JP2009125672A - Gas-liquid separating apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a gas-liquid separating apparatus which can collect fine liquid drops floating in a gas-liquid mixed fluids and collect evaporated materials contained in the gas-liquid mixed fluids. <P>SOLUTION: A cooler 12 and a plurality of corrugated plates 13 are provided in a box body 11. The cooler 12 is connected to an outside cooler mounted on the sectional surface of the flow of the fluid passing in a box body 11b, condensates the evaporated materials contained in the fluid by cooling the gas-liquid mixed fluids, and cools the plurality of corrugated plates 13 by heat transmission. The plurality of corrugated plates 13 is provided with a throttling part 13a enhancing the flow rate of the gas-liquid mixed fluids and passing the same by narrowing the distance between corrugated plates and with a wall surface 13b arranged in the downstream of the throttling part 13a for collision with the gas-liquid mixed fluids. Thus, the plurality of corrugated plates 13 make the fine liquid drops floating in the gas-liquid mixed fluids stick to, and flow down on, the wall surface 13b to be recovered. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a gas-liquid separation device, and more specifically, for example, a vaporized substance contained in a fluid exhausted from a liquid processing device used in semiconductor manufacturing, such as coating processing and development processing, or floating in the fluid. The present invention relates to a gas-liquid separation device that separates and recovers mist-like fine particles of a processing liquid into droplets.

Conventionally, as one of the mist separators for separating and recovering mist-like particles of processing liquid from the air, a plurality of corrugated plates are provided in parallel in a casing, and when a gas containing mist-like particles is introduced, A configuration in which mist-like particles and the like are collected and collected by corrugated plates and mist-like particles and the like are separated from gas is known (for example, see Patent Document 1).
Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2005-252100 (Claims, FIG. 4)

  In the technique described in Patent Document 1, there is a possibility that vaporized substances of the processing liquid, mist-like fine particles, etc. may remain in the fluid (air) after being processed by the mist separator, and pass through the mist separator. There is a problem in exhausting the fluid out of the factory (outside the system).

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and is capable of collecting fine droplets floating in a gas-liquid mixed fluid, and further capable of collecting vaporized substances contained in the gas-liquid mixed fluid. The object is to provide a separation device.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, the present invention provides a cooler provided on a cross section of the flow of the fluid in a casing connected to a pipe line through which the gas-liquid mixed fluid passes, and the cooler provided on the downstream side of the cooler. A plurality of corrugated plates arranged in parallel along the flow of the fluid, and the cooler is connected to a cooling source provided outside to cool the vaporized substance contained in the gas-liquid mixed fluid. The plurality of corrugated plates are configured to condense with each other, and the gas-liquid mixed fluid collides with the constricted portion that narrows the distance between the corrugated plates and increases the flow velocity of the fluid, and the downstream side of the constricted portion. And a droplet collecting passage for collecting and dropping fine droplets floating in the fluid by adhering to and falling on the wall surface (Claim 1).

  By comprising in this way, the gas-liquid mixed fluid which flows through the inside of a housing | casing is made to flow through a cooler and between corrugated plates, and it flows out out of a housing | casing after that. The gas-liquid mixed fluid passes through the constricted passage between the corrugated plates at an increased flow velocity, and when it collides with the downstream wall surface, fine droplets floating in the fluid are attached to the wall surface and collected. In this case, since the upstream cooler cools the gas-liquid mixed fluid, the vaporized substance contained in the fluid is condensed into droplets together with fine droplets floating in the fluid. Become. For this reason, not only mist but also a vaporized substance can be effectively separated and collected as droplets that adhere to and are collected on the wall surface.

  In the present invention, it is preferable that the corrugated plate is made of a material having thermal conductivity and is connected to the cooler.

  If comprised in this way, a corrugated sheet can be cooled effectively with a cooler, and this causes a temperature difference between the temperature of the corrugated sheet and the temperature of the fluid, and therefore the vaporized substance contained in the fluid Can be condensed and condensed on the surface of the corrugated plate, and when the droplet grows large, it flows down, so that the droplet can be recovered from the bottom of the casing. Therefore, the amount of fine droplets captured from the fluid can be further increased.

  In the present invention, it is preferable that the cooler comprises a grid-like cooling pipe, and the cooling pipe is integrally connected to the corrugated plate so that heat conduction is performed between the cooling pipe and the corrugated plate. (Claim 3). Furthermore, it is preferable that the cooling pipe is provided in contact with the upper and lower parts of the corrugated sheet, and the heat exchange pipe is provided in contact with an end of the corrugated sheet.

  By comprising in this way, the vaporization substance contained in the said fluid can be collect | recovered by cooling a corrugated sheet like the above.

  In the present invention, it is preferable that a hydrophobic layer is formed on the inner surface of the throttle passage formed between the corrugated plates. In the present invention, it is preferable that a hydrophilic layer is formed on a fluid collision wall surface in the droplet collecting passage formed between the corrugated plates. Furthermore, in the present invention, a hydrophobic layer is formed on the inner surface of the throttle passage formed between the corrugated plates, and a hydrophilic layer is formed on the fluid collision wall surface of the droplet collecting passage formed between the corrugated plates. It is preferable to form them (claim 6).

  With this configuration, fine droplets are unlikely to adhere to the inner surface of the constricted passage in which the hydrophobic layer is formed, and vaporized substances contained in the fluid are difficult to condense. Reduction in pressure loss during passage can be kept small. Moreover, since fine droplets are easily attached to the surface on which the hydrophilic layer is formed, the amount of fine droplets captured can be further increased.

  In the present invention, the cooler includes an upper cooling pipe and a lower cooling pipe that are horizontally provided in an upper part and a lower part on a cross section of the flow of the gas-liquid mixed fluid, and an upper cooling pipe and an upper cooling pipe arranged in parallel to each other. A refrigerant supply source that is a cooling source that is formed in a lattice shape with a plurality of vertical cooling pipes that are connected to the lower cooling pipe and that has the outer end of the upper cooling pipe and the outer end of the lower cooling pipe provided outside. It is better to have a configuration in which the refrigerant of the refrigerant supply source is supplied into the pipe. Alternatively, in the present invention, the cooler includes an upper cooling pipe and a lower cooling pipe made of heat pipes horizontally provided at an upper portion and a lower portion on the cross section of the fluid flow, and arranged in parallel with each other, with an upper end and a lower end at an upper portion. The vertical cooling pipe comprising a plurality of heat pipes connected to the cooling pipe and the lower cooling pipe, and formed in a lattice shape, and the outer end of the upper cooling pipe and the outer end of the lower cooling pipe are provided outside It is better to connect to the heat absorption side of the Peltier element which is a cooling source.

  With this configuration, the cooler flows the refrigerant of the refrigerant supply source to cool the upper cooling pipe, the lower cooling pipe, and the plurality of vertical cooling pipes, thereby cooling the fluid, and the wave The plate can be cooled by heat transfer.

  In the present invention, the plurality of corrugated plates are formed to be extendable and deformable in a direction along the fluid flow with the end portion of each corrugated plate connected to the cooler as a fixed end, and are expanded and contracted by a telescopic drive mechanism. (Claim 9). In this case, it is preferable that a guide bar is connected to the cooler corresponding to each of the corrugated plates, and the corrugated plates capable of expanding and contracting are supported by the guide bar.

  By configuring in this way, the flow velocity passing through the constricted passage between the corrugated plates is adjusted by adjusting the gap between the corrugated plates according to the amount of air flow in the casing of the gas-liquid mixed fluid. In addition, the flow velocity at which the liquid droplets collide with the wall surface can be adjusted so that the fine droplets floating in the fluid are effectively attached and collected on the wall surface on the downstream side of the throttle passage.

  According to this invention, since it is configured as described above, the following excellent effects can be obtained.

  (1) According to the first aspect of the present invention, the gas-liquid mixed fluid flowing in the casing is caused to float in the fluid by causing the gas-liquid mixed fluid to pass through the throttle passage between the corrugated plates with increasing flow velocity and collide with the wall surface. Since fine droplets can be attached and collected, in particular, since the gas-liquid mixed fluid is cooled by a cooler before flowing between the corrugated plates, the vaporized substances contained in the fluid can be condensed. It is possible to condense and collect vaporized substances that cannot be performed when the liquid mixture fluid is not cooled by a cooler, and thereby, for example, exhausted from liquid processing apparatuses such as coating processing and development processing used in semiconductor manufacturing A gas-liquid separation apparatus suitable for separating and recovering droplets such as mist-like particles of the processing liquid from the gas can be provided.

  (2) According to the invention described in claim 2, since the corrugated plate can be cooled, in addition to the above (1), the condensation of vaporized substances contained in the fluid is further formed on the surface of the corrugated plate. The amount of vaporized material recovered can be further increased.

  (3) According to the invention described in claim 3, as in (2) above, in addition to being able to cool the corrugated plate and recover the vaporized substance, the pressure loss of the fluid in a small space within the housing As a result, the corrugated plate support structure can be realized firmly and simply, contributing to cost reduction of the apparatus.

  (4) According to the invention described in claim 4, since the fine droplets hardly adhere to the surface on which the hydrophobic layer is formed, it is possible to reduce the pressure loss when the fluid passes through the throttle passage.

  (5) According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, since fine droplets are likely to adhere to the surface on which the hydrophilic layer is formed, the amount of captured fine droplets can be further increased.

  (6) According to the invention described in claim 6, since the fine droplets hardly adhere to the surface on which the hydrophobic layer is formed, the pressure loss when the fluid passes through the throttle passage can be reduced, In addition, fine droplets are likely to adhere to the surface on which the hydrophilic layer is formed, and vaporized substances contained in the fluid are likely to condense, so that the amount of captured fine droplets can be further increased.

  (7) According to the invention described in claim 7, in addition to the above (1) to (6), the coolant is further cooled by the refrigerant cooling system, and the corrugated plate is cooled by heat transfer. it can.

  (8) According to the invention described in claim 8, in addition to the above (1) to (6), the fluid is further cooled by the cooling system using a heat pipe and a Peltier element, and the corrugated plate is heat-transferred. Can be cooled.

  (9) According to the ninth aspect of the invention, the throttle passage can be adjusted, and the flow velocity of the fluid colliding with the wall surface on the downstream side can be adjusted. Therefore, in addition to the above (1) to (8), Fine droplets floating in the fluid can be effectively collected.

  (10) According to the invention described in claim 10, in addition to the above (9), each of the corrugated plates can be supported so as to be elastically deformable with a simple structure, contributing to cost reduction of the apparatus. Can do.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

<First Embodiment>
First, the configuration of the gas-liquid separation device according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 1: is the perspective view (a) of the gas-liquid separator which concerns on 1st Embodiment, and the partially expanded plan view (b) which looked at the corrugated sheet in the plane direction in this invention.

  The gas-liquid separation device 10 is connected to a conduit for passing a gas-liquid mixed fluid branched from a waste liquid processing unit of a coating process or a developing device used in semiconductor manufacturing, for example, or a conventional mist trap (exhaust pipe of the device). A casing 11, a cooler 12 provided in the casing 11, and a plurality of corrugated plates 13.

  The casing 11 includes a fluid inlet 11a, a casing main body 11b that houses the cooler 12 and the plurality of corrugated plates 13, and a fluid outlet 11c that is an outlet of the fluid from which the liquid to be separated is separated. And a trap structure outlet (not shown) for discharging the separation liquid. A hydrophilic film is formed on the inner surface of the housing body 11b.

  The cooler 12 is formed in a lattice shape with an upper cooling pipe 12a, a lower cooling pipe 12b, and a plurality of vertical cooling pipes 12c, and is provided on a cross section of the flow of the fluid flowing through the housing body 11b. ing. The upper cooling pipe 12a is a refrigerant outflow pipe, the lower cooling pipe 12b is a refrigerant inflow pipe, and the plurality of vertical cooling pipes 12c are connected in communication with the upper cooling pipe 12a and the lower cooling pipe 12b at the upper and lower ends, in parallel. They are arranged in parallel. The upper cooling pipe 12a and the lower cooling pipe 12b are arranged in parallel in the vertical direction and are connected to a refrigerant supply source (not shown) as a cooling source at an outer end extending to the outside of the housing body 11b. The refrigerant is supplied into the lower cooling pipe 12b. The upper cooling pipe 12a, the lower cooling pipe 12b, and the vertical cooling pipe 12c are formed of, for example, an aluminum pipe.

  The cooler 12 configured as described above serves to cool the gas-liquid mixed fluid flowing through the housing and condense the vaporized substance contained in the fluid, and also to a plurality of corrugated plates. It serves to cool 13 by heat transfer.

  The plurality of corrugated plates 13 are formed of a thermally conductive member, for example, an extruded aluminum material, and by changing the thickness of the corrugated plates, the interval between the corrugated plates is reduced to increase the flow rate of the gas-liquid mixed fluid. A throttle part 13a to be passed, and a wall surface 13b disposed substantially in front of the throttle part 13a on the downstream side and colliding with a gas-liquid mixed fluid passing through the throttle part 13a at an increased flow velocity (see FIG. 2). ). In order to make it difficult for fine droplets to adhere to one surface of the inner side surface 13c in the throttle passage 13a and to make the vaporized substance contained in the gas-liquid mixed fluid difficult to condense, the pressure loss of the fluid is reduced. A hydrophobic layer 14 that can suppress the reduction is formed. Further, a hydrophilic layer 15 is formed on the wall surface 13b so that fine droplets can easily adhere to the wall surface 13b, and the amount of captured fine droplets can be further increased. Thus, the plurality of corrugated plates 13 are provided with a droplet collection passage 13d for collecting and dropping fine droplets floating in the gas-liquid mixed fluid on the wall surface 13b.

  The plurality of corrugated plates 13 are integrally connected and supported at the upper and lower end faces to the upper cooling pipe 12a and the lower cooling pipe 12b of the cooler 12, and the end faces between the upper and lower parts are connected to the plurality of vertical cooling pipes. 12c is integrally connected and supported. For this reason, since the plurality of corrugated plates 13 are cooled by heat conduction by the cooler 12, the temperature of the corrugated plate surface is kept low so that a temperature difference from the temperature of the fluid occurs.

  Next, the operation | movement aspect of the said gas-liquid separation apparatus 10 is demonstrated. The gas-liquid mixed fluid flowing in the housing 11 flows through the cooler 12, flows between the corrugated plates 13, and flows out of the housing 11. The gas-liquid mixed fluid is cooled by the cooler 12 and passes through the throttle passage 13a formed by the inner side surface 13c formed with the hydrophobic layer 14 between the corrugated plates at an increased flow velocity, thereby forming the downstream hydrophilic layer 15. It collides with the wall surface 13b and then flows out of the housing 11 with the flow velocity reduced. When the gas-liquid mixed fluid is cooled by the cooler 12, the vaporized substance contained in the fluid is condensed to become droplets grown and contained in fine droplets floating in the fluid. When the gas-liquid mixed fluid passes through the throttle passage 13a with an increased flow velocity and collides with the wall surface 13b, the fine liquid droplets floating in the fluid adhere to the wall surface 13b and are collected. It flows through the collecting passage 13d and is collected from the bottom of the casing. Since the vaporized substance contained in the fluid is cooled and condensed, it adheres to the wall surface 13b and is collected.

  Further, the corrugated plate 13 is cooled by the cooler 12 and a temperature difference is generated between the temperature of the corrugated plate surface and the fluid. Therefore, the vaporized substance contained in the fluid is transferred to the surface of the corrugated plate 13. Condensation / condensation can be achieved and separated and recovered.

Second Embodiment
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a gas-liquid separator according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The gas-liquid separator 20 includes a casing 21, a cooler 22 provided in the casing 21, and a plurality of corrugated plates 13 similar to those in the first embodiment.

  The casing 21 includes a fluid inlet 21a, a casing main body 21b, and a fluid outlet 21c, and is configured in the same manner as in the first embodiment.

  The cooler 22 is formed of a heat pipe and is formed in a lattice shape with an upper cooling pipe 22a, a lower cooling pipe 22b, and a plurality of vertical cooling pipes 22c, and the above-described fluid flowing through the housing body 21b. It is provided on the cross section of the flow. The upper cooling pipe 22a and the lower cooling pipe 22b are arranged in parallel in the vertical direction and are connected to the heat absorption side of the Peltier element 24 serving as a cooling source at the outer end extending to the outside of the housing body 21b.

  In this Peltier element 24, when a current is passed through the PN junction, an endothermic phenomenon occurs in the N → P junction, and a heat dissipation phenomenon occurs in the P → N junction, and heat is transferred from the low temperature side (endothermic side) to the high temperature side (heat generation side). ). Therefore, the outer ends of the upper cooling pipe 22a and the lower cooling pipe 22b are formed to have a large area, and are integrally connected to the N → P junction portion of the Peltier element 24 so that heat transfer is performed satisfactorily. . The Peltier element 24 absorbs the heat pumped up by the heat pipe at the heat pipe connecting surface and dissipates it at the opposite surface.

A heat pipe is composed of a pipe body, a porous body called a wick accommodated in the pipe body, and a working fluid selected from He, N, H ₂ O, NH ₃ , Na, K, etc., and one end of the pipe body When the gas-liquid mixed fluid is cooled in (when the other end of the pipe body is heated), the working fluid evaporates and moves to the end cooled by the Peltier element 24 to condense, and the condensed working fluid is The gas-liquid mixed fluid flowing in the housing 11 is cooled by moving inside the porous body by capillary action, returning to the one end of the pipe body, and evaporating again. The plurality of vertical cooling pipes 22c are provided so that heat pumped up from the gas-liquid mixed fluid is transferred to one of the upper cooling pipe 22a and the lower cooling pipe 22b.

  According to the gas-liquid separation device 20 of the second embodiment configured as described above, when the gas-liquid mixed fluid passing through the housing 21 is cooled by the cooler 22, it is contained in the fluid. The vaporized material is condensed into droplets grown and contained in fine droplets floating in the fluid. As in the first embodiment, in the process of passing between the corrugated plates 13, fine droplets floating in the fluid are collected, and the falling droplets flow through the droplet collecting passage 13d to form the casing. It is collected from the bottom.

<Third Embodiment>
FIG. 3 (a) is a perspective view of a gas-liquid separator according to a third embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 (b) is a plan view. FIG. 4A is a perspective view of another state, and FIG. 4B is a plan view. The gas-liquid separation device 30 includes a casing 31, a cooler 32 provided in the casing 31, and a plurality of corrugated plates 33. The casing 31 includes a fluid inlet 31a, a casing main body 31b, and a fluid outlet 31c. The casing 31 has the same configuration as that of the first embodiment, and a description thereof is omitted. The cooler 32 is formed in a lattice shape with an upper cooling pipe 32a, a lower cooling pipe 32b, and a plurality of vertical cooling pipes 32c, which are configured by heat pipes, and is the same as the cooler 22 of the second embodiment. The description is omitted.

  The plurality of corrugated plates 33 are different from the corrugated plate 13 of the first embodiment. Each corrugated plate 33 has an end connected to the cooler 32 as a fixed end, and is formed to be stretchable and deformable in a direction along the flow of the gas-liquid mixed fluid flowing through the housing 31.

  In this case, if the corrugated plate 33 is a plate member made of synthetic resin, for example, as shown in FIG. 5A, a circular cross section is formed on one side surface of one plate member 33a adjacent to the bent portion of the corrugated plate 33. The bulging shaft portion 33b protrudes, and an end portion of the other plate member 33c is provided with a fitting concave portion 33d having an arc-shaped cross section that is rotatably fitted to the bulging shaft portion 33b, and contracts to one side of the end portion. The structure is provided with an inclined surface 33 for preventing interference during deformation. It is also possible to replace the corrugated plate 33 with a synthetic resin plate member and form it with an aluminum extruded shape. In this case as well, a bulging shaft portion 33b and a fitting concave portion 33d are provided in the same manner as described above. It can be formed to be stretchable and deformable.

  When the corrugated sheet 33 is formed of sheet metal, as shown in FIG. 5B, a hinge having a pin insertion hole 33g on one side surface of one of the adjacent plate members 33f at the bent portion of the corrugated sheet 33. The receiving member 33h is fixed, and a hinge locking portion 33 having a pin insertion hole portion 33j axially matching the pin insertion hole portion 33g of the hinge receiving member 33h is provided at the end of the other plate member 33i. With the pin insertion hole 33g of the hinge receiving member 33h of the plate members 33f and 33i and the pin insertion hole 33j of the hinge locking portion 33k aligned, the hinge pin 33p is inserted to rotate both the plate members 33f and 33i. It is good also as a structure which makes it movable.

  A guide bar 40 is connected to the cooler 32, and the corrugated plates 33 that can be expanded and contracted are supported by the guide bar 40. A linear motion reciprocating actuator 41, which is an expansion / contraction drive mechanism, is provided on the side of the corrugated plate 33 in the housing 31, and the tip of the piston rod 41a of the linear motion reciprocating actuator 41 is the downstream end of the plurality of corrugated plates 33. The corrugated sheet 33 can be expanded and contracted by expanding and contracting the piston rod 41a. When the flow rate of the gas-liquid mixed fluid is large, as shown in FIG. 3, the piston rod 41a is extended to loosen the bending degree of the bent passage between the corrugated plates 33, and when the flow rate of the gas-liquid mixed fluid is small, As shown in FIG. 4, the piston rod 41 a is contracted to tighten the bending degree of the bent passage between the corrugated plates 33, and the flow velocity passing through the throttle passage between the corrugated plates 33 is adjusted.

  With this configuration, by adjusting the degree of expansion / contraction of the piston rod 41a, by adjusting the gap between the corrugated plates 33 according to the amount of air flow in the casing 31 of the gas-liquid mixed fluid, The flow velocity passing through the throttle passage between the corrugated plates 33 can be adjusted. This makes it possible to adjust the flow velocity at which the liquid droplets collide with the wall surface so that the fine liquid droplets floating in the gas-liquid mixed fluid are effectively adhered and collected on the wall surface on the downstream side of the throttle passage.

<Application example>
Next, the case where the gas-liquid separation apparatus according to the present invention is provided in a development processing apparatus used for semiconductor manufacturing will be described with reference to FIG.

  In the developing processing apparatus 50, the central portion of the back surface (lower surface) of the wafer W is attracted by the spin chuck 51 to hold the wafer W horizontally, and the spin chuck 51 is moved up and down by a driving mechanism 53 connected to the shaft portion 52. And an inner cup 54 having a liquid recovery path 54a and an outer cup 55 having a gas supply port 55d, which surrounds the side and lower side of the wafer W and is held by the spin chuck 51. The developer supply nozzle 56, the cleaning liquid supply nozzle 65, the mist trap 61 for collecting the mist, and the gas-liquid separators 10, 20, and 30 according to the present invention are provided.

  In this case, an annular liquid recovery passage 54a is formed inside the inner cup 54, and an annular mist recovery portion 55c and a mist recovery passage 55a that are open on the inner side are formed in the upper openings of the outer cup 55 and the inner cup 54. Is formed. A plurality of, for example, eight gas supply ports 55d and suction ports 55b are formed concentrically on the mist collection path 55a in the vicinity of the upper part and the side part at equal intervals. A gas supply source such as an air supply source 67 is connected to the gas supply port 55d. When air is supplied from the air supply source 67 to the gas supply port 55d by opening the on-off valve 66 through the on-off valve 66, the air flows along the mist collection path 55a and uses the negative pressure generated by the air flow, that is, The mist can be recovered in the mist recovery path 55a through the mist recovery part 55c and the suction port 55b by an ejector effect in which a negative pressure due to the airflow acts. This air supply timing is performed when the spin chuck 51 rotates after supplying the cleaning liquid to the wafer W.

  A drain conduit 59 having a drain valve 60 is connected to the liquid recovery passage 54 a provided in the inner cup 54. The drain pipe 59 and the discharge pipe 68 provided at the bottom of the outer cup 55 and connected to the discharge port 55e are connected to a mist trap 61 so that gas and liquid are separated into gas and waste liquid by the mist trap 61. It is configured.

  On the other hand, on the upper side of the wafer W held by the spin chuck 51, a developing solution supply nozzle 56 facing the central portion of the surface of the wafer W via a gap is provided so as to be movable back and forth and up and down. The developer supply nozzle 56 is connected to a developer supply source 58 via an on-off valve 57 that can adjust the flow rate. Further, a cleaning liquid supply nozzle 62 facing the surface of the wafer W via a gap is provided so as to be movable back and forth and lifted up and down. The cleaning liquid supply nozzle 62 is connected to a supply source 63 of a cleaning liquid, such as pure water, via an on-off valve 64.

  In the developing apparatus 50 configured as described above, the developing solution is supplied to the surface of the wafer W by the developing solution supply nozzle 56 to perform the developing process. Thus, a predetermined resist pattern is formed by dissolving a portion that is soluble in the developer in the resist film on the surface of the wafer W. Further, a rinse liquid such as pure water is supplied to the wafer W from the cleaning liquid supply nozzle 62 to perform a rinsing process, and then spin drying is performed to shake off the rinse liquid. At this time, when the on-off valve 66 is opened and air is supplied from the air supply source 67 to the gas supply port 55d, the air flows along the mist recovery path 55a, and the negative pressure due to the airflow is used, that is, the negative pressure due to the airflow. The mist is recovered in the mist recovery path 55a through the mist recovery part 55c and the suction port 55b by the ejector effect that acts. The mist recovered in the mist recovery path 55 a is discharged from the discharge port 55 e to the mist trap 61 and is separated into gas and liquid by the mist trap 61. Further, the developer and the rinsing liquid recovered in the liquid recovery path 54 a are discharged from the drain line 59 to the mist trap 61 and are separated into gas and liquid by the mist trap 61.

  The liquid waste is separated in the mist trap 61, and the waste liquid containing the developer is recovered in a waste liquid recovery tank (not shown). The air of the air supply source 67, the mist of the developer, the mist of the cleaning liquid, the developer and the cleaning liquid. The vaporized substance flows into the gas-liquid separators 10, 20, and 30 according to the present invention.

  The gas-liquid separators 10, 20, and 30 cool the gas-liquid mixed fluid (mixed fluid of air, developer mist, cleaning liquid mist, developer and cleaning liquid vaporized substance) flowing into the housing. It cools by 12, 22, 32, and after flowing between corrugated sheets, it flows out in a housing | casing. At this time, the gas-liquid mixed fluid passes through the constricted passage between the corrugated plates with an increased flow velocity, and when it collides with the wall surface on the downstream side, fine droplets (developer mist, The mist of the cleaning liquid adheres to the wall surface and is collected. Further, since the coolers 12, 22, and 32 cool the fluid, the vaporized substances of the developer and the cleaning liquid contained in the fluid are condensed and contained in fine droplets floating in the fluid. The liquid droplets grow and become separated and collected as fine droplets that adhere to the wall surface and are collected.

  In the above description, the case where the gas-liquid separators 10, 20, and 30 according to the present invention are applied to the development processing apparatus 50 has been described. However, the present invention is also applicable to a liquid processing apparatus other than the development processing apparatus 50, such as a resist coating processing apparatus. it can.

It is the schematic perspective view (a) of the gas-liquid separation apparatus which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention, and the expanded sectional view (b) which shows a part of corrugated sheet in this invention. It is a schematic perspective view of the gas-liquid separator which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is the schematic perspective view (a) which shows the expansion | extension state of the corrugated sheet in the gas-liquid separator which concerns on 3rd Embodiment of this invention, and its schematic plan view (b). It is the schematic perspective view (a) which shows the contraction state of the corrugated sheet in the gas-liquid separation apparatus of 3rd Embodiment concerning this invention, and its schematic plan view (b). It is a principal part perspective view which shows the modification of the corrugated sheet in 3rd Embodiment which concerns on this invention. It is a schematic sectional drawing which shows an example of the use condition of the gas-liquid separator which concerns on this invention.

Explanation of symbols

10, 20, 30 Gas-liquid separators 11, 21, 31 Housings 12, 22, 32 Coolers 12a, 22a, 32a Upper cooling pipes 12b, 22b, 32b Lower cooling pipes 12c, 22c, 32c Vertical cooling pipes 13, 33 Corrugated plate 13a Restriction portion 13b Wall surface 13c Inner side surface 13d Droplet collecting passage 14 Hydrophobic layer 15 Hydrophilic layer 24 Peltier element 40 Guide bar 41 Direct acting reciprocating actuator (extension / retraction drive mechanism)

Claims (10)

A cooler provided on a cross section of the fluid flow is disposed in a housing connected to a pipe line through which the gas-liquid mixed fluid passes, and is arranged in parallel along the fluid flow on the downstream side of the cooler. A plurality of corrugated plates,
The cooler is connected to a cooling source provided outside, and is configured to condense the vaporized substance contained in the gas-liquid mixed fluid by cooling,
The plurality of corrugated plates includes a throttle portion that narrows the interval between the corrugated plates to increase the flow velocity of the fluid, and a wall surface on which the gas-liquid mixed fluid collides with the downstream side of the throttle portion, It has a droplet collection passage that collects fine droplets floating in the fluid by adhering to the wall and collecting them.
A gas-liquid separator characterized by that. In the gas-liquid separation device according to claim 1,
The corrugated plate is made of a material having thermal conductivity and connected to the cooler. In the gas-liquid separation device according to claim 1 or 2,
The gas / liquid is characterized in that the cooler comprises a grid-like cooling pipe, and the cooling pipe is integrally connected to the corrugated plate so that heat conduction is performed between the cooling pipe and the corrugated plate. Separation device. The gas-liquid separator according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
A gas-liquid separation device, wherein a hydrophobic layer is formed on an inner surface of the throttle passage formed between the corrugated plates. The gas-liquid separator according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
A gas-liquid separation device, wherein a hydrophilic layer is formed on a fluid collision wall surface in the droplet collecting passage formed between the corrugated plates. The gas-liquid separator according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
A hydrophobic layer is formed on the inner surface of the throttle passage formed between the corrugated plates,
A gas-liquid separation device, wherein a hydrophilic layer is formed on a fluid collision wall surface in the droplet collecting passage formed between the corrugated plates. The gas-liquid separation device according to any one of claims 1 to 6,
The cooler includes an upper cooling pipe and a lower cooling pipe that are horizontally provided at an upper part and a lower part on a cross section of the flow of the gas-liquid mixed fluid, and are arranged in parallel to each other, and an upper end and a lower end are provided as an upper cooling pipe and a lower cooling pipe A plurality of vertically connected cooling pipes connected to each other, connected to a refrigerant supply source, which is the cooling source, formed in a lattice shape, and the outer ends of the upper cooling pipe and the lower cooling pipe are provided outside. A gas-liquid separator characterized by comprising: The gas-liquid separation device according to any one of claims 1 to 6,
The cooler includes an upper cooling pipe and a lower cooling pipe, each of which is a heat pipe provided horizontally at an upper part and a lower part on a cross section of the flow of the gas-liquid mixed fluid, and an upper cooling pipe and an upper cooling pipe arranged in parallel to each other. A vertical cooling pipe comprising a plurality of heat pipes connected in communication with the lower cooling pipe, the cooling source formed in a lattice shape, and provided with an outer end of the upper cooling pipe and an outer end of the lower cooling pipe provided outside. A gas-liquid separator characterized by being connected to the heat absorption side of a Peltier element. The gas-liquid separation device according to any one of claims 1 to 8,
The plurality of corrugated plates are formed to be extendable and deformable in a direction along the flow of the gas-liquid mixed fluid, with the end connected to the cooler of each corrugated plate as a fixed end, and are expanded and contracted by a telescopic drive mechanism. A gas-liquid separator characterized by that. The gas-liquid separator according to claim 9, wherein
A gas-liquid separation device, wherein a guide bar is connected to the cooler corresponding to each corrugated plate, and the corrugated plates that are elastically deformable are supported by the guide bar.

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