Functional Water Supply System with Buffer Tank Concentration Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing substrate cleaning systems for semiconductor fabrication waste functional water by discharging it until the gas concentration reaches a set range, leading to inefficiency and potential process failures due to inaccurate concentration measurement.
Innovation Solution
A system that includes a buffer tank for storing functional water, a concentration meter for precise measurement, and a return pipe to recycle water out of the set concentration range, along with a distributor and recovery pipe to minimize waste and ensure accurate gas concentration supply to the process unit.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If functional water is discharged until gas concentration reaches set range, then concentration control is achieved, but functional water is wasted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-dissolving gas in functional water within a buffer tank before supply to the process unit. The concentration meter measures gas concentration in advance, and water with inappropriate concentration is returned to the buffer tank for reprocessing, preventing waste by only discharging water that has already been properly prepared.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback control by using a concentration meter to continuously monitor gas concentration in the buffer tank and returning water with inappropriate concentration back to the buffer tank. This closed-loop feedback system ensures accurate concentration control while minimizing waste by reprocessing rather than discarding substandard water.
2Device complexity
If concentration meter is disposed adjacent to functional water generator, then measurement is simplified, but measurement accuracy decreases due to residual gas
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the extraction principle by separating the concentration measurement function from the water generation process. The concentration meter is positioned to measure water after it has been stored in the buffer tank, extracting the measurement point from the generator area where residual gas interferes with accurate measurement.
Solution Approach 2:
The buffer tank serves as an intermediary between the functional water generator and the process unit. It provides a controlled environment where gas dissolution can be completed uniformly before measurement, acting as a mediator that eliminates the interference of residual gas from the generator area.
3Ease of operation
If functional water is discharged to outside, then system operation is simplified, but environmental pollution increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies discarding and recovering by returning functional water with inappropriate gas concentration from the buffer tank back to the generator for reprocessing. This recovery approach prevents direct discharge to the environment, reducing pollution while maintaining system operation through automated recirculation and reprocessing.
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 system minimizes water waste and ensures accurate gas concentration supply, preventing process failures and enhancing cleaning efficiency by recycling water and continuously measuring concentration in the buffer tank.
Implementation Method 1
a functional water generator (100) generating the functional water by dissolving a gas in a deionized water
Implementation Method 2
a concentration meter (640) measuring the concentration of a gas dissolved in the functional water received in the buffer tank (500)
Data Source
AI summary
A supply system for supplying a functional water to a process unit which treats a substrate using the functional water is provided. In the system, the functional water generated in the functional water generator is supplied to a distributor through a functional water supply pipe. Thereafter, the functional water is supplied to the process unit while the process unit performs a process, and the functional water is returned to the functional water generator through a functional water returning pipe while the process unit does not perform a process. A buffer tank is installed in the functional water supply pipe and the concentration of the functional water is measured in a circulation line connected with the buffer tank. When the measured concentration of the functional water goes out of a set concentration range, the functional water is returned to the functional water generator through functional water returning pipe.