Zigzag Condensate Separation for Stable Semiconductor Exhaust Pressure
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Solution Overview
Problem
The pressure control valve group in the gas discharge system of semiconductor process devices is prone to instability and damage due to condensate water flowing back, affecting pressure control precision and chamber stability.
Innovation Solution
A condensate water separation device is installed at the outlet end of the pressure control valve group, featuring a zigzag gas passage with one-way drainage to prevent condensate water from flowing back, combined with heating and refrigeration mechanisms to enhance condensation and drainage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the pressure control valve group is directly connected to the exhaust pipeline without separation device, then the device structure is simple, but condensate water flows back into the valve group causing unstable pressure control and potential valve damage
Solution Approach 1:
The exhaust pipeline is segmented into separate functional zones: a high-temperature zone before the separation device and a low-temperature zone after. The condensate water separation device acts as a boundary between these zones, allowing independent optimization of each section and preventing condensate water from affecting the pressure control valve group.
Solution Approach 2:
The condensate water separation device serves as an intermediary component between the exhaust pipeline and the pressure control valve group. It intercepts and removes condensate water before the gas reaches the valve, protecting the valve from damage while maintaining system simplicity.
2Measurement precision
If condensate water is allowed to flow through the pressure control valve group, then the device structure remains simple, but the pressure control precision deteriorates due to valve instability
Solution Approach 1:
The separation device performs preliminary removal of condensate water before the gas reaches the pressure control valve group. By eliminating the harmful substance in advance, the valve operates in a clean environment, maintaining its precision and stability without requiring complex protective structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The separation device utilizes the temperature difference and condensation phenomenon to its advantage. By allowing condensation to occur in the separation chamber and then draining the condensate water, the system converts the potentially harmful condensation process into a beneficial separation mechanism that protects the valve group.
3Reliability
If a traditional linear gas passage is used in the separation device, then the structure is simple, but condensate water cannot be effectively separated from the gas flow
Solution Approach 1:
The gas passage is designed with a zigzag (curved) configuration instead of a straight linear path. This curved geometry creates changes in flow direction and velocity, promoting the separation of condensate water droplets from the gas stream through centrifugal forces and gravitational settling, thereby improving separation efficiency.
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 effectively prevents condensate water from entering the pressure control valve group, maintaining pressure control stability and extending the valve's service life by ensuring efficient separation of gas and liquid phases.
Implementation Method 1
a device body (1), which is provided therein with a zigzag gas passage, the gas passage including a plurality of passages sequentially communicated with each other along a gas flow direction
Implementation Method 2
at least one other passage of the plurality of passages having a gas inlet end and a gas outlet end lower than the gas inlet end
Implementation Method 3
a heating part (11), which is provided around the second connecting pipe (10)
Implementation Method 4
a refrigeration part (13), which is disposed around the third connecting pipe (12)
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4
AI summary
There is provided a condensate water separation device applied to a gas discharge system of a semiconductor process device, the gas discharge system includes an exhaust pipeline, a pressure control valve group (5) is disposed on the exhaust pipeline, and the condensate water separation device includes: a device body (1), which is provided therein with a zigzag gas passage, the gas passage including a plurality of passages sequentially communicated with each other along a gas flow direction, a gas inlet end (A1) of a most upstream passage (1a) being used as a gas inlet and configured to be connected to an outlet end of the pressure control valve group (5), a gas outlet end (A4) of a most downstream passage (1d) being used as a gas outlet and being higher than a gas inlet end of the downstream passage (1d), and at least one other passage having a gas outlet end lower than a gas inlet end; and a one-way drainage structure (7), which is connected to a joint between the at least one other passage having the gas outlet end lower than the gas inlet end and the passage downstream therefrom, and is configured to drain condensate water flowing through the one-way drainage structure (7). There is further provided a semiconductor process device, including a reaction chamber (34) and a gas discharge system, and the gas discharge system includes: an exhaust pipeline connected to the reaction chamber (34); a pressure control valve group (5) disposed on the exhaust pipeline; and the condensate water separation device having the gas inlet connected to an outlet end of the pressure control valve group (5).