Furnace body and low pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD) equipment

Abstract

The utility model provides a furnace body and LPCVD equipment, and relates to the technical field of furnace body structures, the furnace body comprises a plurality of furnace body units, and tooth-shaped joint parts matched in shape are arranged at the butt joint ends of the adjacent furnace body units; and the plurality of furnace body units are sequentially engaged and butted through the tooth-shaped joint parts so as to form a complete furnace body. Wherein the LPCVD equipment comprises a slide glass boat for bearing a battery piece and a furnace body, the slide glass boat can move along the axial direction of the furnace body to realize in and out of the battery piece, and a heating system and a gas flow control system of the furnace body are matched to ensure that reaction gas is uniformly deposited on the surface of the battery piece. According to the modular design of the furnace body, assembly and disassembly of the furnace body are greatly facilitated, and the installation process is simplified; compared with a traditional furnace body installation mode, the furnace body does not need to spend a large amount of time for alignment and correction during installation, the installation efficiency is greatly improved, the labor intensity of workers is reduced, and the error probability is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of furnace structure, and more specifically, to a furnace and LPCVD equipment. Background Art

[0002] In existing technology, furnace bodies are typically composed of multiple hollow cylindrical structures. During installation, workers need to sequentially connect and secure these cylindrical structures to form a complete furnace body. Because each cylindrical structure needs to be rotated circumferentially and adjusted for coaxiality during installation to ensure precise alignment of each furnace segment, the entire installation process is complex and time-consuming. During the alignment process, workers often need to make multiple fine-tuning adjustments, which significantly increases installation time and labor intensity. This installation method not only reduces work efficiency but also increases the possibility of errors. Especially in large-scale production, the time wasted during installation is particularly prominent.

[0003] Taking the photovoltaic manufacturing sector as an example, some manufacturers use LPCVD furnaces for the coating process of solar cells. The LPCVD furnace body is usually cylindrical and is designed to accommodate multiple solar cells and carry out chemical reactions inside. However, this type of equipment also faces the challenge of aligning the multiple furnace units mentioned above during installation. In actual operation, workers need to spend a lot of time to ensure the alignment and fixation of each furnace unit. At the same time, the complexity of this process is further exacerbated by the large size and weight of each furnace unit. For the photovoltaic industry, time cost is extremely important, so the inefficiency of the existing installation method has become a major bottleneck affecting production efficiency and economic benefits. Utility Model Content

[0004] The purpose of the present application is to provide a furnace body to solve the problem in the prior art that a lot of time is required for alignment and correction during furnace body assembly. In addition, another purpose of the present application is to provide an LPCVD device.

[0005] To achieve this goal, this application adopts the following technical solutions:

[0006] In a first aspect, the present application provides a furnace body, comprising a plurality of furnace body units, wherein the butt ends of adjacent furnace body units are provided with toothed joints with matching shapes;

[0007] The multiple furnace body units are engaged and docked in sequence through the tooth-shaped joints to form a complete furnace body.

[0008] The furnace body is composed of multiple furnace units, with form-fitting toothed joints that allow each unit to be quickly and easily connected. In actual use, the furnace body can be easily assembled and disassembled, improving the maintainability and flexibility of the equipment.

[0009] Optionally, the tooth-shaped engaging portion is in the shape of arc-shaped teeth, trapezoidal teeth, square teeth or pointed teeth.

[0010] The shape of the toothed joint provides a variety of options to meet the needs of different working conditions. This flexible design allows the furnace body to maintain structural stability in different operating environments, thereby improving the adaptability and reliability of the equipment.

[0011] Optionally, the inner wall of each furnace unit is divided into at least two temperature zones, and each temperature zone is independently provided with a heating element for heating the inner space of the furnace unit.

[0012] The inner wall of each furnace unit is divided into at least two temperature zones, each with its own independent heating element. This design effectively improves temperature control accuracy. By independently heating each temperature zone, more precise temperature regulation can be achieved, meeting application scenarios with strict temperature distribution requirements and improving the equipment's thermal efficiency and processing results.

[0013] Optionally, the heating elements of each temperature zone are extended along the inner wall of the furnace body unit to the tooth-shaped joint portion of the furnace body unit.

[0014] The heating elements extend along the inner wall of the furnace unit to the toothed joint, which helps to achieve uniform heat distribution and improve the overall heating efficiency.

[0015] Optionally, a plurality of accommodating grooves are formed on the inner wall of the furnace body unit along its circumference, and the heating elements are embedded in the accommodating grooves.

[0016] The inner wall of the furnace unit is provided with a circumferential groove to accommodate the heating element, enhancing its stability and safety. The groove design not only allows for better heat exchange between the heating element and the furnace body, but also reduces mechanical wear on the heating element, extending its service life.

[0017] Optionally, the heating element in each temperature zone is a continuous resistance wire, which includes a spiral section and a connecting section. The spiral section is arranged in the receiving groove, and the connecting section is used to connect the spiral sections in adjacent receiving grooves in series.

[0018] The design of the spiral section and the connecting section not only improves the thermal efficiency of the heating element, but also makes the heat transfer more uniform, thereby achieving more precise temperature control effects in practical applications.

[0019] Optionally, the inner wall of the furnace unit is divided into three temperature zones, including a first temperature zone, a second temperature zone, and a third temperature zone. The set temperature of the first temperature zone is lower than that of the second temperature zone, and the set temperature of the second temperature zone is lower than that of the third temperature zone.

[0020] The first temperature zone includes a first heating element disposed on the inner wall of the top end of the furnace unit;

[0021] The second temperature zone includes a second heating element and a third heating element provided on the inner walls of the left and right ends of the furnace unit, and the heating temperatures of the second heating element and the third heating element are consistent;

[0022] The third temperature zone includes a fourth heating element disposed on the inner wall of the bottom end of the furnace unit.

[0023] By setting different temperature zones, the furnace can achieve different set temperatures in each zone. This temperature stratification design not only improves energy efficiency, but also ensures flexible adaptation to different materials or processes, providing users with more operational freedom.

[0024] Optionally, the heating element is a resistance wire, and the diameter of the resistance wire arranged in the first temperature zone and the third temperature zone is larger than the diameter of the resistance wire arranged in the second temperature zone.

[0025] The thin resistance wire in the second temperature zone can make the temperature more uniform to meet the process temperature requirements at the middle height of the furnace body; the thick resistance wire in the first and third temperature zones can make the temperature rise faster and have a longer service life.

[0026] Optionally, the furnace body is a hollow cylinder, and an insulation pipe is provided on the outer side of the furnace body.

[0027] The furnace body adopts a hollow cylindrical structure, which not only improves the overall space utilization, but also effectively concentrates heat and reduces heat loss. The cylindrical design allows the heat flow to be more evenly distributed within the furnace body, thereby improving the overall heating efficiency.

[0028] Optionally, the inner wall of the insulation tube is provided with a guide groove extending along the length direction of the insulation tube, and the outer surface of the furnace unit has a protruding structure that can be accommodated in the guide groove.

[0029] Guide grooves are designed into the inner wall of the insulation tube to improve the stability and installation accuracy of the furnace unit. The guide groove design allows the furnace to maintain its position during use, reducing structural displacement caused by factors such as thermal expansion, thereby improving the safety and stability of the equipment.

[0030] Optionally, a support frame is provided below the insulation pipe to provide support for the insulation pipe.

[0031] The support frame provides a firm support for the insulation pipe, ensuring the stability of the overall structure, improving the durability of the equipment and extending its service life.

[0032] In a second aspect, the present application further proposes an LPCVD device, the LPCVD device comprising a wafer boat for carrying a cell and the aforementioned furnace body;

[0033] The wafer boat is configured to be able to move in the furnace body along the axial direction of the furnace body, thereby carrying the battery cells in and out of the furnace body.

[0034] This LPCVD equipment, including the aforementioned furnace, enables efficient cell loading and heating. The axially movable design of the cell boat allows for flexible cell loading and unloading, improving production efficiency and meeting the needs of large-scale production.

[0035] Compared with the existing technology, the beneficial effects of the technical solution of this application are:

[0036] The furnace body of the present application adopts a modular design. The furnace body is composed of a plurality of furnace body units connected in sequence. The butt end of each furnace body unit is provided with a toothed joint, and adjacent furnace body units are engaged and butted together through the toothed joints. This modular design greatly facilitates the assembly and disassembly of the furnace body and simplifies the installation process. Compared with the traditional furnace body installation method, the present application does not require a lot of time for alignment and correction during installation, greatly improving installation efficiency, reducing the labor intensity of workers, and reducing the probability of errors.

[0037] In the design of the heating element, the present application extends the resistance wire into the toothed joint of the furnace unit to ensure uniform heating of the joint parts, thus avoiding the problem of uneven heating of the joint parts. In addition, the present application uses resistance wires of different diameters in different temperature zones on the inner wall of the furnace body, making temperature control more precise. The thin resistance wire is used in the temperature zone at the middle height of the furnace body, which can provide a more uniform temperature distribution. The thick resistance wire is used in the temperature zone with higher heating requirements, which has the advantages of rapid heating and longer service life, further improving the heating efficiency and durability of the entire furnace body.

[0038] In addition, the furnace body in this application is also provided with several accommodating grooves on the inner wall, in which the heating elements are embedded, making the wiring of the heating elements more neat and improving the heating efficiency; by arranging an insulation pipe on the outside of the furnace body and adding a support frame design, this application not only improves the insulation effect of the furnace body and reduces heat loss, but also enhances the structural stability of the entire equipment and improves the overall reliability and efficiency of the equipment. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0039] Figure 1 It is a structural schematic diagram of the furnace body provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0040] Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the connection between adjacent furnace body units in the furnace body provided by the embodiment of the present application;

[0041] Figure 3 is a structural schematic diagram of a furnace unit in a furnace provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0042] Figure 4It is a schematic structural diagram of the spiral section and the connecting section of the heating element in this application;

[0043] Figures 1 to 4 The following reference numerals are included:

[0044] Furnace unit 1, tooth-shaped joint 101, accommodating groove 102;

[0045] Heating element 2, spiral segment 201, connecting segment 202. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0046] In order to make the above-mentioned purposes, features and advantages of the present application more obvious and easy to understand, the present application is further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific implementation methods.

[0047] In existing technology, furnace bodies typically consist of multiple hollow cylindrical structures. This design often requires laborious and time-consuming installation by workers, requiring them to connect and secure each section individually. Each cylindrical section must be rotated and adjusted circumferentially and aligned to ensure precise alignment, making the entire installation process complex and time-consuming. This approach not only reduces efficiency but also increases the likelihood of errors, making the installation process particularly time-consuming in large-scale production.

[0048] Therefore, if Figure 1 As shown, the present application proposes a furnace body, which includes a plurality of furnace body units 1, and the butt ends of adjacent furnace body units 1 are provided with tooth-shaped joint portions 101 with matching shapes;

[0049] The multiple furnace body units 1 are engaged and docked in sequence through the tooth-shaped joints to form a complete furnace body.

[0050] Figure 1 The furnace body shown has omitted components such as electrical wires and flanges. Its main part is composed of multiple furnace body units 1. The edges of adjacent furnace body units 1 are butted together in a toothed manner. After determining the position of a furnace body unit 1 at the head end or the tail end, the other furnace body units 1 can be butted together in sequence to complete the assembly.

[0051] The furnace body is composed of a plurality of furnace body units 1, and adopts a form-fitting tooth-shaped joint 101, so that each furnace body unit 1 can be easily and quickly connected. In actual use, the furnace body can be easily assembled and disassembled, improving the maintainability and flexibility of the equipment and saving time.

[0052] Optionally, the tooth-shaped engaging portion 101 is in the shape of arc-shaped teeth, trapezoidal teeth, square teeth or pointed teeth.

[0053] The shape of the toothed joint 101 provides a variety of options to meet the needs of different working conditions. This flexible design allows the furnace body to maintain structural stability in different operating environments, thereby improving the adaptability and reliability of the equipment.

[0054] Optionally, the inner wall of each furnace unit 1 is divided into at least two temperature zones, and each temperature zone is independently provided with a heating element 2 for heating the inner space of the furnace unit 1 .

[0055] Preferably, the heating element 2 can be a resistance wire heating element or an infrared heating element.

[0056] When the furnace units 1 are tightly docked via the toothed joints 101, the entire furnace body forms a hollow heat treatment chamber. Heating elements 2 are evenly arranged within each furnace unit 1, enabling real-time monitoring and regulation of the furnace temperature through a temperature control system. The temperature control system includes temperature sensors and a control unit. The temperature sensors, such as thermocouples and RTDs (resistance temperature detectors), monitor the furnace temperature in real time and are located at various locations within the furnace body to accurately reflect the temperature distribution throughout the furnace. The control unit, a microprocessor or programmable logic controller (PLC), receives and processes data from the temperature sensors. The heating elements 2 automatically adjust the heating power based on the control unit's instructions.

[0057] When the inner wall of each furnace unit 1 is divided into two temperature zones, the two temperature zones are arranged one above and one below.

[0058] The inner wall of each furnace unit 1 is divided into at least two temperature zones, each with its own independent heating element 2. This design effectively improves temperature control accuracy. By independently heating each temperature zone, more precise temperature regulation can be achieved, meeting application scenarios with strict temperature distribution requirements and improving the thermal efficiency and processing effect of the equipment.

[0059] like Figure 2 As shown, the heating elements 2 of each temperature zone are extended along the inner wall of the furnace body unit 1 to the tooth-shaped joint portion 101 of the furnace body unit 1 .

[0060] The heating element 2 extends along the inner wall of the furnace unit 1 to the toothed joint 101 , which helps to achieve uniform heat distribution, improves the overall heating efficiency, and prevents the heating effect of the butted portion from being deteriorated.

[0061] like Figure 3 As shown, the inner wall of the furnace unit 1 is provided with a plurality of accommodating grooves 102 along its circumference, and the heating elements 2 are embedded in the accommodating grooves 102 .

[0062] The inner wall of the furnace unit 1 is provided with a circumferentially defined receiving groove 102, into which the heating element 2 is embedded, thereby enhancing the fixation and safety of the heating element 2. The design of the receiving groove 102 not only enables the heating element 2 to better exchange heat with the furnace body, but also reduces mechanical wear on the heating element 2, thereby extending its service life.

[0063] like Figure 4 As shown, the heating element 2 in each temperature zone is a continuous resistance wire, which includes a spiral section 201 and a connecting section 202. The spiral section 201 is arranged in the accommodating groove 102, and the connecting section 202 is used to connect the spiral sections 201 in adjacent accommodating grooves 102 in series.

[0064] The main heating portion of the resistance wire is designed in a spiral shape, which can effectively increase the surface area of ​​the resistance wire and thus improve heating efficiency. The spiral section 201 is set in the receiving groove 102 on the inner wall of the furnace to ensure its stable installation position and heat dissipation efficiency.

[0065] The connecting section 202 connects the spiral sections 201 in adjacent receiving grooves 102 in series, ensuring the continuity of the resistance wire. A channel is reserved between adjacent receiving grooves 102, through which the connecting section 202 passes to connect the spiral sections 201 in adjacent receiving grooves 102. This design effectively reduces thermal stress on the connecting section 202 and extends its service life.

[0066] To prevent the resistance wire from shifting or falling out of the receiving groove 102 during heating, a mechanical clamp, clip, heat-resistant adhesive, or welding is used to secure it. In high-temperature operating environments, these fixing methods can ensure the long-term stability of the resistance wire and prevent loosening or breakage caused by thermal expansion and contraction.

[0067] The design of the spiral section 201 and the connecting section 202 not only improves the thermal efficiency of the heating element 2, but also makes the heat transfer more uniform, thereby achieving a more accurate temperature control effect in practical applications.

[0068] Optionally, the inner wall of the furnace unit 1 is divided into three temperature zones, including a first temperature zone, a second temperature zone, and a third temperature zone. The set temperature of the first temperature zone is lower than that of the second temperature zone, and the set temperature of the second temperature zone is lower than that of the third temperature zone, wherein:

[0069] The first temperature zone includes a first heating element provided on the inner wall of the top end of the furnace unit 1;

[0070] The second temperature zone includes a second heating element and a third heating element provided on the inner walls of the left and right ends of the furnace unit 1, and the heating temperatures of the second heating element and the third heating element are consistent;

[0071] The third temperature zone includes a fourth heating element provided on the inner wall of the bottom end of the furnace unit 1 .

[0072] The first temperature zone, located on the top inner wall of furnace unit 1, has the lowest temperature and is used to maintain a stable temperature in the upper space of the furnace. This area does not need to bear excessive heat load, so its set temperature is relatively low, which helps reduce energy consumption and avoid thermal imbalance caused by overheating.

[0073] The second temperature zone is located on the left and right inner walls of furnace unit 1. The left and right inner walls are equipped with a second heating element and a third heating element, respectively. These two elements heat at the same temperature, set in the medium range. This area is responsible for evenly distributing heat throughout the furnace space, ensuring that the central area inside the furnace maintains a moderate temperature.

[0074] Among them, the third temperature zone is set on the inner wall of the bottom end of the furnace body unit 1, including a fourth heating element, which is set to the highest temperature. The high temperature setting helps to quickly heat up and improve the heat treatment efficiency.

[0075] By setting different temperature zones, the furnace can achieve different set temperatures in each zone. This temperature stratification design not only improves energy efficiency, but also ensures flexible adaptation to different materials or processes, providing users with more operational freedom.

[0076] Optionally, the heating element 2 is a resistance wire, and the diameter of the resistance wire arranged in the first temperature zone and the third temperature zone is larger than the diameter of the resistance wire arranged in the second temperature zone.

[0077] The thin resistance wire in the second temperature zone can make the temperature more uniform to meet the process temperature requirements at the middle height of the furnace body; the thick resistance wire in the first and third temperature zones can make the temperature rise faster and have a longer service life.

[0078] Optionally, the furnace body is a hollow cylinder, and an insulation pipe is provided on the outer side of the furnace body.

[0079] The furnace body adopts a hollow cylindrical structure, which not only improves the overall space utilization, but also effectively concentrates heat and reduces heat loss. The cylindrical design allows the heat flow to be more evenly distributed within the furnace body, thereby improving the overall heating efficiency.

[0080] The insulation tube is installed outside the furnace body, isolating it from cold air and reducing heat loss. Made of high-temperature-resistant, low-thermal-conductivity materials such as ceramic fiber and refractory bricks, this design effectively reduces heat loss from the furnace, thereby improving energy efficiency and reducing energy consumption.

[0081] Optionally, the inner wall of the insulation tube is provided with a guide groove extending along the length direction of the insulation tube, and the outer surface of the furnace body unit 1 has a protrusion structure that can be accommodated in the guide groove.

[0082] The guide grooves and raised structures are designed to facilitate installation. When multiple furnace units 1 are sequentially installed into the insulation tube, this design prevents the furnace units 1 from rotating circumferentially during installation, which could result in the toothed joints 101 not being able to mate. The guide grooves on the inner wall of the insulation tube also help improve the stability and installation accuracy of the furnace units 1. The guide grooves ensure that the furnace unit 1 remains in place during use, reducing structural displacement caused by factors such as thermal expansion, thereby improving the safety and stability of the equipment.

[0083] Optionally, a support frame is provided below the insulation pipe to provide support for the insulation pipe.

[0084] The support frame is made of high-temperature and corrosion-resistant materials, such as stainless steel or high-temperature alloys, to withstand the high temperatures and mechanical pressures generated during long-term furnace operation. It also possesses sufficient strength and toughness to prevent deformation while bearing the weight of the furnace.

[0085] The support frame provides a firm support for the insulation pipe, ensuring the stability of the overall structure, improving the durability of the equipment and extending its service life.

[0086] In a second aspect, the present application further proposes an LPCVD device, the LPCVD device comprising a wafer boat for carrying a cell and the aforementioned furnace body;

[0087] The wafer boat is configured to be able to move in the furnace body along the axial direction of the furnace body, thereby carrying the battery cells in and out of the furnace body.

[0088] Among them, LPCVD equipment is low-pressure chemical vapor deposition equipment, and the wafer boat is a key component in the LPCVD equipment, mainly used to carry and fix the battery cells during the deposition process. The wafer boat is made of high-temperature resistant materials (such as graphite, ceramic or quartz) to ensure its long-term stable operation in the high-temperature LPCVD process environment while avoiding adverse chemical reactions with the reaction gas. The structure of the wafer boat is a multi-layer design, and each layer is equipped with multiple brackets for carrying battery cells. This multi-layer design helps to improve the output of a single process and increase the production efficiency of the equipment.

[0089] This LPCVD equipment, including the aforementioned furnace, enables efficient cell loading and heating. The axially movable design of the cell boat allows for flexible cell loading and unloading, improving production efficiency and meeting the needs of large-scale production.

[0090] The present application has been described above in sufficient detail with certain specificity. Those skilled in the art will understand that the descriptions in the examples are merely illustrative, and that all modifications made without departing from the true spirit and scope of the present application are intended to be within the scope of protection of the present application. The scope of protection claimed in the present application is defined by the claims, not by the description in the examples.

Claims

1. A furnace body, characterized in that: The furnace body comprises a plurality of furnace body units, and the butt ends of adjacent furnace body units are provided with tooth-shaped joint portions with matching shapes; The plurality of furnace body units are engaged and docked in sequence through the tooth-shaped joints to form a complete furnace body.

2. The furnace body according to claim 1, characterized in that The tooth-shaped engaging portion is in the shape of an arc-shaped tooth, a trapezoidal tooth, a square tooth or a pointed tooth.

3. The furnace body according to claim 1, characterized in that The inner wall of each furnace unit is divided into at least two temperature zones, and each temperature zone is independently provided with a heating element for heating the inner space of the furnace unit.

4. The furnace body according to claim 3, characterized in that The heating element of each temperature zone is extended along the inner wall of the furnace body unit to the tooth-shaped joint portion of the furnace body unit.

5. The furnace body according to claim 3, characterized in that The inner wall of the furnace body unit is provided with a plurality of accommodating grooves along its circumference, and the heating elements are embedded in the accommodating grooves.

6. The furnace body according to claim 5, characterized in that The heating element in each temperature zone is a continuous resistance wire, which includes a spiral section and a connecting section. The spiral section is arranged in the accommodating groove, and the connecting section is used to connect the spiral sections in adjacent accommodating grooves in series.

7. The furnace body according to claim 1, characterized in that The inner wall of the furnace unit is divided into three temperature zones, including a first temperature zone, a second temperature zone, and a third temperature zone. The set temperature of the first temperature zone is lower than that of the second temperature zone, and the set temperature of the second temperature zone is lower than that of the third temperature zone. The first temperature zone includes a first heating element provided on the inner wall of the top end of the furnace unit; The second temperature zone includes a second heating element and a third heating element provided on the inner walls of the left and right ends of the furnace unit, and the heating temperature of the second heating element and the third heating element are consistent; The third temperature zone includes a fourth heating element disposed on an inner wall of a bottom end of the furnace unit.

8. The furnace body according to claim 7, characterized in that The heating element is a resistance wire, and the diameter of the resistance wire arranged in the first temperature zone and the third temperature zone is larger than the diameter of the resistance wire arranged in the second temperature zone.

9. The furnace body according to claim 1, characterized in that The furnace body is a hollow cylinder, and an insulation pipe is provided on the outer side of the furnace body.

10. The furnace body according to claim 9, characterized in that The inner wall of the thermal insulation tube is provided with a guide groove extending along the length direction of the thermal insulation tube, and the outer surface of the furnace unit is provided with a protruding structure that can be accommodated in the guide groove.

11. The furnace body according to claim 10, characterized in that A support frame is provided below the thermal insulation pipe to provide support for the thermal insulation pipe.

12. A LPCVD device, characterized in that: The LPCVD equipment includes a wafer boat for carrying a cell and a furnace body according to any one of claims 1 to 11; The wafer boat is configured to be movable in the furnace body along the axial direction of the furnace body, thereby carrying the battery cells in and out of the furnace body.

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