Purification device and photovoltaic material processing equipment

Abstract

The utility model discloses a purification device and photovoltaic material processing equipment, the purification device comprises a cabinet body, a material storage rack and a boat pushing mechanism, the cabinet body is provided with a boat pushing area and a storage area, the boat pushing area and the storage area are arranged in the X-axis direction, a stand column is arranged in the cabinet body, and the stand column is located between the boat pushing area and the storage area. The storage rack is arranged in the storage area and used for storing silicon wafers. The boat pushing mechanism is arranged in the boat pushing area, connected with the stand column and used for transferring the silicon wafers between the boat pushing area and the reaction furnace in the Y-axis direction. Wherein the X-axis and the Y-axis intersect. The boat pushing mechanism is connected with the stand columns between the boat pushing area and the storage area, so that the boat pushing mechanism is far away from the side face of the cabinet body, the risk that the boat pushing mechanism blocks the side face of the cabinet body is reduced, and compared with the situation that an operator needs to dismantle the boat pushing mechanism and other structures, the operator can install the quartz tube along one side of the cabinet body; and the maintenance difficulty is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of photovoltaic material manufacturing equipment, and more particularly to a purification device and photovoltaic material processing equipment. Background Technology

[0002] In the production of photovoltaic materials, high-temperature reactors are used to process silicon wafers. Typically, the silicon wafers are loaded into wafer carriers and fed into the furnace tubes via a pusher mechanism within a clean bench for reaction processing. After the reaction is complete, the pusher mechanism removes the wafers from the furnace tubes. The pusher mechanism includes a slide rail, which is usually located on the inner frame of the clean bench. This slide rail obstructs the side of the clean bench, preventing it from being opened during daily operation and making maintenance difficult.

[0003] In photovoltaic high-temperature reactors, quartz tubes are often placed into the reactor by manual handling. Since the furnace opening faces the clean bench and the space inside the clean bench is small, temporary storage racks and boat-pushing mechanisms are set on both sides of the clean bench. This makes it impossible to open the door panel on the same side of the clean bench as the boat-pushing mechanism. As a result, when installing quartz tubes, operators need to remove the boat-pushing mechanism and other structures, which further increases the difficulty of machine maintenance. Utility Model Content

[0004] In view of this, this application provides a purification device to solve the problem of difficult maintenance of the purification table when installing quartz tubes.

[0005] One embodiment of this application provides a purification device, including: a cabinet, a storage rack, and a pusher mechanism. The cabinet has a pusher area and a storage area, which are arranged along a first horizontal direction. A column is provided inside the cabinet, located between the pusher area and the storage area. The storage rack is disposed in the storage area and is used to store silicon wafers. The pusher mechanism is disposed in the pusher area and connected to the column. The pusher mechanism is used to transfer silicon wafers between the pusher area and the reactor in a second horizontal direction. The first horizontal direction and the second horizontal direction intersect.

[0006] In the above embodiments, the push-boat mechanism is connected to the columns between the push-boat area and the storage area, so that the push-boat mechanism is away from the side of the cabinet, reducing the risk of the push-boat mechanism blocking the side of the cabinet. Compared with the need for operators to dismantle the push-boat mechanism and other structures, it enables operators to install the quartz tube along one side of the cabinet, reducing the difficulty of maintenance.

[0007] In some embodiments, the boat-pushing mechanism includes a slide rail, a slider, and a boat-pushing assembly, with the slider slidably connected to the slide rail. The boat-pushing assembly includes a boat-pushing paddle connected to the slider and extending along a second horizontal direction. The paddle is used to carry the silicon wafer and transfer it between the boat-pushing area and the reactor.

[0008] In some embodiments, the propeller and the slider are detachably connected.

[0009] In some embodiments, the number of boat-pushing mechanisms is at least two, and all boat-pushing mechanisms are spaced apart along the Z-axis direction. The length of the slide rail of each boat-pushing mechanism in the first horizontal direction is greater than the length of the slide rail in the Z-axis direction. The Z-axis, the first horizontal direction, and the second horizontal direction intersect each other.

[0010] In some embodiments, the cabinet has a first opening on the side away from the storage area along a first horizontal direction. A door panel is movably provided on the outer surface of the cabinet to cover the first opening.

[0011] In some embodiments, along a first horizontal direction, the boat pusher assembly approaches the first opening relative to the slide rail.

[0012] In some embodiments, the pusher mechanism is rotatably connected to the column, and the pusher mechanism is capable of rotating relative to the cabinet along an axis parallel to the second horizontal direction.

[0013] In some embodiments, the purification device further includes a boat-moving mechanism connected to a column, which is used to transfer silicon wafers between a boat-pushing assembly and a storage rack.

[0014] One embodiment of this application also provides a photovoltaic material processing apparatus, including a reaction device and a purification device as described above, the reaction device and the purification device being arranged along the length of a cabinet. The reaction device is configured to react with a silicon wafer.

[0015] In some embodiments, the storage rack includes a first side plate and a second side plate connected to each other, the first side plate and the second side plate being arranged at an included angle, the surface of the first side plate and the surface of the second side plate being parallel to the length direction of the cabinet, and the space between the first side plate and the second side plate being used to accommodate silicon wafers. The connection between the first side plate and the second side plate is configured to be rotatably connected to the cabinet, and the first side plate can rotate from inside the cabinet to the outside of the cabinet.

[0016] In some embodiments, the reaction apparatus includes a furnace tube for containing a silicon wafer, the furnace tube being movable from the reaction apparatus into a cabinet along a second horizontal direction, and then moving out of the cabinet along a first horizontal direction from within the cabinet. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a photovoltaic material processing equipment provided in one embodiment of this application.

[0018] Figure 2 for Figure 1 Side view of the purification device in the middle.

[0019] Figure 3 for Figure 1 A top view of the purification device in the middle.

[0020] Figure 4 for Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the boat-pushing mechanism in the diagram.

[0021] Explanation of main component symbols

[0022] 10. Photovoltaic material processing equipment; 11. Purification device; 111. Cabinet; 1110. Column; 1111. Boat pushing area; 1112. Storage area; 1113. First opening; 1115. Second opening; 112. Boat pushing mechanism; 1121. Slide rail; 1122. Boat pushing assembly; 1123. Boat pushing paddle; 1124. Sliding block; 113. Material rack; 114. Boat moving mechanism; 12. Reaction device; 121. Reactor. Detailed Implementation

[0023] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments.

[0024] The terms “top,” “upper,” “lower,” “front,” “back,” and similar expressions used in this article are for illustrative purposes only.

[0025] The terms “first”, “second”, etc., are used only to distinguish different objects and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implying the quantity, specific order, or primary and secondary relationship of the indicated technical features.

[0026] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application belongs. The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the application.

[0027] Please see Figures 1 to 3One embodiment of this application provides a photovoltaic material processing apparatus 10, including a reaction device 12 and a purification device 11. The purification device 11 includes a cabinet 111 and a pusher mechanism 112, which is disposed inside the cabinet 111, which has a length direction. The reaction device 12 and the cabinet 111 are distributed along a second horizontal direction, both of which are parallel to the Y-axis. A port (not shown) is provided on the side of the reaction device 12 facing the cabinet 111. Before the reaction device 12 operates, the pusher mechanism 112 carries multiple carriers (not shown) carrying silicon wafers inside the purification device 11. The pusher mechanism 112 moves the carriers along with the silicon wafers through the port into the reaction device 12, so that the reaction device 12 can process the silicon wafers. After the silicon wafers are processed, the pusher mechanism 112 moves the carriers along with the silicon wafers from the reaction device 12 to the purification device 11 for cooling, and then moves the multiple carriers carrying the silicon wafers to be processed back into the reaction device 12.

[0028] In some embodiments, the sheet is a photovoltaic material such as a solar cell or a silicon wafer.

[0029] In some embodiments, the carrier is part of the photovoltaic material processing equipment 10.

[0030] In some embodiments, the vehicle is made of graphite or quartz.

[0031] In some embodiments, please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 3 The cabinet 111 has a width direction, with both the first horizontal direction and the width direction parallel to the X-axis, and the first horizontal direction perpendicular to the second horizontal direction. Both the first horizontal direction and the second horizontal direction are parallel to the horizontal plane.

[0032] In some embodiments, please refer to Figure 1 The reaction apparatus 12 includes at least one reactor 121 extending along a second horizontal direction. One end of the reactor 121 facing the cabinet 111 is provided with a furnace opening (not marked), which extends to a port to facilitate the pusher mechanism 112 to pass the silicon wafer through the port and the furnace opening, and to transfer the silicon wafer between the reactor 121 and the cabinet 111.

[0033] In some embodiments, a quartz tube (not shown) for containing silicon wafers is provided inside the reactor 121.

[0034] In some embodiments, please refer to Figure 2 and Figure 3The cabinet 111 has a boat-pushing area 1111 and a storage area 1112 arranged along a first horizontal direction. A column 1110 is disposed within the cabinet 111, located between the boat-pushing area 1111 and the storage area 1112. The boat-pushing mechanism 112 includes a slide rail 1121 and a boat-pushing assembly 1122. The slide rail 1121 is connected to the column 1110 and extends along a second horizontal direction. The boat-pushing assembly 1122 is used to carry silicon wafers. During operation, the boat-pushing assembly 1122 moves along the slide rail 1121 along the second horizontal direction relative to the cabinet 111 and the reactor 121, transferring silicon wafers from the cabinet 111, along with the boat or / or multiple carriers, to the reactor 121, or transferring silicon wafers from the reactor 121, along with the boat or / or multiple carriers, to the cabinet 111. By setting a slide rail 1121 between the push boat area 1111 and the storage area 1112, the slide rail 1121 supports and guides the movement of the push boat assembly 1122, while the slide rail 1121 moves away from the cabinet 111 in the width direction along the first horizontal direction and avoids one side of the cabinet 111. This allows the operator to maintain and replace the quartz boat from the outside of the cabinet 111 when maintaining the quartz tube, avoiding the need for the operator to dismantle the push boat mechanism 112 or other structures, or to enter the narrow cabinet 111 to perform the operation, thus improving the convenience of maintenance.

[0035] It is understandable that when operators maintain the push-boat mechanism 112, they can maintain and replace it from the outside of the cabinet 111, avoiding the need for operators to enter the narrow cabinet 111 to perform the work.

[0036] In some embodiments, the column 1110 extends along the Z-axis direction.

[0037] In some embodiments, there are two columns 1110, which are respectively disposed on both sides of the cabinet 111 along the second horizontal direction. The two ends of the slide rail 1121 are respectively connected to the two columns 1110 to improve the stability of the slide rail 1121.

[0038] In other embodiments, the column 1110 extends along a first horizontal direction, and the slide rail 1121 is connected to the column 1110 at the middle between the pusher area 1111 and the storage area 1112. It is understood that the column 1110 avoids the pusher mechanism 112 in this manner; for example, the column 1110 is located on the side of the cabinet 111 away from the reaction device 12, to reduce the obstruction of the column 1110 to the transfer of silicon wafers by the pusher mechanism 112.

[0039] In some embodiments, please refer to Figure 3The cabinet 111 has a first opening 1113 on the side away from the storage area 1112 along the first horizontal direction. When the operator maintains the push boat assembly 1122, the operator can extend from outside the cabinet 111 to inside the cabinet 111 to perform work through the first opening 1113, and move relevant parts into the cabinet 111 for replacement through the first opening 1113.

[0040] In some embodiments, please refer to Figure 2 The cabinet 111 also includes a door panel (not labeled), which is movably connected to the outer surface of the cabinet 111 and covers the first opening 1113, so that the cabinet 111 can maintain a sealed environment when no maintenance is required, thereby reducing the risk of heat exchange between the cabinet 111 and the outside world, reducing the risk of dust and other impurities inside the cabinet 111 polluting the outside environment, or reducing the risk of outside air or dust entering the cabinet 111 and causing contamination to the silicon wafers.

[0041] In some embodiments, the door panel and cabinet 111 are detachable.

[0042] In other embodiments, the door panel is rotatably or slidably connected to the cabinet 111.

[0043] In some embodiments, please refer to Figure 3 The cabinet 111 also has a second opening 1115 for maintaining other components inside the cabinet 111. There are multiple door panels, some of which are used to cover the second opening 1115.

[0044] For example, the second opening 1115 is located on the side of the cabinet 111 away from the first opening 1113 along the first horizontal direction. The second opening 1115 may also be located on the side of the cabinet 111 facing other directions.

[0045] In some embodiments, the reactor 121 can enter the cabinet 111 along a second horizontal direction, and the reactor 121 can also be moved from inside the cabinet 111 to outside the cabinet 111 through the first opening 1113. When the reactor 121 needs to be replaced, the damaged reactor 121 is entered into the cabinet 111 along the second horizontal direction, and moved from inside the cabinet 111 to outside the cabinet 111 through the first opening 1113. Finally, the intact reactor 121 is moved into the cabinet 111 along the first opening 1113, and then moved out of the cabinet 111 along the second horizontal direction. It is understood that, compared to the need for operators or working equipment to enter the confined cabinet 111 to disassemble and assemble the reactor 121, operators or working equipment can operate and move the reactor 121 from outside the cabinet 111 through the first opening 1113, which helps to reduce the obstruction of the cabinet 111 or the components inside the cabinet 111 to the reactor 121, achieving the effect of facilitating operation.

[0046] Understandably, the cabinet 111 is equipped with loading and unloading devices and other equipment that work in conjunction with the purification device 11 on the side away from the reaction device 12. During maintenance, the reactor 121 and other related components are moved out through the first opening 1113, and the cabinet 111 is moved out along the side away from the reaction device 12, avoiding the need to disassemble the loading and unloading devices and other equipment outside the cabinet 111, thus improving maintenance efficiency.

[0047] Meanwhile, when the quartz tube inside the reactor 121 is being maintained, it can be maintained or replaced using the same operating method as described above for the reactor 121.

[0048] In some embodiments, please refer to Figure 4 The boat propulsion assembly 1122 includes a boat propeller 1123 for carrying a vehicle. One end of the boat propeller 1123 is connected to a slider 1124. The boat propeller 1123 extends from the slider 1124 toward the reactor 121 in a second horizontal direction, so that the boat propeller 1123 can carry multiple relatively small vehicles or the boat propeller 1123 can stably carry relatively large vehicles.

[0049] In some embodiments, the pusher 1123 and the slider 1124 are detachably connected so that when the reactor 121 or the quartz tube needs to be replaced, the pusher 1123 can be removed from the slider 1124 and the removed pusher 1123 can be moved out of the cabinet 111 to clear the space inside the cabinet 111. This also reduces the risk of the pusher 1123 interfering with the reactor 121 or the quartz tube entering the cabinet 111.

[0050] In some embodiments, the length of the slide rail 1121 is greater than the length of the reactor 121, so that the slider 1124 moves to the end of the slide rail 1121 away from the reaction device 12, thereby reducing the risk of interference between the slider 1124 and the reactor 121 entering the cabinet 111.

[0051] In other embodiments, the slider 1124 is fixedly connected to the propeller 1123. The slider 1124 drives the propeller 1123 to move to the end of the slide rail 1121 away from the reaction device 12, so that the propeller 1123 avoids the reactor 121 entering the cabinet 111.

[0052] In some embodiments, the slide rail 1121 is rotatably connected to the column 1110, and the slide rail 1121 rotates relative to the cabinet 111 along an axis parallel to the second horizontal direction. For example... Figure 2As shown, S represents the direction of rotation of the slide rail 1121. By driving the slide rail 1121 to rotate from the pusher area 1111 to the storage area 1112, and driving the pusher mechanism 112 to rotate as a whole, the pusher mechanism 112 can be made to avoid the pusher area 1111 without dismantling the pusher mechanism 112. This helps to reduce the risk of interference between the pusher mechanism 112 and the reactor 121 or the quartz tube when the reactor 121 or the quartz tube moves to the pusher area 1111 along the second horizontal direction.

[0053] In some embodiments, the slide rail 1121 is rotated by manual drive or by a power device.

[0054] In some embodiments, the boat pushing mechanism 112 further includes a boat pushing driver (not identified), which is disposed on the slide rail 1121 and connected to the slider 1124. The boat pushing driver is a driving element with output reciprocating force, such as a cylinder, hydraulic cylinder, electric actuator, lead screw module or motor synchronous belt module, so as to realize that the boat pushing driver drives the slider 1124 to move and drives the boat pushing assembly 1122 to reciprocate on the slide rail 1121.

[0055] In some embodiments, the number of reactors 121 is two or more, and the number of boat-pushing mechanisms 112 is the same as the number of reactors 121. All reactors 121 are arranged sequentially in the vertical direction, and the boat-pushing assembly 1122 of one boat-pushing mechanism 112 is aligned with one reactor 121, so that one boat-pushing assembly 1122 can move the carrier into or out of the reactor 121.

[0056] In some embodiments, the length of the cabinet 111 is greater than its width, and the ratio of its length to its width is greater than 1 and less than 2. The length-to-width ratio of the cabinet 111 is 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 1.8 or 1.9.

[0057] In some embodiments, the length of the reactor 121 is greater than its width, and the aspect ratio is greater than 1.5 and less than 20. For example, the aspect ratio of the reactor 121 is 2.0, 2.5, 3.0, 3.5, 4.0, 4.5, 5.5, 6.0, 7.0, 8.0 or 9.0.

[0058] In some embodiments, the ratio of the width of the cabinet 111 to the width of the reactor 121 is greater than 2 and less than 10. For example, the ratio of the width of the cabinet 111 to the width of the reactor 121 is 2.5, 2.6, 2.7, 2.8, 2.9, 3.0, 3.5 or 4.0.

[0059] In some embodiments, the ratio of the length of the cabinet 111 to the length of the reactor 121 is greater than 1 and less than 2. For example, the ratio of the width of the cabinet 111 to the width of the reactor 121 is 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 1.8 or 1.9.

[0060] In some embodiments, please refer to Figure 2 The purification device 11 also includes at least one storage rack 113, which is disposed in the storage area 1112. Before silicon wafer processing, the storage rack 113 carries the silicon wafer to be processed. After the silicon wafer processing is completed, the storage rack 113 carries the processed silicon wafer to allow the silicon wafer to cool inside the cabinet 111.

[0061] In some embodiments, the number of storage racks 113 is two or more.

[0062] In some embodiments, please refer to Figure 2 and Figure 3 The purification device 11 also includes a boat-moving mechanism 114, which is located on the side of the boat-pushing assembly 1122 facing the storage rack 113. The boat-moving mechanism 114 transfers the silicon wafer between the storage rack 113 and the boat-pushing assembly 1122 so that the boat-pushing assembly 1122 can move the silicon wafer into the reactor 121.

[0063] In some embodiments, when a carrier is used to carry the silicon wafer, the boat-moving mechanism 114 moves the carrier together with the silicon wafer.

[0064] In some embodiments, please refer to Figure 3 The boat-pushing assembly 1122 and the slide rail 1121 are distributed along the first horizontal direction, and the boat-pushing assembly 1122 is positioned closer to the first opening 1113 relative to the slide rail 1121. By distributing the boat-pushing assembly 1122 and the slide rail 1121 along the first horizontal direction and distributing them along the Z-axis relative to the slide rail 1121, the boat-pushing assembly 1122 can avoid one side of the slide rail 1121 along the Z-axis. When there are two or more boat-pushing mechanisms 112, the distance between two adjacent boat-pushing mechanisms 112 can be increased, thereby reducing the risk of interference between the boat-pushing mechanism 112 and the silicon wafer. This facilitates the transfer mechanism 114 to move the silicon wafer along the first horizontal direction through the slide rail 1121 and between the storage rack 113 and the boat-pushing assembly 1122.

[0065] In some embodiments, the boat-moving mechanism 114 is a three-axis manipulator or a multi-axis manipulator.

[0066] In some embodiments, the purification device 11 further includes a cooling component (not shown), which is disposed inside the cabinet 111 to cool the processed silicon wafers, thereby shortening the time the silicon wafers are stored in the cabinet 111.

[0067] Furthermore, those skilled in the art should recognize that the above embodiments are merely illustrative of this application and are not intended to limit this application. Any appropriate changes and variations made to the above embodiments within the essential spirit and scope of this application fall within the scope of this application's disclosure.

Claims

1. A purification device for storing silicon wafers to be introduced into a reactor or silicon wafers removed from the reactor, characterized in that, The purification device includes: The cabinet has a push-boat area and a storage area, which are arranged along a first horizontal direction. The cabinet is equipped with a column located between the push-boat area and the storage area. A storage rack is provided in the storage area and is used to store the silicon wafers; A boat-pushing mechanism is located in the boat-pushing area and connected to the column. The boat-pushing mechanism is used to transfer the silicon wafer between the boat-pushing area and the reactor in a second horizontal direction. The first horizontal direction and the second horizontal direction intersect.

2. The purification device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The boat pushing mechanism includes a slide rail, a slider, and a boat pushing assembly, with the slider slidably connected to the slide rail. The boat-pushing assembly includes a boat-pushing paddle connected to the slider, the boat-pushing paddle extending along the second horizontal direction, and the boat-pushing paddle being used to carry the silicon wafer and transfer the silicon wafer between the boat-pushing area and the reactor.

3. The purification device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The propeller and the slider are detachably connected.

4. The purification device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The cabinet has a first opening on the side away from the storage area along the first horizontal direction.

5. The purification device according to claim 4, characterized in that, A door panel is movably provided on the outer surface of the cabinet, and the door panel is used to cover the first opening.

6. The purification device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The boat-pushing assembly and the slide rail are distributed along the first horizontal direction, with the boat-pushing assembly being closer to the first opening relative to the slide rail.

7. The purification device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The boat-pushing mechanism is rotatably connected to the column, and the boat-pushing mechanism can rotate relative to the cabinet along an axis parallel to the second horizontal direction.

8. The purification device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The purification device also includes a boat-moving mechanism, which is connected to the column and is used to transfer silicon wafers between the boat-pushing mechanism and the storage rack.

9. A photovoltaic material processing equipment, characterized in that, It includes a reaction device and a purification device as described in any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the reaction device and the purification device are arranged along the second horizontal direction; The reaction apparatus is configured to react with the silicon wafer.

10. The photovoltaic material processing equipment according to claim 9, characterized in that, The reaction apparatus includes a reactor extending along a second horizontal direction, the reactor being used to house the silicon wafer, the reactor being movable along the second horizontal direction from the reaction apparatus into the cabinet, and then moving out of the cabinet along the first horizontal direction from within the cabinet.

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