JP2007108026A - Performance test method for pressure regulating valve in gas supply device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a performance test method for a pressure regulating valve, capable of efficiently and early performing performance decision related to pressure control in a gas supply device. <P>SOLUTION: In a first step, a purge gas is sealed in a gas supply line 1 from a gas cylinder 2 to a gate valve 5 after replacement of the gas cylinder 2, it is left for a prescribed time, and it is decided whether or not a pressure change amount calculated on the basis of output from a temperature sensor 11 and a first pressure sensor 9 installed inside a route thereof at the time of a leaving start and at the time of leaving completion is not more than a prescribed value. In a succeeding second step, the purge gas sealed in the first step is sealed in the gas supply line 1 from the gas cylinder 2 to a gas supply valve 7, it is left for a prescribed time, and it is decided whether or not a pressure change amount calculated on the basis of output from the temperature sensor 11 and a second pressure sensor 10 installed downstream of the pressure regulating valve 6 within the route at the time of a leaving start and at the time of leaving completion is not more than a prescribed value. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a performance test method for a pressure regulating valve responsible for pressure control of a supply gas in a gas supply device.

  Various apparatuses such as a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus and a liquid crystal panel manufacturing apparatus use various gases, and a gas supply apparatus for supplying a desired gas to the gas consuming apparatus is indispensable.

  The gas supply device includes a gas supply line having one end connected to the gas consuming device, and a gas container (gas cylinder) is connected to the other end of the gas supply line. The gas container is filled with a gas to be supplied to the gas consuming device in a state of being liquefied at a high pressure, and the gas is supplied to the gas consuming device through a gas supply line. The gas container is replaced with the gas container every time the internal gas runs out.

  Further, in the path of the gas supply line, a gate valve, a pressure adjusting valve, and a gas supply valve are provided in order from upstream to downstream, that is, sequentially from the gas container side to the gas consuming device side. In this gas supply line, there are pressure sensors for detecting the internal pressure between the gas container upstream of the pressure adjustment valve and the gate valve and between the pressure adjustment valve downstream of the pressure adjustment valve and the gas supply valve, respectively. is set up. The output from these pressure sensors is essentially used for monitoring the supply pressure of the gas to the gas consuming apparatus and the pressure in the gas container.

  The gas supply line is further connected with a purge gas introduction line between the gas container upstream of the gate valve and the gate valve, and the exhaust line is branched from between the pressure control valve downstream of the pressure regulator and the gas supply valve. Yes. These purge gas introduction line and exhaust line are utilized when exchanging the gas container.

  A purge gas is introduced into the purge gas introduction line from an end opposite to the end connected to the gas supply line, and a purge gas introduction valve is provided in the path. The other exhaust line is connected to a vacuum generator, a vacuum pump, or the like at the end opposite to the end branched from the gas supply line, and an exhaust valve is provided in the path.

  Here, in the gas supply device having such a configuration, since the gas container is manually replaced, it is natural that the connection state of the connection portion between the gas container and the gas supply line becomes insufficient after the replacement. Can happen. If the connection state is insufficient, gas leaks out during actual operation, which is a serious problem especially in safety. Therefore, after replacing the gas container, an airtight test for verifying the connection state of the connecting portion between the gas container and the gas supply line is usually performed (for example, see Patent Documents 1 and 2).

As a method of the airtight test, a pressure leaving method is generally used. In the pressurized leaving method, the purge gas is sealed in the gas supply line from the gas container to the gate valve, and the passage is placed in a high pressure state, left for a predetermined time, and left from the pressure sensor installed in the passage. The pressure drop amount is calculated by receiving the output at the start time and at the end time of standing. And the connection state of the connection part of a gas container and a gas supply line is verified by determining whether the pressure drop amount is below a regulation value.
JP-A-1-225320 JP 2003-194654 A

  By the way, an essential function required for the gas supply device is to supply gas to the gas consuming device at a stable predetermined pressure, and the function is mainly performed by the pressure regulating valve. This is because the high-pressure gas from the gas container is reduced to a predetermined pressure by passing through the pressure regulating valve, and the pressure-controlled gas is supplied to the gas consuming device.

  On the other hand, if gas flows through the pressure regulating valve for a long period of time, the performance of the pressure regulating valve gradually decreases, and it cannot be denied that the pressure control by the pressure regulating valve becomes unstable. For example, in the case of a diaphragm-type pressure regulating valve, a resin packing for restricting gas flow gradually contains gas and swells, and as a result, the performance relating to pressure control decreases.

  Therefore, conventionally, the performance related to the pressure control of the pressure regulating valve has been determined by monitoring the output during operation from the pressure sensor installed downstream of the pressure regulating valve as needed. However, in such a method, the performance judgment of the pressure regulating valve is performed during operation. Therefore, when an abnormality occurs, an unplanned stoppage is required.

  Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a performance test method for a pressure regulating valve capable of efficiently and quickly performing performance judgment regarding pressure control in a gas supply device. .

  In order to achieve the above object, the pressure regulating valve performance test method in the gas supply apparatus according to the present invention includes a gas consuming device connected to one end and a gas container connected to the other end, from the gas container side to the gas consuming device side. A gas supply line provided with a gate valve, a pressure regulating valve, and a gas supply valve, and a purge gas introduction system that is connected between the gas container and the gate valve in the gas supply line and introduces a purge gas to the gas supply line. A pressure control valve in a gas supply device comprising: a gas supply line, and an exhaust line that branches from between the pressure control valve and the gas supply valve in the gas supply line and exhausts the gas supply line. The lines include a first pressure sensor and a second pressure sensor for detecting the internal pressure between the gas container and the gate valve, and between the pressure regulating valve and the gas supply valve, respectively. Sa is installed, includes a first, a second step follows. In the first step, after replacing the gas container, the purge gas is sealed in the gas supply line from the gas container to the gate valve, and then left for a predetermined time, at the time when the first pressure sensor is left and when it is left. It is determined whether or not the amount of change in pressure calculated based on the output is equal to or less than a specified value. In the second step, after the purge gas sealed in the first step is sealed in the gas supply line from the gas container to the gas supply valve, the purge gas is left for a predetermined time, It is determined whether or not the amount of pressure change calculated based on the output at the end of the standing time is equal to or less than a specified value.

  In this way, after the replacement of the gas container, the first step can perform a hermetic test on the connection state of the connection portion between the gas container and the gas supply line, and subsequently, the second step substantially The performance test of the pressure regulating valve can be performed. That is, after the replacement of the gas container, it is possible to make a performance judgment regarding pressure control in the gas supply device in combination with the airtight test. Therefore, it is possible to detect an abnormality related to the pressure control in the gas supply device efficiently and early.

  According to the present invention, an abnormality relating to pressure control in the gas supply apparatus can be discovered efficiently and early, so that there is no situation in which an abnormality occurs suddenly during operation of the gas supply apparatus, and the apparatus can be operated safely and stably.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a system diagram showing an example of a gas supply device to which a performance test method for a pressure regulating valve in a gas supply device according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied. FIG. 2 is a series including the performance test performed after gas container replacement. FIG. 3 is a system diagram showing the state of the airtight test in the series of tests, and FIG. 4 is a system diagram showing the state of the performance test of the pressure regulating valve performed following the airtight test. is there.

As shown in FIG. 1, the gas supply device in this embodiment includes a gas supply line 1 having one end connected to the gas consumption device, and the other end of the gas supply line 1 is supplied to the gas consumption device. A gas container 2 filled with a gas to be liquefied at high pressure is connected. As the gas, HCl (hydrogen chloride), HBr (hydrogen bromide), Cl ₂ (chlorine), NH ₃ (ammonia), CO ₂ (carbon dioxide), N ₂ O (nitrous oxide), SiH ₄ (silane) ) Etc., and those having toxicity and flammability are also included. The gas supply line 1 here is formed by interposing a spiral connecting pipe 3 in the vicinity of the other end, and the connection to the gas container 2 is made by a joint 4 that enables the gas container 2 to be exchanged, that is, detachable. Yes. The connecting pipe 3 serves to absorb inadvertent vibration.

  Further, in the path of the gas supply line 1, there are a gate valve 5, a pressure regulating valve 6, and a gas supply valve 7 in order from upstream to downstream, that is, sequentially from the connecting pipe 3 side to the gas consuming device side. Is provided. The gate valve 5 opens to open the path and closes to shut off the path. The pressure regulating valve 6 is for controlling the pressure of the flowing gas, and depressurizes the high-pressure gas received from the upstream to a predetermined pressure and discharges it downstream. The gas supply valve 7 is opened to open the path, and closed to close the path. Further, in the path of the gas supply line 1, a filter 8 is provided between the connecting pipe 3 upstream of the pressure regulating valve 6 and the gate valve 5. The filter 8 plays a role of capturing foreign substances and liquefied components in the flowing gas.

  The gas supply line 1 is connected between the connecting pipe 3 (here, the filter 8) upstream of the pressure regulating valve 6 and the gate valve 5, and between the pressure regulating valve 6 downstream of the pressure regulating valve 6 and the gas supply valve 7. , A first pressure sensor 9 and a second pressure sensor 10 for detecting the internal pressure are respectively installed. The outputs from these pressure sensors 9, 10 are used for monitoring the supply pressure of the gas to the gas consuming apparatus and the pressure in the gas container 2, and are used for tests described in detail later.

  Further, in the gas supply line 1, a temperature sensor 11 is installed between the connecting pipe 3 upstream of the pressure regulating valve 6 and the gate valve 5 (here, the filter 8) for detecting the temperature inside the connecting pipe 3. The output from the temperature sensor 11 is used in a test described in detail later together with the outputs from the first and second pressure sensors 9 and 10. The temperature sensor 11 may directly detect the temperature in the gas supply line 1 or indirectly detect the temperature inside the gas supply line 1 by detecting the temperature of the tube wall of the gas supply line 1. It may be a thing.

  The first and second pressure sensors 9, 10 and the temperature sensor 11 are connected to a controller (not shown). The controller here includes a memory, an arithmetic processing unit, a display unit, and the like.

  The gas supply line 1 further includes a gas container 2 upstream of the gate valve 5 and a gate valve 5 (here, connecting pipe 3) in order to realize replacement of the gas container 2 while ensuring the cleanliness of the gas supply line 1. A purge gas introduction line 12 is connected between them, and an exhaust line 13 is branched from between the pressure regulating valve 6 (herein, the second pressure sensor 10) downstream of the pressure regulating valve 6 and the gas supply valve 7.

The purge gas introduction line 12 here is formed by interposing a spiral connecting pipe 14 in the vicinity of the end connected to the gas supply line 1. The connecting pipe 14 plays a role of absorbing inadvertent vibration, like the connecting pipe 3 in the gas supply line 1. A purge gas is introduced into the purge gas introduction line 12 from an end opposite to the end connected to the gas supply line 1, and a purge gas introduction valve 15 is provided in the path. The purge gas introduction valve 15 opens the path when opened, and shuts off the path when closed. Further, a filter 16 is provided in the path of the purge gas introduction line 12 between the purge gas introduction valve 15 and the connecting pipe 14. The filter 16 plays a role of capturing foreign substances and liquefied components in the flowing purge gas. Examples of the purge gas include inert gases such as N ₂ (nitrogen) and He (helium).

  The other exhaust line 13 is connected to a vacuum generator, a vacuum pump, or the like at the end opposite to the end branched from the gas supply line 1, and an exhaust valve 17 is provided in the path. The exhaust valve 17 opens to open the path, and closes the exhaust valve 17 to block the path.

  Such a series of systems is generally housed in a box called a cylinder cabinet and constitutes a gas supply device. In addition, the required number of such gas supply devices is provided in accordance with the specifications of the gas consumption device to which the gas is supplied. In that case, the purge gas introduction source for the purge gas introduction line 12 and the exhaust drive source for the exhaust line 13 may be provided individually for each gas supply device, but may be shared. I do not care.

  In the gas supply device having such a configuration, during operation, the purge gas introduction valve 15 and the exhaust valve 17 are closed, and the partition valve 5 and the gas supply valve 7 are opened. 18 is opened. As a result, the high-pressure gas in the gas container 2 flows into the gas supply line 1 from the joint 4 which is a connecting portion between the gas container 2 and the gas supply line 1, and is reduced to a predetermined pressure through the pressure regulating valve 6. After that, it is supplied to the gas consuming apparatus.

  Next, the replacement procedure of the gas container 2 in the gas supply apparatus having such a configuration and the test procedure performed thereafter will be described with reference to FIGS.

  First, when the gas container 2 is replaced, from the state at the time of operation, that is, the purge gas introduction valve 15 and the exhaust valve 17 are closed, and the gate valve 5, the gas supply valve 7 and the container valve 18 are opened. Then, the gas supply valve 7 and the container valve 18 are closed, and then the exhaust valve 17 is opened. Thereby, the inside of the gas supply line 1 from the joint 4 to the gas supply valve 7 is evacuated. However, the purge gas introduction line 12 extending from the purge gas introduction valve 15 to the connection with the gas supply line 1 is also evacuated.

  Next, the purge gas introduction valve 15 is opened. As a result, the purge gas is introduced into the purge gas introduction line 12 and introduced into the gas supply line 1 as it is. Thus, the gas supplied to the gas consuming apparatus is excluded from the system. At that time, the opening and closing of the purge gas introduction valve 15 may be repeated as necessary.

  Next, the gate valve 5 is closed with the purge gas introduction valve 15 and the exhaust valve 17 being opened. As a result, the purge gas is introduced into the gas supply line 1 from the joint 4 to the gate valve 5. However, the purge gas is also introduced into the purge gas introduction line 12.

  In this state, the gas container 2 is removed from the joint 4 and a new gas container 2 is attached to the joint 4. In this way, the gas container 2 is replaced, and a new gas container 2 is connected to the gas supply line 1. At this time, since purge gas flows out from the joint 4 from which the gas container 2 has been removed, inadvertent entry of outside air from the joint 4 into the gas supply line 1 is prevented.

  When the replacement of the gas container 2 is completed, the exhaust valve 17 is closed and then the gate valve 5 is opened in order to shift to a subsequent test. As a result, the purge gas is continuously introduced into the gas supply line 1 from the joint 4 to the gas supply valve 7. However, the purge gas is continuously introduced into the purge gas introduction line 12 as well.

  When the pressure in the gas supply line 1 from the joint 4 to the gas supply valve 7 reaches a set pressure, the purge gas introduction valve 15 is closed. Whether the pressure has reached the set pressure can be determined from the outputs from the first pressure sensor 9 and the second pressure sensor 10. The set pressure here is the same pressure as when the gas is supplied to the gas consuming device.

  Subsequently, the gate valve 5 is closed, and then the exhaust valve 17 is opened. Thus, the purge gas is sealed in the gas supply line 1 including the joint 4 upstream of the gate valve 5, that is, the gas supply line 1 extending from the joint 4 to the gate valve 5, and the inside of the path becomes a high pressure state (see FIG. Step # 10 in step 2, see FIG. On the other hand, purge gas is discharged (evacuated) through the exhaust line 13 from the gas supply line 1 including the pressure regulating valve 6 downstream of the gate valve 5. In FIG. 3, for convenience, the closed valve is shown in black, and the path in which the purge gas is sealed is shown in bold.

Here, an airtight test is performed on the connection state of the joint 4 which is a connection portion between the gas container 2 and the gas supply line 1 (step # 20 in FIG. 2). Specifically, although it is based on the pressurized standing method, first, at the start of standing, the controller receives an output from the first pressure sensor 9 and records the actual pressure P ₁₀ in the memory. At the same time, the actual temperature T ₁₀ is recorded in the memory in response to the output from the temperature sensor 11 at the start of the leaving. In practice, before the controller starts acquiring the outputs from the first pressure sensor 9 and the temperature sensor 11, it takes a time to stabilize the pressure and temperature in the gas supply line 1, for example, about 3 minutes. It is preferable to check and to make sure that the pressure in the gas supply line 1 has reached the set pressure.

Then, it is left as it is for a predetermined time. The leaving time here is set to a time for which the purge gas leaks from the joint 4 and the pressure in the gas supply line 1 changes sufficiently when the connection state of the joint 4 is insufficient, for example, about 30 minutes. It is. After leaving for a predetermined time, the controller receives the output from the first pressure sensor 9 again, and records the actual pressure P ₁₁ in the memory. At the same time, the actual temperature T ₁₁ is recorded in the memory in response to the output from the temperature sensor 11 at the end of the standing time.

Next, the controller extracts the actual pressure P ₁₀ and the actual temperature T ₁₀ at the start of being left and the actual pressure P ₁₁ and the actual temperature T ₁₁ at the end of the leave recorded in the memory, and based on these. The pressure change amount ΔP ₁ during the standing time is calculated. In particular, in the present embodiment, in calculating the pressure change amount ΔP ₁ , the following equation (1) in which the actual temperature change during the standing time is corrected is used.
ΔP ₁ = (T ₁₁ / T ₁₀ ) × P ₁₀ −P ₁₁ (1)
However, ΔP ₁ : Pressure change amount, P ₁₀ : Actual pressure at the start of leaving, T ₁₀ : Actual temperature at the start of leaving, P ₁₁ : Actual pressure at the end of leaving, T ₁₁ : At the end of leaving Actual temperature.

Here, the term “(T ₁₁ / T ₁₀ ) × P ₁₀ ” in the above formula (1) ends when the joint 4 is sufficiently connected and purge gas does not leak out from the joint 4 at all. This is an assumed pressure that should be achieved at the time, and follows Boyle's law expressed by the following equation (2). In addition, since the volume in the gas supply line 1 in which the purge gas is sealed is constant, it is not necessary to consider the volume in the law.
P / T = constant (2)
However, P: pressure, T: temperature.

Then, the controller collates the calculated pressure change amount ΔP ₁ with a predetermined value registered in advance in the memory, and determines whether or not the pressure change amount ΔP ₁ is equal to or less than the predetermined value. The specified value is set from the range of 1 to 10 [kPa] in the case of the gas supply device of low pressure specification, and is set from the range of 10 to 100 [kPa] in the case of the gas supply device of high pressure specification. Is done. In the low-pressure specification gas supply device and the high-pressure specification gas supply device, the gas pressure upstream of the pressure regulating valve 6 when gas is supplied to the gas consuming device is 1 [MPa] or less, respectively. It is about ~ 20 [MPa].

If the pressure change amount [Delta] P ₁ below the specified value, the connection state of the joint 4 is determined to pass sufficient, the display of the pass on the display unit. On the other hand, if the pressure change amount ΔP ₁ exceeds the specified value, it is determined that the connection state of the joint 4 is insufficient and fails, and a failure is displayed on the display unit or an alarm is sounded. In the case of failure, confirm the attachment state of the joint 4 and, for example, retighten, or in some cases, after following the replacement procedure of the gas container 2 and attaching / detaching to the joint 4, Perform the air tightness test as described above. Repeat until you pass.

  If the air tightness test is passed, the exhaust valve 17 is closed and then the gate valve 5 is opened (see FIG. 2) in order to proceed to an internal test that is a performance test for determining the performance of the pressure control valve 6 regarding pressure control. Step # 30). As a result, the remaining purge gas that remains sealed in the gas supply line 1 from the joint 4 to the gate valve 5 flows downstream through the gate valve 5 and the pressure regulating valve 6. As a result, the purge gas is sealed in the gas supply line 1 including the pressure regulating valve 6, that is, the gas supply line 1 extending from the joint 4 to the gas supply valve 7 (step # 40 in FIG. 2, FIG. 4). In this state, the downstream side of the pressure regulating valve 6 is reduced to a gas pressure equivalent to that when the gas is supplied to the gas consuming device. In FIG. 4, as in FIG. 3, for convenience, the closed valve is shown in black and the path in which the purge gas is sealed is shown in bold.

Here, an internal test which is a performance test for the pressure regulating valve 6 is performed (step # 50 in FIG. 2). Specifically, it is based on the pressurized standing method which is almost the same as the above-described airtight test. First, at the start of standing, the controller receives an output from the second pressure sensor 10 and stores the actual pressure P ₂₀ in the memory. To record. Together with this, it receives the output at the left beginning from the temperature sensor 11, and records the actual temperature T ₂₀ in the memory. In this case as well, actually, before the controller starts acquiring the outputs from the second pressure sensor 10 and the temperature sensor 11, a time for which the pressure and temperature in the gas supply line 1 are temporarily stabilized, for example, 3 It is preferable to hold about minutes.

Then, it is left as it is for a predetermined time. The standing time here is set so that when the performance of the pressure regulating valve 6 is abnormal, the purge gas flows out from the upstream to the downstream of the pressure regulating valve 6 and the pressure in the gas supply line 1 changes sufficiently. For example, it is about 60 minutes. After leaving for a predetermined time, the controller again receives the output from the second pressure sensor 10 and records the actual pressure P ₂₁ in the memory. Together with this, it receives the output at the left end from the temperature sensor 11, and records the actual temperature T ₂₁ in the memory.

Next, the controller extracts the actual pressure P ₂₀ and actual temperature T ₂₀ at the start of being left and the actual pressure P ₂₁ and actual temperature T ₂₁ at the end of the leave recorded in the memory, and based on these. The amount of pressure change ΔP ₂ during the standing time is calculated. In particular, in the present embodiment, in calculating the pressure change amount ΔP ₂ , the following equation (3) in which the actual temperature change during the standing time is corrected is used.
ΔP ₂ = P ₂₁ − (T ₂₁ / T ₂₀ ) × P ₂₀ (3)
Where ΔP _{2 is the} amount of pressure change, P ₂₀ is the actual pressure at the start of standing, T ₂₀ is the actual temperature at the start of leaving, P ₂₁ is the actual pressure at the end of leaving, and T _{21 is the} end of leaving. Actual temperature.

Here, the term “(T ₂₁ / T ₂₀ ) × P ₂₀ ” in the above formula (3) indicates that the performance of the pressure regulating valve 6 is normal and purge gas does not flow from upstream to downstream of the pressure regulating valve 6 at all. This is the assumed pressure that should be reached at the end of standing when it does not flow out, and follows the Boyle Charles' law expressed by equation (2) above.

Then, the controller collates the calculated pressure change amount ΔP ₂ with a predetermined value registered in advance in the memory, and determines whether or not the pressure change amount ΔP ₂ is equal to or less than the predetermined value. Here, the specified value is set from a range of 1 to 10 [kPa]. Since the gas pressure downstream of the pressure regulating valve 6 when the gas is supplied to the gas consuming apparatus is generally about 1 [MPa] or less, a specified value within that range is sufficient.

If the pressure change amount ΔP ₂ is equal to or less than the specified value, it is determined that the performance of the pressure regulating valve 6 is normal and passed, and the pass is displayed on the display unit. On the other hand, if the pressure change amount ΔP ₂ exceeds the specified value, it is determined that the performance of the pressure regulating valve 6 is abnormal and fails, and a failure is displayed on the display unit or an alarm is sounded. In the case of failure, after adjusting the pressure regulating valve 6 or replacing the pressure regulating valve 6 depending on the case, the air tightness test and the internal test are performed again by the above-described procedure. Repeat until you pass.

  Thus, after finishing the airtight test for the joint 4 and the internal test for the pressure regulating valve 6, the post-processing is subsequently performed. Specifically, the exhaust operation for opening the exhaust valve 17 and exhausting the purge gas in the system, and the sealing operation for opening the purge gas introduction valve 15 while closing the exhaust valve 17 and introducing the purge gas into the system for sealing are performed. It is repeated alternately a sufficient number of times in consideration of the oxygen and moisture concentration. As a result, atmospheric components that have entered the system during the exchange of the gas container 2 including the airtight test and the internal test are completely discharged from the system, and the system is replaced with the purge gas. Next, the purge gas is circulated in the system with the purge gas introduction valve 15 and the exhaust valve 17 opened, and the oxygen and moisture concentrations in the system are lowered. After such post-processing, switching to gas supply from the gas container 2 is performed.

  In this way, after the gas container 2 is replaced, an airtight test can be performed on the connection state of the connecting portion between the gas container 2 and the gas supply line 1, and subsequently, a performance test of the pressure regulating valve 6 is substantially performed. (Internal testing). That is, after the gas container 2 is replaced, the performance judgment regarding the pressure control in the gas supply device can be performed together with the airtight test. Therefore, it is possible to detect an abnormality related to the pressure control in the gas supply device efficiently and early. If it does so, there will be no situation where abnormality suddenly occurs during operation of a gas supply device, and it can operate safely and stably.

In this embodiment, the pressure changes ΔP ₁ and ΔP ₂ during the standing time are used for the pass / fail judgment in the airtight test and the internal pass test. The pressure changes ΔP ₁ and ΔP ₂ are left as they are. Since the change in the actual temperature during the time is taken into account, the pass / fail judgment can be made with high accuracy according to the actual condition. When the gas supply device 2 is replaced with a place where the temperature is different from the place where the gas supply device is installed, for example, the gas container 2 brought from outside, the heat of the gas container 2 is transferred to the gas supply line 1 through the joint 4, or conversely This is because the actual temperature in the gas supply line 1 changes during the standing time in the test, and this affects the actual pressure because the heat of 1 is transmitted to the gas container 2 through the joint 4.

In addition, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, if the actual temperature in the gas supply line 1 does not change at all during the standing time in the test, the temperature sensor 11 need not be provided. In this case, the pressure change amount ΔP ₁ in the airtight test is simply calculated as “P ₁₀ −P ₁₁ ” based on the output from the first pressure sensor 9, and the pressure change amount ΔP ₂ in the subsequent internal test is It is simply calculated as “P ₂₀ -P ₂₁ ” based on the output from the second pressure sensor 10. However, even if the temperature sensor 11 is provided, if the actual temperature does not change during the standing time, the calculation result is unchanged from the above formulas (1) and (2).

  The present invention is useful for a gas supply apparatus for supplying a desired gas to a gas consuming apparatus such as a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus or a liquid crystal panel manufacturing apparatus.

It is a systematic diagram which shows an example of the gas supply apparatus with which the performance test method of the pressure regulation valve in the gas supply apparatus which is one Embodiment of this invention is applied. It is a flowchart which shows the procedure of a series of tests including the performance test of a pressure control valve. It is a systematic diagram which shows the condition of the airtight test in a series of tests. It is a systematic diagram which shows the condition of the performance test of the pressure control valve performed following an airtight test.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Gas supply line 2 Gas container 3 Connecting pipe 4 Joint 5 Gate valve 6 Pressure regulating valve 7 Gas supply valve 9 1st pressure sensor 10 2nd pressure sensor 11 Temperature sensor 12 Purge gas introduction line 13 Exhaust line 15 Purge gas introduction valve 17 Exhaust valve 18 Container valve

Claims (3)

A gas supply line in which a gas consuming device is connected to one end, a gas container is connected to the other end, and a gate valve, a pressure regulating valve, and a gas supply valve are provided in this order from the gas container side to the gas consuming device side When,
A purge gas introduction line connected between the gas container and the gate valve in the gas supply line and introducing purge gas into the gas supply line;
A pressure test valve performance test method in a gas supply device comprising: an exhaust line for branching from between a pressure control valve and a gas supply valve in a gas supply line and exhausting the gas supply line,
The gas supply line is provided with a first pressure sensor and a second pressure sensor for detecting the internal pressure between the gas container and the gate valve, and between the pressure regulating valve and the gas supply valve, respectively.
After replacing the gas container, fill the gas supply line from the gas container to the gate valve with purge gas, leave it for a predetermined time, and calculate based on the output from the first pressure sensor when it is left and when it is left A first step of determining whether or not the amount of change in pressure is less than or equal to a specified value;
After the purge gas sealed in the first step is sealed in the gas supply line extending from the gas container to the gas supply valve, the purge gas is left for a predetermined time and output from the second pressure sensor at the start and end times And a second step of determining whether or not the amount of change in pressure calculated based on the value is equal to or less than a specified value. In the gas supply line, a temperature sensor for detecting an internal temperature is installed between the gas container and the gate valve,
The amount of change in pressure in the first step is calculated based on outputs from the first pressure sensor and the temperature sensor at the start and end times of leaving.
2. The pressure change amount in the second step is calculated based on outputs from the second pressure sensor and the temperature sensor at the time of start of leaving and the time of end of leaving. The performance test method of the pressure regulation valve in the gas supply apparatus of description.   3. The method for testing a performance of a pressure regulating valve in a gas supply device according to claim 1, wherein the specified value in the second step is set in a range of 1 to 10 [kPa].

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