Movable Thermal Insulation for Crystal Puller Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing crystal puller cooling process is inefficient, requiring 5 to 9 hours for natural cooling, which prolongs production time and increases costs due to the need for multiple pullers to operate simultaneously, especially with the development of large-size monocrystalline silicon wafers.
Innovation Solution
A device comprising a crystal puller with a heating apparatus, a first thermal insulation structure, and a cooling apparatus including a jacking mechanism and a cooling pipe that can move into the puller to increase the distance between the insulation structure and the heating apparatus, allowing for the introduction of a cooling medium such as liquid or gas to accelerate cooling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If natural cooling is used for the crystal puller, then the structure is simple and operation is easy, but the cooling time is excessively long (5 to 9 hours)
Solution Approach 1:
A movable thermal insulation structure is introduced as an intermediary component between the heating apparatus and the external environment. This insulation structure can be dynamically adjusted during cooling to control heat transfer, serving as a mediator that regulates the cooling process without requiring complex active cooling systems
Solution Approach 2:
The thermal insulation structure is designed to be movable rather than fixed, allowing it to change position during the cooling process. This dynamic adjustment optimizes the cooling rate at different stages, enabling faster cooling while maintaining system simplicity
2Productivity
If the cooling time is reduced through active cooling methods, then production efficiency improves, but the device complexity and operation difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The movable thermal insulation structure is designed to automatically adjust its position based on temperature conditions or simple control mechanisms, reducing the need for complex operational intervention. The system essentially regulates its own cooling process, improving productivity while maintaining ease of operation
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling process utilizes changes in thermal insulation parameters (position, coverage area) to control the cooling rate. By adjusting the insulation structure's position, the system optimizes heat transfer parameters to achieve faster cooling without complex operational procedures
3Productivity
If multiple crystal pullers are deployed to maintain production efficiency, then production continuity is ensured, but production costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
By dynamically changing the thermal insulation parameters during the cooling process, the cooling time is significantly reduced. This allows single pullers to be reused more quickly, maintaining production continuity with fewer units and reducing overall production costs
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 reduces the cooling time of the crystal puller by approximately 2 hours, enhancing production efficiency by enabling quicker reuse and reducing production costs through accelerated heat dissipation.
Implementation Method 1
The cooling pipe is further configured to output a cooling medium to the cooling pipe to cool the crystal puller
Implementation Method 2
a first thermal insulation structure arranged in the crystal puller and located above the heating apparatus
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a device for manufacturing monocrystalline silicon and a cooling method thereof. The device includes a crystal puller and a cooling apparatus. A heating apparatus and a first thermal insulation structure are arranged in the crystal puller. The first thermal insulation structure is located above the heating apparatus. The cooling apparatus includes a jacking mechanism and a cooling pipe. The cooling pipe is capable of moving into or out of the crystal puller. When the cooling pipe enters the crystal puller, the cooling pipe is connected to the first thermal insulation structure, and the cooling pipe lifts the first thermal insulation structure through the jacking mechanism to increase a distance between the first thermal insulation structure and the heating apparatus, and a cooling medium is output to the cooling pipe to cool the crystal puller. The cooling medium may be liquid or gas.