Non-Contact Flapper Isolation Valve for Corrosive Chamber Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional isolation valves in semiconductor processing have a short operational life due to damage from corrosive chemicals and thermal recombination heating, requiring complex cooling and protective shielding to prevent contamination and maintain functionality.
Innovation Solution
An isolation valve with a flapper assembly that forms a non-contact seal, using a pivotable flapper and shaft within a valve body, allowing for reliable operation in corrosive environments without elastomeric contact, thus preventing contamination and extending operational life.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional isolation valves use contact-based sealing mechanisms, then sealing effectiveness is achieved, but operational life is shortened due to damage from corrosive chemicals and thermal recombination heating
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the elastomeric contact seal from the valve system, replacing it with a non-contact magnetic field-based sealing mechanism. This eliminates the component that is directly damaged by corrosive chemicals and thermal heating, thereby extending operational life while maintaining sealing effectiveness through magnetic field interaction across a small gap.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a magnetic field as an intermediary between the valve components, using magnetic attraction force to maintain sealing across a non-contact gap. This magnetic intermediary allows sealing without direct physical contact, preventing chemical and thermal damage while maintaining isolation effectiveness.
2Reliability
If conventional isolation valves use elastomeric contact seals, then sealing is achieved, but design complexity increases due to required cooling and protective shielding
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the need for cooling systems and protective shielding by eliminating elastomeric contact seals that require such protection. The non-contact magnetic sealing mechanism inherently resists thermal and chemical damage, simplifying the overall valve design while maintaining sealing effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical contact-based sealing system with a magnetic field-based sealing system. This substitution eliminates the need for mechanical cooling channels and protective shielding structures, reducing design complexity while achieving reliable sealing through magnetic attraction force.
3Reliability
If non-contact seal is used to prevent contamination, then operational life is extended, but manufacturing precision requirements increase to maintain the seal gap
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the gap parameter to a specific range (0.05-0.2 inches) where magnetic attraction force is sufficient to maintain sealing while accommodating reasonable manufacturing tolerances. This parameter optimization balances contamination prevention with achievable manufacturing precision, avoiding excessively tight tolerance requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a dynamic magnetic field system that can adjust and maintain consistent sealing force across the gap despite manufacturing variations. The magnetic attraction force dynamically compensates for minor dimensional variations, maintaining effective sealing without requiring extremely precise manufacturing tolerances.
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 non-contact seal effectively prevents fluid flow between chamber units, reducing contamination and extending the operational life of the isolation valve, simplifying design and reducing manufacturing complexity and costs.
Implementation Method 1
The magnetic field may be generated by a permanent magnet, an electromagnet, or a combination of the two
Implementation Method 2
The electric field may be generated by a charged element, such as a capacitor plate or a charged rod
Implementation Method 3
The flapper shaft may include a hollow core configured to pass through a cooling fluid to cool the flapper shaft and the flapper
Implementation Method 4
A cooling loop may be disposed in at least one wall of the plurality of walls. The cooling loop may be configured to pass through a cooling fluid to cool the valve body
Data Source
AI summary
Described are isolation valves, and chamber systems incorporating and methods of using the isolation valves. In some embodiments, an isolation valve may include a valve body and a flapper assembly. The valve body may define a first fluid volume, a second fluid volume, and a seating surface. The flapper assembly may include a flapper disposed inside the valve body having a flapper surface complimentary to the seating surface. The flapper may be pivotable within the valve body to a first position such that the flapper surface may be away from the seating surface to allow fluid flow between the first fluid volume and the second fluid volume. The flapper may be pivotable within the valve body to a second position such that the flapper surface may be proximate the seating surface to form a non-contact seal to restrict fluid flow between the first fluid volume and the second fluid volume.