which is connected to the temperature regulating output end, and the other end of which is connected to the circulating liquid supply unit, so as to circulate unused circulating liquid into the circulating liquid supply unit; A pressure detection unit, detecting the pressure of the circulating fluid at the temperature adjustment output end to output system pressure data; A control unit is electrically connected to the pressure detection unit, the pressure regulating unit and the liquid pump, respectively, and regulates the opening of the pressure regulating unit and the operating frequency of the liquid pump according to the system pressure data received from the pressure detection unit to adjust the pressure of the circulating fluid in the temperature control system.

2. The temperature control system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The control unit determines the current system pressure value according to the system pressure data; The control unit determines the relative magnitudes of the current system pressure value and a first preset pressure upper limit value and a first preset pressure lower limit value respectively; The control unit adjusts the opening of the pressure regulating unit according to the current system pressure value and the preset target pressure value to adjust the pressure of the circulating fluid in the temperature control system when the current system pressure value is greater than or equal to the first preset pressure upper limit value, or when the current system pressure value is less than or equal to the first preset pressure lower limit value; Wherein, the first preset pressure upper limit value is obtained by adding the first pressure value to the preset target pressure value; The first preset pressure lower limit value is obtained by reducing the second pressure value on the basis of the preset target pressure value; The first preset pressure lower limit value < the preset target pressure value < the first preset pressure upper limit value < the system pressure upper limit value.

3. The temperature control system according to claim 2, characterized in that: The control unit determines the relative magnitudes of the current system pressure value and a second preset pressure upper limit value and a second preset pressure lower limit value respectively; The control unit adjusts the operating frequency of the liquid pump and the opening of the pressure regulating unit to adjust the pressure of the circulating fluid in the temperature control system when the current system pressure value is greater than or equal to the second preset pressure upper limit value, or when the current system pressure value is less than or equal to the second preset pressure lower limit value; Wherein, the second preset pressure upper limit value is obtained by adding a third pressure value to the preset target pressure value; The second preset pressure lower limit value is obtained by reducing the fourth pressure value on the basis of the preset target pressure value; The system pressure lower limit value is less than the second preset pressure lower limit value, less than the first preset pressure lower limit value, less than the preset target pressure value, less than the first preset pressure upper limit value, less than the second preset pressure upper limit value, less than the system pressure upper limit value.

4. The temperature control system according to claim 2, characterized in that: The control unit controls the liquid pump to operate in a first preset manner when the current system pressure value is greater than or equal to the second preset pressure upper limit value until the current system pressure value is less than the second preset pressure upper limit value, and the first preset manner is a manner in which the operating frequency of the liquid pump decreases by a first preset frequency value per second; The control unit controls the liquid pump to operate in a second preset mode according to the current frequency of the liquid pump and the preset target frequency, when the current system pressure value is between the second preset pressure upper limit value and the second preset pressure lower limit value, until the operating frequency of the liquid pump reaches the preset target frequency, wherein the second preset mode is a mode in which the operating frequency of the liquid pump changes by a second preset frequency value per second; Wherein, the first preset frequency value is greater than the second preset frequency value.

5. The temperature control system according to claim 4, characterized in that: The control unit controls the liquid pump to operate in a third preset mode when the current system pressure value is less than or equal to the second preset pressure lower limit value until the current system pressure value is greater than the second preset pressure lower limit value, and the third preset mode is a mode in which the operating frequency of the liquid pump increases by a third preset frequency value per second; Wherein, the third preset frequency value is greater than the second preset frequency value.

6. The temperature control system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The circulating liquid supply unit comprises: A liquid tank, comprising a first liquid inlet, a second liquid inlet, a circulating liquid inlet and a liquid outlet, wherein the liquid tank contains circulating liquid; The circulating liquid inlet is connected to the other end of the pressure regulating unit to receive the circulating liquid; The liquid outlet is connected to the liquid pump to output the circulating liquid in the liquid tank; A liquid level detector is arranged in the liquid tank, detects the liquid level of the circulating liquid in the liquid tank, and outputs a liquid level signal; a liquid replenishment regulating valve, arranged outside the liquid tank, one end of which is in communication with the first liquid inlet; A main solenoid valve is arranged outside the liquid tank, one end of the main solenoid valve is communicated with the other end of the liquid replenishment regulating valve, and the other end of the main solenoid valve is communicated with an external liquid supply device to receive the circulating liquid delivered by the external liquid supply device; A standby solenoid valve is arranged outside the liquid tank, one end of the standby solenoid valve is communicated with the second liquid inlet, and the other end of the standby solenoid valve is communicated with one end of the main solenoid valve; The control unit is also electrically connected to the liquid level detector, the liquid replenishment regulating valve, the main solenoid valve and the backup solenoid valve, and controls the opening and closing states of the liquid replenishment regulating valve, the main solenoid valve and the backup solenoid valve according to the liquid level signal to adjust the liquid level of the liquid tank.

7. A method for regulating the pressure of a temperature control system, characterized in that: The temperature control system is the temperature control system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, and the pressure regulation method comprises: According to the system pressure data output by the pressure detection unit, the opening degree of the pressure regulating unit and the operating frequency of the liquid pump are regulated to adjust the pressure of the circulating fluid of the temperature control system.

8. The pressure regulation method according to claim 7, characterized in that: The step of adjusting the opening of the pressure regulating unit and the operating frequency of the liquid pump according to the system pressure data output by the pressure detection unit to adjust the pressure of the circulating liquid of the temperature control system includes: Determine the current system pressure value according to the system pressure data; When the current system pressure value is greater than or equal to a first preset pressure upper limit value, or when the current system pressure value is less than or equal to a first preset pressure lower limit value, adjusting the opening of the pressure regulating unit according to the current system pressure value and the preset target pressure value to adjust the pressure of the circulating fluid of the temperature control system; When the current system pressure value is greater than or equal to the second preset pressure upper limit value, or when the current system pressure value is less than or equal to the second preset pressure lower limit value, the operating frequency of the liquid pump is adjusted, and the opening of the pressure regulating unit is adjusted to adjust the pressure of the circulating fluid of the temperature control system.

9. The pressure regulating method according to claim 8, characterized in that: The adjusting the operating frequency of the liquid pump comprises: When the current system pressure value is greater than or equal to the second preset pressure upper limit value, the liquid pump is controlled to operate in a first preset manner until the current system pressure value is less than the second preset pressure upper limit value, and the first preset manner is that the operating frequency of the liquid pump is reduced by a first preset frequency value per second; When the current system pressure value is between the second preset pressure upper limit value and the second preset pressure lower limit value, according to the current frequency of the liquid pump and the preset target frequency, the liquid pump is controlled to operate in a second preset manner until the operating frequency of the liquid pump reaches the preset target frequency, and the second preset manner is that the operating frequency of the liquid pump changes by a second preset frequency value per second; When the current system pressure value is less than or equal to the second preset pressure lower limit value, the liquid pump is controlled to operate in a third preset mode until the current system pressure value is greater than the second preset pressure lower limit value, and the third preset mode is that the operating frequency of the liquid pump increases by a third preset frequency value per second; Wherein, the first preset frequency value is greater than the second preset frequency value; The third preset frequency value is greater than the second preset frequency value.

10. A semiconductor process system, characterized in that: include: The temperature control system according to any one of claims 1 to 6; The semiconductor process equipment is connected to the temperature control output end of the temperature control unit of the temperature control system, and receives the circulating fluid after temperature control by the temperature control unit to perform semiconductor process manufacturing.

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