Gas-Injected Circulation Line for Rapid Phosphoric Acid Concentration
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing substrate treating methods using high-temperature aqueous phosphoric acid solutions are inefficient due to the lengthy process of adjusting the concentration of phosphoric acid, as evaporation of water primarily occurs at the solution's surface, slowing down the concentration adjustment.
Innovation Solution
A substrate treating apparatus with a liquid supply unit that includes a circulation line with a heater and a gas supply line, where gas is introduced downstream of the heater to accelerate water evaporation within the solution, reducing the time required to adjust the concentration of the treatment liquid.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If water evaporation is performed only at the water surface of the aqueous phosphoric acid solution in the housing, then the structure is simple, but the time required to adjust the concentration of phosphoric acid is long
Solution Approach 1:
The invention transitions evaporation from a two-dimensional surface process to a three-dimensional volumetric process by introducing a gas supply line that injects gas directly into the circulation line. This allows evaporation to occur throughout the bulk of the aqueous phosphoric acid solution, dramatically increasing the evaporation surface area and reducing the time required for concentration adjustment.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses gas injection (pneumatics) into the circulation line to accelerate water evaporation. The gas bubbles provide nucleation sites for evaporation and increase the liquid-gas interfacial area, enabling rapid concentration adjustment of the aqueous phosphoric acid solution without requiring complex heating systems.
2Productivity
If the aqueous phosphoric acid solution is heated to high temperature for concentration adjustment, then the evaporation rate increases, but the energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the evaporation mechanism from thermal-driven to gas-driven by introducing gas bubbles into the circulation line. This parameter change allows evaporation to occur at lower temperatures, maintaining high evaporation rates through increased gas-liquid interfacial area rather than relying on high thermal energy input.
Solution Approach 2:
By using gas injection to drive evaporation instead of relying solely on thermal heating, the system achieves high evaporation rates with reduced energy consumption. The gas bubbles provide extensive surface area for mass transfer, enabling efficient water removal at lower temperatures.
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
This approach improves substrate treatment efficiency by shortening the time needed to adjust the concentration of the treatment liquid, enhancing the overall processing speed and efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
Evaporation of water in the aqueous phosphoric acid solution is mainly performed within the housing 920. Since the aqueous phosphoric acid solution stored in the housing 920 is heated to a temperature higher than the boiling point of water, water evaporates from the water surface of the aqueous phosphoric acid solution
Implementation Method 2
the evaporation of water is performed only at the water surface of the aqueous phosphoric acid solution, it takes a long time for the concentration of phosphoric acid in the aqueous phosphoric acid solution to be adjusted to the set concentration
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a method of treating a substrate, the method comprising: heating a treatment liquid with a heater unit installed in a circulation line while circulating the treatment liquid in a housing of a tank through the circulation line coupled to the housing to adjust a temperature of the treatment liquid; evaporating water in the treatment liquid in the housing by heating the treatment liquid to a temperature higher than a temperature of water contained in the treatment liquid by the heater unit to adjust a concentration of a chemical liquid contained in the treatment liquid; and supplying the treatment liquid of which the temperature and the concentration are controlled to a substrate to treat the substrate, in which the evaporation of water from the treatment liquid stored in the housing is accelerated by supplying gas to the treatment liquid flowing through the circulation line.