A flange assembly and a PECVD device using the same

Abstract

The utility model discloses a kind of flange assemblies, including whole circle flange and spliced flange, spliced flange can be disassembled into at least two pieces;Whole circle flange is sleeved in external pipeline, and whole circle flange is engaged with external end cover or external flange plate;Spliced flange is set to the side of whole circle flange deviating from external end cover or external flange plate, and adjacent spliced flange is coaxially connected with whole circle flange to form the complete annular that is adapted to whole circle flange.The flange provided in the utility model splits the originally single ring, large volume, large weight monomer flange into two layers of split body with smaller volume and lighter weight, and the spliced flange of multiple pieces is matched with whole circle flange, while meeting the required joint strength of flange engagement, technicians do not need to consider the coaxiality problem when assembling two layers of split body, and the difficulty of disassembly, installation and carrying process of flange is greatly reduced.The utility model further provides a PECVD equipment using the flange assembly.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of photovoltaic technology, and in particular to a flange assembly. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, PECVD, the mainstream technology in the photovoltaic industry, is limited by the ceiling height and floor area of ​​production plants, making it difficult to achieve significant breakthroughs in actual production capacity. Without altering the main PECVD design and carrier structure, the external frame and overall hardware of the reaction chamber can be redesigned, and the diameter of the reaction chamber pipes can be increased. This approach allows for a reduction in the space occupied by the equipment while still meeting production capacity requirements.

[0003] In related technologies, in order to meet the high production capacity requirements of the photovoltaic industry, the diameter of the reaction chamber has been gradually increased, resulting in excessive weight of the flanges connected to the opening of the reaction chamber, making it inconvenient to install and disassemble the flanges. Utility Model Content

[0004] The main objective of this invention is to provide a novel flange assembly structure that is easy to install and disassemble and is suitable for use in PECVD equipment with large pipe diameters.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, this utility model proposes a flange assembly, including a full-circle flange and a splicing flange, wherein the splicing flange can be disassembled into at least two pieces; the full-circle flange is fitted onto an external pipe and is engaged with an external end cap or an external flange plate; the splicing flange is disposed on the side of the full-circle flange away from the external end cap or external flange plate, and adjacent splicing flanges are connected end to end to form a complete ring that fits the full-circle flange, and each splicing flange piece is coaxially connected to the full-circle flange.

[0006] Optionally, it also includes a pipe sealing ring, which is fitted onto the external pipe, and a full-circle flange is fitted onto and tightened around the pipe sealing ring.

[0007] Optionally, a full-circle water-cooling channel is provided inside the entire flange, with the inlet of the full-circle water-cooling channel connected to an external cooling water source and the outlet of the full-circle water-cooling channel connected to an external cooling water recovery tank.

[0008] Optionally, it also includes an end cover sealing ring; a fitting groove is provided on the end face of the entire flange near the outer end cover or outer flange, the end cover sealing ring is embedded in the fitting groove, and when the entire flange is engaged with the outer end cover or outer flange, the entire flange presses against the end cover sealing ring.

[0009] Optionally, N splicing flanges are provided, each of which is an arc with a central angle of α = 360° / N, where N is a positive integer not less than 2.

[0010] Optionally, several splicing fixing holes are provided on each splicing flange, each splicing fixing hole is provided in a direction parallel to the axis of the external pipe, and adjacent splicing fixing holes are spaced apart; a whole circle of fixing holes is provided on the entire flange, and the whole circle of fixing holes corresponds to and is connected to the splicing fixing holes one by one. The external connector passes through the splicing fixing holes and the whole circle of fixing holes in sequence to connect each splicing flange to the whole circle of flange coaxially.

[0011] Optionally, a water-cooled channel is provided inside the splicing flange, with the inlet of the water-cooled channel connected to an external cooling water source; the outlet of the water-cooled channel is connected to an external cooling water recovery tank.

[0012] Optionally, it also includes a water-cooled pressure ring, with a pressure ring water-cooling channel opened inside the pressure ring. The inlet of the pressure ring water-cooling channel is connected to an external cooling water source, and the outlet of the pressure ring water-cooling channel is connected to an external cooling water recovery pool.

[0013] Optionally, a pressure ring groove is opened on the end face of each splicing flange near the entire flange ring. After the splicing flanges are spliced ​​together to form a complete ring, several pressure ring grooves are connected to form a complete annular pressure ring groove, and the water-cooled pressure ring is embedded in the annular pressure ring groove.

[0014] This utility model also provides a PECVD device, including a quartz tube, a first end cap, a second end cap, a first flange assembly, and a second flange assembly. The first flange assembly is sleeved on one end of the quartz tube and is engaged or disengaged from the first end cap. The second flange assembly is sleeved on the other end of the quartz tube and is engaged or disengaged from the second end cap. The first flange assembly and / or the second flange assembly use the flange assembly described above.

[0015] The beneficial effects of this utility model are as follows: The flange assembly provided by this utility model, by setting a full ring flange and a splicing flange separately, splits the original single-ring, large-volume, and heavy single flange into two smaller and lighter split parts. At the same time, in the flange assembly provided by this utility model, the splicing flange also cooperates with the full ring flange in a multi-piece assembly manner. When assembling the two split parts, technicians do not need to consider the coaxiality problem. The difficulty of disassembling, installing and transporting the flange assembly is greatly reduced. Attached Figure Description

[0016] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to specific embodiments and accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of a PECVD equipment using a flange assembly according to one embodiment of this application.

[0018] Figure 2 This is a partial structural diagram of a PECVD equipment using a flange assembly according to one embodiment of this application.

[0019] Figure 3 for Figure 2 A partially enlarged sectional view of section V1.

[0020] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a full-circle flange in a flange assembly according to one embodiment of this application.

[0021] Figure 5 This is a structural diagram of a flange assembly with an internal splicing water-cooling channel, according to one embodiment of this application.

[0022] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a single piece of the flange assembly without an internal water-cooling channel, as described in one embodiment of this application.

[0023] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram showing the disassembly of the splicing flange and the water-cooling pressure ring in a flange assembly according to one embodiment of this application, where no splicing water-cooling channel is provided inside.

[0024] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the assembly structure of a splicing flange without an internal splicing water-cooling channel applied in a PECVD equipment according to one embodiment of this application.

[0025] In the diagram, the components are: quartz tube: 1; first end cap: 2; second end cap: 3; first flange assembly: 4; second flange assembly: 5; full ring flange: 100; spliced ​​flange: 200; pipe sealing ring: 300; end cap sealing ring: 400; water-cooled pressure ring: 500; full ring water-cooled channel: 101; full ring fixing hole: 102; spliced ​​fixing hole: 201; spliced ​​water-cooled channel: 202; pressure ring groove: 203; pressure ring water-cooled channel: 501. Detailed Implementation

[0026] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this utility model clearer, the present utility model will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the following specific embodiments are only used to explain this utility model and do not constitute a limitation on this utility model.

[0027] PECVD equipment uses the internal space of a quartz tube as the main reaction chamber. End caps are installed at both ends of the quartz tube, with corresponding flanges. During operation, technicians first attach the two flanges to both ends of the quartz tube, adjusting their position and angle to align with the corresponding end caps. Then, bolts are used to connect and tighten the flanges to the end caps, connecting them together. With the end caps engaged, a sealed space is formed inside the quartz tube, serving as the reaction chamber for PECVD processing. After processing, technicians can loosen the bolts, disassemble the flanges and end caps, remove the processed photovoltaic workpiece from the reaction chamber, and replace either the quartz tube or the photovoltaic workpiece for the next processing cycle.

[0028] Without altering the main PECVD scheme, the structure of the photovoltaic workpiece or its photovoltaic carrier, increasing the diameter of the quartz tube in the PECVD equipment and redesigning the external frame and reaction chamber hardware to match the quartz tube diameter can help the PECVD equipment obtain a larger capacity reaction chamber, effectively improving the actual production capacity of the PECVD equipment.

[0029] In existing small-diameter PECVD equipment, small-diameter single-piece stainless steel flanges are typically used to connect small-diameter quartz tubes and their corresponding piping components. If the diameter of the quartz tube in the PECVD equipment is increased, the diameter of both the quartz tube and its corresponding piping components must increase accordingly, and the diameter of the matching single-ring stainless steel flange must also increase accordingly. This significantly increases the weight of the flange, making it inconvenient to transport and posing considerable challenges to its disassembly and installation. Furthermore, since PECVD equipment often applies significant heat to the reaction chamber inside the quartz tube during specific processing steps, the flange in contact with the quartz tube will also be exposed to a large amount of heat, requiring active heat dissipation measures. The additional heat dissipation structure further increases the overall volume and weight of the flange, causing significant inconvenience to its disassembly, installation, and transportation.

[0030] Please see Figure 1Based on the aforementioned technical problems, this specific embodiment provides a PECVD device, including a quartz tube 1, a first end cap 2, a second end cap 3, a first flange assembly 4, and a second flange assembly 5. The quartz tube 1 has an internal space. The first flange assembly 4 is sleeved on one end of the quartz tube 1, and the first flange assembly 4 is detachably connected to the first end cap 2 by external bolts. The second flange assembly 5 is sleeved on the other end of the quartz tube 1, and the second flange assembly 5 is detachably connected to the second end cap 3 by external bolts. After the first end cap 2 is connected to the first flange assembly 4, one end of the quartz tube 1 is covered by the first end cap 2. After the second end cap 3 is connected to the second flange assembly 5, the other end of the quartz tube 1 is covered by the second end cap 2. In this way, the quartz tube 1 is connected to the first end cap 2 and the second end cap 3 through the first flange assembly 4 and the second flange assembly 5 respectively, forming a sealed space inside the tube. The internal space of the quartz tube 1 can serve as a reaction chamber, providing a sealed processing space for specific PECVD processing steps. In particular, in the PECVD equipment provided in this specific embodiment, both the first flange assembly 4 and the second flange assembly 5 use the flange assemblies described below.

[0031] Please see Figure 1-3 In this specific embodiment, a flange assembly is used in the PECVD equipment. The flange assembly includes a full ring flange 100 and a splicing flange 200. The full ring flange 100 is sleeved on the quartz tube 1 and is connected to the first end cap 2 / second end cap 3 by bolts. The splicing flange 200 can be disassembled into at least two pieces, such as two, three, or four pieces. The number of detachable pieces of the splicing flange 200 is adjusted according to the diameter of the quartz tube 1. When the splicing flange can be disassembled into two pieces, each piece of the splicing flange 200 is an arc with a central angle of 180°. The splicing flange 200 is located on the side of the full ring flange 100 away from the first end cap 2 / second end cap 3. The adjacent pieces of the disassembled splicing flange 200 are connected end to end to form a complete ring that fits the full ring flange 100. Each piece of the splicing flange 200 is coaxially connected to the full ring flange 100.

[0032] It should be noted that the above-mentioned adaptation refers to the fact that the splicing flange 200 and the full ring flange 100 have the same or similar shape and size, so that the splicing flange 200 and the full ring flange 100 can simultaneously water cool and seal the furnace body, thereby enhancing the water cooling and sealing effect.

[0033] It should be noted that the external pipe can be a quartz tube 1, or other forms of approximately cylindrical furnace body structure. The external end cap can be a first end cap 2 or a second end cap 3.

[0034] As described above, technicians can increase the capacity of the reaction chamber in the PECVD equipment by increasing the diameter of the quartz tube 1, thereby increasing the production capacity of the PECVD equipment. To accommodate larger diameter quartz tubes 1, they are combined with corresponding diameter first end caps 2 and second end caps 3 to ensure that the first end caps 2 and second end caps 3 tightly cover the openings at both ends of the quartz tube 1. Therefore, flanges with larger diameters must be provided for the larger diameter quartz tube 1. The flange assembly provided in this specific embodiment is adapted to the larger diameter quartz tube 1. The flange assembly provided in this specific embodiment is divided into two separate layers: a full-circle flange 100 and a spliced ​​flange 200. The full-circle flange 100 is used to fit and tighten the quartz tube 1, facilitating the engagement of the full-circle flange 100 with the first end cap 2 / second end cap 3. This ensures that the first end cap 2 / second end cap 3 tightly covers the quartz tube 1, providing a sealed reaction chamber for the PECVD equipment to complete its processing steps. The spliced ​​flange 200, which is provided in conjunction with the full-circle flange 100, helps to increase the overall structural strength of the flange assembly based on the full-circle flange 100, ensuring a firm and secure connection. Furthermore, since each spliced ​​flange 200 is an incomplete arc shape, and each spliced ​​flange 200 is coaxially connected to the full-circle flange 100, there is no need to consider the coaxiality issue with the full-circle flange 100 or the quartz tube 1 during the specific installation process, making installation very convenient. In the specific manufacturing process, technicians can choose from various combinations, such as three spliced ​​flanges 200 connected with a central angle of 120° to form a complete ring, or four spliced ​​flanges 200 connected with a central angle of 90° to form a complete ring, depending on the specific processing requirements, the specific diameter of the quartz tube 1, and the disassembly and assembly operation specifications, to apply to this specific embodiment.

[0035] Please see Figure 1 , 3 -4. In this specific embodiment, the flange assembly further includes a pipe sealing ring 300, which is fitted onto the quartz tube 1. The full-circle flange 100 is fitted onto and tightened around the pipe sealing ring 300. The pipe sealing ring 300 helps to fill the gap between the full-circle flange 100 and the quartz tube 1, providing a more stringent airtight seal for the quartz tube 1. In specific implementations, those skilled in the art can select mature O-rings or other suitable and usable sealing rings from the prior art for this specific embodiment. The specific structure and working principle of the pipe sealing ring 300 itself are not within the scope of protection claimed in this application.

[0036] Please see Figure 3-4In this specific embodiment, a circular water-cooling channel 101 is formed inside the circular flange 100. The inlet of the circular water-cooling channel 101 is connected to an external cooling water source, and the outlet of the circular water-cooling channel 101 is connected to an external cooling water recovery tank. When processing a specified workpiece using a PECVD equipment, it is often necessary to heat the workpiece filled in the reaction chamber. Since the pipe sealing ring 300 is sleeved on the quartz tube 1 and the circular flange 100 is sleeved on the pipe sealing ring 300, the heat applied to the reaction chamber inside the quartz tube 1 during the specific processing will inevitably be transferred to the pipe sealing ring 300 and the circular flange 100. In order to help the pipe sealing ring 300 and the circular flange 100 dissipate heat in a timely and effective manner, in this specific embodiment, a circular water-cooling channel 101 is formed inside the circular flange 100. This circular water-cooling channel 101 can penetrate the circular flange 100 circumferentially. 0. External cooling water flows in from the inlet of the circular water-cooling channel 101, flows along the circular water-cooling channel 101, and finally flows out from the outlet of the circular water-cooling channel into the external cooling water recovery tank. During this process, the heat transferred to the pipe sealing ring 3300 and the circular flange 100 is further transferred to the external cooling water. By keeping the external cooling water flowing continuously along the circular water-cooling channel 101, the heat at the pipe sealing ring 300 and the circular flange 100 will be dissipated in a timely and efficient manner with the external cooling water, avoiding heat accumulation and damage to the sealing performance of the pipe sealing ring 300, and ensuring that the circular flange 100 can work stably for a long time without being deformed by heat.

[0037] Please see Figure 3 In this specific embodiment, the flange assembly further includes an end cap sealing ring 400. A fitting groove (not shown) is formed on the end face of the full-circle flange 100 near the first end cap 2 / second end cap 3. The end cap sealing ring 400 is embedded in the fitting groove. When the full-circle flange 100 is engaged with the first end cap 2 / second end cap 3, the full-circle flange 100 presses against the end cap sealing ring 400. The end cap sealing ring 400 helps to fill the gap between the full-circle flange 100 and the first end cap 2 / second end cap 3 when they are connected, further improving the sealing characteristics of the PECVD equipment.

[0038] Please see Figure 1-35. In one specific embodiment, each splicing flange 200 has several splicing fixing holes 201, each splicing fixing hole 201 is opened in a direction parallel to the axis of the quartz tube 1, and adjacent splicing fixing holes 201 are spaced apart; the entire ring flange 100 has a ring of fixing holes 102, the ring of fixing holes 102 and the splicing fixing holes 201 are connected one-to-one, bolts are selected as external connecting parts, the bolts are used to pass through the splicing fixing holes 201 and the ring of fixing holes 102 in sequence and out, the bolts are tightened with nuts, and each piece of splicing flange 200 is pressed against the ring of flange 100 to connect each piece of splicing flange 200 coaxially with the ring of flange 100.

[0039] Please see Figure 3-5 In one specific embodiment, a water-cooling channel 202 is formed inside the splicing flange 200. The inlet of the water-cooling channel 202 is connected to an external cooling water source, and the outlet of the water-cooling channel 202 is connected to an external cooling water recovery tank. In this specific embodiment, the splicing flange 200 is water-cooled in the form of self-water cooling, that is, a water-cooling channel 202 is formed inside the splicing flange 200 itself. Since each piece of the splicing flange 200 is independent, and each piece of the splicing flange 200 has a splicing water-cooling channel 202, the splicing water-cooling channel 202 in the disassembled splicing flange 200 has an independent water inlet and an independent water outlet. This design ensures that each piece of the splicing flange 200 can receive timely and effective heat dissipation, and also ensures that the disassembled splicing flange 200 can work independently. If a piece of the disassembled splicing flange 200 is damaged during use, the technician only needs to replace it with another spare splicing flange 200 piece that is the same as the damaged splicing flange 200 piece, and reassemble it to form a new splicing flange 200. Other splicing flange 200 pieces that originally matched the damaged splicing flange 200 piece can continue to be used if they are not damaged.

[0040] Please see Figure 6-8In one specific embodiment, the flange assembly further includes a water-cooled pressure ring 500. A pressure ring water-cooling channel 501 is formed within the water-cooled pressure ring 500. The inlet of the pressure ring water-cooling channel 501 is connected to an external cooling water source, and the outlet of the pressure ring water-cooling channel 501 is connected to an external cooling water recovery tank. Each piece of the spliced ​​flange 200 has a pressure ring groove 203 formed on one end face near the full ring flange 100. When the spliced ​​flange 200 is disassembled into two, three, or more pieces, the pressure ring groove 203 is also broken, appearing as an open groove segment. When the spliced ​​flange 200 is continuously spliced ​​to form a complete ring, several segments of the pressure ring groove 203 form a continuous, complete annular pressure ring groove 203, into which the water-cooled pressure ring 500 is embedded. An additional water-cooled pressure ring 500 is provided for the splicing flange 200, and a water-cooled channel 501 through the pressure ring 500 is used to provide water cooling for the splicing flange 200. This setting can help reduce the manufacturing difficulty of the splicing flange 200 and facilitate the planning and specific layout of the cooling water circuit.

[0041] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present utility model and does not limit the patent scope of the present utility model. All equivalent structural transformations made under the inventive concept of the present utility model using the contents of the present utility model specification and drawings, or direct / indirect applications in other related technical fields, are included within the patent protection scope of the present utility model.

Claims

1. A flange assembly, characterized in that, It includes a full-circle flange and a spliced ​​flange, wherein the spliced ​​flange can be disassembled into at least two pieces; the full-circle flange is fitted onto an external pipe and is engaged with an external end cap or an external flange plate; the spliced ​​flange is disposed on the side of the full-circle flange opposite to the external end cap or external flange plate, and the spliced ​​flange is coaxially connected with the full-circle flange to form a complete ring that is adapted to the full-circle flange.

2. The flange assembly as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a pipe sealing ring, which is fitted onto an external pipe, and a full-circle flange is fitted onto the pipe sealing ring and tightened around it.

3. The flange assembly as described in claim 2, characterized in that, A full-circle water-cooling channel is formed inside the full-circle flange. The inlet of the full-circle water-cooling channel is connected to an external cooling water source, and the outlet of the full-circle water-cooling channel is connected to an external cooling water recovery tank.

4. The flange assembly as described in claim 3, characterized in that, It also includes an end cap sealing ring; a fitting groove is opened on the end face of the full-circle flange near the outer end cap or outer flange, the end cap sealing ring is embedded in the fitting groove, and when the full-circle flange is engaged with the outer end cap or outer flange, the full-circle flange presses against the end cap sealing ring.

5. The flange assembly as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The splicing flange can be disassembled into N pieces, each of which is an arc with a central angle of α = 360° / N, where N is a positive integer not less than 2.

6. The flange assembly as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that, The splicing flange has several splicing fixing holes, each of which is opened in a direction parallel to the axis of the external pipe, and adjacent splicing fixing holes are spaced apart; the full ring flange has a full ring of fixing holes, and the full ring of fixing holes and the splicing fixing holes are connected one-to-one, and the external connector passes through the splicing fixing holes and the full ring of fixing holes in sequence, so as to coaxially connect each piece of the splicing flange to the full ring flange.

7. The flange assembly as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that, A water-cooling channel is provided inside the splicing flange. The inlet of the water-cooling channel is connected to an external cooling water source. The outlet of the water-cooling channel is connected to an external cooling water recovery tank.

8. The flange assembly as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that, It also includes a water-cooled pressure ring, in which a pressure ring water-cooling channel is formed. The inlet of the pressure ring water-cooling channel is connected to an external cooling water source, and the outlet of the pressure ring water-cooling channel is connected to an external cooling water recovery pool.

9. The flange assembly as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that, Each of the splicing flanges has a pressure ring groove on one end face near the entire flange ring. After the splicing flanges are spliced ​​together to form a complete ring, several segments of the pressure ring groove are connected to form a complete annular pressure ring groove. The water-cooled pressure ring is embedded in the annular pressure ring groove.

10. A PECVD apparatus, comprising a quartz tube, a first end cap, a second end cap, a first flange assembly, and a second flange assembly, wherein the first flange assembly is sleeved on one end of the quartz tube, and the first flange assembly is engaged with or detached from the first end cap; the second flange assembly is sleeved on the other end of the quartz tube, and the second flange assembly is engaged with or detached from the second end cap; characterized in that, The first flange assembly and / or the second flange assembly uses the flange assembly as described in any one of claims 1-9.

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