Radiant Burner Sleeve Cracking Prevention via Insulating Layer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing radiant burners used in semiconductor and flat panel display manufacturing face challenges in efficiently processing effluent gas streams containing PFCs, as they are prone to premature failure due to frequent and short-duration idle periods, leading to cracking and inefficiencies in energy use.
Innovation Solution
A radiant burner design featuring a sintered metal fibre sleeve surrounded by a ceramic fibre insulating sleeve, with a temperature sensor and adjustable fuel-air mix ratio, which allows for efficient combustion and extended lifespan by maintaining consistent temperatures and accommodating thermal cycling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If the radiant burner is extinguished during idle periods to improve energy efficiency, then energy consumption is reduced, but the burner sleeve cracks due to rapid thermal cycling
Solution Approach 1:
A ceramic fibre insulating sleeve is introduced as an intermediary layer between the combustion chamber and the radiant burner sleeve. This insulating sleeve reduces thermal stress on the burner sleeve during rapid cycling, preventing cracks while allowing the burner to be extinguished during idle periods for energy savings.
Solution Approach 2:
The ceramic fibre insulating sleeve provides beforehand cushioning by absorbing and distributing thermal stress before it reaches the radiant burner sleeve. This protective layer prevents thermal shock damage that would occur during rapid ignition and extinction cycles, thereby extending the burner's operational life.
2Reliability
If the burner is designed to withstand thermal cycling, then reliability improves, but warm-up time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The insulating sleeve is positioned specifically at the rear portion of the combustion chamber where thermal stress is most severe during cycling. This localized insulation protects the burner sleeve without significantly impeding heat transfer during the warm-up phase, thus maintaining relatively fast startup times while improving durability.
3Reliability
If a metal fibre sleeve is used instead of ceramic, then resistance to thermal cycling improves, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The burner assembly uses a composite structure combining a sintered metal fibre sleeve with a ceramic fibre insulating sleeve. The metal fibre sleeve provides structural integrity and thermal cycle resistance, while the ceramic fibre insulation protects against thermal stress. This composite approach leverages the advantages of both materials to achieve reliable operation under rapid cycling conditions.
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 enhances energy efficiency, prevents cracking during frequent idle periods, and allows for substitution as a line-replaceable unit, improving warm-up time and maintaining performance comparable to existing ceramic burners while effectively treating effluent gas streams.
Implementation Method 1
combustion materials pass for combustion proximate to an inner combustion surface of the sintered metal fibre sleeve
Implementation Method 2
by providing an insulating sleeve, the temperature within the radiant burner and the temperature of an outer surface of the radiant burner remain comparable with existing ceramic burners
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
A radiant burner (8) and method are disclosed. The radiant burner (8) is for treating an effluent gas stream supplied through nozzles (12) from a manufacturing process tool, the radiant burner (8) comprises: a sintered metal fibre sleeve (20) through which combustion materials pass for combustion proximate to an inner combustion surface of the sintered metal fibre sleeve (part of 20); and an insulating sleeve (part of 20) made of sintered ceramic fibres and surrounding the sintered metal fibre sleeve and through which the combustion materials pass. In this way, a radiant burner (8) is provided which does not crack due to rapid cycling caused by frequent idle steps during which the burner is extinguished. Also, by providing an insulating sleeve, the temperature within the radiant burner (8) and the temperature of an outer surface of the radiant burner (8) remain comparable with existing ceramic burners. This enables the radiant burner (8) to be substituted in place of existing ceramic burners as a line-replaceable unit which does not suffer from cracking during such frequent and short-duration periods of process tool inactivity.