JP2012141068A - Fluid device unit structure - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a compact fluid device unit structure proper for a use of taking out a chemical solution as required, while circulating the chemical solution and water, and capable of preventing solidification of fluid such as the chemical solution.SOLUTION: In the fluid device unit structure having a plurality of fluid devices connected to via a flow path and formed in one body by integrating them to a base member 10, a connecting flow path 15 connecting between a pneumatic operation valve 20A and a manual operation valve 30A adjacent to each other, while forming a first chemical solution flow-out path 12A for circulating the chemical solution, is offset from a flow direction upstream side to a downstream side.

Description

  The present invention relates to a fluid device unit structure in which fluid devices such as valves and pressure switches are integrated.

Conventionally, in devices that handle fluids (chemical solutions) such as chemicals, various fluid equipment (various sensors such as valves, regulators, pressure sensors, and various switches such as pressure switches) that are constituent elements are connected by piping. A fluid device unit structure (integrated structure) integrated and connected. In such a fluid device unit structure, there is an application in which a chemical solution is taken out as necessary while performing slurry-like chemical solution circulation and water circulation.
Further, for example, when a plurality of fluid devices for chemical liquids are used like a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, an integrated structure that enables the connection of fluid devices for chemical liquids without using piping is proposed, and piping is unnecessary. It is said that the entire apparatus can be made compact. (For example, see Patent Document 1)

JP 2000-120903 A (see FIG. 1)

  By the way, in the fluid device unit structure for the purpose of taking out the chemical liquid as necessary while performing the chemical liquid (slurry) circulation and the water circulation, a problem has been pointed out that if the slurry-like chemical liquid is retained, it tends to solidify. For this reason, in a fluid device unit structure that handles slurry-like chemical liquids or the like, an integrated structure in which the flow path in which the chemical liquid or the like stays and solidifies is made as small as possible is desired.

The fluid device unit structure shown in FIG. 7 has a configuration in which three valves 1A, 1B, 1C are connected in series by a flow path 2 on the same axis. In such an in-line type configuration, the flow path cross-sectional area is generally enlarged in the valve body housing space 3 formed in each valve.
For this reason, the stagnation area | region S which retains the flow of the fluid may be formed like the hatching part shown in FIG. In the illustrated example, the fluid flowing into the valve 1B from the valve 1A flows from the lower fluid outlet 4 through the flow path 2 to the valve 1C, but in the periphery of the space 3 that is far from the center of the mainstream. Since the space of the concave portion is formed, a part of the fluid stays in the concave portion and the stagnation region S is formed.

The formation of the stagnation region S described above is not preferable, particularly when a fluid that is easily solidified, such as a slurry-like chemical solution, is flown, because the solidified product of the chemical solution is fixed in the valve.
The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and the object of the present invention is, for example, suitable for applications in which a chemical solution is taken out while performing a chemical solution circulation and a water circulation, and a fluid such as a chemical solution coagulates. The object is to provide a compact fluid device unit structure that is difficult to achieve.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention employs the following means.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, in a fluid device unit structure in which a plurality of fluid devices connected via a flow channel are integrated and integrated on a base member, a fluid that forms a flow channel for circulating a chemical solution and is adjacent It is characterized in that the connecting flow path between devices is inclined downward from the upstream side to the downstream side in the flow direction.

  According to such a fluid device unit structure, a flow path for performing chemical solution circulation is formed, and the connection flow channel between adjacent fluid devices is inclined downward from the upstream side to the downstream side in the flow direction. The chemical solution that is likely to coagulate can flow down by its own weight through the connecting channel inclined downward.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the fluid device unit structure in which a plurality of fluid devices connected via a flow path are integrated and integrated on a base member, the base member forms a flow path for circulating a chemical solution. In addition, it has a plurality of equipment installation surfaces with different heights between adjacent fluid devices, and the device installation surface is lowered stepwise from the upstream side to the downstream side in the flow direction.

  According to such a fluid device unit structure, the base member includes a plurality of device installation surfaces having different heights between adjacent fluid devices by forming a flow path for circulating the chemical solution, and flows through the device installation surface. Since the direction is lowered stepwise from the upstream side to the downstream side, a low chemical liquid retention portion is not formed.

In the above invention, the chemical solution circulation channel for performing chemical solution circulation forms a fluid circuit for taking out the chemical solution as necessary while performing chemical solution circulation and water circulation, and the chemical solution circulation channel is used for water circulation. It is preferably formed via the valve element storage space of the valve disposed in the flow path, and this makes it possible to reduce the flow path.
In this case, it is preferable that the valve is provided with a plug-type valve body in the valve body housing space, and the water circulation circuit is communicated below the valve body, so that replacement / washing of the chemical with water is easy. become.

In addition, according to the reference example of the fluid device unit structure according to the present invention, the flow path for performing chemical circulation is formed and the connection flow path between adjacent fluid devices is offset from the center of the fluid device axis. A fluid swirling in the space is formed in the fluid flowing into the fluid device.
In this case, the fluid device is preferably a valve provided with a plug-type valve body, whereby the edge of the opening formed in the bottom without the recess can be used as the valve seat.

  According to the fluid device unit structure of the present invention described above, it is possible to prevent a stagnation region S from being formed in the flow path of the fluid device unit structure by forming a swirling flow in the space. When the fluid that is easily solidified as described above stays and solidifies, it is possible to prevent or suppress the solidified substance of the chemical solution from adhering to the valve. Therefore, it is possible to provide a compact fluid device unit structure that is suitable for the purpose of taking out a chemical liquid as necessary while performing a chemical liquid circulation and a water circulation, and in which a fluid such as a chemical liquid is difficult to coagulate.

It is a top view of the principal part which shows the flow path formed in the base member as one Embodiment of the fluid apparatus unit structure which concerns on this invention. It is a top view which shows an external appearance as one Embodiment of the fluid apparatus unit structure which concerns on this invention. It is a systematic diagram which shows the example of a flow-path structure formed in the fluid apparatus unit of FIG. It is principal part sectional drawing which looked at the fluid apparatus unit shown in FIG. 2 from the front. FIG. 3 is a right side view of FIG. 2. It is a modification of the base member shown in FIG. It is a principal part top view which shows the prior art example of the flow path formed in the base member.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of a fluid device unit structure according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
The structure of the fluid device unit FU shown in FIG. 2 to FIG. 5 is obtained by integrating a plurality of fluid devices connected via a flow path into the base member 10 and integrating them. In the illustrated configuration example, the main part of the fluid device unit 1 is made of chemical-resistant fluororesin, and four pneumatic operation valves 20A, 20B, 20C and 20D and two manual operation valves 30A and 30B are used as fluid devices. These fluid devices are integrated on the base member 10 and integrated. In addition, the code | symbol 11 in a figure is a base fixing plate.

  FIG. 3 shows the flow path (circuit) configuration of the fluid device unit FU. In this flow path configuration example, the first pneumatic operation valve 20A and the first pneumatic operation valve 20A are connected to the first chemical liquid outflow path 12A branched from the chemical liquid flow path 12. One manual operation valve 30A is provided, and a second pneumatic operation valve 20B and a second manual operation valve 30B are provided in the second chemical liquid outflow passage 12B which is also branched from the chemical liquid passage 12. The pneumatic operation valves 20A and 20B used here are, for example, normally closed type on-off valves.

A third pneumatic operation valve 20C is branched from the ultrapure water (DIW) flow path 13 and is connected to the first pure water flow path 13A connected to the downstream side of the pneumatic operation valve 20A of the first chemical liquid outflow path 12A. A fourth pneumatic operation valve is provided in a second pure water flow path 13B that is provided and is branched from the ultrapure water (DIW) flow path 13 and connected downstream of the pneumatic operation valve 20B of the second chemical liquid outflow flow path 12B. 20D is provided. Pneumatically operated valves 20A and 20B used here are, for example, normally closed type on-off valves equipped with an opening adjustment mechanism.
In the figure, reference numeral 12a is a chemical liquid inlet, 12b is a first chemical liquid outlet, 12c is a second chemical liquid outlet, 12d is a chemical liquid return outlet, 13a is a pure water inlet, and 13b is a pure water outlet.

For example, as shown in FIG. 4, the base member 10 includes a plurality of installation surfaces 14 having different heights provided for installing the above-described fluid devices. The plurality of installation surfaces 14 are connected by the above-described various flow paths formed inside the base member 10.
In the illustrated configuration, the base member 10 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, and on the upper surface thereof, in order to install the above-described fluid devices, there are provided six installation surfaces arranged so that each center position draws a rectangle. .
In the following description, since the first chemical liquid outflow channel 12A and the second chemical liquid outflow channel 12B have substantially the same configuration, the first chemical liquid outflow channel 12A side will be described. The installation surface on which the first pneumatic operation valve 20A is installed is the first installation surface 14A, the installation surface on which the third pneumatic operation valve 20C is installed is the second installation surface 14B, and the first manual operation valve 30A is installed. Let the installation surface to perform be the 3rd installation surface 14C.

In the flow path configuration shown in FIG. 3, during normal operation, the two manual valves 30A and 30B are both opened, and the two pneumatic operation valves 20A and 20B are set to fully open, and the remaining two pneumatic operation valves. 20C and 20D are provided with a flow rate adjusting function, and the valve opening degree when fully opened or fully closed can be adjusted. In this state, a slurry-like chemical liquid is introduced into the fluid device unit FU from the chemical liquid inlet 12a of the chemical liquid flow path 12, and the pneumatic operation valve 20A is opened as necessary to supply the chemical liquid to the first chemical liquid outlet 12b.
When supplying ultrapure water from the first chemical solution outlet 12b, the pneumatic operation valve 20A is closed and the pneumatic operation valve 20C is opened. At this time, for the supply of ultrapure water, the supply amount of ultrapure water can be adjusted using the flow rate adjustment function of the pneumatic operation valve 20C. Of the chemical liquid introduced into the chemical liquid inlet 12a, the remainder not distributed to the first chemical liquid outlet flow path 12A and the second chemical liquid outlet flow path 12B flows out of the fluid device unit FU from the chemical liquid return outlet 12d. To do.

Further, when the pneumatic operation valves 20A and 20B are closed, the chemical liquid introduced from the chemical liquid inlet 12a flows out of the fluid device unit FU from the chemical liquid return outlet 12d and circulates. As a result, the chemical liquid always flows without stagnation regardless of the open / closed state of the pneumatic operation valves 20A, 20B, etc., so that the slurry-like chemical liquid can be prevented from staying and coagulating.
And the same thing as the chemical | medical solution flow path 12 mentioned above is performed also in the ultrapure water flow path 13 side. That is, the ultrapure water introduced from the pure water inlet 13a flows out of the pure water outlet 13b, and can always flow and circulate without staying regardless of the open / closed state of the pneumatic operation valves 20C and 20D. Thereby, in the case of ultrapure water, problems such as generation of bacteria that occur when the flow stops can be solved.

As described above, in the fluid device unit structure FU in which a plurality of fluid devices connected via the flow channel are integrated and integrated in the base member 10, the fluids adjacent to each other by forming a flow channel for circulating the chemical solution. The connecting flow path between the devices is offset from the fluid device shaft center.
This configuration will be specifically described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a plan view of the base member 10 and shows a state where the valve body is removed from the above-described half of the fluid device unit structure FU on the first chemical liquid outflow passage 12a side half. That is, the installation surface 14C for the manual operation valve 30A, the installation surface 14A for the pneumatic operation valve 20A, and the installation surface 14B for the pneumatic operation valve 20C are arranged in a line on the same axis in order from the right side of the page.

Among these, the manual operation valve 30A and the pneumatic operation valve 20A that form a flow path for flowing a chemical solution are connected by a connection flow path 15 that is offset from an axis that connects the axial center positions of both valves. .
That is, on one manual operation valve 30A side, a recess storage space 32 for storing and installing the valve body 31 is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape on the installation surface 14C, and the lower surface (bottom) of the storage space 32 A chemical solution inlet opening 33 communicating with the chemical solution flow path 12 is opened at the center of the valve. On the pneumatic operation valve 20A side, a recess storage space 22 for storing and installing the valve element 21 is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape on the installation surface 14A, and a chemical solution outlet opening 23 is formed on the lower surface (bottom) of the storage space 22. Is open at the center of the valve. The valve center positions of the manually operated valve 30A and the pneumatically operated valve 20A are arranged on the same axis.

  In this case, the pneumatic operation valve 20A and the manual operation valve 30A are configured to employ plug-type valve bodies 21 and 31. For this reason, the storage spaces 22 and 32 of the pneumatic operation valve 20A and the manual operation valve 30A can use, as a valve seat, the edge of the opening formed at the bottom where there is no concave portion that becomes a place where the chemical solution stays. That is, the plug-type valve bodies 21 and 31 are sealed so that the front ends thereof enter the outlet openings 23 and 33, so that the edge portions 23a and 33a of the outlet openings 23 and 33 can be used as valve seats. Therefore, the storage spaces 22 and 32 of the pneumatic operation valve 20A and the manual operation valve 30A have a structure having no recess at the bottom, and can prevent the chemical liquid from staying.

And the connection flow path 15 which connects between the recessed part used as the storage space 32 of 30 A of manual operation valves, and the recessed part used as the storage space 22 of the pneumatically operated valve 20A is parallel-translated from the axial centerline which connects each valve center position. It is provided at the position. In the example shown in the figure, they are translated from the axial center line connecting the valve center positions to the second chemical liquid outflow channel 12B side of the fluid device unit structure FU.
In this case, the connecting channel 15 is provided so as to be inclined downward from the upstream side in the flow direction to the downstream side. That is, the recessed portion that becomes the storage space 32 on the manual operation valve 30A side is located higher than the recessed portion that becomes the storage space 22 on the pneumatic operation valve 20A side, and the upstream manual operation close to the chemical liquid flow path 12 in the flow direction of the chemical liquid. From the valve 30 </ b> A side toward the downstream pneumatic operation valve 20 </ b> A side, the chemical liquid flows through the connection channel 15 inclined downward.

  By adopting such a configuration, when a chemical solution is introduced from the manual operation valve 30A to the pneumatic operation valve 20A, the chemical solution flows into a position shifted from the axial center with respect to the storage space 22 having a substantially circular cross section. . For this reason, since the swirling flow of the chemical solution is generated in the storage space 22, the retention of the chemical solution is less likely to occur on the outer peripheral side of the storage space 22 that is located away from the outlet opening 21. That is, the chemical solution that has flowed into the storage space 22 forms a swirling flow and does not stay and stagnant, and flows out of the outlet opening 23 while swirling in the storage space 22. For this reason, since the slurry-like chemical liquid does not stay in the storage space 22 of the pneumatic operation valve 20A, it is possible to prevent the chemical liquid from being stagnated and solidified.

The offset structure of the flow path that forms such a swirl flow is not limited to the connection flow path 15 shown in FIG. 1, and for example, a modification as shown in FIG. 6 is possible. In FIG. 6, the same parts as those in the above-described embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals.
In this modification, a connecting flow path 15A is provided that intersects with the axial center line connecting the valve center positions. Even in such a connection flow path 15A, a swirl flow similar to that of the connection flow path 15 described above can be formed in the storage space 22 of the pneumatic operation valve 20A.

In addition, since the connecting channel 15 is inclined downward, even if the flow of the chemical solution stops, it flows down by its own weight, so that the chemical solution does not stay in the connecting channel 15 and solidify.
On the manual operation valve 30A side, the chemical liquid flows in from the lower side of the storage space 32, and the plug-type valve body 31 is used to form the storage space 32 having no recess at the bottom. The chemical liquid remaining in the space 32 flows down to the chemical liquid flow path 12 through the inlet opening 33, or flows down to the pneumatic operation valve 20 </ b> A side through the connection flow path 15. As a result, it is possible to prevent the chemical liquid from remaining in the manual operation valve 30A and coagulating the chemical liquid.

As described above, the fluid circuit for taking out the chemical liquid as needed while performing the chemical liquid circulation and the water circulation is integrated with the base member 10 by integrating a plurality of fluid devices (valves or the like) connected through the flow path. In the fluid device unit structure, the chemical liquid circulation channel is formed via the valve element storage space of the valve disposed in the water circulation channel.
Specifically, referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 4, the first chemical liquid outflow channels 12A and 12B, which are the chemical circulation channels, are replaced with the first pure water flow channels 13A, It is formed via a storage space 22 for storing the valve elements 21 of the pneumatic operation valves 20C and 20D arranged at 13B.

Accordingly, the first chemical liquid outflow passage 12A shown in FIGS. 1 and 4 flows into the storage space 22 of the pneumatic operation valve 20A from the manual operation valve 30A described above, and then passes through the connection passage 16 to the pneumatic operation valve 20C. Guided to the storage space 22. Regardless of the open / closed state of the pneumatic operation valve 20C, the storage space 22 of the operation valve 20C serves as a chemical liquid flow path, and is a part of the first chemical liquid outflow flow path 12A communicating with the first chemical liquid outlet 12b. .
With such a fluid device unit structure FU, the first chemical solution outflow passage 12A for circulating the chemical solution is a valve of the pneumatic operation valve 20C disposed in the first pure water passage 13A for circulating water (ultra pure water). Since it is formed via the storage space 22 in which the body 21 is stored, the number of flow paths formed in the base member 10 can be reduced. Further, in the above-described flow path configuration, since the pneumatic operation valve 20A includes the outlet opening 23 on the bottom surface side of the storage space 22, the installation surface 14B of the pneumatic operation valve 20C is lower than the installation surface 14A of the pneumatic operation valve 20A. By doing so, a low chemical solution retention portion is not formed between the valves 20A and 20C.

  In particular, in the above-described flow path configuration, the pneumatic operation valve 20C includes the plug-type valve body 21 in the storage space 22, and the ultrapure water flow path 13 that is a water circulation circuit is connected via the first pure water flow path 13A. The valve body 21 communicates below. Therefore, if the manual operation valve 30A is fully closed, the pneumatic operation valves 20A and 20C are fully opened and ultrapure water is supplied, the inside of the connecting flow paths 15 and 16 and the storage space 22 on the downstream side of the manual operation valve 30A. The chemical solution remaining in the substrate can be easily replaced and washed with ultrapure water.

  As described above, according to the fluid equipment unit FU of the present invention, the stagnation region S is formed in the chemical circulation path formed in the base member 10 by forming a flow that swirls in the space of the storage space 22. It can be prevented from being formed. In particular, in a fluid equipment unit FU that handles a fluid that easily solidifies such as a slurry-like chemical liquid, it is possible to prevent or suppress the solidified substance from adhering to the inside due to the retention and solidification of the chemical liquid. It becomes suitable for the purpose of taking out the chemical liquid as needed, and it is possible to provide a compact fluid device unit structure in which the fluid such as the chemical liquid is difficult to coagulate.

  By the way, in embodiment mentioned above, it was set as the base member 10 which provided the six installation surfaces 14, However, It does not specifically limit about the number, arrangement | positioning, etc. of the installation surfaces 14, It is the number of the fluid apparatuses unitized. It can be changed as appropriate. Further, the fluid devices such as a manual operation valve and a pneumatic operation valve installed in the chemical liquid flow path 12 are not limited to the above-described embodiment, and the order and number of arrangements, and the operation methods such as manual operation and air pressure In accordance with the purpose and application, it can be appropriately changed within the scope not departing from the gist of the present invention.

FU Fluid device unit 10 Base member 11 Base fixing plate 12 Chemical liquid flow path 12A First chemical liquid outflow path 12B Second chemical liquid outflow path 13 Ultrapure water flow path 13A First pure water flow path 13B Second pure water flow path 14 Installation surface 15 , 15A, 16 Connecting flow path 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D (First to fourth) pneumatic operation valves 21, 31 Valve bodies 22, 32 Storage space 23 Outlet opening 23a, 33a Edge portions 30A, 30B Manual operation valve 31 Valve body 32 Storage space 33 Entrance opening

Claims (4)

In a fluid device unit structure in which a plurality of fluid devices connected via a flow path are integrated and integrated on a base member,
A fluid device unit structure in which a flow channel for performing chemical circulation is formed and a connection channel between adjacent fluid devices is inclined downward from the upstream side in the flow direction to the downstream side. In a fluid device unit structure in which a plurality of fluid devices connected via a flow path are integrated and integrated on a base member,
The base member includes a plurality of device installation surfaces having different heights between adjacent fluid devices by forming a flow path for chemical solution circulation, and the device installation surface is gradually changed from the upstream side to the downstream side in the flow direction. Fluid device unit structure characterized by being lowered.   The chemical solution circulation channel for performing the chemical solution circulation forms a fluid circuit for taking out the chemical solution as needed while performing the chemical solution circulation and the water circulation, and the chemical solution circulation channel serves as the water circulation channel. The fluid device unit structure according to claim 1, wherein the fluid device unit structure is formed through a valve body storage space of the arranged valve. 4. The fluid device unit structure according to claim 3, wherein the valve includes a plug-type valve body in the valve body housing space, and the water circulation circuit communicates below the valve body.

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