JP6760999B2 - Gas supply device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a gas supply device, and more particularly to a gas supply device suitable for supplying diborane (B ₂ H ₆ ).

For example, diboran used as a dopant for p-type semiconductors is usually filled in a gas container (cylinder, cylinder) at high pressure as a mixed gas with hydrogen or the like, decompressed by a pressure reducing valve, and supplied to the destination. ing. Diborane reacts slowly at room temperature to produce solid decabolane, and the produced decabolane aggregates and closes at the pressure reducing valve, which may make it impossible to supply the diborane mixed gas from the gas container to the destination. For this reason, a cooling water system that circulates cooling water in a metal jacket that is detachably attached to the gas container (see, for example, Patent Document 1) and an air conditioning system that supplies cold air into the cylinder cabinet that houses the gas container. (For example, refer to Patent Document 2), the gas container is cooled to 20 ° C. or lower to suppress the reaction of diboran in the gas container.

Japanese Patent No. 3375178 Japanese Patent No. 3117610

However, the cooling water method described in Patent Document 1 not only requires an expensive cooling water circulation facility, but also requires consideration for water leakage, and since it is made of metal, it is heavy and can be used as a gas container. It was troublesome to put on and take off, the workability was poor, and it was a heavy burden on the operator. Further, also in the air-conditioning system described in Patent Document 2, expensive air-conditioning equipment is required, and the burden on the air-conditioning equipment is increased in order to sufficiently cool the inside of the continuously ventilated cylinder cabinet.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a gas supply device provided with a temperature control means capable of cooling or heating a gas container with a simple configuration.

In order to achieve the above object, the gas supply device of the present invention is a gas supply device provided with a tubular jacket that covers the outer periphery of the body of the gas container, and the jacket is made of a flexible material. At the same time, it has a gas introduction nozzle that penetrates the jacket and introduces compressed gas from the outside of the jacket toward the inside of the jacket. The jacket is attached to the gas container and the compressed gas is introduced from the gas introduction nozzle to the inner circumference of the jacket. Occasionally, a ventilation path is formed between the outer peripheral surface of the gas container and the inner peripheral surface of the jacket to discharge the compressed gas introduced from the gas introduction nozzle into the inner peripheral portion of the jacket from the upper end or lower end of the jacket to the outside of the jacket. It is characterized by being done.

Further, in the gas supply device of the present invention, the jacket is formed so as to be deployable by a detachable connecting portion provided in the axial direction of the gas container, and the jacket is arranged on the outer periphery of the gas container. A three-layer structure consisting of a tubular inner peripheral side surface material, a tubular heat insulating material laminated on the outer peripheral surface of the inner peripheral side surface material, and an outer peripheral side surface material laminated on the outer peripheral surface of the heat insulating material. The inner peripheral side surface material and the outer peripheral side surface material are formed of a silicon-coated glass cloth obtained by coating a glass cloth with a silicone-based resin, and the heat insulating material is formed of a glass felt. It is characterized by.

Further, the gas introduction nozzle is connected to the cold air supply side of the vortex tube and is provided on the upper side of the jacket, and is connected to the warm air supply side and is provided on the lower side of the jacket. Further, the jacket includes a temperature sensor for measuring the temperature of the compressed gas flowing through the ventilation path or the temperature of the outer peripheral surface of the gas container, and the compressed gas to the inner peripheral portion of the jacket based on the temperature measured by the temperature sensor. It is characterized by being provided with a control means for controlling the amount of gas introduced.

According to the gas supply device of the present invention, the gas container can be effectively cooled by introducing cold air from the gas introduction nozzle into the jacket made of a flexible material, and the gas container can be effectively cooled by introducing warm air. Can be heated to. In addition, by forming the jacket with silicon-coated glass cloth or glass felt, not only can it be significantly lighter than a metal jacket, but also by forming it expandable at the connecting part, it can be easily attached to and detached from the gas container. It can be carried out. Furthermore, by generating cold air and warm air with a vortex tube, large-scale equipment is not required, so that cost can be reduced.

It is a front view which shows an example of one form of the gas supply device of this invention. It is sectional drawing of the main part which shows an example of the mounting state of a gas introduction nozzle. It is sectional drawing of the main part which shows an example of the mounting state of a temperature sensor. It is explanatory drawing which shows an example of the state which cooled the gas container during gas supply. It is explanatory drawing which shows an example of the state which the gas container which is supplying a gas is heated.

1 to 3 show an example of a form of the gas supply device of the present invention, FIG. 4 shows an example of a state in which a gas container during gas supply is cooled, and FIG. 5 shows a state in which gas is being supplied. An example of a state in which the gas container is heated is shown.

The gas supply device shown in this embodiment includes a tubular jacket 12 that covers the outer periphery of the body of the gas container 11. Since the jacket 12 is frequently attached to and detached from the gas container, it is made of a lightweight and flexible material such as a non-woven fabric, and the surface fastener provided in the axial direction of the gas container 11 can be attached and detached. It is formed so as to be expandable in a plane by the connecting portion 13. Further, belts 14 for holding a state of being attached to the gas container 11 are provided at both upper and lower ends of the jacket 12.

Further, the jacket 12 is formed by appropriately combining materials having excellent properties such as weather resistance, chemical resistance, heat resistance, cold resistance, scratch resistance, and heat insulation so as to be compatible with the usage environment of the gas supply facility. .. For example, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a tubular inner peripheral side surface material 15 arranged on the outer periphery of the body of the gas container 11 and a tubular shape laminated on the outer peripheral surface of the inner peripheral side surface material 15. The heat insulating material 16 and the tubular outer peripheral side surface material 17 laminated on the outer peripheral surface of the heat insulating material 16 are formed in a three-layer structure.

For example, the inner peripheral side surface material 15 and the outer peripheral side surface material 17 are formed of a silicon-coated glass cloth obtained by coating a glass cloth with a silicone-based resin, and the intermediate heat insulating material 16 is a glass felt obtained by molding glass fibers into a felt shape. It is preferable to form with. As a result, a lightweight jacket 12 can be obtained while being excellent in heat insulation, handleability, durability and the like.

Further, the jacket 12 is provided with a gas introduction nozzle 18 for introducing the compressed gas from the outside of the jacket toward the inside of the jacket through the jacket 12. By supplying compressed gas of an appropriate pressure from the outside to the gas introduction nozzle 18 and introducing the compressed gas into the jacket through the gas introduction nozzle 18, the gas container outer peripheral surface and the jacket inner peripheral surface are separated from each other. A ventilation path 19 is formed in which the compressed gas introduced from the gas introduction nozzle 18 to the inner peripheral portion of the jacket is discharged to the outside of the jacket from the upper end or lower end of the jacket.

Further, the jacket 12 is provided with a measuring unit 20a of a temperature sensor 20 for measuring the temperature of the compressed gas flowing through the ventilation passage 19 or the temperature of the outer peripheral surface of the gas container 11, and is based on the measured temperature of the temperature sensor 20. A control means 21 for controlling the amount of compressed gas introduced into the inner peripheral portion of the jacket is provided.

As the compressed gas to be used, a gas cooled or heated by an appropriate cooling means or heating means can be used, but it is preferable to use the vortex tube 22 as the compressed gas source. In this vortex tube 22, a swirling airflow is generated in the tube by the compressed air A from the compressor 23, and the swirling airflow is separated into a cold air C and a warm air H, and the cold air C is separated into the gas introduction nozzle 18. The gas container 11 can be cooled, and the gas container 11 can be heated by supplying the warm air H to the gas introduction nozzle 18.

For example, when the diboran gas (including the diboran mixed gas) is supplied from the gas container 11 housed in the cylinder cabinet 24 to the usage destination from the container valve 11a via the supply path 11b, the outer periphery of the body of the gas container 11 is supplied. The gas introduction nozzle 18 is covered with a jacket 12 arranged at the top, the cold air supply side path 22a of the vortex tube 22 is connected to the gas introduction nozzle 18, and the warm air H from the warm air supply side path 22b is exhausted from the cylinder cabinet 24. Arrange so that the gas can be exhausted from the portion 24a. Further, the belt 14 is tightened so that the jacket 12 does not fall from the outer periphery of the body of the gas container 11 without impairing the formation of the ventilation path 19.

In this installed state, the compressor 23 is operated to supply compressed air A to the vortex tube 22, and the cold air C generated in the vortex tube 22 is supplied to the outer peripheral surface of the gas container and the inside of the jacket via the gas introduction nozzle 18. Introduce between the peripheral surface. As a result, the cold air C flows through the air passage 19 to cool the gas container 11, the reaction of diborane in the gas container can be suppressed, and the formation of decaborane can be prevented.

Further, when the measurement temperature of the temperature sensor 20 exceeds a preset maximum temperature, for example, 20 ° C., the control means 21 opens the control valve 22d provided in the compressed air supply path 22c to the vortex tube 22 in the opening direction. By operating and increasing the amount of compressed air supply, the amount of cold air C introduced into the air passage 19 is increased, and when the temperature falls below the minimum temperature, for example, 15 ° C., the control valve 22d is operated in the closing direction to compress the air. Reduce supply. As a result, the gas container 11 can be maintained in a preset temperature range, for example, a range of 15 to 20 ° C., and the diboran gas can be stably supplied from the gas container 11 to the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus or the like. ..

FIG. 5 shows an example of a state in which the gas supply device of the present invention is heating a gas container during gas supply. For example, when a low vapor pressure gas such as ammonia, which is liquid at around room temperature, is supplied from a gas container to a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, the temperature inside the gas container is lowered by the latent heat of vaporization, and the amount of evaporation is reduced. Since the supply amount is reduced, it is necessary to heat the gas container to promote evaporation.

In this case, the body of the gas container 31 filled with the low vapor pressure gas in the liquid state is covered with the jacket 12 in which the gas introduction nozzle 18 is arranged on the lower side, and the warm air supply side path of the vortex tube 22 is covered. 22b is connected to the gas introduction nozzle 18, and the warm air H generated in the vortex tube 22 is introduced into the ventilation path 19. As a result, the gas container 31 can be heated by the warm air H flowing through the ventilation passage 19, and the evaporation of the low vapor pressure gas can be promoted.

Further, in the example shown in FIG. 5, a pressure sensor 32 for measuring the pressure of the supplied gas is provided in the supply path 31b connected from the container valve 31a to the destination. In the control means 21, the control valve 22d is adjusted according to the temperature in the air passage 19 or the temperature of the gas container 31 to control the temperature within a preset temperature range, and the supply path 31b measured by the pressure sensor 32. When the internal pressure rises, the control valve 22d is operated in the closing direction to reduce the compressed air supply amount, the heating amount is suppressed to reduce the evaporation amount, and the gas pressure in the supply path 31b is excessively increased. I try to prevent it and ensure safety.

As described above, the gas supply device of the present invention cools and heats the gas container by introducing cooling gas or heating gas into a tubular jacket that detachably covers the outer periphery of the body of the gas container. Since it can be efficiently formed and is made of a flexible material, it can be formed to be lighter in weight than metal, and can be attached to and detached from the gas container extremely easily. Furthermore, by using a vortex tube as a cooling source and a heating source, it is possible to reduce equipment costs and operating costs because it can be implemented with equipment with a simple configuration without the need for large-scale equipment. ..

The position and number of gas introduction nozzles provided on the jacket are arbitrary, and can be appropriately set according to the shape and size of the gas container 11. Further, when a plurality of gas introduction nozzles are provided, they can be provided at appropriate intervals in the axial direction of the gas container 11 or at an appropriate angle in the circumferential direction. Further, by adjusting the degree of tightening of the belt, the ratio of the amount of gas flowing in the air passage in the vertical direction can be adjusted, and the cold air C and the warm air H can be used more effectively. In addition, the material and size of the gas container, the type of filled gas, etc. are arbitrary.

11 ... gas container, 11a ... container valve, 11b ... supply path, 12 ... jacket, 13 ... connecting part, 14 ... belt, 15 ... inner peripheral side surface material, 16 ... heat insulating material, 17 ... outer peripheral side surface material, 18 ... Gas introduction nozzle, 19 ... Ventilation path, 20 ... Temperature sensor, 20a ... Measuring unit, 21 ... Control means, 22 ... Vortex tube, 22a ... Cold air supply side path, 22b ... Warm air supply side path, 22c ... Compressed air supply path, 22d ... Control valve, 23 ... Compressor, 24 ... Cylinder cabinet, 24a ... Exhaust part, 31 ... Gas container, 31a ... Container valve, 31b ... Supply path, A ... Air, C ... Cold air, H ... Warm air

Claims (11)

A gas supply device provided with a tubular jacket that covers the outer periphery of the body of a gas container. The jacket is made of a flexible material and penetrates the jacket from the outside to the inside of the jacket. It has a gas introduction nozzle that introduces compressed gas, and when a jacket is attached to the gas container and compressed gas is introduced from the gas introduction nozzle to the inner peripheral surface of the jacket, between the outer peripheral surface of the gas container and the inner peripheral surface of the jacket. A ventilation path is formed to discharge the compressed gas introduced from the gas introduction nozzle into the inner peripheral portion of the jacket from the upper end portion or the lower end portion of the jacket to the outside of the jacket .
The jacket is a gas supply device that is deployably formed by a detachable connecting portion provided in the axial direction of the gas container . The jacket has a tubular inner peripheral side surface material arranged on the outer periphery of the gas container, a tubular heat insulating material laminated on the outer peripheral surface of the inner peripheral side surface material, and a laminated on the outer peripheral surface of the heat insulating material. The gas supply device according to claim 1 , wherein the gas supply device is formed in a three-layer structure with the outer peripheral side surface material. A gas supply device provided with a tubular jacket that covers the outer periphery of the body of a gas container. The jacket is made of a flexible material and penetrates the jacket from the outside to the inside of the jacket. It has a gas introduction nozzle that introduces compressed gas, and when a jacket is attached to the gas container and compressed gas is introduced from the gas introduction nozzle to the inner peripheral surface of the jacket, between the outer peripheral surface of the gas container and the inner peripheral surface of the jacket. A ventilation path is formed to discharge the compressed gas introduced from the gas introduction nozzle into the inner peripheral portion of the jacket from the upper end portion or the lower end portion of the jacket to the outside of the jacket.
The jacket has a tubular inner peripheral side surface material arranged on the outer periphery of the gas container, a tubular heat insulating material laminated on the outer peripheral surface of the inner peripheral side surface material, and a laminated on the outer peripheral surface of the heat insulating material. A gas supply device characterized in that it is formed in a three-layer structure with a surface material on the outer peripheral side . The gas supply device according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the inner peripheral side surface material and the outer peripheral side surface material are formed of a silicon-coated glass cloth obtained by coating a glass cloth with a silicone-based resin. The gas supply device according to claim 2 or 3 , wherein the heat insulating material is made of glass felt. The gas supply device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the gas introduction nozzle is connected to the cold air supply side of the vortex tube. The gas supply device according to claim 6, wherein the gas introduction nozzle is provided on the upper side of the jacket. The gas supply device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the gas introduction nozzle is connected to the warm air supply side of the vortex tube. The gas supply device according to claim 8, wherein the gas introduction nozzle is provided on the lower side of the jacket. The jacket includes a temperature sensor that measures the temperature of the compressed gas flowing through the ventilation path or the temperature of the outer peripheral surface of the gas container, and introduces the compressed gas into the inner peripheral portion of the jacket based on the temperature measured by the temperature sensor. The gas supply device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, further comprising a control means for controlling the amount. A gas supply device provided with a tubular jacket that covers the outer periphery of the body of a gas container. The jacket is made of a flexible material and penetrates the jacket from the outside to the inside of the jacket. It has a gas introduction nozzle that introduces compressed gas, and when a jacket is attached to the gas container and compressed gas is introduced from the gas introduction nozzle to the inner peripheral surface of the jacket, between the outer peripheral surface of the gas container and the inner peripheral surface of the jacket. A ventilation path is formed to discharge the compressed gas introduced from the gas introduction nozzle into the inner peripheral portion of the jacket from the upper end portion or the lower end portion of the jacket to the outside of the jacket.
The jacket includes a temperature sensor that measures the temperature of the compressed gas flowing through the ventilation path or the temperature of the outer peripheral surface of the gas container, and introduces the compressed gas into the inner peripheral portion of the jacket based on the temperature measured by the temperature sensor. A gas supply device comprising a control means for controlling the amount .

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