JP3197053U - Liquid replenishment device and coolant regeneration device provided with the same - Google Patents

Abstract

A liquid replenishing device capable of replenishing water to a treated coolant that has been subjected to a treatment for removing cutting waste contained in a coolant used for cutting. A liquid replenishing device includes a liquid replenishing tank for storing a treated coolant that has been subjected to a process for removing cutting waste contained in a coolant used for cutting from the coolant, and a liquid replenishing tank. The tank 70 is provided with a water replenishing mechanism 71 composed of a water pipe 71A, a pump 71B, and a water tank 71C for replenishing water to the treated coolant. [Selection] Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a liquid replenishing device used together with a cutting device for cutting various materials such as silicon, sapphire, gallium arsenide, and magnets, and a coolant regenerating device including the same.

  For example, in the process of manufacturing a product such as a semiconductor element or a solar cell element, a slicing process for cutting a block-shaped silicon ingot (silicon material) into a predetermined size is performed. In this slicing step, when the silicon ingot is cut using a wire saw device, a coolant is used to suppress the temperature rise of the cut portion and to impart lubricity. The coolant (used coolant) after being used in the slicing process includes cutting waste (sludge) such as silicon.

  For example, Patent Literature 1 discloses a wire saw coolant management method and apparatus for supplying a coolant to a wire saw (fixed abrasive wire) to cut a silicon material. In this patent document 1, the slurry receiving tank which receives the cutting slurry which falls from a wire saw is provided, and the cutting slurry received in this slurry receiving tank is guide | induced to the centrifuge. In the centrifuge, the cutting slurry is separated into coarse solids and a separation liquid. The separation liquid separated by the centrifugal separator is supplied to the membrane filtration device and separated into the fine particle mixture and the recovered coolant. Part of the separated liquid separated by the centrifuge and the recovered coolant separated by the membrane filtration device are prepared in a preparation tank and supplied again to the wire saw.

JP 2010-253622 A

  By the way, the coolant contains moisture, oil (for example, glycol-based oil), active ingredients necessary for cutting processing (various additives), and the like. The coolant supplied to the wire saw can become very hot during cutting with the wire saw. Therefore, a part of the water contained in the coolant evaporates during the cutting process. Moreover, the coarse solid content separated in the centrifuge and discharged out of the system also contains moisture. In addition, some of the moisture may evaporate due to heat generated during processing in a processing apparatus including a centrifuge and a membrane filtration device. Therefore, in the apparatus of Patent Document 1, the amount of water contained in the coolant (processed coolant) processed in the processing apparatus is less than the amount of water contained in the coolant (new coolant) before being used for cutting. .

  An object of the present invention is to provide a liquid replenishing device capable of replenishing water to a treated coolant that has been subjected to a treatment for removing cutting waste contained in a coolant used for cutting, and a coolant including the same. It is to provide a playback device.

  The liquid replenishing device according to the present invention includes a liquid replenishing tank for storing treated coolant that has been subjected to a treatment for removing cutting waste contained in the coolant used for cutting from the coolant, and the liquid replenishing tank. And a water replenishing mechanism for replenishing the treated coolant with water.

  In the present invention, a water replenishing mechanism for replenishing water to the treated coolant is provided in a liquid replenishing tank that stores the treated coolant. Therefore, processing to remove moisture that evaporates during cutting processing by a cutting device such as a wire saw device, moisture contained in coarse solids discharged out of the system, and cutting waste contained in the coolant used for cutting processing Reduced water, such as water evaporated by heat generated therein, can be replenished to the treated coolant in the liquid replenishing tank. Thereby, it can suppress that the viscosity of a processed coolant becomes high resulting from the reduction | decrease of a water | moisture content.

  The liquid replenishing device preferably includes a moisture meter that measures the moisture content of the treated coolant.

  In this configuration, since the moisture content of the treated coolant can be accurately grasped by the moisture meter, it becomes possible to supplement the treated coolant with a more appropriate amount of water. The moisture content measurement by the moisture meter may be performed manually by the user or automatically by the controller as follows.

  That is, the liquid replenishing device may include a water replenishing mechanism control unit that controls the water replenishing mechanism.

  In this configuration, since the water replenishment mechanism is automatically controlled by the water replenishment mechanism control unit, it is possible to automatically replenish the treated coolant with water. In this case, for example, the water replenishment mechanism control unit controls the water replenishment mechanism so that a predetermined amount (predetermined amount) of water is supplied to the processed coolant stored in the liquid replenishment tank. A control example can be given. However, the present invention is not limited to such automatic control, and for example, the following automatic control may be performed.

  That is, the liquid replenishing device includes a water replenishment mechanism control unit that controls the water replenishment mechanism, and the water replenishment mechanism control unit is configured to perform the water replenishment mechanism control unit based on the water content of the treated coolant measured by the water content meter. The water replenishing mechanism may be controlled so that the water content of the treated coolant is close to a predetermined set value by replenishing the treated coolant with water.

  In this configuration, the water replenishment mechanism is automatically controlled to replenish water to the treated coolant based on the moisture content of the treated coolant measured by the moisture meter before refilling the water. The replenishment amount of water necessary to bring the rate close to the set value can be adjusted automatically and accurately.

  In the liquid replenishing device, the water replenishing mechanism control unit replenishes the treated coolant with water based on a moisture content of the treated coolant re-measured by the moisture meter after replenishing the treated coolant with water. It is preferable to control the water replenishing mechanism so that the moisture content of the treated coolant is gradually brought close to the set value by replenishing the water.

  In this configuration, replenishment of water to the treated coolant is performed in stages in a plurality of times. That is, after the treated coolant is replenished with water, the moisture content is re-measured by the moisture meter, and the treated coolant is re-filled with water based on the re-measured moisture content. As described above, since the water is gradually replenished, it is possible to suppress an excessive amount of water to be added to the treated coolant.

  In the liquid replenishing device, the water replenishment mechanism control unit is configured such that the replenishment amount of water replenished to the treated coolant is smaller than the replenishment amount of water initially replenished to the treated coolant. It is preferable to control the water replenishment mechanism.

  In this configuration, when replenishing water to the treated coolant in stages, the replenishment amount of water is increased by increasing the replenishment amount of water that is initially replenished. ing. As described above, in this configuration, the replenishment of water is performed as a fine adjustment of the amount of water replenished to the treated coolant. Thereby, in this structure, it can suppress more reliably that the replenishment amount of the water to a processed coolant becomes excess. As a control for increasing the replenishment amount of water initially replenished and reducing the replenishment amount of water replenished in this way, a control example described later can be exemplified.

  The liquid replenishing device preferably includes a coolant replenishment mechanism that replenishes the treated coolant with new coolant in the liquid replenishment tank.

  In this configuration, since the coolant replenishment mechanism is provided, the new coolant can be replenished to the treated coolant in the liquid replenishment tank. Thereby, the processed coolant can be replenished with the active ingredient contained in the new coolant (the active ingredient necessary for the cutting process). Specifically, it is as follows.

  In addition to water, the new coolant contains active ingredients necessary for cutting, but the content of active ingredients in the new coolant is reduced during the processing of the coolant used for cutting in the processing equipment. There are things to do. For example, a coarse solid content separated in a centrifuge and discharged out of the system contains a part of the active ingredient. Therefore, the content rate of the active ingredient in the treated coolant may be smaller than the content rate of the active ingredient in the new coolant.

  Therefore, in this configuration, a coolant replenishing mechanism for replenishing the treated coolant with the new coolant is provided in the liquid replenishing tank that stores the treated coolant. Therefore, by replenishing the treated coolant with a new coolant containing a predetermined amount of the active ingredient, the active ingredient reduced in the course of processing in the processing device is combined with other components such as water in the liquid replenishment tank. The treated coolant can be replenished. Thus, in this structure, since both water and an active ingredient can be replenished with respect to a processed coolant, both a moisture content and the content rate of an active ingredient can be closely approached to a new coolant. Thereby, the quality of the processed coolant can be further improved.

  It is preferable that the liquid replenishing device includes a coolant replenishing mechanism control unit that controls the coolant replenishing mechanism.

  In this configuration, since the coolant replenishment mechanism is automatically controlled by the coolant replenishment mechanism control unit, it is possible to automatically replenish new coolant to the treated coolant. In this case, for example, the coolant replenishment mechanism control unit controls the coolant replenishment mechanism so that a predetermined amount (a constant amount) of new coolant is supplied to the processed coolant stored in the liquid replenishment tank. An example of control can be given. However, the present invention is not limited to such automatic control.

  In the liquid replenishing device, it is preferable that the coolant replenishing mechanism control unit controls the coolant replenishing mechanism so that replenishment of new coolant by the coolant replenishing mechanism is performed before replenishing water by the water replenishing mechanism. .

  The new coolant contains water in addition to the active ingredients. By performing such replenishment of the new coolant before replenishing the water, the water resulting from the replenishment of the new coolant is not replenished to the treated coolant after the replenishment of the new coolant. Therefore, in this configuration, the water that is replenished to the treated coolant after replenishment of the new coolant is only the water that is replenished by the water replenishment mechanism, so that the water content can be easily adjusted by the water replenishment mechanism.

  In the liquid replenishing device, the coolant replenishment mechanism includes a new coolant tank that stores new coolant, a new coolant pipe that guides the new coolant stored in the new coolant tank to the liquid replenishment tank, and the new coolant pipe. And a pump for feeding new coolant.

  In this configuration, the amount of new coolant stored in the new coolant tank introduced into the liquid replenishment tank through the new coolant pipe can be adjusted by operating and stopping the pump.

  In the liquid replenishing device, the water replenishing mechanism may have a water pipe for guiding water to the liquid replenishing tank.

  In this configuration, water can be introduced into the liquid replenishment tank through the water pipe.

  In the liquid replenishing device, the water replenishing mechanism may include a water tank for storing water and a pump for feeding water through the water pipe.

  In this configuration, the amount of water stored in the water tank introduced into the liquid replenishment tank through the water pipe can be adjusted by operating and stopping the pump.

  The liquid replenishing device preferably includes a stirring mechanism for stirring the treated coolant in the liquid replenishing tank.

  In this configuration, since the treated coolant stored in the liquid replenishment tank can be agitated by the agitation mechanism, the dispersed state of, for example, the active ingredient in water in the treated coolant in the liquid replenishment tank is made more uniform. can do. Therefore, in the treated coolant, it is possible to adjust the moisture content, the active ingredient content rate, and the like more accurately.

  The coolant recycling apparatus of the present invention introduces a processing device for removing cutting waste contained in the coolant used for cutting from the coolant, and a treated coolant in which the cutting waste is removed from the coolant in the processing device. And the above-described liquid replenishing device having a liquid replenishing tank.

  In the present invention, the treated coolant from which cutting waste has been removed in the processing apparatus can be introduced into the liquid replenishing tank, and the treated coolant can be replenished with water in the liquid replenishing tank. Therefore, the moisture that evaporates during the cutting process by a cutting machine such as a wire saw apparatus, the moisture contained in the coarse solid matter discharged out of the system, the moisture that evaporates due to the heat generated during the processing in the processing apparatus, etc. decreased. Moisture can be replenished to the treated coolant in the liquid replenishment tank. Thereby, it can suppress that the viscosity of a processed coolant becomes high resulting from the reduction | decrease of a water | moisture content.

  The coolant regenerating apparatus is provided in a path between the processing apparatus and the liquid replenishing apparatus, and includes a processing liquid tank that stores the processed coolant, and one of the processed coolant stored in the processing liquid tank. It is preferable that a part or the whole is configured to be introduced into the liquid replenishing tank.

  When the processing device is in operation, processed coolant is continuously generated in the processing device. When water is replenished to the treated coolant in the liquid replenishing tank, if the treated coolant continuously generated in the processing apparatus flows continuously into the liquid replenishing tank, the treatment in the liquid replenishing tank is performed. The amount of water to be replenished with respect to the spent coolant varies.

  Therefore, in this configuration, by disposing the processing liquid tank in the path between the processing apparatus and the liquid replenishing apparatus, the processed coolant flowing out from the processing apparatus is temporarily stored in the processing liquid tank. Can do. Of the processed coolant stored in the processing liquid tank, only the processed coolant that is subject to moisture content adjustment in the liquid replenishing tank can be introduced from the processing liquid tank to the liquid replenishing tank. . That is, part or all of the processed coolant stored in the processing liquid tank can be selectively introduced into the liquid replenishing tank. Therefore, when water is replenished to the treated coolant in the liquid replenishing tank, it is possible to prevent the treated coolant continuously generated in the processing apparatus from flowing into the liquid replenishing tank. Thereby, in the liquid replenishment tank, it can suppress that the replenishment amount of the water which should be replenished to the processed coolant changes.

  In the coolant recycling apparatus, it is preferable that the processing apparatus includes a centrifuge and a membrane separator that remove the cutting waste contained in the coolant used for cutting.

  In this configuration, the processing apparatus can effectively remove the cutting waste contained in the used coolant by the centrifuge and the membrane separator.

  As described above, according to the present invention, water can be replenished to the treated coolant in the liquid replenishing tank that stores the treated coolant, so that the viscosity of the treated coolant is reduced due to the decrease in moisture. Can be suppressed, and thereby processing defects such as wire breakage and wafer cleaning failure can be suppressed.

FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing a wire saw system, and this wire saw system includes a wire saw device and a coolant regeneration device according to an embodiment of the present invention. The coolant regeneration device includes a processing device and a processing device. A liquid tank and a liquid replenishing device according to an embodiment of the present invention are provided. FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a control example of the liquid replenishing device according to the embodiment. FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing a wire saw system, and this wire saw system includes a wire saw device and a coolant regeneration device according to an embodiment of the present invention. The coolant regeneration device includes a processing device and a processing device. A liquid tank and a liquid replenishing device according to a modification of the embodiment of the present invention are provided.

  Hereinafter, a liquid replenishing device according to an embodiment of the present invention and a coolant regeneration device including the same will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The coolant reproduction | regeneration apparatus which concerns on this embodiment is used with cutting processing apparatuses, such as a wire saw apparatus.

[Wire saw system]
As shown in FIG. 1, the wire saw system 1 includes a wire saw device 2 and a coolant regeneration device 3. The wire saw device 2 is for cutting a brittle material into a predetermined size while cooling it with a coolant. The coolant regeneration device 3 has a function of performing a process of removing part or all of the cutting waste contained in the coolant (used coolant) used in the wire saw device 2, moisture and the treated coolant (processed coolant). It has a function to replenish active ingredients necessary for cutting.

  The coolant regenerated by removing the cutting waste in the coolant regenerator 3 and replenishing moisture and active ingredients (regenerated coolant) is supplied to the wire saw device 2. In the wire saw system 1 shown in FIG. 1, the regenerated coolant regenerated by the coolant regenerating device 3 is supplied to the wire saw device 2 through a pipe 98 provided with a pump P.

  Examples of the brittle material include, but are not limited to, various materials such as silicon, sapphire, gallium arsenide, and magnets. When the brittle material is, for example, silicon, the wire saw system 1 is used in, for example, a slicing process for cutting a block-shaped silicon ingot into a predetermined size, but is not limited to such an application.

  The coolant used when cutting a silicon ingot is a combination of moisture, oil, and active ingredients necessary for the cutting process (for example, various additives such as additives to improve the sliding between the silicon ingot and the wire saw). Agent). Examples of the oil component include glycol oils such as diethylene glycol, but are not limited thereto.

  In the slicing step, the used coolant after being used in the wire saw device 2 contains silicon cutting waste. The used coolant is regenerated into a reusable state by the coolant regenerating apparatus 3. The regenerated coolant that has been regenerated is returned to the wire saw device 2 again.

[Wire saw device]
The wire saw device 2 includes, for example, a plurality of unillustrated rollers, an unillustrated wire spanned between these rollers, and an unillustrated wire saw tank, and the wire is rotated by rotating at least one roller. Is configured to travel. As the wire, for example, a fixed abrasive type wire in which abrasive grains such as diamond are fixed to the surface of the core of the wire can be used, but the wire is not limited thereto. It is also possible to use a free-abrasive wire with no abrasive grains. In the case of using a free abrasive grain type wire, a coolant in which abrasive grains are dispersed is used.

  The wire saw tank is a container arranged below the wire saw. The wire saw tank, for example, has an open top, and can receive and collect used coolant that is used in the wire saw and falls downward. The used coolant collected in the wire saw tank is supplied to the coolant regeneration device 3 through the pipe 90.

[Coolant regenerator]
As shown in FIG. 1, the coolant regeneration device 3 includes a used coolant tank 4, a processing device 5, a processing liquid tank 6, and a liquid replenishing device 7.

  The used coolant tank 4 is a container for temporarily storing used coolant introduced from the wire saw device 2 through the pipe 90. Part or all of the used coolant stored in the used coolant tank 4 is supplied to the processing device 5 through a pipe 91 provided with a pump P.

  The processing device 5 has a function of performing a process of removing part or all of the cutting waste contained in the used coolant. In the present embodiment, the processing apparatus 5 includes a storage tank 51, a centrifuge 52, and a membrane separator 53. However, the processing apparatus 5 should just be provided with the function which removes the cutting waste contained in a used coolant, and produces | generates a processed coolant, and is not restricted to the structure of this embodiment.

  The storage tank 51 is a container that temporarily stores the used coolant sent from the used coolant tank 4. In this embodiment shown in FIG. 1, a centrifuge 52 and a membrane separator 53 are connected in parallel to the storage tank 51, and the coolant stored in the storage tank 51 is separated from the centrifuge 52 and the membrane separation. Although it is configured to be supplied to each of the machines 53, it is not limited to this. For example, the storage tank 51, the centrifuge 52, and the membrane separator 53 may be connected in series in this order.

  In the present embodiment, the coolant in the storage tank 51 is sent to the centrifuge 52 through the pipe 92 provided with the pump P. As the centrifuge 52, a vertical type apparatus (vertical centrifuge) in which the direction of the rotating shaft of the rotating body (rotating hook) is oriented in the vertical direction, and the direction of the rotating shaft of the rotating body is oriented in the horizontal direction. Although a horizontal type apparatus (horizontal centrifuge) etc. can be illustrated, it is not restricted to these.

  The centrifuge 52 separates the coolant into a centrifuge liquid and sludge. The centrifuge liquid is a liquid in which the sludge content is reduced by the centrifuge processing in the centrifuge 52. The centrifuge liquid processed in the centrifuge 52 is returned to the storage tank 51 through the pipe 93. The sludge separated in the centrifuge 52 is discharged from the centrifuge 52 and collected in the cutting waste tank 54.

  The coolant in the storage tank 51 is sent to the membrane separator 53 through a pipe 94 provided with a pump P. As the membrane separator 53, for example, a structure in which a hollow fiber membrane is provided in an elongated casing can be adopted, but is not limited thereto. The membrane separator 53 only needs to be able to remove cutting waste and the like from the coolant, and may have a structure in which a separation membrane other than the hollow fiber membrane is provided in the housing.

  The membrane separator 53 separates the coolant into a membrane filtrate (processed coolant) and a concentrated solution. The treated coolant that has been filtered by the membrane separator 53 and from which the cutting waste has been removed is sent to the treatment liquid tank 6 through the pipe 96. Concentrated liquid (liquid containing cutting waste) other than the membrane filtrate (treated coolant) is returned to the storage tank 51 from the membrane separator 53 through the pipe 95.

  The processing liquid tank 6 is a container for temporarily storing the processed coolant from which cutting waste has been removed in the processing apparatus 5. The processing liquid tank 6 is provided in a path between the processing apparatus 5 and the liquid replenishing apparatus 7. The treated coolant flows into the treatment liquid tank 6 through the pipe 96. Part or all of the processed coolant stored in the processing liquid tank 6 is sent to the liquid replenishing device 7 through a pipe 97 provided with a pump P.

[Liquid replenisher]
The liquid replenishing device 7 has a function of replenishing the treated coolant with moisture, oil, and active ingredients necessary for cutting. In the present embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the liquid replenishing device 7 includes a liquid replenishing tank 70, a water replenishing mechanism 71, a coolant replenishing mechanism 72, a moisture meter 73, and a stirring mechanism 74.

  The liquid replenishing tank 70 stores the processed coolant that has been processed to remove the cutting waste from the used coolant. The liquid replenishing tank 70 is a container into which a part or all of the processed coolant stored in the processing liquid tank 6 is introduced. The liquid replenishing tank 70 is a container for temporarily storing the introduced treated coolant and replenishing the treated coolant with moisture, oil, and active ingredients.

  The water replenishing mechanism 71 has a function of replenishing water to the treated coolant in the liquid replenishing tank 70. In the present embodiment, the water replenishment mechanism 71 has a water pipe 71 </ b> A that guides water to the liquid replenishment tank 70. Therefore, water can be introduced into the liquid replenishment tank 70 through the water pipe 71A.

  The water replenishing mechanism 71 has a water tank 71C for storing water and a pump 71B for feeding water through the water pipe 71A. Accordingly, the amount of water stored in the water tank 71C introduced into the liquid replenishment tank 70 through the water pipe 71A can be adjusted by operating and stopping the pump 71B. In the water replenishing mechanism 71, the water tank 71C and the pump 71B can be omitted as in a modification of the embodiment shown in FIG.

  In the present embodiment, the water replenished to the liquid replenishment tank 70 by the water replenishment mechanism 71 is pure water, but is not limited thereto, and for example, ion exchange water, distilled water, tap water, or the like may be employed. .

  The coolant replenishing mechanism 72 has a function of replenishing the treated coolant in the liquid replenishing tank 70 with new coolant. The coolant replenishment mechanism 72 sends a new coolant through a new coolant tank 72C that stores new coolant, a new coolant pipe 72A that guides the new coolant stored in the new coolant tank 72C to the liquid replenishment tank 70, and a new coolant pipe 72A. A liquid pump 72B. In the present embodiment, the amount of new coolant stored in the new coolant tank 72C introduced into the liquid replenishment tank 70 through the new coolant pipe 72A can be adjusted by operating and stopping the pump 72B.

  The moisture content meter 73 is a measuring device for measuring the moisture content of the processed coolant. The moisture content of the treated coolant is the ratio of water contained in the treated coolant. As the moisture meter, for example, a capacitance type moisture meter can be adopted, but the moisture meter method is not limited to the capacitance method, and other types of moisture meter can also be adopted. .

  In the present embodiment, the moisture meter 73 is fixed to a member constituting the liquid replenishing device 7 (for example, the liquid replenishing tank 70), and measures the water content of the processed coolant stored in the liquid replenishing tank 70. Is configured to do.

  However, the moisture content meter 73 does not necessarily have to be fixed to a member constituting the liquid replenishing device 7, and may be, for example, a handy type that can be carried by the user. When the moisture meter 73 is a handy type, the user manually measures the moisture content of the treated coolant using the moisture meter 73. The measurement result is input to the controller 8 manually or automatically, for example.

  The stirring mechanism 74 has a function of stirring the processed coolant stored in the liquid replenishing tank 70. By stirring the processed coolant by the stirring mechanism 74, the water, the oil, and the active ingredient are more uniformly mixed in the processed coolant.

  As the stirring mechanism 74, for example, a submersible pump or the like arranged in the liquid replenishing tank 70 and configured to suck and discharge the treated coolant can be used, but is not limited thereto. For example, the stirring mechanism 74 may be configured to rotate the stirring bar in the liquid replenishing tank 70 by a motor.

[controller]
The controller 8 is configured to control at least the operation of the liquid replenishing device 7. In the present embodiment, not only the operation of the liquid replenishing device 7 but also the operation of the coolant regenerating device 3 is controlled. The controller 8 may be configured not only to control the operation of the liquid replenishing device 7 and the coolant regenerating device 3 but also to control the entire wire saw system 1.

  The controller 8 includes a central processing unit (CPU) (not shown), a storage unit 83 (memory), and the like. The controller 8 includes a water replenishment mechanism control unit 81 and a coolant replenishment mechanism control unit 82 as functions. The water replenishing mechanism control unit 81 controls the operation of the water replenishing mechanism 71 in the liquid replenishing device 7. The coolant replenishing mechanism control unit 82 controls the operation of the coolant replenishing mechanism 72 in the liquid replenishing device 7. The storage unit 83 stores data necessary for controlling the operation of the water replenishment mechanism 71, the operation of the coolant replenishment mechanism 72, and the like. Specifically, the storage unit 83 stores a target moisture content (set value) of the processed coolant. This setting value may be changeable by the user, for example.

  In the present embodiment, the pump 71B of the water replenishing mechanism 71 is automatically controlled by the water replenishing mechanism control unit 81. As a result, it is possible to automatically replenish the treated coolant with water in the liquid replenishment tank 70. The water replenishment mechanism control unit 81 also controls the water replenishment mechanism 71 so that a predetermined amount (a constant amount) of water is supplied to the processed coolant stored in the liquid replenishment tank 70. However, the present invention is not limited to such automatic control, and automatic control such as a control example described below may be performed.

  In the present embodiment, the pump 72 </ b> B of the coolant replenishment mechanism 72 is automatically controlled by the coolant replenishment mechanism control unit 82. Thereby, replenishment of the new coolant to the processed coolant can be performed automatically. The coolant replenishing mechanism control unit 82 controls the coolant replenishing mechanism 72 so that a predetermined amount (a constant amount) of new coolant is supplied to the processed coolant stored in the liquid replenishing tank 70. However, the present invention is not limited to such automatic control.

[Control example]
In the present embodiment, replenishment of moisture, oil, and active ingredients to the treated coolant is performed by batch processing. In the batch processing, first, a predetermined amount of processed coolant (one processed coolant) is introduced from the processing liquid tank 6 into the liquid replenishing tank 70. Then, a predetermined proportion of new coolant and water is replenished to the treated coolant in the liquid replenishment tank 70 with respect to the introduced amount. Then, the regenerated coolant regenerated by these replenishments is led out from the liquid replenishment tank 70. This series of operations constitutes one batch process. Such batch processing is repeated.

  Hereinafter, although the control example of this embodiment is demonstrated concretely, control of the liquid replenishing apparatus 7 is not restricted to the following control examples.

  FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a control example of the liquid replenishing device 7 according to the embodiment. In the control example shown in FIG. 2, the controller 8 has a pipe so that part or all of the treated coolant stored in the treatment liquid tank 6 is introduced into the liquid replenishing tank 70 of the liquid replenishing device 7 through the pipe 97. The operation of the operation and stop of the pump P provided in 97 is controlled (step S1 in FIG. 2).

  In this control example, the introduction amount of the processed coolant introduced into the liquid replenishing tank 70 in one batch process is set to a predetermined amount (a constant amount) set in advance. The set value of the treated coolant introduction amount is stored in the storage unit 83. However, the introduction amount of the processed coolant may not be constant in each batch process.

  Next, the coolant replenishing mechanism control unit 82 of the controller 8 controls the pump 72B of the coolant replenishing mechanism 72 so that the new coolant stored in the new coolant tank 72C of the coolant replenishing mechanism 72 is introduced into the liquid replenishing tank 70. The operation of operation and stop is controlled (step S2 in FIG. 2).

  In this control example, the replenishment amount of the new coolant that is replenished to the treated coolant in one batch process is set to a predetermined amount (a constant amount) that is set in advance. The set value for the new coolant replenishment amount is stored in the storage unit 83. However, the replenishment amount of the new coolant may not be constant in each batch process. As the replenishment amount of the new coolant is increased, the content of the active ingredient in the regenerated coolant can be increased. Thereby, the quality of the regeneration coolant can be further improved.

  In the present control example, the coolant replenishment mechanism control unit 82 controls the coolant replenishment mechanism 72 so that the replenishment of the new coolant to the treated coolant is performed before the replenishment of water to the treated coolant described later. Therefore, in this control example, the water to be replenished to the treated coolant after the replenishment of the new coolant is only the water replenished by the water replenishing mechanism 71, so that the water content can be easily adjusted by the water replenishing mechanism 71 described later. become.

  Further, in this control example, since the replenishment of the new coolant to the treated coolant is performed at an early stage before the replenishment of water, it takes a long time to complete one batch process after the replenishment of the new coolant. can do. Thereby, it is possible to ensure a sufficient time for the active ingredient contained in the replenished new coolant to be dispersed in the treated coolant.

  Next, the controller 8 controls the stirring mechanism 74 so that the operation of the stirring mechanism 74 is started in order to sufficiently mix the treated coolant and the new coolant (step S3 in FIG. 2). And the controller 8 controls the stirring mechanism 74 so that the stirring mechanism 74 stops, for example, when predetermined time passes since the driving | operation start of the stirring mechanism 74, for example.

  Next, the moisture content of the treated coolant in the liquid replenishing tank 70 is measured by the moisture meter 73. A signal indicating the measurement result by the moisture meter 73 is output to the controller 8 (step S4 in FIG. 2).

  Next, based on the signal indicating the measurement result by the moisture content meter 73 input to the controller 8, the water replenishing mechanism control unit 81 controls the water replenishing mechanism 71 so that the treated coolant is replenished with water ( Step S5 in FIG.

  In this control example, the set value of the target moisture rate is stored in the storage unit 83 of the controller 8, and the water replenishment mechanism is set so that the moisture rate of the processed coolant approaches the set value in one batch process. 71 is controlled. This set value may be, for example, a single numerical value indicating the lower limit of the target moisture content, or may be a predetermined range having an upper limit and a lower limit of the target moisture content.

  In the present control example, water is replenished to the treated coolant in multiple steps (for example, 2 to 3 times) so that the moisture content in the treated coolant becomes a set value (step of FIG. 2). S5 to S7).

  Specifically, in the present control example, after the treated coolant is initially replenished with water, the controller 8 operates and stops the stirring mechanism 74 in order to sufficiently mix the treated coolant and water. The operation is controlled (step S6 in FIG. 2).

  Next, the moisture content of the treated coolant in the liquid replenishing tank 70 is re-measured by the moisture meter 73. A signal indicating the measurement result by the moisture meter 73 is output to the controller 8 (step S7 in FIG. 2).

  Then, the controller 8 determines that the moisture content of the processed coolant is smaller than the set value based on the signal indicating the input measurement result (if the set value is in the numerical range, it is lower than the lower limit of the set value). If it is determined that it is small (NO in step S8 in FIG. 2), the control in steps S5 to S7 is performed again.

  Further, in this control example, the water replenishment mechanism control unit 81 has a replenishment amount of water replenished with respect to the processed coolant smaller than a replenishment amount of water initially replenished with respect to the treated coolant. Thus, the water replenishment mechanism 71 is controlled. That is, in this control example, when replenishing water to the treated coolant is performed in stages in multiple steps, the replenishment amount of water to be replenished is increased by increasing the replenishment amount of water that is initially replenished. Is reduced. In this control example, the replenishment of water is performed as a fine adjustment of the amount of water replenished to the treated coolant. Thereby, in this control example, it can suppress more reliably that the replenishment amount of the water to the processed coolant becomes excessive.

  Specifically, examples of means for reducing the replenishment amount of water that is replenished more than the replenishment amount of water that is replenished first include the following. That is, the controller 8 replenishes the water necessary for setting the moisture content of the treated coolant to the set value based on the moisture content measurement result performed before refilling the treated coolant with water for the first time. The total amount of is calculated. Then, the replenishment amount of water initially replenished is set to a value that is larger than half of the total amount and smaller than the total amount. Then, after the water is replenished for the first time, the controller 8 uses the water content of the treated coolant remeasured by the water content meter 73 to obtain the water necessary for setting the water content of the treated coolant to the set value. Recalculate the replenishment amount. The recalculated replenishment amount of water is replenished to the treated coolant by one or more replenishments. As a result, the replenishment amount of water replenished is less than the replenishment amount of water initially replenished, and the replenishment amount of water to the treated coolant can be more reliably suppressed. .

  And the controller 8 performs the control of step S5-S7 several times, Then, based on the signal which shows the measurement result by the moisture content meter 73 performed at the end, the moisture content of a processed coolant is more than a setting value. (If the set value is in the numerical range, it is determined that it is within the set value range)) (YES in step S8 in FIG. 2), one batch process is terminated.

[Summary of Embodiment]
In the present embodiment, a water replenishing mechanism 71 for replenishing water to the treated coolant is provided in the liquid replenishing tank 70 that stores the treated coolant. Accordingly, moisture that evaporates during cutting by a cutting device such as the wire saw device 2, moisture contained in the coarse solid matter discharged out of the system, and cutting waste contained in the coolant used for the cutting process are removed. Therefore, it is possible to replenish the treated coolant in the liquid replenishment tank 70 with the reduced water content such as the water evaporated by the heat generated during the processing in the processing apparatus 5. Thereby, it can suppress that the viscosity of a processed coolant becomes high resulting from the reduction | decrease of a water | moisture content.

  In the present embodiment, since the liquid replenishing device 7 includes the moisture meter 73 that measures the moisture content of the processed coolant, the moisture meter 73 can accurately grasp the moisture content of the treated coolant. This makes it possible to replenish the treated coolant with a more appropriate amount of water. The measurement of the moisture content by the moisture meter 73 may be performed manually by the user or automatically by the controller 8 as follows.

  In the present embodiment, since the liquid replenishing device 7 includes the water replenishing mechanism control unit 81 that controls the water replenishing mechanism 71, the water replenishing mechanism 71 is automatically controlled by the water replenishing mechanism control unit 81. Thereby, replenishment of water to a processed coolant can be performed automatically.

  In the control example of the present embodiment, the water replenishment mechanism control unit 81 replenishes the treated coolant with water based on the moisture content of the treated coolant measured by the moisture meter 73 to thereby obtain the moisture content of the treated coolant. The water replenishment mechanism 71 is controlled so as to be close to a predetermined set value. In this control example, the water replenishing mechanism 71 is automatically controlled to replenish water to the treated coolant based on the moisture content of the treated coolant measured by the moisture meter 73 before replenishing water. It is possible to automatically and accurately adjust the replenishment amount of water necessary to bring the water content of the coolant close to the set value.

  In the control example of the present embodiment, the water replenishing mechanism control unit 81 replenishes the treated coolant with water based on the moisture content of the treated coolant re-measured by the moisture meter 73 after replenishing the treated coolant with water. By replenishing the water, the water replenishing mechanism 71 is controlled so that the moisture content of the treated coolant approaches the set value stepwise. In this control example, replenishment of water to the treated coolant is performed in stages in a plurality of times. That is, after the treated coolant is replenished with water, the moisture content is remeasured by the moisture meter 73, and the treated coolant is refilled with water based on the remeasured moisture content. As described above, since the water is gradually replenished, it is possible to suppress an excessive amount of water to be added to the treated coolant.

  In the control example of the present embodiment, the water replenishment mechanism control unit 81 has a replenishment amount of water replenished with respect to the treated coolant smaller than a replenishment amount of water initially replenished with respect to the treated coolant. The water replenishment mechanism 71 is controlled so that it becomes. In this control example, when water is replenished to the treated coolant in stages, the amount of water replenished first is increased and the amount of water replenished is reduced. doing. In this control example, the replenishment of water is performed as a fine adjustment of the amount of water replenished to the treated coolant. Thereby, in this structure, it can suppress more reliably that the replenishment amount of the water to a processed coolant becomes excess.

  In the present embodiment, the liquid replenishing device 7 includes the coolant replenishing mechanism 72 that replenishes the treated coolant in the liquid replenishing tank 70 with the new coolant, so that the treated coolant is replenished to the treated coolant in the liquid replenishing tank 70. can do. Thereby, the oil component and active ingredient (effective ingredient required for a cutting process) contained in a new coolant can be replenished with respect to a processed coolant. Thus, in the present embodiment, water, oil, and active ingredients can be replenished to the treated coolant, so that the moisture content, oil content, and active ingredient content are newly set. Can be close to coolant. Thereby, the quality of the processed coolant can be further improved.

  In the present embodiment, since the liquid replenishing device 7 includes the coolant replenishing mechanism control unit 82 that controls the coolant replenishing mechanism 72, the coolant replenishing mechanism 72 is automatically controlled by the coolant replenishing mechanism control unit 82. Thereby, replenishment of the new coolant to the processed coolant can be performed automatically. In this case, the coolant replenishment mechanism controller 82 controls the coolant replenishment mechanism 72 so that a predetermined amount (a constant amount) of new coolant is supplied to the processed coolant stored in the liquid replenishment tank 70. An example of control to do this can be illustrated. However, the present invention is not limited to such automatic control.

  In the control example of this embodiment, the coolant replenishment mechanism control unit 82 controls the coolant replenishment mechanism 72 so that the replenishment of new coolant by the coolant replenishment mechanism 72 is performed before the water replenishment mechanism 71 replenishes water.

  The new coolant contains water in addition to the active ingredients. By performing such replenishment of the new coolant before replenishing the water, the water resulting from the replenishment of the new coolant is not replenished to the treated coolant after the replenishment of the new coolant. Therefore, in this configuration, the water to be replenished to the treated coolant after the replenishment of the new coolant is only the water replenished by the water replenishing mechanism 71, so that the water content can be easily adjusted by the water replenishing mechanism 71.

  In the present embodiment, the coolant replenishment mechanism 72 includes a new coolant tank 72C for storing new coolant, a new coolant pipe 72A for guiding the new coolant stored in the new coolant tank 72C to the liquid replenishment tank 70, and a new coolant pipe 72A. And a pump 72B for feeding new coolant. Therefore, the amount of new coolant stored in the new coolant tank 72C introduced into the liquid replenishment tank 70 through the new coolant pipe 72A can be adjusted by operating and stopping the pump 72B.

  In the present embodiment, the water replenishment mechanism 71 has a water pipe 71 </ b> A that guides water to the liquid replenishment tank 70. Therefore, water can be introduced into the liquid replenishment tank 70 through the water pipe 71A.

  In the present embodiment, the water replenishment mechanism 71 includes a water tank 71C that stores water and a pump 71B that feeds water through the water pipe 71A. Accordingly, the amount of water stored in the water tank 71C introduced into the liquid replenishment tank 70 through the water pipe 71A can be adjusted by operating and stopping the pump 71B.

  In the present embodiment, since the liquid replenishing device 7 includes the stirring mechanism 74 that stirs the treated coolant in the liquid replenishing tank 70, the treated coolant stored in the liquid replenishing tank 70 is stirred by the stirring mechanism 74. can do. Thereby, in the processed coolant in the liquid replenishment tank 70, for example, the dispersion state of the active ingredient with respect to water can be made more uniform. Therefore, in the treated coolant, it is possible to adjust the moisture content, the active ingredient content rate, and the like more accurately.

  In the coolant regeneration device 3 of the present embodiment, a processing device 5 that removes cutting waste contained in the coolant used in the cutting process from the coolant, and a treated coolant that has removed the cutting waste from the coolant in the processing device 5 are introduced. The liquid replenishing device 7 having the liquid replenishing tank 70 is provided.

  In the present embodiment, the treated coolant from which the cutting waste has been removed in the processing device 5 can be introduced into the liquid replenishing tank 70, and the treated coolant can be replenished with water in the liquid replenishing tank 70. Therefore, moisture that evaporates during cutting by a cutting device such as the wire saw device 2, moisture contained in coarse solids discharged outside the system, moisture that evaporates due to heat generated during processing in the processing device 5, etc. The reduced water can be replenished to the treated coolant in the liquid replenishment tank 70. Thereby, it can suppress that the viscosity of a processed coolant becomes high resulting from the reduction | decrease of a water | moisture content.

  In the present embodiment, the coolant regenerating apparatus 3 includes a processing liquid tank 6 that is provided in a path between the processing apparatus 5 and the liquid replenishing apparatus 7 and stores the processed coolant, and the processing stored in the processing liquid tank 6. Part or all of the used coolant is configured to be introduced into the liquid replenishment tank 70.

  When the processing device 5 is in operation, processed coolant is continuously generated in the processing device 5. When the processed coolant continuously generated in the processing apparatus 5 flows into the liquid replenishing tank 70 while water is replenished to the treated coolant in the liquid replenishing tank 70, the liquid replenishing tank 70 The amount of water to be replenished with respect to the treated coolant in the tank 70 varies.

  Therefore, in the present embodiment, by disposing the processing liquid tank 6 in the path between the processing apparatus and the liquid replenishing apparatus, the processed coolant flowing out from the processing apparatus 5 is temporarily stored in the processing liquid tank 6. Can be kept. Of the treated coolant stored in the treatment liquid tank 6, only the treated coolant whose moisture content is to be adjusted in the liquid replenishment tank 70 is introduced from the treatment liquid tank 6 into the liquid replenishment tank 70. can do. That is, part or all of the treated coolant stored in the treatment liquid tank 6 can be selectively introduced into the liquid replenishment tank 70. Therefore, when water is replenished to the treated coolant in the liquid replenishing tank 70, it is possible to prevent the treated coolant continuously generated in the processing device 5 from flowing into the liquid replenishing tank 70. it can. Thereby, in the liquid replenishment tank 70, it can suppress that the replenishment amount of the water which should be replenished to a processed coolant fluctuates.

  In the present embodiment, the processing device 5 includes the centrifugal separator 52 and the membrane separator 53 that remove cutting chips contained in the coolant used for the cutting process, and thus the processing device 5 is included in the used coolant. The scraps to be removed can be effectively removed by the centrifugal separator 52 and the membrane separator 53.

  In the present embodiment, the water concentration and the concentration of the active ingredient in the regenerated coolant can be stabilized, so that the quality of the regenerated coolant is stabilized. Further, in this embodiment, the time required for replenishing water, the time required for replenishing new coolant, and the time required for blending water and new coolant to the treated coolant can be greatly reduced, and the productivity of the wafer can be reduced. It can contribute to improvement.

[Modification]
As mentioned above, although the coolant reproduction | regeneration apparatus 3 which concerns on embodiment of this invention, and the wire saw system 1 provided with this were demonstrated, this invention is not limited to embodiment, In the range which does not deviate from the meaning, it is variously changed. Improvements are possible.

  FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing a wire saw system 1 including a liquid replenishing device 7 according to a modification of the embodiment of the present invention. The wire saw system 1 shown in FIG. 3 has the same structure as the wire saw system 1 shown in FIG. 1 except that the structure of the liquid replenishing device 7 is different from the wire saw system 1 shown in FIG.

  In the liquid replenishing device 7 according to the modification shown in FIG. 3, the water replenishing mechanism 71 has a water pipe 71A that guides water to the liquid replenishing tank 70, similarly to the liquid replenishing device 7 shown in FIG. The liquid replenishing tank 70 has a function of replenishing the treated coolant with water. On the other hand, in the liquid replenishing device 7 according to the modification shown in FIG. 3, the water replenishing mechanism 71 does not include the water tank 71C and the pump 71B as shown in FIG. In this modification, the water pipe 71A is connected to, for example, a water supply (water supply) pipe, and the introduction or stoppage of water into the liquid replenishment tank 70 is selected by adjusting the opening of a valve (not shown), for example. It may be configured to be possible.

  In the above embodiment, the case where the cutting device is a wire saw device is exemplified, but the cutting device is not limited to the wire saw device, and may be a cutting device using a blade other than the wire saw.

  In the above embodiment, the liquid replenishing device 7 includes the liquid replenishing tank 70, the water replenishing mechanism 71, the coolant replenishing mechanism 72, the moisture percentage meter 73, and the stirring mechanism 74. At least one of the coolant replenishment mechanism 72, the moisture content meter 73, and the stirring mechanism 74 may be omitted.

  In the control example of the embodiment, the case where the time for replenishing the new coolant is illustrated before the time for replenishing water is not limited to this, but the time for replenishing the new coolant is the same as the time for replenishing water. It may be after the time when water is replenished.

  In the control example of the embodiment, the case where batch processing is performed is illustrated, but the present invention is not limited to this, and continuous processing may be performed. In the continuous processing, for example, while the processed coolant is introduced from the processing liquid tank 6 into the liquid replenishing tank 70, the liquid replenishing tank 70 is replenished with new coolant and water. Also in this continuous processing, the predetermined amount of new coolant and water is replenished to the treated coolant in the liquid replenishment tank 70 with respect to the amount of treated coolant introduced into the liquid replenishment tank 70. preferable.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Wire saw system 2 Wire saw apparatus 3 Coolant reproduction | regeneration apparatus 4 Used coolant tank (processing coolant tank)
5 treatment device 51 storage tank 52 centrifuge 53 membrane separator 6 treatment liquid tank (membrane filtrate tank)
7 Liquid replenishment device 70 Liquid replenishment tank (regenerated coolant blending tank)
71 Water replenishment mechanism 71A Water piping 71B Pump 71C Water tank 72 Coolant replenishment mechanism 72A New coolant piping 72B Pump 72C New coolant tank 73 Moisture meter 74 Stirring mechanism 8 Controller 81 Water replenishment mechanism control unit 82 Coolant replenishment mechanism control unit 83 Storage unit

Claims (16)

A liquid replenishing tank for storing the treated coolant that has been subjected to the treatment for removing the cutting waste contained in the coolant used for the cutting process from the coolant;
A liquid replenishing device comprising: a water replenishing mechanism that replenishes the treated coolant with water in the liquid replenishing tank.   The liquid replenishing device according to claim 1, further comprising a moisture meter that measures a moisture content of the treated coolant.   The liquid replenishing device according to claim 1, further comprising a water replenishing mechanism control unit that controls the water replenishing mechanism. A water replenishment mechanism control unit for controlling the water replenishment mechanism;
The water replenishment mechanism control unit is configured to preliminarily determine the moisture content of the treated coolant by replenishing the treated coolant with water based on the moisture content of the treated coolant measured by the moisture meter. The liquid replenishing device according to claim 2, wherein the water replenishing mechanism is controlled to approach a set value.   The water replenishment mechanism control unit replenishes the treated coolant with water based on the moisture content of the treated coolant remeasured by the moisture meter after replenishing the treated coolant with water. The liquid replenishing device according to claim 4, wherein the water replenishing mechanism is controlled so that the moisture content of the treated coolant is close to the set value stepwise.   The water replenishment mechanism control unit is configured to replenish the water so that a replenishment amount of water replenished to the treated coolant is smaller than a replenishment amount of water initially replenished to the treated coolant. The liquid replenishing device according to claim 5 which controls a mechanism.   The liquid replenishing device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising a coolant replenishing mechanism that replenishes the treated coolant with new coolant in the liquid replenishing tank.   The liquid replenishing device according to claim 7, further comprising a coolant replenishing mechanism control unit that controls the coolant replenishing mechanism.   The liquid replenishing device according to claim 8, wherein the coolant replenishing mechanism control unit controls the coolant replenishing mechanism such that replenishment of new coolant by the coolant replenishing mechanism is performed before water replenishment by the water replenishing mechanism. . The coolant replenishment mechanism is
A new coolant tank for storing new coolant,
A new coolant pipe for guiding the new coolant stored in the new coolant tank to the liquid replenishment tank;
The liquid replenishing device according to any one of claims 7 to 9, further comprising a pump for feeding new coolant through the new coolant pipe.   The liquid replenishing device according to claim 1, wherein the water replenishing mechanism has a water pipe for guiding water to the liquid replenishing tank. The water replenishment mechanism is
A water tank for storing water;
The liquid replenishing device according to claim 11, further comprising a pump for feeding water through the water pipe.   The liquid replenishing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a stirring mechanism that stirs the treated coolant in the liquid replenishing tank. A processing device for removing cutting waste contained in the coolant used for cutting from the coolant;
The liquid replenishing device according to any one of claims 1 to 13, further comprising a liquid replenishing tank into which treated coolant obtained by removing the cutting waste from the coolant in the processing device is introduced. . Provided in a path between the processing device and the liquid replenishing device, comprising a processing liquid tank for storing the processed coolant;
The coolant regeneration device according to claim 14, wherein a part or all of the treated coolant stored in the treatment liquid tank is introduced into the liquid replenishment tank. The coolant regeneration device according to claim 14 or 15, wherein the processing device includes a centrifuge and a membrane separator that remove the cutting waste contained in the coolant used for cutting.

Images