Vacuum Pump With Integrated Abatement Function
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional exhaust gas treatment systems for semiconductor manufacturing face issues such as contamination of process chambers due to backflow of treated products, high energy consumption, large and expensive equipment, and complex maintenance requirements, as well as the need for additional control systems and heaters to prevent gas deposition.
Innovation Solution
A vacuum pump with integrated abatement function, featuring a dry vacuum pump with multistage rotors and attached abatement parts such as plasma, catalytic, or heater types, which treat exhaust gases at the interstage, reducing backflow and energy consumption, and allowing for modular, easily maintainable, and cost-effective operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the exhaust gas treatment apparatus is arranged at the upstream side of the vacuum pump, then products generated by exhaust gas treatment do not flow back to the process chamber, but the amount of gas to be treated increases due to inclusion of purge gas and diluent gas, leading to high energy consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The exhaust system is segmented into two separate treatment stages: first treating the process exhaust gas, then treating the purge gas and diluent gas separately. This allows selective treatment of only the necessary gas portions rather than mixing all gases together for treatment.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts and separates the purge gas and diluent gas from the main exhaust gas flow before treatment. By taking out these non-harmful gases separately, the system treats only the harmful process exhaust gas, significantly reducing energy consumption while maintaining contamination prevention.
2Quantity of substance
If the exhaust gas treatment apparatus is made large and installed fixedly, then treatment capacity is sufficient, but maintenance becomes difficult and costly requiring on-site component detachment
Solution Approach 1:
The exhaust gas treatment apparatus is divided into modular components that can be independently removed and replaced. The main body remains fixed for sufficient treatment capacity, while specific components can be detached for maintenance without requiring full apparatus removal.
Solution Approach 2:
The apparatus design incorporates universal connection interfaces and standardized components that allow easy replacement and maintenance. The system can accommodate different component configurations while maintaining the same treatment capacity, facilitating both fixed installation and maintenance operations.
3Reliability
If the exhaust gas treatment apparatus is installed fixedly, then stable operation is achieved, but breakdown forces process shutdown until repair completion
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the exhaust gas treatment apparatus with the vacuum pump system into an integrated unit. This combination allows the treatment apparatus to be replaced or maintained without separating complex connection systems, enabling faster repair and process continuity while maintaining stable operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates dynamic replacement capability where the treatment apparatus can be quickly swapped out during breakdowns. The integrated design with standardized interfaces enables rapid reconfiguration, transforming the fixed installation from a liability into an asset that supports quick maintenance operations.
4Manufacturing precision
If the exhaust gas treatment apparatus is designed according to specific kind and flow rate of inflow gas, then treatment efficiency is optimized, but large amounts of design, manufacturing, and evaluation work are required
Solution Approach 1:
The exhaust gas treatment apparatus is designed with universal treatment capabilities that can handle different kinds and flow rates of exhaust gas through a single standardized platform. This eliminates the need for separate design, manufacturing, and evaluation processes for each specific gas type, significantly reducing workload while maintaining treatment efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates adjustable parameters that allow optimization for different gas types and flow rates without requiring physical redesign. By changing operational parameters rather than manufacturing new apparatus, the system achieves treatment efficiency optimization with minimal design and manufacturing workload.
5Adaptability or versatility
If the vacuum pump and exhaust gas treatment apparatus are independent with respective controllers, then functional independence is maintained, but operational manipulation and maintenance become troublesome and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The control systems of the vacuum pump and exhaust gas treatment apparatus are merged into a single integrated controller. This maintains the functional independence of each component while simplifying operational manipulation to a single unified interface, eliminating the need to separately manage multiple controllers and reducing maintenance complexity.
6Reliability
If heaters are used to prevent deposition of products in the pipe and pump, then deposition is prevented, but initial cost and running cost for heaters are required
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and removes exhaust gas immediately after the vacuum pump before it can cool and cause product deposition in pipes. By taking out the gas promptly for treatment, the system eliminates the need for heaters in the piping system, preventing deposition without incurring heating costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary heating of exhaust gas within the treatment apparatus itself before gas enters the piping system. This preliminary action prevents subsequent cooling and deposition in pipes, eliminating the need for separate pipe heaters and their associated 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
Prevents contamination of process chambers, reduces energy consumption by minimizing gas treatment volume, enables easy maintenance and backup operations, and integrates abatement functions for efficient and cost-effective exhaust gas treatment.
Implementation Method 1
abatement parts such as plasma, catalytic, or heater types
Implementation Method 2
abatement parts such as plasma, catalytic, or heater types
Implementation Method 3
abatement parts such as plasma, catalytic, or heater types
Data Source
AI summary
A vacuum pump with abatement function which can prevent contamination of a process chamber without allowing products generated by exhaust gas treatment to flow back to the process chamber, and can reduce the amount of gas to be treated without allowing a purge gas and a diluent gas to be contained in an exhaust gas, and thus can achieve energy saving by reducing the amount of energy required for the exhaust gas treatment in an abatement part is disclosed. The vacuum pump with abatement function includes a vacuum pump to which at least one abatement part for treating an exhaust gas is attached. The vacuum pump comprises a dry vacuum pump having a pair of multistage pump rotors each of which comprises a plurality of rotors arranged on a rotating shaft, and the at least one abatement part is connected to an interstage of the multistage pump rotors.