JP2002228100A - Vessel opening/closing valve unit, and method for cleaning inside of vessel - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a cylinder painting tool capable of efficiently cleaning the inside of a cylinder, and a cylinder painting and internal-cleaning method. SOLUTION: This cylinder painting tool (11) comprises a suspender (14), a cylinder fitting part (12) to which the cylinder (1) can be fitted in an attachable/detachable manner, a cylinder connection opening (13a) communicated with a mouth (2a) of the fitted cylinder (1), an air outlet (16a) to which a suction pipe (21) is fitted in an attachable/detachable manner, an exhaust flow passage (17) reaching the air outlet (16a) from the cylinder connection opening (13a), and a control valve (18) for opening/closing the exhaust flow passage (17).

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a container opening / closing valve unit mounted on a container opening for opening and closing a container opening for filling or taking out a filling substance such as fluid or powder into or from a container. In particular, the present invention relates to a container opening / closing valve unit suitable for use in a container that needs to be cleaned so that the inside of the container is free of impurities. The present invention also relates to a method for cleaning the inside of a container using the container opening / closing valve unit. The container opening and closing valve unit of the present invention,
For example, it is used for opening and closing a container opening such as a gas filling port of a gas cylinder (container) filled with a gas for semiconductor production such as nitrogen, hydrogen, or argon. Further, the container opening / closing valve unit of the present invention is particularly conveniently used when carrying out the container inside cleaning method of the present invention for washing the inside of a container such as the gas cylinder.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a cylinder manufacturing plant, the inner surface of a cylinder is internally treated by sandblasting or the like.
The outer surface of the cylinder is baked and painted. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a state of the cylinder at the time of painting. In FIG. 3, a cylinder 1 is a container for storing gas used in a semiconductor manufacturing process or the like.
Has a cylinder main body 2 and a neck ring 3. The neck ring 3 is connected to the container opening 2 of the cylinder body 2.
It is fixed by caulking to the outer surface of a portion (a container opening) forming a, and a male screw is formed on the outer peripheral surface thereof. At the time of painting, a cap 4 shown by a two-dot chain line is attached to the neck ring 3 of the cylinder 1.
Are screwed together, and this cap 4 is
a. An eyebolt 6 is provided at the top of the cap 4 as a suspended tool. By suspending the eyebolt 6 on a suspending device such as a hook carried by a carrying device (for example, a chain conveyor) (not shown), the cylinder 1 is suspended, a coating process of applying a baking paint, and a heating and drying process of heating and drying the paint. Conveyed continuously to the process. A valve is attached to the container opening 2a of the cylinder 1 after painting, and the name of the gas to be filled is displayed on the outer surface of the cylinder using paint or the like, and the gas is carried into a gas filling factory.

As described above, unevenness is formed on the inner surface of the cylinder by sandblasting for removing dirt before coating the outer surface, and the unevenness cannot be removed on the uneven portion. And other particles (impurities) are attached. Therefore, in the gas filling factory, the cylinder 1 is heated to, for example, 70 to 90 ° C., and the inside of the cylinder is suctioned and washed at an elevated temperature. After the cleaning, a predetermined gas such as nitrogen, hydrogen, or argon is filled.

[0004]

In recent years, particularly in the manufacture of semiconductors, high-purity gas has been required, and it is desired to remove impurities such as particles from a cylinder before gas filling as much as possible. . It is known that the temperature at which the efficiency of water desorption from the inner surface of the cylinder increases is about 150 ° C. Therefore, in order to enhance the cleaning effect on the inner surface of the cylinder, the processing temperature at the gas filling factory must be reduced by one.
It is preferable to carry out at about 50 ° C. However, the heat-resistant temperature of the paint applied to the outer surface of the cylinder at the cylinder manufacturing plant is about 150 ° C., and the heat-resistant temperature of the paint indicating the name of the filling gas applied from above the paint is lower than that. Further, the packing of the valve mounted on the cylinder delivered from the cylinder manufacturing plant to the gas filling factory is also used having a low heat-resistant temperature. For this reason, the heating temperature of the cylinder at the time of heating and exhausting in the cylinder cleaning step in the gas filling factory is lower than that of about 150 ° C. where the cleaning efficiency is high.
~ 90 ° C is employed. As a result, the cleaning efficiency of the inside of the cylinder in the gas filling factory is low. Also,
In a gas filling factory, it is necessary to provide a cleaning step for cleaning the inside of the cylinder, so that the working time for producing the gas cylinder filled with gas becomes longer, and the cost for cleaning the cylinder becomes expensive.

In view of the above problems, the present invention has the following technical content (1) as a technical problem. (1) To provide a container interior cleaning method capable of efficiently cleaning the inside of a cylinder and a container opening / closing valve unit usable in the container interior cleaning method.

[0006]

Means for Solving the Problems (First Invention) The container opening / closing valve unit of the first invention has the following constitutional requirements (A01) to (A01).
(A07). (A01) A container connecting portion (12) detachably connected to an opening of the container (1), (A02) A hanging device (14) provided at an end opposite to the container connecting portion (12). , (A03)
A container connection port (13a) connected to the connected opening (2a) of the container, (A04) an exhaust port (16a) to which a suction pipe (21) is detachably connected, (A05) the container connection port (13a); ) And the exhaust port (16a), (A06) an on-off valve (18) for opening and closing the exhaust flow path (17), and (A07) opening and closing the on-off valve (18). Operation member (19).

(Operation of the First Invention)
The container opening / closing valve unit of the present invention suspends the suspended tool (14) on a transportable suspending member,
In a state where the container opening / closing valve unit and the container (1) are suspended by the suspending member, the baking coating process of the outer surface of the container (1) and the cleaning process of cleaning the inside of the container (1) are performed in succession. Can be transported. In the baking coating process, the work can be performed with the on-off valve (18) closed, so that the inside of the on-off valve (18) can be prevented from being stained with paint. Since the painted container (1) can be conveyed to a heating furnace in a suspended state, the outer surface of the container (1) can be heated and dried continuously to the painting operation. During heating and drying, the container (1) is heated, so that particles (impurities) attached to the inner surface of the container (1) are separated from the inner surface. Immediately after heating and drying in the baking coating step, while the temperature of the container (1) is high, a vacuum source can be connected to the exhaust port (16a). In this state, the on-off valve (18) is opened by the operating member (19) to communicate the vacuum source with the inside of the container (1). ) The inside can be cleaned.

(Second Invention) A method for cleaning the inside of a container according to a second invention is characterized by comprising the following steps (B01) to (B03). (B01) A container connecting portion provided with a container connection port (13a) provided at one end portion, and a hanging member (1) provided at the other end portion.
4) and an exhaust port (1) provided between the one end and the other end.
6a), an exhaust channel (17) connecting the container connection port (13a) and the exhaust port (16a), an on-off valve (18) for opening and closing the exhaust channel (17), and the on-off valve ( (B02) a mounting step of removably mounting the container opening / closing valve unit having an operation member (19) for opening and closing the container to the container with the container connection port (13a) connected to the opening of the container. B) The baking paint is applied to the outer surface of the container (1) in a state in which the container opening / closing valve unit is closed and the hanging member (14) is hung by a hanging member, and the painted container (1). (B03) a baking coating step in which the container (1) and the container opening / closing valve unit are carried out of the heating furnace, and the container is opened and closed immediately after the container (1) and the container opening / closing valve unit are carried out of the heating furnace. Ba Lube unit (16)
a) a washing step of washing the inside of the container (1) by connecting a) to an exhaust tube communicating with a vacuum source and opening the container opening / closing valve unit to exhaust the gas in the container (1).

(Operation of the Second Invention) The Step (B01)-
In the method for cleaning the inside of a container according to the second invention provided with (B03), in the mounting step, the container opening / closing valve unit is connected to the container (1) with the container connection port (13a) connected to the opening of the container (1). Removably attached to. In the baking coating step, baking paint is applied to the outer surface of the container (1) in a state in which the container opening / closing valve unit is closed and the hanger (14) is hung by a hanger.
The painted container (1) and the container opening / closing valve unit are carried into a heating furnace and heated and dried in the heating furnace. In the cleaning step, immediately after the container (1) and the container opening / closing valve unit are carried out of the heating furnace, the exhaust port (16a) of the container opening / closing valve unit is connected to an exhaust tube communicating with a vacuum source, and The inside of the container (1) is cleaned by opening the opening / closing valve unit and exhausting the gas in the container (1). The container opening / closing valve unit used in the method for cleaning the inside of a container includes a container connection portion provided with a container connection port (13a) provided at one end, a suspended member (14) provided at the other end, and An exhaust port (16a) provided between one end and the other end, an exhaust channel (17) connecting the container connection port (13a) and the exhaust port (16a), and the exhaust channel (17). An opening / closing valve (18) that opens and closes, and an operating member (19) that opens and closes the opening / closing valve (18), the hanging member (14) is suspended by a suspendable member that can be transported. In this state, the baking coating step and the cleaning step can be performed continuously.

[0010]

(Embodiment) Next, a specific example (embodiment) of an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a cylinder to which a container opening / closing valve unit of the present invention is attached. FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the container opening / closing valve unit. The cylinder 1 itself is the same as the conventional cylinder shown in FIG. 3, and a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

The container opening / closing valve unit 11 detachably attached to the cylinder 1 is provided with a neck ring 3 of the cylinder 1.
A cylinder mounting ring 12 serving as a container connecting portion to be screwed to the male screw portion 3a, a valve body 13 rotatably supporting the cylinder mounting ring 12, and a suspended body fixed to a bolt screwed to the top of the valve body 13. An eyebolt 14 as a lowering device, an exhaust cap 16 attached to the side of the valve body 13 and forming an exhaust port 16a, a container connection port formed on the lower surface of the valve body 13 and connected to the container opening 2a of the cylinder 1. 13a, container connection port 13a and exhaust port 1
6a, and an on-off valve 18 for opening and closing the exhaust flow path 17.

The cylinder mounting ring 12 includes the neck ring 3
And a flange 12b projecting inward from the upper end. A flange portion 13b is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the lower end of the valve body 13, and the flange portion 13b is rotatably engaged with the flange 12b of the cylinder mounting ring 12, and the cylinder mounting ring 12
Is prevented from falling off from the valve body 13 downward. The cylinder body mounting ring 12 is attached to and detached from the valve body 13 in FIG.
6, 19, etc.) are not mounted.

The exhaust base 16 has a valve body 1 of the on-off valve 18.
The sheet surface 16b with which 8a contacts is formed. The valve element 18a is attached to a shaft 18b, and the shaft 18b projects from the left side surface of the valve body 13 (ie, the side opposite to the side where the exhaust port 16a is disposed).
A valve operating handle (operating member) 19 is provided on the protruding portion of the shaft 18b so as to be immovable in the axial direction of the shaft 18b.
And it is rotatably attached to the shaft 18b. An external thread 19b is formed on the outer surface of the inner end 19a of the valve operating handle 19, while the external thread 19b is formed.
b is screwed into a female screw formed on the inner surface of the fitting hole 13c of the valve body 13. Therefore, the valve operating handle 19
When the is rotated clockwise, the valve operating handle 19 and the shaft 18
b and the valve element 18a move to the right, the on-off valve 18 opens, and the exhaust passage 17 opens. On the other hand, the valve operating handle 1
When the valve 9 is rotated counterclockwise in the opposite direction, the valve operating handle 19, the shaft 18b, and the valve element 18a move to the left, the on-off valve 18 is closed, and the exhaust passage 17 is blocked by the valve element 18a. Note that seals S1 to S, which are members that maintain airtightness,
9 is O of heat-resistant material (fluorine rubber, silicone rubber, etc.)
It is constituted by a ring, and is constituted by a member which does not deteriorate even in a heating furnace of a baking coating process of about 150 ° C. which will be described later.

(Operation of the Embodiment) The steps of painting and cleaning the cylinder 1 of the embodiment configured as described above will be described below. A chain conveyor (transportation device) not shown along the ceiling of the painting and washing plant (not shown)
Are arranged, and a plurality of hooks (hanging members) (not shown) are supported on the chain conveyor. The chain conveyor and the hooks are configured to sequentially circulate through an exhaust processing chamber, a coating chamber, and a drying chamber (not shown). (Mounting step) In order to remove rust and the like, the inner and outer surfaces of the cylinder 1 are surface-treated by sandblasting or polishing, and then the container opening / closing valve unit 11 is mounted on the cylinder 1 in a mounting step. That is, the cylinder mounting ring 12 of the container opening / closing valve unit 11 is screwed to the neck ring 3 of the cylinder 1, and the container opening 2 a of the cylinder 1 is covered with the container opening / closing valve unit 11. Then, the eyebolt 14 of the container opening / closing valve unit 11 mounted on the cylinder 1 is hung on the hook (hanging member).

(Pre-evacuation step) In the pre-evacuation step, a vacuum pump (not shown), which is a gas suction device (not shown), is provided to the exhaust port 16a of the container opening / closing valve unit 11 through an exhaust tube 21 for suction. And operating the valve operating handle 19 to open the on-off valve 18,
The air in the cylinder 1 is exhausted by operating the vacuum pump. That is, in the pre-evacuation step, the air in the cylinder 1 passes through the container opening 2a of the cylinder 1, the exhaust passage 17 of the container opening / closing valve unit 11, and the exhaust port 16a,
The gas is exhausted from the exhaust tube 21 to a vacuum pump. By this pre-evacuation step, the processing time in the subsequent high-vacuum evacuation step is reduced and oxidation of the inner surface of the cylinder 1 is prevented. Next, the valve operating handle 19 is operated to operate the on-off valve 18.
Is closed, and the exhaust tube 21 is removed from the exhaust port 16a.

(Bake Coating Step) In the bake coating step, the eyebolt 1 of the container opening / closing valve unit 11 is attached to the hook (hanging member) with the opening / closing valve closed.
4, the cylinder 1 is conveyed to the coating room by the chain conveyor, and the baking paint is applied to the surface of the cylinder 1 while the cylinder 1 is suspended in the coating room. Then, the cylinder 1 painted in the suspended state is conveyed to a heating and drying chamber by a chain conveyor, and in the heating and drying chamber, the painted container and the container opening and closing valve unit are heated and dried.

(Cleaning Step (High Vacuum Evacuation Step)) In the cleaning step, the cylinder 1 and the container opening / closing valve unit 11
Immediately after being discharged from the heating furnace, a vacuum pump (vacuum source) (not shown) is connected to the exhaust port 16a of the container opening / closing valve unit 11 via the exhaust tube 21 and the valve operating handle 19 is operated. The inside of the cylinder 1 is cleaned by opening the on-off valve 18 and operating the vacuum pump to exhaust the air in the cylinder 1. In this cleaning step, the air is evacuated to a higher vacuum than in the pre-evacuation step. This cleaning step is performed on the cylinder 1 which has been heated to a high temperature (for example, about 150 ° C.) by heating during baking coating, and a heat source during baking coating can be used.

(Inert Gas Filling Step) Next, a high-purity inert gas such as nitrogen gas is filled into the cylinder 1 at a low pressure so that outside air does not enter the cylinder 1 having a low internal pressure. Further, by filling the inert gas, the inside of the cylinder 1 can be maintained in a clean and clean state.

(Valve Attaching Step) Thereafter, the container opening / closing valve unit 11 is removed, a shipping valve (not shown) (ie, a normal valve attached when the cylinder is sold) is attached to the cylinder 1, and a gas to be charged is filled. Display the name with paint. (Shipment) Thereafter, the cylinder 1 is shipped from the cylinder manufacturing factory to the gas filling factory. In the gas filling factory, a predetermined gas (hydrogen, argon, nitrogen, etc.) is filled after discharging the nitrogen gas in the cylinder 1.

In the above-described embodiment, immediately after the baking coating, the exhaust port 16a of the container opening / closing valve unit 11 is
A vacuum pump (not shown) is connected via the exhaust tube 21, the valve operating handle 19 is operated to open the on-off valve 18, and the vacuum pump is operated to exhaust the air in the cylinder 1 for cleaning. . Therefore, the exhaust, that is, the cleaning is performed at a high temperature (for example, 150 ° C.) at the time of baking coating. In this way, the processing temperature can be raised from the conventional 70 to 90 ° C., and particles such as moisture are efficiently desorbed from the inner surface of the cylinder 1. As a result, the inside of the cylinder 1 can be efficiently cleaned. In addition, since the mounting of the valve and the display of the name by the paint are performed after the cylinder 1 is washed, the paint for the name display is not adversely affected by a rise in the temperature during the washing. The seals S1 to S9 of the container opening / closing valve unit 11 have heat resistance, and are different from seals having no heat resistance provided on a shipping valve mounted on a commercially available cylinder 1.

(Modifications) Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, but includes the gist of the present invention described in the claims. Various changes can be made within the scope. Modification examples of the present invention are exemplified below. (1) Not all of the steps performed in the embodiment need be performed. (2) In the embodiment, the suspended tool is the eyebolt 1
However, if the cylinder 1 can be hung, the structure of the hanger can be changed as appropriate. For example, it can be a hook. (3) After the baking coating step, the gas suction step is preferably performed promptly. At least until the temperature returns to room temperature. In particular, it is preferably 100 ° C. or higher, more preferably about 140 ° C. or higher. (4) In the embodiment, the exhaust base 16 is formed separately from the valve main body 13, but may be integrally formed. (5) In the embodiment, the neck ring 3 is formed separately from the cylinder 1, but may be formed integrally.

[0022]

The present invention has the following functions and effects. (1) The container opening / closing valve unit is configured such that the container opening / closing valve unit and the container 1 are hung by the hanging member by suspending the hanging member of the container opening / closing valve unit by a transportable hanging member. It can be conveyed sequentially and successively to the baking coating process on the outer surface and the washing process inside the container for exhausting and cleaning the inside of the container. In each operation step, the inside of the container can be sealed or evacuated. (2) Immediately after the baking coating process (at least during the high temperature state after returning from the heating furnace to a normal temperature), a gas suction device is connected to the exhaust port of the container opening / closing valve unit, and the baking coating is performed. Since the gas in the cylinder can be suctioned and cleaned by using the heating, the heating at the time of the baking coating can be effectively used. (3) After the cleaning step, the container opening / closing valve unit is removed, and the shipping valve can be attached or the name displayed by paint can be displayed. Therefore, the paint of the name display and the shipping valve are not heated to a high temperature. . For this reason,
The display of the name by the seal or the paint of the valve is not adversely affected by the temperature rise.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a cylinder to which a container opening / closing valve unit of the present invention is attached.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a container opening / closing valve unit.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a state of the cylinder during painting.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... cylinder, 2a ... cylinder mouth, 11 ... container opening / closing valve unit, 12 ... cylinder mounting ring (container connection part), 1
3a: Lower surface opening (container connection port), 14: Eye bolt (suspended tool), 16a: Exhaust port, 17: Exhaust flow path, 18
... On-off valve, 21 ... Flexible tube (suction pipe)

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A container opening / closing valve unit having the following components (A01) to (A07): (A01) a container connecting portion detachably connected to an opening of a container; and (A02) the container connecting portion. (A03) a container connection port connected to an opening of the connected container, (A0)
4) Exhaust port to which the suction pipe is detachably connected, (A0
5) an exhaust flow path connecting the container connection port and the exhaust port, (A06) an on-off valve for opening and closing the exhaust flow path, (A07)
An operation member that opens and closes the on-off valve. 2. A method for cleaning the inside of a container comprising the following steps (B01) to (B03): (B01) a container connecting portion provided with a container connection port provided at one end, and a container connecting portion provided at the other end. Suspension tool, an exhaust port provided between the one end and the other end, an exhaust flow path connecting the container connection port and the exhaust port,
An opening and closing valve for opening and closing the exhaust passage, and a container opening and closing valve unit including an operation member for opening and closing the opening and closing valve,
A mounting step of removably mounting the container with the container connection port connected to the opening of the container, and (B02) suspending the suspended member by a suspending member with the container opening / closing valve unit closed. A baking coating process in which the baking paint is applied to the outer surface of the container in a state where the container is opened, and the coated container is carried into a heating furnace together with the container opening / closing valve unit and is heated and dried in the heating furnace; By connecting the exhaust port of the container opening / closing valve unit to an exhaust tube communicating with a vacuum source immediately after the unit is carried out of the heating furnace, and opening the container opening / closing valve unit to exhaust the gas in the container. A washing step of washing the inside of the container;