JPH0694260A - Air-conditioning system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent the diffusion of contaminating substances or toxic substances into an isolating facility by a method wherein the inside of the isolated facility is divided into an isolated area, in which instruments, readily generating contaminating and/or toxic substances, are installed, and a non-isolated area, in which the other instruments are installed, and exclusive inside air-conditioning machines are provided in respective areas while the internal pressure of the isolated area is controlled so as to become lower than the internal pressures of non-isolated areas. CONSTITUTION:The inside of a clean room 1 is divided into an isolated area 5, in which instruments, which are readily generating contaminating substances or injurious substances, are installed, and a non-isolated area 6, in which the other instruments are installed. Air, conditioned so as to have desired temperature and humidity, is supplied into the non-isolated area 6 by an inside air-conditioning machine 8 while air, conditioned so as to have desired temperature and humidity and provided with a pressure lower than the inside pressure of the non-isolated area, is supplied to the isolated area 5 by the air-conditioning machine 7 while air, taking outdoor air thereinto and conditioning the same so as to have the desired temperature and humidity, is supplied to the inside air-conditioning machines 7, 8 through the outside air conditioning machine 10 respectively.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an air conditioning system, and more particularly to an air conditioning system most suitable for air conditioning of an isolated facility such as a clean room.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In the manufacture of semiconductors, there are processes that require an atmosphere of high cleanliness, and facilities such as a clean room for isolating other work areas are installed at such a site. Generally, a clean room has a structure (housing) that has a closed space with an entrance and exit, a filter that is installed on the ceiling surface of this structure and that removes dust and foreign matter in the supplied air, and through this filter. It is composed of a circulation path for circulating the air in the structure (such as a duct connected to an air conditioner and a filter from below the floor), and an air conditioning system for sending air whose humidity and temperature are properly controlled into this circulation path. .

Semiconductor manufacturing equipment installed in a clean room includes equipment with many dust sources (eg, CVD (: Chemic
al Vapor Deposition) device) or a device that generates harmful substances (for example, a device that handles phosphorus) may be installed. The dust generation causes pollution in the clean room, and the generation of harmful substances poses a danger to workers.
Moreover, if it leaks to the outside, the damage may be further expanded. Therefore, some measure is desired.

[0004]

However, conventionally, in a clean room, no effective measures for preventing the spread of pollution and diffusion of harmful substances have been taken in a clean room. Is desired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an air-conditioning system which prevents pollutants and harmful substances from diffusing into an isolation facility in view of the above-mentioned conventional circumstances.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention installs an isolation area for installing a device in which a pollutant or a harmful substance easily occurs in an isolated facility and other devices. Partition means for dividing into a non-isolated area, a first internal air conditioner for supplying air conditioned to the desired temperature and humidity to the non-isolated area, and air conditioning to the desired temperature and humidity in the isolated area and the non-isolated area A second inner air conditioner that supplies air whose pressure is lower than the inner pressure, and an outer air conditioner that takes in the outside air and air-conditions it at a desired temperature and humidity are provided to each of the inner air conditioners.

[0007]

According to the above means, the inside of the isolated facility is divided into an isolated area where equipment that easily generates pollutants or harmful substances is installed and a non-isolated area where other equipment is installed. The internal pressure is controlled so that the internal pressure in the isolated area is lower than the internal pressure in the non-isolated area. As a result, even if pollutants or harmful substances are scattered in the isolated area, it is possible to prevent them from being diffused over a wide area.

[0008]

1 is a front sectional view showing an embodiment of an air conditioning system according to the present invention. In FIG. 1, a clean room is illustrated as the isolation facility.

The clean room 1 has HEPA (Hi
A gh Efficiency Particle Airfilter) filter 2 is installed, and a perforated plate floor 3 for discharging the air introduced into the room is provided on the floor surface. In the clean room 1 having such a structure, a partition wall 4 for vertically dividing the room is vertically installed at a predetermined position thereof, and an isolated area 5 and a non-isolated area 6 are formed. A complete isolation treatment is performed between the isolated area 5 and the non-isolated area 6 so that air does not flow between them. In the isolation area 5, devices (or devices that easily generate pollutants and harmful substances,
(Devices that may occur) are installed together, and other devices are installed together in the non-isolated area 6.

In each of the isolated area 5 and the non-isolated area, a pair of upper and lower duct openings 5a, 5b, 6a and 6b are provided above and below the floor of the HEPA filter 2, and the upper and lower portions of the pair of duct openings circulate. A path is formed, and an internal air conditioner 7 (second internal air conditioner) and an internal air conditioner 8 (first internal air conditioner) as secondary air-conditioning equipment are disposed in each of the paths.
Further, the ducts 9a and 9b are connected to the duct ports 5b and 6b to form one passage, and an external air conditioner 10 as a primary air conditioning facility is arranged in the middle of the passage. Although not shown here, not all of the air in the isolated area 5 and the non-isolated area 6 is returned to the internal conditioning units 7 and 8, but a part thereof is discharged to the outside of the clean room 1.

In the above structure, the outside air is taken in by the external air conditioner 10 to air-condition the temperature and humidity required by the clean room 1. However, the temperature / humidity control accuracy may be relatively low here, and the temperature is ± 3 ° C. The humidity may be about ± 5%. The air after air conditioning is sent to the internal air conditioners 7 and 8 through the ducts 9a and 9b, and the secondary air conditioning is performed in these internal air conditioners. The temperature is ± 1 ° C. and the humidity is ± 3%.

Further, the room pressure P in the isolation area 5 _FiveAnd non
Room pressure P in isolation area 6₆Relationship is P_Five<P₆become
To do so. By giving a pressure difference in this way,
If toxic substances or pollutants are scattered in the isolation area 5,
Even if it is a case, it will enter (diffuse) into the outside and the non-isolated area 6.
Never. In addition, minute amounts of scattered harmful substances and pollutants
Objects are sequentially removed by the HEPA filter 2 and
Can be kept to a minimum. Here, in the isolation area 5
Room pressure P_FiveIs, for example, at atmospheric pressure (or
P that is slightly higher than the outside air) to prevent air from entering₆
On the other hand, by setting it to about -0.5 mmHg, the purpose is achieved.
Be done. Various decompression means are conceivable, but here
Then, adjust the opening of the damper of the internal conditioner 7, or use the built-in flap.
This is done by changing the rotation speed of the fan.

The air conditioned by the internal conditioners 7 and 8 is HEP
It is supplied to the isolated area 5 and the non-isolated area 6 via the A filter 2, and descends within the area. The descended air passes under the floor through the perforated plate floor 3, is drawn out from the duct openings 5a and 5b, and is returned to the internal conditioning units 7 and 8, respectively. Further, the shortage due to exhaust from the isolated area 5 and the non-isolated area 6 is newly replenished from the external modulator 10 to the internal modulators 7, 8.

[0014]

As described above, according to the present invention, the partition means for partitioning the isolated facility into the isolated area for installing the equipment that easily generates pollutants or harmful substances and the non-isolated area for installing other equipment. And a first internal air conditioner for supplying the air conditioned to the desired temperature and humidity to the non-isolated area, and the air supplied to the isolated area for controlling the temperature and humidity to the desired temperature and lower than the internal pressure of the non-isolated area. Since the second internal air conditioner that operates and the external air conditioner that takes in the outside air and conditioned air to a desired temperature and humidity are supplied to each of the inner air conditioners, there are no pollutants or harmful substances in the isolated area. Even if the substances are scattered, they can be prevented from being diffused over a wide area.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front sectional view showing an embodiment of an air conditioning system according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Clean Room 2 HEPA Filter 3 Perforated Plate Floor 4 Partition Wall 5 Isolation Area 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b Duct Port 6 Non-Isolation Area 7, 8 Internal Conditioner 9a, 9b Duct 10 External Conditioner

Front page continuation (72) Inventor Hiroshi Tsuchiyama 20-1 Shintomi, Futtsu, Chiba Shin Nippon Steel Co., Ltd.Technology Development Division (72) Inventor Hiroaki Kawakami 20-1 Shintomi, Futtsu, Chiba Shin Nippon Steel Co., Ltd. Inside the Technology Development Headquarters (72) Inventor Mitsumasa Fushimi 20-1 Shintomi, Futtsu City, Chiba Nippon Steel Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Shunichi Konishi 1-1-14 Uchikanda, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Within Hitachi Plant Construction Co., Ltd.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A partition means for dividing an isolated facility into an isolated area for installing equipment that easily generates pollutants or harmful substances and a non-isolated area for installing other equipment, and a partition means desired for the non-isolated area. A first inner air conditioner that supplies air conditioned to a temperature and humidity; and a second inner air conditioner that air conditioned to a desired temperature and humidity in the isolated area and supplies air that has a pressure lower than the internal pressure of the non-isolated area, An air conditioning system, comprising: an outside air conditioner that takes in outside air and air-conditions it at a desired temperature and humidity to supply each of the inside air conditioners.