Water Level Sensor Delay Circuit to Prevent False Low-Water Alarms
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Solution Overview
Problem
Sudden changes in water level during semiconductor fabrication processes can cause equipment malfunctions, leading to significant losses in product and production, and increasing the cost of semiconductor fabrication.
Innovation Solution
A system that includes a liquid reservoir and a sensor system configured to delay an alarm for a predetermined duration, preventing false low water alarms and ensuring that the semiconductor processing system is not shut down unnecessarily.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If immediate alarm signals are triggered upon detecting low water level, then response time is improved, but unnecessary equipment shutdowns increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary verification by implementing a delay mechanism before triggering an alarm. When the sensor detects a low water level condition, the system waits for a predetermined time period to confirm the condition persists before activating the alarm signal, thereby preventing false alarms from temporary fluctuations
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates feedback through the delay circuit that continuously monitors the water level condition during the delay period. If the condition resolves itself within the delay window, the alarm is suppressed, providing feedback-based verification before triggering a shutdown signal
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure describes a system configured to prevent a false low water alarm in a semiconductor processing system. The system includes a liquid reservoir configured to hold a liquid and a sensor system configured to delay an alarm for a predetermined duration of time. In some embodiments, the sensor system includes a sensor configured to determine a level of the fluid in the liquid reservoir and send a signal indicating the level of the fluid to an alarm system and a delay circuit coupled to the fluid level sensor and configured to delay the signal to the alarm system for the predetermined duration of time.