Efficient energy-saving cooling system for silicon carbide crystal growth system

Abstract

The invention mainly relates to the technical field of refrigeration equipment, in particular to a high-efficiency energy-saving cooling system for a silicon carbide crystal growth system, which comprises a circulating power module, a heat exchange module, a phase change enhanced condenser and a throttling module, the heat exchange module comprises a main heat exchange loop and an auxiliary heat exchange loop for heat exchange, a phase change enhanced condenser, a circulating power module and a throttling module are sequentially arranged on the auxiliary heat exchange loop, the circulating power module is used for pushing a secondary refrigerant to circulate in the auxiliary heat exchange loop, the phase change enhanced condenser is used for condensing the secondary refrigerant, and the fog-state cooling module is arranged on the side face of the outer wall of the phase change enhanced condenser. And the mist state cooling module sprays water mist to the surface of the phase change enhanced condenser to carry out auxiliary cooling treatment. According to the invention, the structure is relatively simple, the reliability is high, the maintenance cost is low, the operation noise and vibration are obviously reduced, and extremely low operation energy consumption and higher energy efficiency ratio can be realized.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of refrigeration equipment technology, specifically a high-efficiency and energy-saving cooling system for silicon carbide crystal growth systems. Background Technology

[0002] Third-generation semiconductors, represented by gallium nitride and silicon carbide, are key technologies for overcoming the physical limits of silicon materials and empowering future green energy and a digital society. They have irreplaceable and important applications in fields such as new energy vehicles, photovoltaic power generation, communications, and data centers. Crystal growth, as the core step in the fabrication of third-generation semiconductors, directly determines crystal quality, growth rate, and defect density through precise temperature control. To ensure stable crystal growth, a constant and precise temperature field must be constructed for the semiconductor crystal growth furnace, allowing the powder to sublimate at the set temperature and crystallize along the temperature gradient at the seed crystal. Therefore, efficient and reliable cooling devices are crucial supporting equipment for the crystal growth system.

[0003] Currently, the industry primarily uses two types of equipment for temperature control in semiconductor crystal growth furnaces: air-cooled chillers and water-cooled chillers. Both are based on vapor compression refrigeration cycles for heat transfer. Air-cooled units have a simple structure but relatively low energy efficiency and are greatly affected by ambient temperature. Water-cooled units have high energy efficiency but require corresponding cooling towers, water pumps, etc., making their system structure more complex. Therefore, neither type can fully meet the cooling requirements of third-generation semiconductor crystal growth, which demand "high efficiency, stability, and low complexity."

[0004] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a high-efficiency and energy-saving cooling system for silicon carbide crystal growth systems to solve the above problems. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This application aims to overcome the shortcomings of existing air-cooled or water-cooled units, such as low energy efficiency, complex structure, and high maintenance costs, and provides a high-efficiency and energy-saving cooling system for silicon carbide crystal growth systems. By optimizing the circulation structure and heat dissipation method, it achieves precise temperature control of the crystal growth furnace, while reducing energy consumption and maintenance requirements. This is achieved through the following technical solutions: A high-efficiency and energy-saving cooling system for silicon carbide crystal growth system includes a circulating power module, a heat exchange module, a phase change enhanced condenser, and a throttling module. The heat exchange module includes a main heat exchange loop and an auxiliary heat exchange loop, which perform heat exchange in the heat exchange module. The main heat exchange loop is connected to the furnace body of the semiconductor crystal growth furnace, and the auxiliary heat exchange loop is used to transport a coolant. Along the refrigerant circulation direction, a phase change enhanced condenser, a circulation power module, and a throttling module are sequentially arranged in the auxiliary heat exchange circuit. The circulation power module is used to drive the circulation of the refrigerant in the auxiliary heat exchange circuit. The phase change enhanced condenser is used to condense the refrigerant. The throttling module is located between the heat exchange module and the circulation power module and is used to throttle and reduce the pressure of the refrigerant. It also includes a mist cooling module disposed on the outer wall side of the phase change enhanced condenser, which generates water mist and sprays it onto the surface of the phase change enhanced condenser for auxiliary cooling.

[0006] Furthermore, it also includes a descaling module and a control submodule. The descaling module consists of several ultrasonic transducers evenly arranged on the outer wall of the phase change enhanced condenser, which are used to remove scale from the outer wall of the phase change enhanced condenser through ultrasonic treatment. The control submodule is used to control the operation of the descaling module.

[0007] Furthermore, it also includes three temperature sensors for monitoring the temperature of the refrigerant, which are respectively located at the inlet and outlet of the phase change enhanced condenser and between the throttling module and the heat exchange module.

[0008] Furthermore, it also includes three pressure sensors for monitoring the pressure of the refrigerant in the auxiliary heat exchange circuit, which are respectively located at the outlet of the phase change enhanced condenser, between the circulating power module and the throttling module, and between the throttling module and the heat exchange module.

[0009] Furthermore, the circulating power module delivers the refrigerant from the outlet of the phase change enhanced condenser to the inlet of the heat exchange module at a flow rate of 21-22 m³ / h. 3 The head is 4.5-5.5m.

[0010] Furthermore, it also includes an axial flow fan disposed above the phase change enhanced condenser, the axial flow fan having an air volume of 22000-24000 m³ / h. 3 .

[0011] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of this application are: 1. The cooling system in this application has a relatively simple structure, high reliability, and low maintenance cost. Furthermore, it uses a circulating power module instead of a compressor, which transports the high-pressure liquid refrigerant from the outlet of the phase change enhanced condenser to the inlet of the heat exchange module. The entire process only requires a flow thrust to overcome the resistance of pipes, valves, and equipment; therefore, replacing the compressor with a circulating power module can significantly reduce system power consumption. 2. In this application, a mist cooling module is provided on the side of the phase change enhanced condenser. The water mist generated by the mist cooling module evaporates on the surface of the coil structure, absorbing a large amount of heat. This allows the gaseous refrigerant to be condensed into a liquid refrigerant more efficiently. Through evaporative cooling, the condensation temperature is further reduced, thereby increasing the cooling capacity of the entire cooling system. This results in overall power consumption being significantly lower than that of traditional compressor units, significantly improving the cooling capacity of the cooling system and achieving extremely low operating energy consumption and a higher energy efficiency ratio. Furthermore, the evaporative cooling effect is relatively stronger when the outdoor temperature decreases or the cooling capacity required by the cooling system decreases. At the same time, the circulation power module can use a variable frequency drive to adjust the flow rate, ensuring that the energy efficiency of the cooling system remains excellent even when operating under partial load. Attached Figure Description

[0012] Appendix Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the cooling system of this application; Appendix Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the cooling process of the cooling system of this application.

[0013] The following are the labels in the attached diagram: 1. Circulating power module; 2. Throttling module; 3. Heat exchange module; 4. Phase change enhanced condenser; 5. Axial flow fan; 6. Mist cooling module; 7. Temperature sensor; 8. Pressure sensor. Detailed Implementation

[0014] The present application will be further described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. It should be understood that these embodiments are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Furthermore, it should be understood that after reading the teachings of this application, those skilled in the art can make various alterations or modifications to this application, and these equivalent forms also fall within the scope defined by this application.

[0015] A high-efficiency and energy-saving cooling system for silicon carbide crystal growth systems, as shown in the attached figure. Figure 1 and 2As shown, the system includes a circulating power module 1, a heat exchange module 3, a phase change enhanced condenser 4, a throttling module 2, a mist cooling module 6, a descaling module, a control submodule, several temperature sensors 7, several pressure sensors 8, and an axial flow fan 5. Each module or structure is connected by welding, and a carbon steel powder-coated shell is installed outside the cooling system. The heat exchange module 3 includes an independent main heat exchange loop and an auxiliary heat exchange loop. Heat exchange is performed within the heat exchange module 3. The main heat exchange loop is connected to the semiconductor crystal growth furnace body via a pipe and is responsible for absorbing heat from inside the semiconductor crystal growth furnace body. The auxiliary heat exchange loop is used to transport the refrigerant, i.e., the circulation channel for the refrigerant. The auxiliary heat exchange loop and the main heat exchange loop exchange heat through a partition, realizing the transfer of heat from the main heat exchange loop to the auxiliary heat exchange loop. In other words, this application utilizes the energy generated by the phase change of the refrigerant within the cooling system to exchange heat with the semiconductor crystal growth furnace body, thereby stabilizing the temperature field inside the furnace.

[0016] Specifically, the refrigerant can be any one of environmentally friendly refrigerants such as R410A, R134a, R454B, and R32.

[0017] Along the refrigerant circulation direction, the auxiliary heat exchange circuit is sequentially equipped with a phase change enhanced condenser 4, a mist cooling module 6, a descaling module, a control submodule, a circulation power module 1, and a throttling module 2. The circulation power module 1 provides power to drive the circulation of the refrigerant in the auxiliary heat exchange circuit. Its main function is to transport the refrigerant from the outlet of the phase change enhanced condenser 4 to the inlet of the heat exchange module 3. The entire process only requires a flow thrust to overcome the resistance of pipes, valves, and equipment for the high-pressure liquid refrigerant. The circulation power module 1, replacing the compressor, significantly reduces system power consumption. The flow rate is 21-22 m³ / h. 3 The head is 4.5-5.5m. Furthermore, the circulating power module 1 operates with low noise, significantly improving the acoustic comfort of the installation environment.

[0018] The phase change enhanced condenser 4 is a microchannel coil structure used to condense the refrigerant, that is, to convert the gaseous refrigerant after passing through the heat exchange module 3 into a liquid refrigerant. The mist cooling module 6 is disposed on the outer side of the phase change enhanced condenser 4 and includes a high-pressure pump, atomizing nozzles and their pipelines. It mainly generates water mist and sprays it onto the surface of the phase change enhanced condenser 4 for auxiliary cooling. Specifically, the water mist evaporates on the surface of the coil structure, and absorbs a large amount of heat through evaporative cooling, which more efficiently condenses the gaseous refrigerant into a liquid refrigerant, further reducing the temperature of the refrigerant, improving cooling efficiency, and indirectly reducing the power consumption of the circulating power module 1, thereby improving the energy efficiency ratio of the entire cooling system.

[0019] Specifically, compared with traditional technologies, the technical solution in this application reduces the pressure resistance requirement of the phase change enhanced condenser 4, and can use thinner and lower-cost materials, such as reducing the wall thickness of traditional copper tubes or using aluminum alloy tubes.

[0020] After long-term operation of the mist cooling module 6, impurities in its water mist can easily form scale on the surface of the coil structure of the phase change enhanced condenser 4, which requires manual disassembly and cleaning. However, maintenance requires shutdown, which is necessary during the crystal growth process. A constant temperature field is required, and shutdown can easily lead to crystal defects, thereby affecting the continuity of semiconductor crystal growth. Therefore, a descaling module is also provided. The descaling module consists of several ultrasonic transducers evenly arranged on the outer wall of the phase change enhanced condenser 4. The ultrasonic transducers are fixed by high-temperature resistant adhesive and are used to remove the scale from the outer wall of the phase change enhanced condenser 4 through ultrasonic treatment. The vibration frequency is 20-40kHz.

[0021] When the refrigerant flows out of the outlet of the phase change enhanced condenser 4, it passes through the circulation power module 1 and the throttling module 2 before entering the heat exchange module 3. The throttling module 2 is used to throttle and reduce the pressure of the refrigerant. Simultaneously, the cooling system is also equipped with three temperature sensors 7 and three pressure sensors 8 to monitor the temperature and pressure of the refrigerant at key points. The temperature sensors 7 are respectively located at the inlet and outlet of the phase change enhanced condenser 4, and between the throttling module 2 and the heat exchange module 3. The pressure sensors 8 are respectively located at the outlet of the phase change enhanced condenser 4, between the circulation power module 1 and the throttling module 2, and between the throttling module 2 and the heat exchange module 3.

[0022] It also includes a control submodule, which is used to control the operation of the descaling module. The control submodule is a PLC controller and can receive signals from the temperature sensor 7 and the pressure sensor 8, and further control the injection volume of the circulating power module 1 and the mist cooling module 6, as well as the start and stop of the descaling module.

[0023] In some preferred embodiments of this application, an axial flow fan 5 is further disposed above the phase change enhanced condenser 4 to accelerate the airflow on the surface of the phase change enhanced condenser 4, thereby improving heat dissipation efficiency in conjunction with the mist cooling module 6. The airflow of the axial flow fan 5 is 22000-24000 m³ / h. 3 .

[0024] During operation, the refrigerant undergoes a cycle of evaporation, condensation, throttling, and re-evaporation in the auxiliary heat exchange loop. First, after being depressurized by the throttling module 2, the low-pressure liquid refrigerant enters the heat exchange module 3, where it exchanges heat with the main heat exchange loop. Subsequently, the main heat exchange loop cools down, and the refrigerant in the auxiliary heat exchange loop absorbs heat and evaporates into a gaseous state. Then, the gaseous refrigerant enters the phase change enhanced condenser 4. During condensation, the mist cooling module 6 is activated, spraying water mist onto the surface of the phase change enhanced condenser 4. The water mist rapidly evaporates on the surface of the coil structure, absorbing a large amount of heat, and simultaneously drives the axial flow fan 5 to promote airflow. The phase change enhanced condenser 4, the mist cooling module 6, and the axial flow fan 5 work together to condense the gaseous refrigerant into a high-pressure liquid state. Finally, the circulating power module 1 delivers the high-pressure liquid refrigerant to the throttling module 2. After throttling and depressurization, the refrigerant re-enters the heat exchange module 3 to complete the next cycle.

[0025] Specifically, when the temperature sensor 7 detects that the inlet temperature of the phase change enhanced condenser 4 is higher than the preset temperature, the control submodule increases the water mist injection rate of the mist cooling module 6 and simultaneously increases the speed of the axial flow fan 5. When the pressure sensor 8 detects that the pressure difference between the inlet and outlet of the phase change enhanced condenser 4 is greater than the preset pressure, it can be determined that scaling has occurred on the coil structure, and the control submodule triggers the descaling module to operate. When the load on the semiconductor crystal growth furnace body decreases, i.e., the inlet temperature of the main heat exchange loop drops, the control submodule reduces the flow rate of the circulating power module 1 to achieve on-demand energy supply.

[0026] In a specific embodiment, two phase change enhanced condensers 4 are connected in parallel in the cooling system, and the heat exchange capacity of each phase change enhanced condenser 4 is 120KW. In practical applications, six interconnected refrigeration systems are typically used to meet production needs.

[0027] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this application, and are not intended to limit them. Although this application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application.

Claims

1. A high-efficiency and energy-saving cooling system for silicon carbide crystal growth systems, characterized in that: It includes a circulating power module, a heat exchange module, a phase change enhanced condenser, and a throttling module. The heat exchange module includes a main heat exchange loop and an auxiliary heat exchange loop. The main heat exchange loop and the auxiliary heat exchange loop complete heat exchange in the heat exchange module. The main heat exchange loop is connected to the semiconductor crystal growth furnace body, and the auxiliary heat exchange loop is used to transport the refrigerant. Along the refrigerant circulation direction, a phase change enhanced condenser, a circulation power module, and a throttling module are sequentially arranged in the auxiliary heat exchange circuit. The circulation power module is used to drive the circulation of the refrigerant in the auxiliary heat exchange circuit. The phase change enhanced condenser is used to condense the refrigerant. The throttling module is located between the heat exchange module and the circulation power module and is used to throttle and reduce the pressure of the refrigerant. It also includes a mist cooling module disposed on the outer wall side of the phase change enhanced condenser, which generates water mist and sprays it onto the surface of the phase change enhanced condenser for auxiliary cooling.

2. The high-efficiency energy-saving cooling system for silicon carbide crystal growth systems according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a descaling module and a control submodule. The descaling module consists of several ultrasonic transducers evenly arranged on the outer wall of the phase change enhanced condenser, which are used to remove scale from the outer wall of the phase change enhanced condenser through ultrasonic treatment. The control submodule is used to control the operation of the descaling module.

3. The high-efficiency energy-saving cooling system for silicon carbide crystal growth systems according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes three temperature sensors for monitoring the temperature of the refrigerant, which are respectively located at the inlet and outlet of the phase change enhanced condenser and between the throttling module and the heat exchange module.

4. The high-efficiency energy-saving cooling system for silicon carbide crystal growth systems according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes three pressure sensors for monitoring the pressure of the refrigerant in the auxiliary heat exchange circuit, which are respectively located at the outlet of the phase change enhanced condenser, between the circulation power module and the throttling module, and between the throttling module and the heat exchange module.

5. The high-efficiency energy-saving cooling system for silicon carbide crystal growth systems according to claim 1, characterized in that: The circulating power module delivers the refrigerant from the outlet of the phase change enhanced condenser to the inlet of the heat exchange module at a flow rate of 21-22 m³ / h. 3 The head is 4.5-5.5m.

6. The high-efficiency and energy-saving cooling system for silicon carbide crystal growth systems according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes an axial flow fan installed above the phase change enhanced condenser, the axial flow fan having an air volume of 22000-24000 m³ / h. 3 .

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