Plasma Gas Supply Layout for Low Vapor Pressure Gas Heating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing plasma processing apparatuses face challenges in maintaining the gas state of low vapor pressure gases, leading to liquefaction, increased operational costs, reduced mounting space, and safety concerns due to the use of heaters around gas pipes.
Innovation Solution
A plasma processing apparatus with a gas supply unit that includes separate boxes for low vapor pressure and normal gases, using heated air to maintain gas state and prevent liquefaction, and optimizing pipe arrangement to minimize space and energy consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If heaters are wound around gas pipes to prevent liquefaction of low vapor pressure gas, then the gas state is maintained, but the time required to wind heaters increases and the apparatus setup time becomes longer
Solution Approach 1:
The gas box is divided into a heating section and a non-heating section, with gas pipes selectively arranged in the heating section. This segmentation allows heaters to be installed only where needed (around low vapor pressure gas pipes) rather than all pipes, significantly reducing the time required to wind heaters while maintaining gas state reliability for gases that require it.
2Reliability
If heaters are wound around respective gas pipes to prevent liquefaction, then the gas state is maintained, but the volume of the gas box increases, causing interference with other components and reducing mounting space
Solution Approach 1:
The gas box is segmented into heating and non-heating sections, allowing compact arrangement where only necessary pipes occupy the heating section. This reduces the overall gas box volume compared to designs where all pipes must be accommodated with heaters, freeing up mounting space for other components.
3Reliability
If heaters are wound around gas pipes to prevent liquefaction, then the gas state is maintained, but power consumption during operation increases
Solution Approach 1:
Heaters are installed only in the heating section around specific low vapor pressure gas pipes that require temperature maintenance, rather than heating all gas pipes. This segmented heating approach reduces power consumption by eliminating unnecessary heating of gases that do not require it, while still maintaining reliability for gases that need temperature control.
4Reliability
If the volume of the gas box increases to accommodate heaters, then gas pipes can be heated, but gas purging efficiency is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The gas box is segmented into compact heating and non-heating sections, maintaining a small overall volume that preserves good gas purging efficiency. The heating section is precisely sized to accommodate only the pipes requiring heating, avoiding the volume increase that would occur if the entire gas box were enlarged to accommodate heaters for all pipes.
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 apparatus ensures high safety and reduced running costs by effectively maintaining gas state and improving gas purging efficiency while minimizing space and energy usage.
Implementation Method 1
the low vapor pressure gas passing through the pipe is maintained in a gas state by heating the gas
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a plasma processing apparatus having high safety whose running cost is reduced. The plasma processing apparatus includes: a vacuum container; a processing chamber disposed inside the vacuum container; and a processing gas line through which a processing gas is supplied into the processing chamber to form plasma in the processing chamber, in which the processing unit includes a plurality of pipes through which a plurality of types of gases flow respectively every type of gas, and a box body surrounding the pipes, and air whose temperature is adjusted to a predetermined range is supplied to the box body.