Temperature control device
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing temperature control devices for semiconductor manufacturing and precision processing face challenges in accurately regulating fluid temperature due to complex fluid behavior in tanks, which leads to large device sizes and inefficient temperature control.
Innovation Solution
A temperature control device comprising a smoother with a smoothing channel to reduce temperature fluctuations, a thermoregulator with a thermoregulating unit, and a feedback/feedforward control system using temperature sensors to accurately regulate fluid temperature, preventing device upsizing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a tank is installed upstream of a heater to regulate fluid temperature, then the temperature control function is provided, but the device size becomes very large and the fluid behavior is too complex to model accurately
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the temperature fluctuation smoothing function from a large tank and implements it through a compact smoother with a specific internal structure. The smoother contains a plurality of meandering channels that force the fluid to flow in a serpentine path, effectively smoothing temperature fluctuations while occupying minimal space. This replaces the conventional large tank upstream of the heater with a space-efficient alternative that performs the same function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms the temperature control approach by adding spatial dimensionality through meandering channels. Instead of using a large volume tank, the fluid is guided through a multi-dimensional serpentine path within a compact structure. The meandering channels create extended flow paths in a confined space, achieving temperature smoothing without requiring large device volume.
2Measurement precision
If a tank with temperature sensor upstream is used for temperature control, then temperature regulation is attempted, but the complex fluid behavior makes accurate estimation difficult and the device becomes large
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by smoothing the temperature fluctuations of the fluid before it reaches the heater. The smoother pre-regulates the fluid temperature by damping fluctuations through its meandering channel structure, so that the heater receives already-stabilized fluid. This preliminary temperature smoothing simplifies the control task and improves measurement accuracy without requiring complex control algorithms or large tanks.
3Quantity of substance
If a large tank is used to fulfill the tank function, then fluid storage capacity is sufficient, but the temperature fluctuation smoothing effect is inadequate and device size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses curved meandering channels instead of straight paths. The serpentine flow path through meandering channels creates continuous direction changes that enhance mixing and thermal equilibrium. The curved geometry of the channels forces the fluid to follow a serpentine route, improving temperature uniformity without requiring increased fluid volume or larger device size.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enables precise temperature regulation of fluids, reducing temperature fluctuations and preventing device enlargement by using a smoother to stabilize fluid temperature before it reaches the thermoregulator, allowing for effective feedforward and feedback control.
Implementation Method 1
a smoother including a first inlet into which a fluid flows, a smoothing channel through which the fluid having flowed from the first inlet flows in a meandering manner, and a first outlet from which the fluid having flowed through the smoothing channel flows out
Implementation Method 2
a thermoregulator including a second inlet into which the fluid having flowed out from the first outlet flows, a thermoregulating channel through which the fluid having flowed from the second inlet flows, a thermoregulating unit configured to regulate a temperature of the fluid flowing through the thermoregulating channel
Data Source
AI summary
A temperature control device includes a smoother including a smoothing channel through which fluid from a first inlet flows, and a first outlet from which the fluid flowed through the smoothing channel flows out, the smoother making a temperature fluctuation amount of the fluid in the first outlet smaller than that in the first inlet, a thermoregulator including a second inlet into which the fluid from the first outlet flows, a thermoregulating channel through which the fluid from the second inlet flows, a thermoregulating unit regulating a temperature of the fluid flowing through the thermoregulating channel, and a second outlet from which the fluid flowed through the thermoregulating channel flows out, calculating a temperature regulation amount of the thermoregulating unit, based on temperature of the fluid in the smoothing channel, and calculating the temperature regulation amount, based on temperature of the fluid at a position downstream of the second outlet.