Cooling liquid supply device and semiconductor processing equipment
The dual-circulation system consisting of a single compressor solves the problem of temperature control for tool and spindle coolant in semiconductor processing, achieving low-cost and high-efficiency temperature control.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202520214185.X
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2025-02-10
- Publication Date
- 2026-02-03
- Estimated Expiration
- 2035-02-10
AI Technical Summary
In existing technologies, the semiconductor processing requires separate cooling of the cutting tools and the spindle, which results in high equipment costs due to the use of two constant temperature chillers.
Two circulation loops are formed by a single compressor, and the flow rate is controlled by a valve assembly. The first and second evaporators are used to cool the coolant in the first and second containers respectively, and a single compressor is used to supply coolant at two different temperatures.
It enables the supply of coolant at two different temperatures under the same equipment cost, with a temperature control accuracy of ±0.1℃, thereby reducing equipment costs and improving cooling efficiency.
Smart Images
Figure CN223869508U_ABST
Abstract
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present application relates to the field of semiconductor processing, in particular to a cooling liquid supply device and a semiconductor processing equipment. BACKGROUND
[0002] A large amount of heat is generated in the process of semiconductor production, so a precise temperature control is needed by using a water chiller. Especially in the process of semiconductor grinding and cutting, two different water flows with different temperatures are needed to cool the cutter and the spindle respectively. To meet this requirement, two constant temperature water chillers are commonly used to supply water respectively, which is high in equipment cost. CONTENT OF THE INVENTION
[0003] The present application provides a cooling liquid supply device and a semiconductor processing equipment, which uses a single compressor to cool two containers, and is lower in equipment cost.
[0004] The present application provides a cooling liquid supply device, which comprises a compressor, a condenser, a first evaporator and a second evaporator, the compressor, the condenser and the first evaporator constitute a first circulation loop, and the compressor, the condenser and the second evaporator constitute a second circulation loop.
[0005] The cooling liquid supply device further comprises:
[0006] A valve assembly for controlling the flow of the first circulation loop and the second circulation loop.
[0007] A first container corresponding to the first evaporator and cooled by the first evaporator.
[0008] A second container corresponding to the second evaporator and cooled by the second evaporator.
[0009] In some embodiments, the valve assembly comprises a first electromagnetic valve arranged in the first circulation loop and used to connect the condenser and the first evaporator, and a second electromagnetic valve arranged in the second circulation loop and used to connect the condenser and the second evaporator.
[0010] In some embodiments, the first evaporator is arranged in the first container, the second evaporator is arranged in the second container, a first temperature sensor is arranged in the first container, and a second temperature sensor is arranged in the second container.
[0011] In some embodiments, the second evaporator is disposed outside the second container, the first evaporator is disposed outside the first container, and the coolant supply device further includes a first circulation pipe communicating with the first container and a second circulation pipe communicating with the second container. The first circulation pipe is connected to the first evaporator, and the second circulation pipe is connected to the second evaporator.
[0012] In some embodiments, the first container is further provided with a first heater, and the second container is further provided with a second heater.
[0013] In some embodiments, capillaries are provided in the first circulation loop and the second circulation loop, respectively.
[0014] In some embodiments, the valve assembly includes a first expansion valve disposed in the first circulation loop for connecting the condenser and the first evaporator, and a second expansion valve disposed in the second circulation loop for connecting the condenser and the second evaporator.
[0015] In some embodiments, the coolant supply device further includes a bypass valve connected in parallel with the compressor.
[0016] This application also proposes a semiconductor processing apparatus, including the aforementioned coolant supply device, and a machine base for mounting the coolant supply device.
[0017] In some embodiments, the semiconductor processing equipment further includes a processing spindle, the processing spindle having a first cooling channel for communicating with the first container; the coolant supply device further includes a cutting tool connected to the processing spindle, the cutting tool having a second cooling channel for communicating with the second container.
[0018] The coolant supply device and semiconductor processing equipment in this embodiment include a compressor, a condenser, a first evaporator and a second evaporator, a first container, a second container, a first temperature sensor and a second temperature sensor, and a valve assembly. The compressor, condenser, and first evaporator form a first circulation loop, and the compressor, condenser, and second evaporator form a second circulation loop. The first evaporator is used to cool the coolant in the first container, and the second evaporator is used to cool the coolant in the second container. By controlling the flow rates of the first and second circulation loops through the valve assembly, the coolant temperatures in the first and second containers can be maintained at the same or different set temperatures, which are then used to supply external machining spindles and cutting tools. The first and second temperature sensors are used to monitor the coolant temperature. Furthermore, this device and equipment use only one compressor, resulting in lower equipment costs. Attached Figure Description
[0019] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the coolant supply device in one embodiment of this application;
[0020] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the coolant supply device in another embodiment of this application.
[0021] Label Explanation:
[0022] 1. Compressor; 2. Condenser; 31. First evaporator; 32. Second evaporator; 41. First solenoid valve; 42. Second solenoid valve; 43. First expansion valve; 44. Second expansion valve; 51. First container; 52. Second container; 61. First heater; 62. Second heater; 71. Capillary tube; 72. Bypass valve; 81. First pump body; 82. Second pump body.
[0023] The purpose, features, and advantages of this application will be further explained in conjunction with the embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. Detailed Implementation
[0024] The solutions in the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments in this application, and not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in this application, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.
[0025] It should be noted that all directional indications in the embodiments of this application, such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc., are only used to explain the relative positional relationship and movement of the components in a specific posture as shown in the attached figure. If the specific posture changes, the directional indication will also change accordingly.
[0026] It should also be noted that when a component is described as "fixed to" or "set on" another component, it can be directly on the other component or there may be an intervening component present. When a component is described as "connected to" another component, it can be directly connected to the other component or there may be an intervening component present.
[0027] Furthermore, the descriptions involving "first," "second," etc., in the embodiments of this application 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 as "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 this must be based on the ability of those skilled in the art to implement them. If the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or impossible to implement, it should be considered that such a combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection claimed in this application.
[0028] This application discloses a coolant supply device, referring to... Figure 1 and Figure 2 The coolant supply device includes a compressor 1, a condenser 2, a first evaporator 31, and a second evaporator 32. The compressor 1, condenser 2, and first evaporator 31 form a first circulation loop, and the compressor 1, condenser 2, and second evaporator 32 form a second circulation loop. The coolant supply device also includes: a valve assembly for controlling the flow rates of the first and second circulation loops; a first container 51 for containing coolant, and the first evaporator 31 cools the coolant in the first container 51; a second container 52 for containing coolant, and the second evaporator 32 cools the coolant in the second container 52; a first temperature sensor located in the first container 51; and a second temperature sensor located in the second container 52.
[0029] By controlling the flow rates of the first and second circulation loops through valve assemblies, the coolant temperatures in the first container 51 and the second container 52 can be maintained at the same or different set temperatures, respectively, for supplying external machining spindles and cutting tools. The first and second temperature sensors are used to monitor the coolant temperature. Furthermore, this device uses only one compressor 1, resulting in lower equipment costs.
[0030] In some embodiments, the valve assembly includes a first solenoid valve 41 located in a first circulation loop for connecting the condenser 2 and the first evaporator 31, and a second solenoid valve 42 located in a second circulation loop for connecting the condenser 2 and the second evaporator 32. The refrigerant flow through the first evaporator 31 and the second evaporator 32 is controlled by respectively controlling the opening and closing of the first solenoid valve 41 and the second solenoid valve 42, thereby maintaining the water temperature in the water tank at a set temperature. When the coolant in the first container 51 reaches the set temperature, the first solenoid valve 41 can be closed, and the liquid refrigerant flows to the second evaporator 32, evaporates, exchanges heat, and then flows back to the compressor 1; when the coolant in both the first container 51 and the second container 52 has reached the set temperature, the first solenoid valve 41 and the second solenoid valve 42 are closed. By using a PID program to precisely control the opening and closing of the two solenoid valves, this system can provide two constant-temperature coolants at different temperatures, while maintaining the coolant temperature within an error of ±0.1℃.
[0031] Furthermore, the first evaporator 31 is located in the first container 51, and the second evaporator 32 is located in the second container 52. The first evaporator 31 and the second evaporator 32 can directly cool the coolant inside the container, which can save equipment space and has high cooling efficiency.
[0032] Furthermore, the second evaporator 32 is located outside the second container 52, and the first evaporator 31 is located outside the first container 51. The coolant supply device also includes a first circulation pipe communicating with the first container 51 and a second circulation pipe communicating with the second container 52. The first circulation pipe is connected to the first evaporator 31, and the second circulation pipe is connected to the second evaporator 32. The first circulation pipe includes a first pump body 81, and the second circulation pipe includes a second pump body 82.
[0033] The evaporator can be a coil evaporator installed inside a container, or it can be a plate heat exchanger, such as... Figure 2 As shown, adding a circulating water pump (first pump body 81 / second pump body 82) to draw water from the container to the plate heat exchanger, where it exchanges heat with the refrigerant to cool down before flowing back into the container, can also complete the cooling of the coolant. Placing the evaporator outside the container can avoid large temperature differences at different depths of the container due to excessively high cooling efficiency. The circulating water pump can accelerate the convection of the coolant inside the container, making the coolant temperature more uniform and reducing measurement errors.
[0034] In some embodiments, the first container 51 is further provided with a first heater 61, and the second container 52 is further provided with a second heater 62. Under certain operating conditions where the room temperature is lower than a set temperature, the coolant can be heated by the heaters. When the first heater 61 and the second heater 62 heat the coolant, the coolant can also flow in the first circulation pipe and the second circulation pipe, so that the temperature of the coolant in the same container is kept uniform and the temperature difference is reduced.
[0035] In some embodiments, capillary tubes 71 are respectively provided in the first and second circulation loops. The capillary tubes 71 are mainly used for throttling, regulating refrigerant flow and reducing refrigerant pressure. Specifically, the inner diameter of the capillary tube 71 is very small, which restricts the refrigerant flow through it. When high-pressure liquid refrigerant flows from the condenser 2 to the evaporator, it must pass through the capillary tube 71. Due to its narrow passage, the refrigerant velocity increases while the pressure drops sharply, thus achieving a pressure conversion from the high-pressure side to the low-pressure side. Furthermore, the capillary tube 71 can automatically adjust the amount of refrigerant entering the evaporator according to the system's operating conditions. The capillary tube 71 ensures a certain amount of superheated vapor at the evaporator outlet, preventing liquid refrigerant from directly entering the compressor 1, preventing liquid slugging, and protecting the compressor 1 from damage.
[0036] In some embodiments, the valve assembly includes a first expansion valve 43 located in a first circulation loop for connecting the condenser 2 and the first evaporator 31, and a second expansion valve 44 located in a second circulation loop for connecting the condenser 2 and the second evaporator 32. The expansion valve is primarily used to control the flow rate of liquid refrigerant entering the evaporator and simultaneously reduce its pressure. The expansion valve can adjust the refrigerant flow rate according to actual needs, ensuring optimal operating conditions within the evaporator, thereby improving overall refrigeration efficiency and performance. The aforementioned expansion valve can be a thermostatic expansion valve, which automatically adjusts the valve opening by sensing the superheat at the evaporator outlet using a temperature sensor. When the superheat increases, it means more refrigerant has evaporated, and the valve will open further to allow more liquid refrigerant to flow into the evaporator; conversely, it will close somewhat.
[0037] The aforementioned expansion valves can also be electronic expansion valves, which use an electric motor or solenoid coil to precisely control the valve position. They are typically used in conjunction with a controller, allowing for finer flow control based on feedback from multiple sensors. This provides higher response speed and accuracy, making them particularly suitable for applications with varying operating conditions or requiring rapid response. Furthermore, regardless of the type, the core function of an expansion valve is to reduce the pressure of the liquid refrigerant on the high-pressure side to the low-pressure side, allowing the refrigerant to absorb heat and evaporate into gas in the evaporator. The expansion valve adjusts the amount of refrigerant passing through it through internal mechanical structures or external control systems to maintain appropriate evaporation temperature and superheat, preventing evaporator icing or the compressor from drawing in liquid refrigerant (liquid slugging). For thermostatic and electronic expansion valves, they can adjust in real time according to load changes, ambient temperature fluctuations, and other factors to maintain stable system operation. By precisely controlling the refrigerant flow, expansion valves help optimize the evaporator's operating state and improve overall cooling performance. For electronic expansion valves, their high-precision flow regulation capability helps achieve more efficient energy utilization and reduce energy consumption.
[0038] In some embodiments, the coolant supply device further includes a bypass valve 72 connected in parallel with the compressor 1. The bypass valve 72 is typically operated by a mechanical or electronic control system in response to signals from sensors or controllers. These signals may be based on changes in parameters such as temperature, pressure, and superheat. When specific conditions are met, the bypass valve 72 automatically opens or closes to alter the flow path of the fluid. Mechanical bypass valve 72: relies on springs, diaphragms, or other mechanical structures to respond to changes in internal or external pressure, thus opening and closing the valve. Electronic bypass valve 72: accepts electrical signal commands from a PLC, microprocessor, or other automation system, using an electromagnetic coil or stepper motor to precisely control the valve position.
[0039] When maximum cooling capacity is not required, bypass valve 72 can open, allowing some refrigerant to bypass the evaporator or other heat exchange components and return directly to compressor 1 or other parts. This helps reduce the amount of refrigerant entering the evaporator, thereby reducing cooling capacity. By bypassing a certain amount of high-pressure refrigerant to the low-pressure side, bypass valve 72 helps maintain an appropriate pressure ratio within the system, preventing excessively high or low pressure problems caused by load changes. If excessive unevaporated liquid refrigerant is detected at the evaporator outlet (possibly due to a sudden drop in load), bypass valve 72 can quickly act to direct this liquid to a safe location, preventing it from being sucked into compressor 1 and causing liquid slugging. Furthermore, bypass valve 72 can also be briefly opened during initial equipment startup to help establish the necessary pressure differential, allowing the system to reach a stable operating state more quickly.
[0040] This application also proposes a semiconductor processing apparatus, including the aforementioned coolant supply device and a machine base for mounting the coolant supply device. Further, the semiconductor processing apparatus includes a processing spindle, which has a first cooling channel communicating with a first container 51; the coolant supply device also includes a cutting tool connected to the processing spindle, which has a second cooling channel communicating with a second container 52. The semiconductor processing apparatus can use a pump to deliver coolant from the first container 51 to the first cooling channel to cool the spindle. The semiconductor processing apparatus can use a pump to deliver coolant from the second container 52 to the second cooling channel to cool the cutting tool.
[0041] In this embodiment, the working principle of the coolant supply device is as follows: compressor 1, condenser 2, and first evaporator 31 constitute a first circulation loop, and compressor 1, condenser 2, and second evaporator 32 constitute a second circulation loop; the first evaporator 31 is used to cool the coolant in the first container 51, and the second evaporator 32 is used to cool the coolant in the second container 52. By controlling the flow rates of the first and second circulation loops through the valve assembly, the coolant temperatures in the first container 51 and the second container 52 can be maintained at the same or different set temperatures, which are then used to supply external machining spindles and cutting tools, respectively. The first and second temperature sensors are used to monitor the coolant temperature. Furthermore, using only one compressor 1 results in lower equipment costs.
[0042] The above are only some or preferred embodiments of this application. Neither the text nor the drawings should limit the scope of protection of this application. All equivalent structural transformations made using the content of this application's specification and drawings under the overall concept of this application, or direct / indirect applications in other related technical fields, are included within the scope of protection of this application.
Claims
1. A coolant supply device, characterized in that, It includes a compressor, a condenser, a first evaporator, and a second evaporator; the compressor, condenser, and first evaporator form a first circulation loop, and the compressor, condenser, and second evaporator form a second circulation loop; The coolant supply device further includes: A valve assembly for controlling the flow rates of the first and second circulation loops; A first container is used to hold coolant, and the coolant in the first container is cooled by the first evaporator; The second container is used to hold the coolant, and the coolant in the second container is cooled by the second evaporator; A first temperature sensor is disposed in the first container; A second temperature sensor is located in the second container.
2. The coolant supply device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The valve assembly includes a first solenoid valve disposed in the first circulation loop for connecting the condenser and the first evaporator, and a second solenoid valve disposed in the second circulation loop for connecting the condenser and the second evaporator.
3. The coolant supply device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The first evaporator is disposed in the first container, and the second evaporator is disposed in the second container.
4. The coolant supply device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The first evaporator is located outside the first container, and the second evaporator is located outside the second container. The coolant supply device further includes a first circulation pipe connected to the first container and a second circulation pipe connected to the second container. The first circulation pipe is connected to the first evaporator, and the second circulation pipe is connected to the second evaporator.
5. The coolant supply device according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that, The first container is further provided with a first heater, and the second container is further provided with a second heater.
6. The coolant supply device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first and second circulation loops are respectively equipped with capillaries.
7. The coolant supply device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The valve assembly includes a first expansion valve disposed in the first circulation loop for connecting the condenser and the first evaporator, and a second expansion valve disposed in the second circulation loop for connecting the condenser and the second evaporator.
8. The coolant supply device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The coolant supply device also includes a bypass valve connected in parallel with the compressor.
9. A semiconductor processing apparatus, characterized in that, It includes the coolant supply device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, and a machine for mounting the coolant supply device.
10. The semiconductor processing equipment according to claim 9, characterized in that, The semiconductor processing equipment further includes a processing spindle, which has a first cooling channel for communicating with the first container; the coolant supply device further includes a cutting tool connected to the processing spindle, which also has a second cooling channel for communicating with the second container.