Granulating device for liquid high-purity gallium

Abstract

The invention belongs to the technical field of high-purity gallium granulation, and particularly relates to a liquid high-purity gallium granulation device. The granulating device for the liquid high-purity gallium comprises a granulating cylinder filled with inert gas, the granulating cylinder is provided with a discharging area, a low-temperature area and a product area, and the discharging area, the low-temperature area and the product area are sequentially arranged from top to bottom in the height direction of the granulating cylinder; the precooling pipeline is arranged in the discharging area; the feeding pipe is arranged in the discharging area in a penetrating manner and is detachably communicated with the pre-cooling pipeline; the first condensing coil is arranged on the inner wall of the low-temperature area; and the collecting assembly is at least partially arranged in the product area. The granulation device for the liquid high-purity gallium can be used for rapidly preparing the high-purity gallium particles.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application belongs to the field of high-purity gallium granulation technology, specifically relating to a granulation device for liquid high-purity gallium. Background Technology

[0002] Gallium is a key rare metal, characterized by its extremely low melting point (only 29.76°C), its liquid state at room temperature, and the fact that its derivatives often possess excellent optoelectronic and chemical properties. These characteristics make it a crucial material foundation driving advancements in the semiconductor industry, new energy fields, advanced materials, chemical innovation, and medical technology.

[0003] High-purity gallium granules are high-purity metallic gallium particles with a purity ≥99.9999% (6N grade) and a particle size typically 1-10 mm. They possess high sphericity (>90%) and low oxygen content (<1 ppm), and are specifically designed for high-end semiconductor processes. Gallium's unique low melting point (29.8 ℃) and high boiling point (2403 ℃) allow for solid-state storage at room temperature and rapid melting at low temperatures. Therefore, high-purity gallium granules perfectly meet the requirements of precise raw material metering (error <0.1%) and low contamination in automated semiconductor production lines. As a key basic material for compound semiconductors, it is mainly used to prepare radio frequency / optoelectronic devices such as gallium arsenide (GaAs) and gallium nitride (GaN), especially as a source material in molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) processes, directly affecting the performance and yield of quantum devices and lasers.

[0004] However, in related technologies, using liquid as a cooling source to cool gallium metal introduces trace impurities into the gallium metal, and these trace impurities are difficult to remove, affecting the purity of the gallium metal particles. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this invention provides a granulation device for high-purity liquid gallium, which aims to at least partially solve the technical problem that when using liquid as a cooling source to cool metallic gallium, the cooling liquid introduces trace impurities into the metallic gallium, and these trace impurities are difficult to remove, thus affecting the purity of the metallic gallium particles.

[0006] The technical solution of this invention is as follows: A granulation apparatus for liquid high-purity gallium includes: a granulation cylinder filled with an inert gas, the granulation cylinder having a discharge zone, a low-temperature zone, and a product zone, the discharge zone, the low-temperature zone, and the product zone being arranged sequentially from top to bottom along the height direction of the granulation cylinder; a precooling pipeline disposed in the discharge zone; a feed pipe passing through the discharge zone and detachably connected to the precooling pipeline; a first condensation coil disposed on the inner wall of the low-temperature zone; and a collection assembly, at least partially disposed in the product zone.

[0007] In some implementations, the feed tube is wrapped with a heat tracing cable.

[0008] In some implementations, the feed pipe is equipped with a flow rate regulating valve.

[0009] In some embodiments, the precooling pipeline includes: a spiral tube disposed within the discharge zone and detachably connected to the feed pipe; a second condensation coil wound around the spiral tube; and a first connecting pipe connected to the end of the spiral tube away from the feed pipe.

[0010] In some embodiments, the first connecting pipe includes: a first pipe connected to the end of the spiral pipe away from the feed pipe; and a second pipe connected at an angle to the end of the first pipe away from the spiral pipe; wherein both the first pipe and the second pipe are arc-shaped.

[0011] In some embodiments, the granulation apparatus for liquid high-purity gallium further includes: multiple air inlet pipes connected to the low-temperature zone; multiple air outlet pipes connected to the low-temperature zone; and multiple second connecting pipes located outside the granulation cylinder and corresponding one-to-one with the multiple air outlet pipes and the multiple air inlet pipes, wherein one end of the second connecting pipe is connected to the corresponding air outlet pipe and the other end is connected to the corresponding air inlet pipe.

[0012] In some embodiments, the granulation apparatus for liquid high-purity gallium further includes a third condensation coil disposed on the inner wall of the product area.

[0013] In some embodiments, the collection assembly includes: a vacuum transition chamber communicating with the product area; a plurality of collection funnels disposed within the product area; a transport mechanism disposed within the product area and the vacuum transition chamber; and a plurality of collection bottles disposed on the transport mechanism and corresponding one-to-one with the plurality of collection funnels, the collection bottles being located below the corresponding collection funnels.

[0014] In some embodiments, the collection assembly further includes multiple blocking mechanisms, each corresponding to one of the collection funnels. Each blocking mechanism includes: a first driver connected to the collection funnel; a blocking element connected to the first driver and switchable between a first position and a second position; a first pressure sensor located on the blocking element for acquiring the weight of particles in the collection funnel; a first controller electrically connected to the first pressure sensor and the first driver; and a timer electrically connected to the first controller. The first controller receives the weight value from the first pressure sensor. When the weight value is greater than or equal to a first preset weight value, the first controller sends a first drive signal to the first driver, causing the blocking element to move to the first position, thus opening the outlet of the collection funnel. After the blocking element is in the first position, the first controller receives the time from the timer. When the time is greater than or equal to a preset time, the first controller sends a second drive signal to the first driver, causing the blocking element to move to the second position, thus closing the outlet of the collection funnel.

[0015] In some embodiments, the transport mechanism includes: a first belt roller located within the product area; a second belt roller located within the vacuum transition chamber; a transport belt sleeved on the first and second belt rollers; a second driver connected to either the first or second belt roller; a support member connected to the product area and disposed within the transport belt; a second pressure sensor disposed on the support member and in contact with the transport belt, for acquiring the load-bearing weight value of the transport belt; and a second controller electrically connected to the second driver and the second pressure sensor. The second controller receives the load-bearing weight value sent by the second pressure sensor. When the weight value is greater than or equal to a second preset weight value, the second controller sends a third drive signal to the second driver, which drives the first and second belt rollers to move, causing the transport belt to move and transport the collection bottle to the vacuum transition chamber.

[0016] The beneficial effects of the present invention include at least the following: Because the granulation cylinder is filled with inert gas (such as nitrogen or argon), the inert gas is chemically stable and does not react with gallium. This effectively isolates the gallium from oxygen and water in the air, preventing gallium oxidation and water residue on the gallium surface, thus ensuring the purity of the gallium particles. The granulation cylinder has a discharge zone, a low-temperature zone, and a product zone, arranged sequentially from top to bottom along its height. The pre-cooling pipeline is located in the discharge zone, and the feed pipe passes through the discharge zone and is detachably connected to the pre-cooling pipeline. The first condenser coil is located in the low-temperature zone. The inner wall, with the collection component at least partially located within the product area, allows high-purity gallium to flow in liquid form through the feed pipe into the pre-cooling pipeline. This fully utilizes the physical properties of gallium, enabling direct granulation using liquid-phase high-purity gallium as the raw material, avoiding the possibility of introducing new impurities through additional operations. The high-purity gallium droplets are pre-cooled through the pre-cooling pipeline to ensure complete solidification of the droplet surface. Under gravity, the high-purity gallium enters the low-temperature zone through the pre-cooling pipeline, where the first condensing coil provides cooling, ensuring complete solidification of the high-purity gallium during its descent or within a 10 µm depth of its outer surface. The collection component collects the high-purity gallium particles, eliminating the need for high-precision operations such as cutting, and enabling rapid preparation of high-purity gallium particles.

[0017] During refrigeration, the refrigerant flows within the first condensing coil, which acts as a physical barrier, preventing the refrigerant from entering the granulation cylinder. The refrigerant only exchanges heat with the high-purity gallium through the first condensing coil, completely isolating the contact path between the refrigerant and the high-purity gallium. This eliminates the risk of impurities being introduced into the high-purity gallium at the source, effectively reducing the problems of impurity introduction and liquid residue. It also reduces the production steps and module costs for liquid removal in the later stages, ensuring the purity of the high-purity gallium.

[0018] Since the feed tube is detachably connected to the precooling pipeline, before manufacturing high-purity gallium particles, a feed tube with an appropriate diameter is selected according to the required particle size of the high-purity gallium particles, and the feed tube is installed on the precooling pipeline to control the range of high-purity gallium droplet particle size. Attached Figure Description

[0019] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0020] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a granulation apparatus for liquid high-purity gallium in some embodiments.

[0021] In the attached image: Granulation cylinder 10, discharge zone 11, low temperature zone 12, product zone 13, cylinder body 14, top cover 15; Precooling pipe 20, spiral pipe 21, first connecting pipe 22, first pipe 221, second pipe 222; Feed pipe 30; First condenser coil 40; Collection assembly 50, vacuum transition chamber 51, collection funnel 52, transport mechanism 53, first belt roller 531, second belt roller 532, transport belt 533, idler roller 534, collection bottle 54, sealing mechanism 55, sealing component 551; Flow rate regulating valve 60; Air inlet duct 70; Air outlet duct 80; The third condenser coil is 90. Detailed Implementation

[0022] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0023] It should be noted that all directional indications in the embodiments of the present invention are only used to explain the relative positional relationship and movement of the components in a specific posture. If the specific posture changes, the directional indications will also change accordingly.

[0024] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "connection," "fixed," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, "fixed" can mean a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; it can mean a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can mean a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; it can mean the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components, unless otherwise explicitly limited. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0025] Furthermore, in this invention, descriptions involving "first," "second," etc., are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. Additionally, the technical solutions of the various embodiments can be combined with each other, but only on the basis of being achievable by those skilled in the art. When the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or impossible to implement, such a combination of technical solutions should be considered non-existent and not within the scope of protection claimed by this invention.

[0026] Specific technical solutions will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale. Similar or identical reference numerals may be used to designate the same or similar parts in different figures. The use of similar or identical reference numerals in different figures does not mean that all figures including similar or identical reference numerals constitute a single or the same embodiment. The accompanying drawings illustrate the various embodiments discussed in this application in a generalized, illustrative, and not restrictive manner.

[0027] The granulation apparatus for liquid high-purity gallium according to this application embodiment includes: a granulation cylinder 10, a precooling pipeline 20, a feed pipe 30, a first condensing coil 40, and a collection assembly 50. The granulation cylinder 10 is filled with an inert gas and has a discharge zone 11, a low-temperature zone 12, and a product zone 13, arranged sequentially from top to bottom along the height direction of the granulation cylinder 10. The precooling pipeline 20 is located within the discharge zone 11. The feed pipe 30 passes through the discharge zone 11 and is detachably connected to the precooling pipeline 20. The first condensing coil 40 is located on the inner wall of the low-temperature zone 12. The collection assembly 50 is at least partially located within the product zone 13. For example, the temperature of the first condensing coil 40 can be -70°C to 10°C, and the feed pipe 30 can be made of PFA material.

[0028] Because the granulation cylinder 10 is filled with inert gas (such as nitrogen, argon, etc.), the inert gas is chemically stable and does not react with metallic gallium. This effectively isolates the gallium from oxygen and water in the air, preventing gallium oxidation and water residue on the gallium surface, thus ensuring the purity of the gallium particles. The granulation cylinder 10 has a discharge zone 11, a low-temperature zone 12, and a product zone 13, arranged sequentially from top to bottom along the height of the granulation cylinder 10. A pre-cooling pipe 20 is located within the discharge zone 11, and a feed pipe 30 passes through the discharge zone 11 and is detachably connected to the pre-cooling pipe 20. The first condensing coil 40... Located on the inner wall of the low-temperature zone 12, the collection component 50 is at least partially located within the product zone 13. Therefore, high-purity gallium flows in liquid form through the feed pipe 30 into the pre-cooling pipe 20, fully utilizing the physical properties of metallic gallium. Liquid high-purity metallic gallium is used directly as a raw material for granulation, avoiding the possibility of introducing new impurities through additional processes. The high-purity gallium droplets are pre-cooled through the pre-cooling pipe to ensure complete surface solidification. Under gravity, the high-purity gallium enters the low-temperature zone 12 through the pre-cooling pipe 20. The first condensing coil 40 in the low-temperature zone 12 provides cooling, ensuring complete solidification of the high-purity gallium during its descent or within a 10 µm depth of its outer surface. The collection component 50 collects the high-purity gallium particles, eliminating the need for high-precision operations such as cutting, enabling rapid preparation of high-purity gallium particles. For example, the refrigerant can be ethanol, isopropanol, or ethylene glycol butyl ether.

[0029] During refrigeration, the refrigerant flows within the first condensing coil 40. The first condensing coil 40 acts as a physical barrier, preventing the refrigerant from entering the granulation cylinder 10. The refrigerant only exchanges heat with the high-purity gallium through the first condensing coil 40, completely isolating the contact path between the refrigerant and the high-purity gallium. This eliminates the risk of impurities being introduced into the high-purity gallium from the source, effectively reducing the problems of impurity introduction and liquid residue. It also reduces the production steps and module costs for liquid removal in the later stages, ensuring the purity of the high-purity gallium.

[0030] Since the feed tube 30 is detachably connected to the precooling line 20, before manufacturing high-purity gallium particles, a feed tube 30 of appropriate diameter is selected according to the required particle size of the high-purity gallium particles, and the feed tube 30 is installed on the precooling line 20 to control the range of high-purity gallium droplet particle size. For example, the feed tube 30 has different diameter specifications, such as 3 mm, 5 mm, and 8 mm.

[0031] In some embodiments, the liquid phase purity of high-purity gallium can be 99.9999% (6N), 99.99999% (7N), and 99.999999% (8N).

[0032] In some embodiments, the height of the low-temperature zone 12 can be 1 m to 3 m, the width can be 1.2 m to 2.4 m, the longitudinal depth can be 10 mm to 20 mm, and the set temperature can be -70 ℃ to 10 ℃, so that gallium is completely solidified during the fall or completely solidified within 10 µm of the outer surface.

[0033] Combination Figure 1 In some embodiments, to facilitate cleaning of the granulation cylinder 10 after the gallium particles have been prepared, the granulation cylinder 10 includes a cylinder body 14 and a top cover 15. The top cover 15 is detachably connected to the cylinder body 14 and is located above the discharge area 11. Exemplarily, the cylinder body 14 and the top cover 15 may be made of stainless steel, glass, or PFA (fusible polytetrafluoroethylene, Perfluoroalkoxy).

[0034] During gallium granulation, the top cover 15 is installed on the cylinder 14 to seal the cylinder 14, preventing leakage of inert gas inside the cylinder 14 and preventing outside air from entering the cylinder 14. After gallium granulation is completed, the top cover 15 is removed from the cylinder 14 to facilitate cleaning of the cylinder 14.

[0035] In some embodiments, the feed pipe 30 is wrapped with a heat tracing cable to provide a thermal environment for the high-purity gallium liquid phase, ensuring that the high-purity gallium flows into the pre-cooling pipe 20 in liquid form. For example, the temperature of the heat tracing cable can be 30 ℃ to 40 ℃, which is higher than the melting point of metallic gallium, so that the high-purity gallium is in a molten state, and the power of the heat tracing cable can be 10 W / m to 50 W / m.

[0036] Combination Figure 1 In some embodiments, the feed pipe 30 is equipped with a flow rate regulating valve 60, which regulates the flow rate of the high-purity gallium liquid phase entering the precooling pipe 20 (the flow rate range is 1 mL / s to 10 mL / s). By matching the diameter of the feed pipe 30, the high-purity gallium liquid phase is dispersed into gallium droplets of a certain volume. For example, the diameter of the gallium droplets can be 3 mm to 8 mm, and the flow rate regulating valve 60 can be made of 316 stainless steel with a PFA material coating.

[0037] Combination Figure 1In some embodiments, to achieve sufficient precooling of liquid high-purity gallium, the precooling pipeline 20 includes a spiral tube 21, a second condensing coil, and a first connecting pipe 22. The spiral tube 21 is located within the discharge zone 11 and is detachably connected to the feed pipe 30. The second condensing coil is wound around the spiral tube 21. The first connecting pipe 22 is connected to the end of the spiral tube 21 away from the feed pipe 30. For example, the set temperature of the discharge pipeline can be -70 ℃ to 10 ℃, and the power of the second condensing coil can be 2000 W to 6000 W.

[0038] The second condensing coil exchanges heat with the high-purity gallium droplets inside the spiral tube 21. The spiral tube 21 extends the pre-cooling path of the high-purity gallium droplets, ensuring that the liquid high-purity gallium can be fully pre-cooled. Under supercooled conditions, the entire outer shell of the liquid high-purity gallium is cooled. Then, it enters the low-temperature zone 12 through the first connecting pipe 22.

[0039] Combination Figure 1 In some embodiments, to further achieve sufficient precooling of liquid high-purity gallium, the first connecting pipe 22 includes a first pipe 221 and a second pipe 222. The first pipe 221 is connected to the end of the spiral pipe 21 away from the feed pipe 30. The second pipe 222 is connected at an angle to the end of the first pipe 221 away from the spiral pipe 21, which can extend the precooling path of the high-purity gallium droplets.

[0040] In some embodiments, the included angle between the first tube 221 and the second tube 222 can be set from 45° to 135°. In this embodiment, the included angle between the first tube 221 and the second tube 222 is 90°, that is, the first tube 221 and the second tube 222 are set perpendicularly, which is only used as an example and should not be construed as a limitation of this application.

[0041] In some embodiments, both the first tube 221 and the second tube 222 are arc-shaped to reduce the flow friction resistance of gallium metal and ensure smooth flow of gallium metal.

[0042] In some embodiments, the connection between the first tube 221 and the second tube 222 is transitioned by an arc to further ensure smooth flow of gallium metal.

[0043] Combination Figure 1In some embodiments, to ensure uniform cooling of high-purity gallium, the granulation device for liquid high-purity gallium further includes: multiple inlet pipes 70, multiple outlet pipes 80, and multiple second connecting pipes. The multiple inlet pipes 70 are connected to the low-temperature zone 12. The multiple outlet pipes 80 are connected to the low-temperature zone 12. The multiple second connecting pipes are located outside the granulation cylinder 10 and correspond one-to-one with the multiple outlet pipes 70 and the multiple inlet pipes 80. One end of each second connecting pipe is connected to the corresponding outlet pipe 70, and the other end is connected to the corresponding inlet pipe 80. For example, the airflow range of the inlet pipes 70 and outlet pipes 80 can be 1 m / s to 9 m / s, and the inlet pipes 70 and outlet pipes 80 are arranged radially along the granulation cylinder 10.

[0044] When metallic gallium enters the low-temperature zone 12, the outlet duct 80 transports the inert gas from the granulation cylinder 10 to the inlet duct 70, which then transports the inert gas back into the granulation cylinder 10, forming a circulating cooling airflow. This ensures a uniform temperature distribution within the granulation cylinder 10, cooling the high-purity gallium and allowing it to completely solidify during its descent or within a 10µm depth of its outer surface. Furthermore, the circulating cooling airflow also purifies the high-purity gallium particles, automatically classifying them by size and achieving automatic separation. This allows for the direct separation and collection of high-purity gallium particles of different diameters, meeting the requirement of simultaneously producing products of different particle sizes, increasing the diversity of production types, and enhancing the stability and efficiency of product quality.

[0045] In some embodiments, to generate circulating cooling air, the granulation apparatus for liquid high-purity gallium further includes a plurality of high-pressure blowers. Each high-pressure blower corresponds one-to-one with a plurality of second connecting pipes, and the high-pressure blowers are disposed within the corresponding second connecting pipes. For example, the power of the high-pressure blowers can be 100 W to 600 W.

[0046] Combination Figure 1 In some embodiments, to ensure that high-purity gallium is in solid form in the product area, the granulation device for liquid high-purity gallium further includes a third condensing coil 90. The third condensing coil 90 is disposed on the inner wall of the product area 13, and cools the product area 13 to lower its temperature, thus ensuring that the high-purity gallium granules are in solid form within the product area. For example, the third condensing coil 90 can control the temperature of the product area 13 from -30°C to 10°C, and its power can be from 2000 W to 5500 W, ensuring that the high-purity gallium is in solid form within the product area.

[0047] In some embodiments, the first condensing coil, the second condensing coil, and the second condensing coil work together to ensure the rapid solidification of high-purity gallium.

[0048] Combination Figure 1In some embodiments, for collecting gallium particles, the collection assembly 50 includes a vacuum transition chamber 51, a collection funnel 52, a transport mechanism 53, and a collection bottle 54. The vacuum transition chamber 51 communicates with the product area 13. Multiple collection funnels 52 are disposed within the product area 13. The transport mechanism 53 is disposed within the product area 13 and the vacuum transition chamber 51. Multiple collection bottles 54 are disposed on the transport mechanism 53 and correspond one-to-one with multiple collection funnels 52, with each collection bottle 54 located below its corresponding collection funnel 52. For example, the collection funnel 52 is made of stainless steel, and its surface is coated with PFA material. Multiple collection funnels 52 are arranged radially along the granulation cylinder 10. The collection bottle 54 can be made of PFA, HDPE (High-Density Polyethylene), PC (Polycarbonate), POM (Polyoxymethylene), or UHMW-PE (Ultra-High Molecular Weight Polyethylene).

[0049] Gallium particles are collected through multiple collection funnels 52. Under the action of circulating cooling air, gallium particles of different sizes enter different collection funnels 52 and are transported to the corresponding collection bottles 54 through the collection funnels 52.

[0050] When it is necessary to ensure the quality of the collection bottle 54, the packaging equipment can be inside the granulation cylinder 10. Of course, the packaging equipment can also be outside the granulation cylinder 10. When the packaging equipment is outside the granulation cylinder 10, the conveying component 53 conveys the collection bottle 54 to the vacuum transition chamber 51 for packaging to avoid the introduction of impurities and ensure the purity of high-purity gallium.

[0051] Combination Figure 1In some embodiments, to achieve automation, the collection assembly 50 further includes multiple sealing mechanisms 55, each corresponding to a plurality of collection funnels 52. Each sealing mechanism 55 includes a first driver, a sealing element 551, a first pressure sensor, a first controller, and a timer. The first driver is connected to the collection funnel 52. The sealing element 551 is connected to the first driver and can switch between a first position and a second position. The first pressure sensor is located on the sealing element 551 and is used to obtain the weight value of the particles in the collection funnel 52. The first controller is electrically connected to the first pressure sensor and the first driver. The timer is electrically connected to the first controller. The first controller receives the weight value sent by the first pressure sensor. When the weight value is greater than or equal to a first set weight value, the first controller sends a first drive signal to the first driver. The first driver then drives the sealing element 551 to move to the first position, opening the outlet of the collection funnel 52 and allowing the gallium particles in the collection funnel 52 to fall into the corresponding collection bottle 54, thus achieving automation, reducing manual intervention, and lowering labor intensity. After the sealing element 551 is in the first position, the first controller receives the time sent by the timer. When the time is greater than or equal to the set time, the first controller sends a second drive signal to the first driver. The first driver drives the sealing element 551 to move, causing the sealing element 551 to be in the second position, thereby closing the outlet of the collecting funnel 52. This allows the collecting funnel 52 to continue collecting gallium particles, achieving automation, reducing manual intervention, and lowering labor intensity. For example, the sealing element 551 is made of stainless steel, and its surface is coated with PFA material.

[0052] In some embodiments, when the first driver is a motor, the first driver can drive the sealing member 551 to rotate, thereby switching the sealing member 551 between a first position and a second position. Of course, in other embodiments, when the first driver is a telescopic member, the telescopic member can drive the sealing member 551 to extend or retract, thereby switching the sealing member 551 between a first position and a second position. For example, the telescopic member can be an electric push rod.

[0053] Combination Figure 1In some embodiments, for transporting the collection bottle 54, the transport mechanism 53 includes: a first belt roller 531, a second belt roller 532, a transport belt 533, a second driver, a support member, a second pressure sensor, and a second controller. The first belt roller 531 is located within the product area 13. The second belt roller 532 is located within the vacuum transition chamber 51. The transport belt 533 is fitted over the first belt roller 531 and the second belt roller 532. The second driver is connected to either the first belt roller 531 or the second belt roller 532. The support member is connected to the product area 13 and is located within the transport belt 533. The second pressure sensor is located on the support member and in contact with the transport belt 533, used to acquire the load weight value of the transport belt 533. The second controller is electrically connected to the second driver and the second pressure sensor. The second controller receives the load weight value sent by the second pressure sensor. When the weight value is greater than or equal to a second preset weight value, the second controller sends a third drive signal to the second driver. The second driver drives the first belt roller 531 and the second belt roller 532 to move, causing the transport belt 533 to move, thereby conveying the collection bottle 54 into the vacuum transition chamber 51. When the weight value is less than the second preset weight value, the second controller sends a fourth drive signal to the second driver. The second driver stops driving the first belt roller 531 and the second belt roller 532, automatically conveying the collection bottle 54, thus achieving automation, reducing manual intervention, and lowering labor intensity. For example, the second driver can be a motor.

[0054] In some embodiments, the first controller of the blocking mechanism 55 and the second controller of the transport mechanism 53 can be the same or independent controllers.

[0055] In some embodiments, the transport belt 533 may be made of Teflon-coated glass fiber or modified cold-resistant rubber. The surface of the transport belt 533 is engraved with anti-slip texture to increase the friction between the transport belt 533 and the collection bottle 54, prevent the collection bottle 54 from slipping and falling, and ensure the stability of transporting the collection bottle 54.

[0056] Combination Figure 1 In some embodiments, the transport mechanism 53 further includes at least one idler roller 534. The idler roller 534 is located between the first belt roller 531 and the second belt roller 532, and the transport belt 533 is fitted onto the idler roller 534 to ensure the stability of the transport of the transport belt 533. Exemplarily, the number of idler rollers 534 can be one or more.

[0057] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this application.

[0058] In the description of this invention, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can include direct contact between the first and second features, or contact between the first and second features through another feature between them. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature includes the first feature being directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature includes the first feature being directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0059] In the description of this specification, the references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of this application. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples. In addition, those skilled in the art can combine and integrate the different embodiments or examples described in this specification.

[0060] Although preferred embodiments of this application have been described, those skilled in the art, upon learning the basic inventive concept, can make other changes and modifications to these embodiments. Therefore, the appended claims are intended to be interpreted as including the preferred embodiments as well as all changes and modifications falling within the scope of this application.

[0061] Obviously, those skilled in the art can make various modifications and variations to this application without departing from the spirit and scope of this application. Therefore, if such modifications and variations fall within the scope of the claims of this application and their equivalents, this application also intends to include such modifications and variations.

Claims

1. A granulation apparatus for liquid high-purity gallium, characterized in that, include: A granulation cylinder filled with inert gas has a discharge zone, a low-temperature zone, and a product zone, which are arranged sequentially from top to bottom along the height of the granulation cylinder. The precooling pipeline is located within the discharge area; The feed pipe passes through the discharge area and is detachably connected to the precooling pipeline; The first condensing coil is disposed on the inner wall of the low-temperature zone; The collection components are at least partially located within the product area.

2. The granulation apparatus for liquid high-purity gallium according to claim 1, characterized in that, The feed pipe is wrapped with a heat tracing cable.

3. The granulation apparatus for liquid high-purity gallium according to claim 1, characterized in that, The feed pipe is equipped with a flow rate regulating valve.

4. The granulation apparatus for liquid high-purity gallium according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The precooling piping includes: A spiral tube is located within the discharge zone and is detachably connected to the feed tube; The second condensing coil is wound around the outside of the spiral tube; The first connecting pipe is connected to the end of the spiral tube away from the feed pipe.

5. The granulation apparatus for liquid high-purity gallium according to claim 4, characterized in that, The first connecting pipe includes: The first tube is connected to the end of the spiral tube away from the feed tube; The second tube is connected at an angle to the end of the first tube away from the spiral tube; Both the first tube and the second tube are arc-shaped.

6. The granulation apparatus for liquid high-purity gallium according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The granulation apparatus for liquid high-purity gallium also includes: Multiple air inlet ducts are connected to the low-temperature zone; Multiple air outlet ducts are connected to the low-temperature zone; Multiple second connecting pipes are provided outside the granulation cylinder and correspond one-to-one with multiple air outlet pipes and multiple air inlet pipes. One end of the second connecting pipe is connected to the corresponding air outlet pipe, and the other end is connected to the corresponding air inlet pipe.

7. The granulation apparatus for liquid high-purity gallium according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The granulation apparatus for liquid high-purity gallium also includes: The third condenser coil is located on the inner wall of the product area.

8. The granulation apparatus for liquid high-purity gallium according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The collection component includes: A vacuum transition chamber, connected to the product area; Multiple collection funnels are located within the product area; The transport mechanism is located within the product area and the vacuum transition chamber; Multiple collection bottles are disposed on the transport mechanism and correspond one-to-one with multiple collection funnels, with each collection bottle located below its corresponding collection funnel.

9. The granulation apparatus for liquid high-purity gallium according to claim 8, characterized in that, The collection assembly further includes multiple blocking mechanisms, each corresponding to one of the collection funnels. Each blocking mechanism includes: A first actuator is connected to the collection funnel; A blocking component, connected to the first driver, is switchable between a first position and a second position; A first pressure sensor is disposed on the sealing component and is used to obtain the weight value of the particles in the collection funnel; A first controller is electrically connected to the first pressure sensor and the first driver; The timer is electrically connected to the controller; The first controller receives a weight value from the first pressure sensor. When the weight value is greater than or equal to a first set weight value, the first controller sends a first drive signal to the first driver. The first driver then drives the sealing element to move, causing the sealing element to be in the first position to open the outlet of the collection funnel. After the sealing element is in the first position, the first controller receives a time from the timer. When the time is greater than or equal to a set time, the first controller sends a second drive signal to the first driver. The first driver then drives the sealing element to move, causing the sealing element to be in the second position to close the outlet of the collection funnel.

10. The granulation apparatus for liquid high-purity gallium according to claim 8, characterized in that, The transportation organization also includes: The first belt roller is located within the product area; The second belt roller is located inside the vacuum transition chamber; A transport belt is fitted onto the first belt roller and the second belt roller; The second driver is connected to the first belt roller or the second belt roller; A support member is connected to the product area and is located within the shipping conveyor belt; A second pressure sensor is disposed on the support member and in contact with the transport belt, for obtaining the load-bearing weight value of the transport belt; The second controller is electrically connected to the second driver and the second pressure sensor; The second controller receives the load weight value sent by the second pressure sensor. When the load weight value is greater than or equal to a second set load weight value, the second controller sends a third drive signal to the second driver. The second driver drives the first belt roller and the second belt roller to move, so that the transport belt moves to transport the collection bottle to the vacuum transition chamber.

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