Distributed on-line heating system and on-line heating method

Abstract

To provide a distributed on-line heating system for production lines to improve the low supply capacity and lack of flexibility of on-line heating systems. [Solution] The heating system of the present invention comprises a supply pump, a process tank, and at least two heating units connected between the supply pump and the process tank. The heating units include heating tubes, connecting pipes, and a first control valve, a second control valve, a third control valve, and a fourth control valve provided on the connecting pipes. The first control valve connects the output end of the supply pump to the input end of the heating tube. The second control valve connects the output end of the heating tube to the input end of the heating tube of the next heating unit. The third control valve connects the input end of the heating tube to the input end of the heating tube of the next heating unit. The fourth control valve connects the output end of the heating tube to the input end of the process tank and is arranged in parallel with the second control valve.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of semiconductor heating devices, and particularly to a heating system on a distributed production line and a heating method on a production line.

Background Art

[0002] Currently, in wet semiconductor devices, heaters on the production line are frequently used. Compared with offline heaters, heaters on the production line are smaller, and the continuity of liquid supply is ensured, which is advantageous for the continuous stability of the manufacturing process. In particular, the ability to operate continuously without switching contributes greatly to the continuous stability of the process.

[0003] However, while being small and capable of continuous supply, the heating system on the production line generally has low heating capacity, fixed supply parameters lacking flexibility, and the problem that once a failure occurs, it has a great impact on the entire manufacturing apparatus. Therefore, the application range of heating on the production line is limited, and wide-ranging applications are difficult.

[0004] To address the above drawbacks, currently common improvement measures include: (1) increasing the volume and output of the heater to cope with large flow rates; (2) configuring different heaters according to different process parameters for the same liquid agent for individual supply; (3) providing a spare heater and switching it in case of a heating failure to avoid stoppage. These customize the heating system according to the main problems of the apparatus and process characteristics, but when there is a process change, new design or replacement of the apparatus becomes necessary.

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a heating system on a distributed production line for improving the low supply capacity and lack of flexibility of the heating system on a production line in order to solve the above problems. Furthermore, a heating method on a production line is also provided. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] To achieve the above objective, a first aspect of the present invention provides a distributed on-production-line heating system having the following configuration.

[0007] The system comprises a supply pump, a process tank, and at least two heating units connected between the supply pump and the process tank, wherein the heating units are configured in a distributed connection manner.

[0008] The heating unit includes a heating pipe, a connecting pipe, and a first control valve, a second control valve, a third control valve, and a fourth control valve provided in the connecting pipe. The first control valve connects the output terminal of the supply pump to the input terminal of the heating tube; The second control valve connects the output end of the heating tube to the input end of the heating tube of the next heating unit; The third control valve connects the input end of the heating tube to the input end of the heating tube of the next heating unit; The fourth control valve connects the output end of the heating tube to the input end of the process tank and is installed in parallel with the second control valve.

[0009] Furthermore, the connection method includes the following: Each heating unit is connected to the others in parallel.

[0010] Furthermore, the connection method includes the following: connecting at least two heating units in series, and connecting the entirety of these two heating units in parallel with another heating unit.

[0011] Furthermore, the connection method includes the following: connecting all heating units in series.

[0012] Furthermore, the heating units are connected in parallel to form a parallel group, and in each heating unit, the first and fourth control valves are opened, while the second and third control valves are closed.

[0013] Furthermore, the heating units are connected in series to form a series group. In this group, the first control valve is open only for the leading heating unit, while the others are closed. The fourth control valve is open only for the terminal heating unit, while the others are closed. In the intermediate heating units, the second control valve is open and the third control valve is closed.

[0014] Furthermore, the connection method includes the following: a series or parallel connection of heating units, incorporating a switchable redundant heating unit to form a backup configuration for the heating units.

[0015] Furthermore, in the backup configuration, the redundant heating unit is connected in the middle of the series connection in an operating state with the first, third, and fourth control valves closed and the second control valve open; or, it is connected in a backup state with the first, second, and fourth control valves closed and the third control valve open.

[0016] Furthermore, the heating unit is equipped with a sensor, which is connected to the heating tube.

[0017] Furthermore, the sensor includes one or more of a temperature sensor, a flow sensor, a pressure sensor, and a current sensor.

[0018] Furthermore, the distributed production line heating system includes a controller, which is electrically connected to each heating unit and receives output information from sensors to adjust the connection method of the heating units.

[0019] Furthermore, all of the first through fourth control valves employ remote control.

[0020] Furthermore, the first to fourth control valves include one or more of pneumatic valves, electric valves, and fluid control valves.

[0021] A second aspect of the present invention provides a method for heating a production line using the aforementioned distributed on-production-line heating system. This method includes the following steps. • Sensors within the heating unit acquire heating information; ·The controller of the heating system on the production line receives heating information and controls the number and connection method of the heating units.

Advantages of the Invention

[0022] The present invention has the following technical effects. (1) It has a wide application range, is easy to switch, is easy to install and maintain, has high stability and reliability of the device, and has a small occupied area of the device. Therefore, it can be widely applied to wet manufacturing devices, improving the stability of product quality and reducing manufacturing and operation costs. (2) By combining the heating units in series and parallel, it is possible to supply multiple heating processes to the same heating system, and even simultaneously, greatly improving the process adaptability of the heating system. (3) Various heaters, pipes, and valves on the production line can be used, and it does not depend on the material and heating method, so it can meet the heating needs of any fluid medium. (4) The heating unit is composed of a combination of a heater unit and peripheral components, and a heating system is constructed by combining a plurality of such heating units. Therefore, the configuration is easy and can be installed quickly. (5) It has redundant heating units. When the sensor detects a failure of the heater, it can be immediately disconnected and replaced, and continuous temperature supply can be maintained. The instantaneous flow rate fluctuation due to switching is also small, and the stability of the system is high. (6) Each heating unit is decentralized and modularized, can be freely installed in the empty space inside the machine base, and is connected by pipes. Therefore, the existing space can be effectively utilized, no additional dedicated space is required, and the volume of the device can be greatly reduced.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0023] To more clearly understand the technical content of the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the attached drawings are briefly described below. However, the following drawings are only examples of the present invention, and those skilled in the art can obtain other drawings without creative efforts. [Figure 1]Configuration diagram of a heating system on a production line in the prior art. [Figure 2] Configuration diagram of a heating system on a distributed production line of the present invention. [Figure 3] Configuration diagram of a heating unit in a heating system on a distributed production line of the present invention. [Figure 4] Liquid flow path diagram when heating units are connected in parallel in the present invention. [Figure 5] Liquid flow path diagram when heating units are connected in parallel after being connected in series in the present invention. [Figure 6] Liquid flow path diagram part 1 when heating units are connected in series in the present invention. [Figure 7] Liquid flow path diagram part 2 when heating units are connected in series in the present invention.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0024] In the description of the present invention, terms related to positional relationships and directions such as "vertical direction", "horizontal direction", "up", "down", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "upper part", "lower part", "inner side", "outer side", etc. are based on the reference shown in the attached drawings, and are described for the purpose of easily understanding the present invention, and do not limit the configuration and operation of the actual device.

[0025] Figure 1 shows the configuration of a heating system on a conventional production line, which includes a main heater 1' and a standby heater 2', and both are configured with the same parameter settings. The main heater 1' is responsible for the normal liquid supply and immediately switches to the standby heater 2' by the valve 3' in case of a failure. With such a configuration, the stability of production is maintained even in case of a heater failure, but the following problems still remain unsolved.

[0026] (1) In a device that requires a large flow rate and high temperature, a large-sized high-output heater must be adopted. Although its volume is smaller than that of an offline heater, it is difficult to exert the advantages of a heater on a production line, such as compactness and installation flexibility. (2) When the same medium is used in multiple processes under different conditions, it is necessary to prepare a separate heater for each process condition, which makes the entire system excessive and bulky. (3) When the process is changed, the existing heating system may not be able to adapt, severely impairing the system's flexibility.

[0027] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the distributed on-line heating system of this embodiment includes a liquid supply pump 2, a process tank 4, and at least two heating units 1 connected between them, the heating units 1 being configured in a distributed connection manner.

[0028] The heating unit 1 includes heating tubes 1-6, a connecting pipe 1-1, and first control valves 1-2, second control valve 1-3, third control valve 1-4, and fourth control valves 1-5 provided in the connecting pipe. The first control valve 1-2 connects the output terminal of the liquid supply pump 2 to the input terminal of the heating tube 1-6. The second control valve 1-3 connects the output end of the heating tube 1-6 to the input end of the heating tube 1-6 of the next heating unit 1. The third control valve 1-4 connects the input end of the heating tube 1-6 to the input end of the heating tube 1-6 of the next heating unit 1. The fourth control valve 1-5 connects the output end of the heating tube 1-6 to the input end of the process tank 4 and is arranged in parallel with the second control valve 1-3.

[0029] Furthermore, as a distributed connection method, each heating unit 1 can be connected in parallel to one another. In a parallel group, the first control valve 1-2 and the fourth control valve 1-5 of each heating unit 1 are opened, and the second control valve 1-3 and the third control valve 1-4 are closed.

[0030] Furthermore, as a distributed connection method, each heating unit 1 can also be connected in series. In a series group, only the first heating unit 1 has its first control valve 1-2 open, while the others are closed. Only the last heating unit 1 has its fourth control valve 1-5 open, while the others are closed. In the intermediate heating units 1, the second control valve 1-3 is open and the third control valve 1-4 is closed.

[0031] When redundant heating units are incorporated in series, the second control valve 1-3 is opened and the others are closed during operation. In standby mode, the third control valve 1-4 is opened and the others are closed.

[0032] When redundant heating units are incorporated into a parallel connection, in the operating state, the first control valve 1-2 and the fourth control valve 1-5 are opened, and the second control valve 1-3 and the third control valve 1-4 are closed. In the standby state, the third control valve 1-4 is opened, and the others are closed.

[0033] Redundant heating units can be placed not only in the middle of a series or parallel connection configuration, but also at the beginning or end, and the opening and closing configuration of the control valve is adjusted according to the installation location.

[0034] With this configuration, the distributed on-production line heating system of the present invention can handle multiple heating processes simultaneously or centrally, improving craftsmanship coverage. Furthermore, in the event of a heater failure, it is possible to immediately switch to a redundant unit, minimizing the impact on the entire system and ensuring high stability.

[0035] The heating unit 1 includes sensors 1-7. Sensors 1-7 are connected to heating tubes 1-6 and may include one or more types of sensors, such as temperature, flow rate, pressure, and current. Their placement is not limited and they can be mounted in any position.

[0036] The controller 3 is electrically connected to each heating unit 1 and receives output information from sensors 1-7 to adjust the configuration of the heating units.

[0037] The conduits 1-1 and control valves connecting the heating units are remotely controllable valves (pneumatic valves, electric valves, hydraulic valves, etc.). Controller 3 acts as the central control unit of the system, determining the heating configuration based on the input engineering parameters and the outputs of sensors 1-7.

[0038] The supply pump 2 allows for adjustment of the supply amount via inverter control, and this system can handle all fluid heating regardless of the material or heating method of the heater, piping, and valves.

[0039] This system employs a configuration with multiple small heaters, and through coordination with sensors 1-7, pipeline 1-1, and controller 3, it realizes a heating system with variable flow rate and output. Switching between heating units is also rapid, significantly improving upon the shortcomings of conventional on-line heating.

[0040] Each heating unit is compact and can be distributed and installed at any desired location via piping connections, allowing for efficient use of space within the device.

[0041] In the example shown in Figure 4, four heating units 1 are connected in parallel, with the first and fourth control valves open and the second and third control valves closed. This configuration achieves the maximum liquid flow rate.

[0042] As shown in Figure 5, in this system, the first two heating units 1 are connected in series to form the first series group, and the second two heating units 1 are also connected in series to form the second series group, and both groups are connected in parallel. In each series group, the first heating unit 1 has its first control valve 1-2 and second control valve 1-3 open, and its third control valve 1-4 and fourth control valve 1-5 closed. In the second heating unit 1, its fourth control valve 1-5 is open, and all other control valves are closed. This configuration allows for the equal distribution of flow rate and temperature.

[0043] As shown in Figure 6, the system has the first three heating units 1 connected in series, and a fourth heating unit 1 connected in a standby state as a redundant unit. Specifically, in the first heating unit 1, the first control valve 1-2 and the second control valve 1-3 are open, and the third control valve 1-4 and the fourth control valve 1-5 are closed. In the second heating unit 1, the second control valve 1-3 is open, and the others are closed. In the third heating unit 1, the fourth control valve 1-5 is open. The redundant fourth heating unit 1 has all its control valves closed and is incorporated into the series connection in a standby state.

[0044] As shown in Figure 7, if the third heating unit 1 fails, the fourth heating unit 1 is switched to the operating state, and the first, second, and fourth heating units 1 are connected in series. The third heating unit 1 is placed in a non-operating state. Specifically, in the first heating unit 1, the first and second control valves are open and the third and fourth control valves are closed. In the second heating unit 1, the second control valve is open and the others are closed. In the third heating unit 1, the third control valve is open and the others are closed. In the fourth heating unit 1, the fourth control valve is open and the others are closed.

[0045] The present invention further provides a method for heating a production line using the distributed on-production-line heating system described above. In this method, sensors 1-7 located in each heating unit 1 acquire heating information, and a controller 3 receives this information and controls the number and connection configuration of the heating units 1.

[0046] While the above embodiments are specific examples of the present invention, it is clear that various modifications and improvements can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. All of these fall within the technical scope of the present invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0047] Heating unit 1, liquid supply pump 2, controller 3, process tank 4, connecting pipe 1-1, first control valve 1-2, second control valve 1-3, third control valve 1-4, fourth control valve 1-5, heating tube 1-6, sensor 1-7

Claims

1. A distributed heating system on a production line, It includes a liquid supply pump, a process tank, and at least two heating units connected between the liquid supply pump and the process tank, The heating units are connected using a distributed connection method. The heating unit comprises a heating pipe, a connecting pipe, and a first control valve, a second control valve, a third control valve, and a fourth control valve provided in the connecting pipe. The first control valve connects the output terminal of the liquid supply pump to the input terminal of the heating tube. The second control valve connects the output end of the heating tube to the input end of the heating tube of the next heating unit. The third control valve connects the input end of the heating tube to the input end of the heating tube of the next heating unit. A distributed production line heating system characterized in that the fourth control valve connects the output end of the heating tube to the input end of the process tank and is provided in parallel with the second control valve.

2. The distributed on-production-line heating system according to claim 1, characterized in that the connection method is such that each heating unit is provided in parallel with the others.

3. The distributed on-production-line heating system according to claim 1, characterized in that the connection method is such that at least two heating units are connected in series, and the entire series-connected heating unit is connected in parallel with each of the other heating units.

4. The distributed on-production-line heating system according to claim 1, characterized in that the connection method is such that each heating unit is provided in series.

5. The distributed on-production-line heating system according to claim 2, characterized in that the heating units are connected in parallel to form a parallel group, and in each heating unit, the first control valve and the fourth control valve are in the open state, and the second control valve and the third control valve are in the closed state.

6. The distributed production line heating system according to claim 4, characterized in that the heating units are connected in series to form a series group, and in the series group, the first control valve is open only for the leading heating unit, the fourth control valve is open only for the terminal heating unit, and the second control valve is open and the third control valve is closed for the intermediate heating unit.

7. The distributed on-production-line heating system according to claim 1, characterized in that the connection method includes a redundant heating unit that can be automatically disconnected in a series or parallel connection of heating units, forming an alternative configuration for the heating units.

8. The distributed production line heating system according to claim 7, characterized in that, in the alternative configuration, the redundant heating unit is connected in a series configuration in an operating state with the first control valve, the third control valve and the fourth control valve in a closed state and the second control valve in an open state, or is connected in a series configuration in a standby state with the first control valve, the second control valve and the fourth control valve in a closed state and the third control valve in an open state.

9. The distributed production line heating system according to claim 7, characterized in that, in the alternative configuration, the redundant heating unit is connected in a parallel configuration in an operating state with the second and third control valves closed and the first and fourth control valves open, or is connected in a parallel configuration in a standby state with the first, second and fourth control valves closed and the third control valve open.

10. The distributed on-production-line heating system according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the heating unit further comprises a sensor connected to the heating tube.

11. The distributed on-production-line heating system according to claim 10, characterized in that the sensor includes one or more of a temperature sensor, a flow sensor, a pressure sensor, and a current sensor.

12. The distributed on-production-line heating system according to claim 10 further comprises a control device electrically connected to each heating unit, wherein the control device receives output information from the sensor and adjusts the connection method of the heating unit.

13. The distributed on-production-line heating system according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the first control valve, second control valve, third control valve, and fourth control valve are all remotely controllable.

14. The distributed on-production-line heating system according to claim 13, characterized in that the first control valve, second control valve, third control valve, and fourth control valve each include one or more of pneumatic valves, electric valves, and hydraulic control valves.

15. A heating method on a production line, using the distributed heating system on a production line described in any one of claims 1 to 14. A sensor inside the heating unit acquires heating information. A heating method on a production line, characterized in that a control device in the on-production-line heating system receives the heating information and controls the number of heating units and the connection method.

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