Drying apparatus

Abstract

The application relates to a drying device, which comprises a drying tank, a heating assembly and a gas suction member. The drying tank comprises a tank body, a gas suction port and a gas blowing port. A drying cavity is formed in the drying tank. A bearing station is formed on the bottom surface of the drying tank and is configured to bear a piece to be dried. The gas suction port and the gas blowing port are arranged on the side wall of the drying tank and are communicated with the drying cavity. The heating assembly is arranged on the bottom surface of the drying tank and comprises a plurality of infrared radiators configured to emit infrared radiation into the drying tank. The gas suction member is communicated with the gas suction port and the gas blowing port. The gas suction member is configured to suck out the gas in the drying cavity through the gas suction port and is also configured to blow the sucked-out gas into the drying cavity through the gas blowing port. The drying device disclosed by the application embodiment can avoid the problems of low heat energy utilization rate, long drying time and serious energy waste, can shorten the drying cycle while reducing the energy consumption, and can improve the drying efficiency of the battery piece.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of battery production equipment technology, and in particular to a drying device. Background Technology

[0002] In the manufacturing process of photovoltaic solar cells, wet chemical cleaning is a crucial step. After wet cleaning, liquid droplets adhere to the surface of the silicon wafer, which must be dried before proceeding to subsequent manufacturing processes to prevent moisture from causing product defects or contaminating the process chamber.

[0003] Currently, the industry commonly uses a pure hot air drying method. Multiple sealed drying tanks are equipped with electric heating elements and a blower system. When the drying unit is operating, the heating elements heat the air, and the blower then blows the hot air into the tank, extracting air from the drying tank and circulating it to the baskets carrying the silicon wafers, evaporating moisture from both the wafers and the baskets' surfaces. However, this traditional hot air drying method is energy inefficient and consumes a lot of energy. Furthermore, because the baskets carrying the silicon wafers also need to be dried, the drying cycle is too long, limiting overall production capacity. Utility Model Content

[0004] This application discloses a drying device that avoids the problems of low thermal energy utilization, long drying time, and serious energy waste. It can shorten the drying cycle while reducing energy consumption and improving the drying efficiency of battery cells.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, this application discloses a drying apparatus, which includes: A drying tank includes a tank body, an air extraction port, and an air blowing port. A drying chamber is formed inside the drying tank, and a bearing station is formed on the bottom surface of the drying tank. The bearing station is configured to bear the parts to be dried. The air extraction port and the air blowing port are respectively disposed on the side wall of the drying tank, and the air extraction port and the air blowing port are respectively connected to the drying chamber. A heating assembly is disposed on the bottom surface of the drying tank. The heating assembly includes a plurality of infrared irradiators, which are arranged at intervals along the width direction of the drying tank and extend along the length direction of the drying tank. The infrared irradiators are configured to emit infrared radiation into the drying tank. An air extraction device is provided, which is connected to the air extraction port and the air blowing port. The air extraction device is configured to extract gas from the drying chamber through the air extraction port and to blow the extracted gas into the drying chamber through the air blowing port.

[0006] As an optional implementation, the air extraction port is positioned close to the infrared irradiator relative to the air blowing port. The drying device also includes an air extraction pipeline, and the air inlet end of the air extraction component is connected to the air extraction port through the air extraction pipeline to extract the hot air generated by the heating of the infrared irradiator.

[0007] As an optional implementation, the air outlet is located above the bearing station and is oriented towards the bearing station. The drying device also includes an air blowing pipe, and the air outlet of the air extraction component is connected to the air outlet through the air blowing pipe to blow out the hot air extracted by the air extraction component from the air outlet.

[0008] As an optional implementation, there are multiple air inlets, which are respectively disposed on two opposite side walls of the drying tank along the width direction, and the multiple air inlets located on the same side wall are arranged at intervals along the height direction of the drying tank.

[0009] As an optional implementation, the infrared irradiation element is an infrared lamp tube, and the outer peripheral surface of the infrared lamp tube is a light-emitting surface. The drying device also includes a reflector, which is disposed on the side of the infrared irradiation element away from the bearing station. The reflector is configured to reflect the infrared radiation emitted by the infrared irradiation element toward the bearing station.

[0010] As an optional implementation, the drying device further includes: a plurality of support members disposed at the support station, the plurality of support members being arranged at intervals along the width direction of the drying device, the plurality of support members being used to support a plurality of the items to be dried, the support portion including a support portion and a clearance portion, the support portion being configured to support the items to be dried, and the clearance portion being configured to avoid the infrared radiation emitted by the infrared irradiation element.

[0011] As an optional implementation, the component to be dried is a basket that carries silicon wafers. The basket includes multiple support rods. The infrared irradiation component includes multiple first irradiation components and at least one second irradiation component. The multiple first irradiation components are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence with the multiple support rods. The first irradiation components are arranged below the support rods. The second irradiation components are arranged in the interval between two adjacent components and are arranged below the interval.

[0012] As an optional implementation, the drying apparatus further includes a receiving tank, which is stacked vertically with the drying tank, the receiving tank including a receiving cavity configured to receive the air extraction component.

[0013] As an optional implementation, the drying apparatus further includes: a temperature sensor disposed in the drying tank and configured to detect the temperature of the gas inside the drying tank; and a control unit electrically connected to the temperature sensor and configured to adjust the power of the infrared irradiator according to the temperature detected by the temperature sensor.

[0014] As an optional implementation, the drying device further includes a cover plate, which is movably disposed at the opening of the drying chamber and configured to open or close the drying chamber.

[0015] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of this application are: The drying apparatus provided in this application improves thermal energy utilization efficiency through the synergistic effect of direct heating by infrared irradiation and hot air circulation. Infrared radiation energy is directly used for moisture evaporation, rather than being dissipated in the heating intermediate medium and structure, thereby reducing the energy consumption cost per unit of production. Simultaneously, due to the immediacy of infrared radiation heating and the dehumidification capability of airflow circulation, the entire drying cycle is shortened, increasing the drying apparatus's capacity and overall production efficiency. The uniform and stable heat field and airflow also ensure the uniformity and reliability of the drying quality. Attached Figure Description

[0016] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a drying device in the prior art; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the drying apparatus provided in the embodiments of this application; Figure 3 for Figure 2 A magnified view of a portion of point A in the middle.

[0018] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures: 100-Drying device; 200-Item to be dried; b-Heating pack; 201-Support rod; 1-Drying tank; 11-Tank body; 1a-Drying chamber; 12-Exhaust port; 13-Blowing port; 2-Infrared irradiation element; 21-First irradiation element; 22-Second irradiation element; 3-Exhaust element; 31-Exhaust pipe; 32-Blowing pipe; 4-Reflector; 5-Bearing element; 6-Receiving tank; 7-Cover plate. Detailed Implementation

[0019] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0020] In this application, the terms "upper," "lower," "top," "bottom," "inner," "vertical," and "horizontal," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. These terms are primarily for the purpose of better describing this application and its embodiments, and are not intended to limit the indicated device, element, or component to having a specific orientation, or to be constructed and operated in a specific orientation.

[0021] Furthermore, in addition to indicating location or positional relationship, some of the aforementioned terms may also have other meanings. For example, the term "above" may also be used in some cases to indicate a certain dependency or connection relationship. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of these terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0022] Furthermore, the terms "set up," "equipped with," and "connected" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral structure; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, or an internal connection between two devices, components, or parts. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of these terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0023] Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," etc., are primarily used to distinguish different devices, components, or parts (which may be the same or different in specific type and construction), and are not intended to indicate or imply the relative importance or quantity of the indicated devices, components, or parts. Unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more.

[0024] In the manufacturing process of photovoltaic solar cells, wet chemical cleaning is a crucial step. After wet cleaning, liquid droplets adhere to the surface of the silicon wafer, which must be dried before proceeding to subsequent manufacturing processes to prevent moisture from causing product defects or contaminating the process chambers. Please refer to [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 1 , Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a drying device 100 in the prior art. The drying technology commonly used in the industry at present relies on the principle of hot air convection. The air is heated by an electric heating element b, and then the hot air is transported to the drying tank 1 by an air extraction element 3 to convectively heat the silicon wafers and baskets carrying moisture to achieve moisture evaporation.

[0025] However, the pure hot air drying method suffers from multiple energy losses due to limitations in its physical structure and heat transfer methods. The heating pack itself experiences surface heat loss during operation, and combined with heat dissipation in long-distance air ducts, the actual thermal efficiency of the drying device can only reach about 80%. A portion of the electrical energy from the heating pack is not used for effective moisture evaporation but is wasted through heat radiation and conduction, resulting in high energy consumption per drying cycle.

[0026] Secondly, regarding the drying sequence, the time required by the existing process far exceeds the actual time needed for the silicon wafers to dry completely. After the moisture on the silicon wafer surface has completely evaporated, the drying equipment still needs to run continuously, with the extra time mainly spent heating and drying the metal or plastic support baskets. The baskets have complex structures, large heat capacities, and their surfaces are not easy to dry completely. Therefore, a large amount of production time and energy is used for processing tooling accessories rather than the silicon wafers themselves, which severely restricts the overall production capacity of solar cells.

[0027] Based on this, this application discloses a drying device that avoids the problems of low thermal energy utilization, long drying time, and serious energy waste. It can shorten the drying cycle while reducing energy consumption and improving the drying efficiency of battery cells.

[0028] The technical solution of this application will be further described below with reference to the embodiments and accompanying drawings.

[0029] Please see Figure 2 , Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a drying apparatus 100 provided in an embodiment of this application. This application discloses a drying apparatus 100, which includes: The drying tank 1 includes a tank body 11, an air extraction port 12 and an air blowing port 13. A drying chamber 1a is formed inside the drying tank 1. A bearing station is formed on the bottom surface of the drying tank 1. The bearing station is configured to bear the workpiece 200 to be dried. The air extraction port 12 and the air blowing port 13 are respectively provided on the side wall of the drying tank 1, and the air extraction port 12 and the air blowing port 13 are respectively connected to the drying chamber 1a. A heating assembly is disposed on the bottom surface of the drying tank 1. The heating assembly includes multiple infrared irradiators 2, which are arranged at intervals along the width direction of the drying tank 1. The length of the infrared irradiators 2 extends along the length direction of the drying tank 1. The infrared irradiators 2 are configured to emit infrared radiation light into the drying tank 1. The air extraction component 3 is connected to the air extraction port 12 and the air blowing port 13. The air extraction component 3 is configured to extract the gas in the drying chamber 1a through the air extraction port 12 and to blow the extracted gas into the drying chamber 1a through the air blowing port 13.

[0030] The drying tank 1 is the main structure of the drying device 100. The drying chamber 1a formed inside the drying tank 1 provides a sealed and controllable spatial environment for the drying process, ensuring the stability of the process. The bearing station on the bottom surface of the tank 11 is used to stably support the parts 200 to be dried. The parts 200 to be dried can be flower baskets and silicon wafers to be dried.

[0031] Furthermore, an air extraction port 12 and an air blowing port 13 are respectively provided on the side wall of the drying tank 1. Both the air extraction port 12 and the air blowing port 13 are connected to the interior of the drying chamber 1a. The function of the air extraction port 12 and the air blowing port 13 is to establish an airflow circulation path. Gas is extracted from a specific position, while the guided gas is blown in from another position, thereby forming a directional and uniform airflow in the chamber. This avoids the local high humidity air masses that are easy to form during drying, and also avoids the problem of uneven drying and low efficiency caused by water vapor retention, ensuring that every surface of the silicon wafer and the basket is dried uniformly.

[0032] The heating assembly arranges multiple infrared irradiators 2 on the bottom surface of the drying tank 1. The multiple infrared irradiators 2 are arranged at intervals along the width direction, and the length direction of the infrared irradiators 2 is consistent with the length direction of the tank body 11. This arrangement ensures that the infrared radiation emitted by the infrared irradiators 2 can cover the entire bearing station above in a large area and uniformly.

[0033] It is understandable that infrared radiation has the characteristic of directly penetrating the air and radiating energy to opaque solid surfaces (such as flower baskets and silicon wafers). The infrared radiation energy is directly absorbed on the surface of the object and converted into heat energy, realizing rapid and active heating of the part to be dried 200. This reduces the large amount of energy and time loss required for preheating the air, and uses the heat energy directly for moisture evaporation instead of wasting it on heating the entire cavity air and metal structure, fundamentally improving the efficiency of heat energy utilization.

[0034] Optionally, the infrared irradiation element 2 can be a carbon fiber infrared lamp, a quartz infrared lamp, or a metal tubular infrared heater, etc. Different types of infrared irradiation elements 2 can be selected according to the material properties, absorption capacity, and process temperature requirements of the part to be dried 200.

[0035] The extraction unit 3 is connected to the extraction port 12 and the blowing port 13 via pipes, forming a closed-loop system. The extraction unit 3 extracts the humid, hot gas generated after infrared heating within the drying chamber 1a through the extraction port 12. Subsequently, the gas is blown back into the drying chamber 1a through the blowing port 13. This process achieves heat recovery and utilization, reducing the energy demand for continuously heating fresh air and demonstrating energy-saving advantages. Continuous airflow circulation quickly removes water vapor evaporated from the silicon wafer and basket surface, maintaining low air humidity within the chamber and thus accelerating the evaporation rate of moisture. The combination of extraction and blowing, along with the infrared radiation heating at the bottom, constitutes a synergistic drying mechanism of infrared radiation as the main heating method and airflow-assisted drying.

[0036] Optionally, the exhaust fan 3 can be a centrifugal fan, an axial fan, or other types of fan. The selection of the fan can be determined based on factors such as the volume of the drying chamber 1a, the required airflow velocity, and the air resistance, in order to meet the requirements of efficient exhaust and blowing.

[0037] Thus, the drying apparatus 100 provided in this embodiment improves thermal energy utilization efficiency through the synergistic effect of direct heating by the infrared irradiation element 2 and hot air circulation. Infrared radiation energy is directly used for moisture evaporation, rather than being dissipated in the heating intermediate medium and structure, thereby reducing the energy consumption cost per unit of production. Simultaneously, due to the immediacy of infrared radiation heating and the dehumidification capability of airflow circulation, the entire drying cycle is shortened, increasing the production capacity and overall efficiency of the drying apparatus 100. The uniform and stable heat field and airflow also ensure the uniformity and reliability of the drying quality.

[0038] Please see Figure 2 In some embodiments, the air extraction port 12 is positioned close to the infrared irradiator 2 relative to the air blowing port 13. The drying device 100 also includes an air extraction pipe 31, through which the air inlet end of the air extraction component 3 is connected to the air extraction port 12 to extract the hot air generated by the infrared irradiator 2.

[0039] Because the infrared irradiator 2 creates a high-temperature, high-humidity area in the surrounding space during operation, the exhaust port 12 is positioned close to the infrared irradiator 2. This allows the exhaust port 12 to directly and preferentially extract gas from the high-temperature, high-humidity area, ensuring that the gas rich in heat and water vapor is extracted immediately. This reduces the retention of high-temperature gas in the drying chamber 1a, avoids heat loss during transfer to other areas, and facilitates subsequent heat recovery and reuse.

[0040] The drying device 100 also includes an extraction pipe 31, through which the air inlet of the extraction component 3 is connected to the air outlet 12. The extraction pipe 31 forms a complete and closed airflow delivery channel. The extraction pipe 31 delivers the gas extracted from the air outlet 12 to the extraction component 3 with low loss, ensuring that the extracted heat-carrying gas can be completely guided to the extraction component 3, thus ensuring the efficiency of heat recovery.

[0041] Please see Figure 2 In some embodiments, the air outlet 13 is located above the bearing station and is oriented toward the bearing station. The drying device 100 also includes an air blowing pipe 32. The air outlet of the air extraction component 3 is connected to the air outlet 13 through the air blowing pipe 32 so as to blow out the hot air extracted by the air extraction component 3 from the air outlet 13.

[0042] The air outlet 13 is positioned above the support station and faces the workpiece 200 to be dried. This allows the recovered hot airflow blown from the air outlet 13 to be guided to the upper region of the workpiece 200, and to cover its surface from top to bottom using the kinetic energy and gravity of the airflow itself. This top-down blowing method helps to penetrate and flow through the complex structure of the support basket and the gaps between the silicon wafers inside, ensuring that the hot air makes full contact with all surfaces to be dried, thereby avoiding the existence of drying blind spots and improving the uniformity and thoroughness of drying.

[0043] The drying device 100 also includes an air blowing pipe 32, through which the outlet end of the extraction component 3 is connected to the air blowing port 13. The air blowing pipe 32 forms a channel for transporting the recovered hot air from the extraction component 3 to the air blowing port 13. The air blowing pipe 32 ensures that the hot air collected by the extraction component 3 and possibly pressurized can be efficiently and directionally transported to the predetermined blowing position, i.e., above the bearing station, avoiding energy loss of hot air during transportation and ensuring the stability of the airflow temperature, velocity, and flow field at the air blowing port 13.

[0044] Please see Figure 2 In some embodiments, there are multiple air inlets 13, which are respectively disposed on two opposite side walls of the drying tank 1 along the width direction, and the multiple air inlets 13 located on the same side wall are arranged at intervals along the height direction of the drying tank 1.

[0045] Multiple air inlets 13 are arranged on two opposite sidewalls of the drying chamber 1 along its width, allowing hot air to be simultaneously delivered from both sides of the workpiece 200 to be dried. This dual-sided airflow layout creates a more balanced and symmetrical airflow field across the cross-section of the drying chamber 1a. The combined airflow from both sides acts on the workpiece 200 located in the central support position, avoiding the problems of dead airflow, uneven pressure, or asymmetrical drying effects that can occur with single-sided airflow. This ensures that all parts of the workpiece 200 are uniformly exposed to hot air along its width, thereby improving the uniformity of drying.

[0046] Furthermore, multiple air outlets 13 located on the same sidewall are arranged at intervals along the height direction of the drying tank 1, so that the hot air is delivered to cover different heights. For the workpiece 200 to be dried with a certain height, such as a basket full of silicon wafers, the hierarchical structure at different heights may lead to differences in the drying rate of different parts. By setting air outlets 13 at different heights, hot air can be delivered from multiple points in the vertical direction at the same time, so that the hot air can directly and effectively reach and penetrate the upper, middle and lower parts of the basket, enhancing the overall coverage of the complex structure of the workpiece, ensuring that all silicon wafers from the top to the bottom of the basket can be fully swept by the circulating hot air, thereby accelerating the overall removal of moisture and preventing incomplete drying caused by local airflow obstruction.

[0047] Please see Figure 3 , Figure 3 for Figure 2 A partial enlarged view at point A. In some embodiments, the infrared irradiator 2 is an infrared lamp tube, and the outer peripheral surface of the infrared lamp tube is a light-emitting surface. The drying device 100 also includes a reflector 4, which is disposed on the side of the infrared irradiator 2 away from the bearing station. The reflector 4 is configured to reflect the infrared radiation emitted by the infrared irradiator 2 toward the bearing station.

[0048] The outer surface of the infrared lamp tube is entirely luminescent. However, in the drying device 100, only the infrared radiation directed towards the support station is effective for the drying process. Infrared radiation directed towards the bottom or sides cannot directly act on the workpiece 200 to be dried, resulting in energy loss. By arranging the reflector 4 on the side of the infrared lamp tube away from the support station, this portion of infrared radiation energy that would otherwise be wasted can be intercepted and collected.

[0049] The reflective element 4 uses the reflective properties of its surface to directionally reflect the received infrared radiation towards the bearing station, realizing the reuse of scattered light energy, converting ineffective infrared radiation into effective heating energy, improving the utilization efficiency of the energy emitted by the infrared lamp tube, and increasing the effective radiation flux reaching the surface of the workpiece 200 to be dried without changing the input power.

[0050] In addition, the reflective element 4 also helps to improve the uniformity of heating of the workpiece 200 to be dried. Because the reflective effect of the reflective element 4 can shape and guide the infrared radiation field to a certain extent, it compensates for the shadows or uneven illumination that may occur due to the complexity of the workpiece 200 to be dried, so that the basket and silicon wafer on the support station can receive more concentrated and uniform infrared radiation, thereby ensuring the consistency and reliability of the overall drying quality.

[0051] Please see Figure 2 In some embodiments, the drying device 100 further includes: a plurality of support members 5, the support members 5 are disposed at the support station, the plurality of support members 5 are arranged at intervals along the width direction of the drying device 100, the plurality of support members 5 are respectively used to support a plurality of items 200 to be dried, the support member 5 includes a support part and a clearance part, the support part is configured to support the items 200 to be dried, and the clearance part is configured to avoid the infrared radiation light emitted by the infrared irradiator 2.

[0052] The multiple carriers 5 are arranged at intervals along the width direction, so that multiple items to be dried 200, such as multiple flower baskets, can be stably positioned in the drying chamber 1a at preset, separate work positions. This ensures that each item to be dried 200 has an independent and controlled heating space, avoiding the problems of shading and uneven heating that may be caused by the items to be dried 200 approaching or contacting each other in the width direction, and helps to achieve uniform drying.

[0053] The support section provides reliable mechanical support, ensuring the stability of the part 200 to be dried during the drying process and preventing it from sliding or tipping over, thus ensuring the continuity and safety of the production process. The clearance section, through a hollow design, perforated structure, or the use of materials that transmit infrared radiation (such as specific ceramics or quartz), creates an unobstructed channel for infrared radiation, preventing the solid support structure from blocking some radiation, creating a heating blind spot at the bottom of the part 200, and causing energy reflection or absorption loss.

[0054] Please see Figure 3 In some embodiments, the component to be dried 200 is a basket that carries silicon wafers. The basket includes multiple support rods 201. The infrared irradiation component 2 includes multiple first irradiation components 21 and at least one second irradiation component 22. The multiple first irradiation components 21 are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence with the multiple support rods 201. The first irradiation components 21 are arranged below the support rods 201. The second irradiation component 22 is arranged in the gap between two adjacent components 5, and the second irradiation component 22 is arranged below the gap.

[0055] The support rods 201 of the flower basket are the main pathway for heat conduction, directly contacting the silicon wafer, and are also a key area where moisture easily accumulates. The first irradiation element 21 is positioned directly below each support rod 201, allowing infrared radiation energy to be concentrated to the maximum extent and projected vertically to the bottom of the support rod 201. This arrangement ensures that the support rods 201 can be heated quickly and efficiently as the primary heat conduction medium. Heat is then rapidly transferred from the support rods 201 to the silicon wafer, accelerating the heating and moisture evaporation process of the silicon wafer itself and the contact area between the silicon wafer and the support rods 201.

[0056] The radiation energy from the first irradiation elements 21 on both sides is insufficient to effectively cover the center of this area, which can easily lead to localized low temperatures in the gap between the two baskets. The infrared radiation emitted by the second irradiation element 22 can be vertically upward and directly act on the gap between the two support elements 5, that is, between the two baskets, ensuring that the adjacent sidewalls of the two baskets can receive sufficient energy supply, thereby eliminating the edge effect and uneven heating caused by the arrangement of workpieces during batch drying.

[0057] Please see Figure 2 In some embodiments, the drying device 100 further includes a receiving tank 6, which is stacked vertically with the drying tank 1. The receiving tank 6 includes a receiving cavity configured to accommodate the extraction component 3. The vertical stacking of the receiving tank 6 and the drying tank 1 achieves a compact overall structure for the drying device 100 through vertical spatial integration. Stacking the receiving tank 6 and the drying tank 1 vertically, rather than horizontally side-by-side, eliminates the need for the extraction component 3 to occupy additional factory floor space. This vertical integration design reduces the floor space occupied by the drying device 100 in the production line, improving equipment density and space utilization efficiency per unit factory area.

[0058] The receiving cavity provides a dedicated, isolated installation and operating space for the suction component 3. The receiving groove 6 achieves physical separation between the suction component 3 and the drying chamber 1, isolating the vibration and noise generated by the suction component 3 during operation from being transmitted to the drying chamber 1a, thereby avoiding potential damage to the silicon wafer caused by vibration and improving the working environment.

[0059] In some embodiments, the drying apparatus 100 further includes: a temperature sensor disposed in the drying chamber 1 and configured to detect the temperature of the gas in the drying chamber 1; and a control unit electrically connected to the temperature sensor and configured to adjust the power of the infrared irradiator 2 according to the temperature detected by the temperature sensor.

[0060] Temperature sensors provide real-time temperature monitoring data for the drying process. Located inside the drying chamber 1a, the sensors accurately sense the thermal environment within the chamber, converting temperature variables into quantifiable electrical signals. This allows operators or automated systems to precisely control the actual thermal field temperature during the drying process, providing a data foundation for accurate process control.

[0061] The control unit continuously acquires real-time data from the temperature sensor via electrical connection. Based on this data, it dynamically adjusts the power supplied to the infrared irradiator 2 using built-in control algorithms and logic. When the temperature sensor detects that the cavity temperature is lower than the process set value, the control unit issues a command to increase the power of the infrared irradiator 2, causing it to emit stronger infrared radiation to quickly raise the temperature. Conversely, when the temperature is detected to be too high, approaching or exceeding the safety limit, the control unit reduces the power of the infrared irradiator 2 or even temporarily shuts off heating to prevent overheating.

[0062] Please see Figure 2 In some embodiments, the drying device 100 further includes a cover plate 7, which is movably disposed at the opening of the drying tank 1 and is configured to open or close the drying tank 1.

[0063] The cover plate 7 improves the airtightness and thermal efficiency of the drying device 100 during operation. When the cover plate 7 is closed, it fits tightly with the opening edge of the drying tank 1, forming a closed drying chamber 1a. This physical isolation prevents free convection and heat exchange between the hot air inside the drying chamber 1a and the cold air in the external environment, retaining heat energy inside the chamber and reducing the need for additional energy replenishment due to heat loss. This reduces the operating energy consumption required to maintain the process temperature and improves the energy efficiency of the drying device 100.

[0064] The cover 7, installed in the drying chamber, enhances operational safety and process stability. During the drying process, the closed cover 7 forms a physical barrier, preventing operators from accidentally contacting high-temperature components or surfaces inside the drying chamber 1, thus avoiding potential burn risks and improving human-machine interaction safety. Simultaneously, the sealed environment isolates the chamber from potential disturbances caused by external airflow to the uniform flow field, and also prevents the entry of dust and other contaminants from the external environment, providing a stable and clean thermal environment for the drying process and ensuring product yield.

[0065] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this application, and are not intended to limit them. Although this application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some or all of the technical features therein. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application.

Claims

1. A drying apparatus, characterized in that, The drying device includes: A drying tank includes a tank body, an air extraction port, and an air blowing port. A drying chamber is formed inside the drying tank, and a bearing station is formed on the bottom surface of the drying tank. The bearing station is configured to bear the parts to be dried. The air extraction port and the air blowing port are respectively disposed on the side wall of the drying tank, and the air extraction port and the air blowing port are respectively connected to the drying chamber. A heating assembly is disposed on the bottom surface of the drying tank. The heating assembly includes a plurality of infrared irradiators, which are arranged at intervals along the width direction of the drying tank and extend along the length direction of the drying tank. The infrared irradiators are configured to emit infrared radiation into the drying tank. An air extraction device is provided, which is connected to the air extraction port and the air blowing port. The air extraction device is configured to extract gas from the drying chamber through the air extraction port and to blow the extracted gas into the drying chamber through the air blowing port.

2. The drying apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The air extraction port is positioned close to the infrared irradiator relative to the air blowing port. The drying device also includes an air extraction pipeline. The air inlet of the air extraction component is connected to the air extraction port through the air extraction pipeline to extract the hot air generated by the heating of the infrared irradiator.

3. The drying apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The air blowing port is located above the bearing station and is oriented towards the bearing station. The drying device also includes an air blowing pipe. The air outlet of the air extraction component is connected to the air blowing port through the air blowing pipe so as to blow out the hot air extracted by the air extraction component from the air blowing port.

4. The drying apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that, The number of air inlets is multiple, and the multiple air inlets are respectively disposed on two opposite side walls of the drying tank along the width direction, and the multiple air inlets located on the same side wall are arranged at intervals along the height direction of the drying tank.

5. The drying apparatus according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, The infrared irradiation element is an infrared lamp tube, and the outer peripheral surface of the infrared lamp tube is a light-emitting surface. The drying device also includes a reflector, which is disposed on the side of the infrared irradiation element away from the bearing station. The reflector is configured to reflect the infrared radiation emitted by the infrared irradiation element toward the bearing station.

6. The drying apparatus according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, The drying device further includes: Multiple support members are provided at the support station and are spaced apart along the width direction of the drying device. Each support member is used to support multiple items to be dried. Each support member includes a support part and a clearance part. The support part is configured to support the items to be dried, and the clearance part is configured to avoid the infrared radiation emitted by the infrared irradiation element.

7. The drying apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that, The component to be dried is a basket that carries silicon wafers. The basket includes multiple support rods. The infrared irradiation component includes multiple first irradiation components and at least one second irradiation component. The multiple first irradiation components are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence with the multiple support rods. The first irradiation components are arranged below the support rods. The second irradiation components are arranged in the interval between two adjacent components and are arranged below the interval.

8. The drying apparatus according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, The drying device further includes: A receiving tank, which is stacked vertically with the drying tank, the receiving tank including a receiving cavity configured to receive the air extraction component.

9. The drying apparatus according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, The drying device further includes: A temperature sensor is disposed in the drying tank and configured to detect the temperature of the gas inside the drying tank. A control unit, electrically connected to the temperature sensor, configured to adjust the power of the infrared irradiator based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor.

10. The drying apparatus according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, The drying device further includes: A cover plate is movably disposed at the opening of the drying chamber, and the cover plate is configured to open or close the drying chamber.

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