JPH09105596A - Chemical resistant heat exchanger - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a chemical resistant heat exchanger having a seal structure in which a seal material made of an elastic material does not come into direct contact with chemicals. SOLUTION: A heat exchanger 1 comprises counterposed heat transfer bases 2 and 2, side wall members 5 composed of a chemical resistant material and surrounding a heat exchanging chamber 4 together with the heat transfer bases 2 and a fluid entrance 6 to the heat exchanging chamber 4. In the heat exchanger 1, loop shaped elastic members 8 are fixed to the abutting parts of the heat transfer bases 2 and 2 and the side wall members 5. Further, V shaped grooves 5a are formed in positions counter to the elastic members 8. While the peripheral parts of chemical resistant sheets 3 for covering the counter surfaces 2a and 2a of the heat transfer bases 2 and 2 are sandwiched between the elastic members 8 and the V shaped grooves 5, the heat transfer bases 2 and 2 are fixed to the side wall members 5 under pressure, so that the heat exchanging chamber 4 is sealed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a heat exchanger or a liquid temperature controller, and more particularly to a chemical resistant seal structure thereof.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art The reaction rate of a chemical solution depends on temperature in most cases. Therefore, in order to accurately control the reaction of highly reactive chemical liquids, particularly precise liquid temperature control is required, but at the same time, these chemical liquids are often extremely corrosive.
As a temperature controller for this type of chemical liquid, for example, one as shown in FIG. 6 is used. (JP-A-4-359
795).

The liquid temperature controller 100 includes a pair of heat exchange substrates 10 made of a material having good heat conductivity such as aluminum, stainless steel, alumina or graphite.
1, 101 are arranged in a face-to-face relationship with a predetermined space therebetween, and the opposing surfaces 102 of these heat exchange substrates 101 are coated with a fluororesin in order to prevent the heat exchange substrates from being eroded. Form a chemical coating. A space between the pair of heat exchange substrates 101, 101 is liquid-tightly enclosed by interposing a side wall body 103 made of a chemical resistant material, for example, a fluororesin between the pair of heat exchange substrates. so,
The heat exchange chamber 104 is formed.

[0004] The side wall 103 is provided with an inlet 105 and an outlet 106 for a chemical solution. On the outer surface of the heat exchange substrate 101,
One side of the thermoelectric conversion element 107, ... is closely contacted so that heat can be transferred,
On the other side of the elements 107, ..., A heat radiator 108 having a flow passage 109 through which cooling water passes is provided in a plate-like block made of a material having good thermal conductivity in a close contact state so that heat can be exchanged. A chemical solution, for example, a semiconductor etching solution, is introduced into the heat exchange chamber 104 from an inlet 105, adjusted to a predetermined temperature, and sent from an outlet 106 to a chemical solution tank.

In such a heat exchange chamber 104, the heat exchange substrate 101 and the side wall body 10 are provided in order to prevent the pressurized chemical liquid from leaking.
As shown in FIG. 7, at the contact portion with 3 the packing storage groove 110 is provided around the side wall body made of a chemical resistant material such as fluororesin, and the A ring-shaped sealing material having a structure in which an O-ring made of (for example, fluororubber) is housed or used, or the O-ring 111 is wrapped with a fluororesin cover ring 113 having a protrusion 112 is devised, and the pressure of the chemical solution is increased. The cross-sectional shape of the sealing material is deformed by the above, and the projection 112 is pressed against the substrate 101, and a structure intended to further improve the sealing performance is used to maintain the liquid tightness of the heat exchange chamber. Is used.

In such a conventional seal structure, since the seal material having rubber elasticity comes into contact with the chemical liquid or has a possibility of coming into contact with the chemical liquid, deterioration of the seal material causes deterioration of the sealing performance. , In particular, when used for temperature control of semiconductor processing chemicals, the rubber that constitutes the sealing material is eroded by the chemicals, and the metal ions in the rubber component may dissolve into the chemicals, which may cause defective products. there were. When a porous material such as graphite is used as the heat exchange substrate, the surface treatment is performed by first impregnating the porous material with a chemical resistant resin to form the chemical resistant coating and then crushing fine holes. However, there is a drawback that the manufacturing process of the heat exchange substrate becomes complicated and the cost becomes high.

[0007]

A first object of the present invention is to disclose a chemical resistant heat exchanger having a novel sealing structure in which a sealing material made of an elastic material does not come into direct contact with a chemical solution. A second object of the present invention is to disclose a chemical resistant heat exchanger that is not deteriorated or eroded by a chemical solution and is not contaminated by the eluted components. A third object of the present invention is to provide at low cost a chemical resistant heat exchanger that has a simple structure and is easy to manufacture and maintain.

[0008]

A first aspect of the present invention is to provide a pair of heat transfer substrates which are made of a material having good thermal conductivity and which are arranged to face each other at a predetermined interval, and a pair which is made of a material having chemical resistance. A heat exchanger having a side wall body which is interposed between the heat transfer substrates and liquid-tightly surrounds the heat exchange chamber together with the heat transfer substrates, and a fluid inlet / outlet for opening the heat exchange chamber to the outside. An elastic member is fixed to a contact portion of the thermal substrate with the side wall body so as to surround an opening of the side wall body in a loop shape, and a ridge and / or a groove is provided at a position facing the loop shaped elastic member. The peripheral portion of the chemical resistant sheet integrally formed with the body and provided so as to cover the opposing surfaces of the pair of heat transfer substrates is formed by the elastic member having the loop shape and the ridge and / or the groove. Chemical resistance, characterized in that the heat transfer substrate and the side wall body are pressed and fixed in a state of being sandwiched between them. In the heat exchanger.

Materials having good thermal conductivity include copper, aluminum or alloys thereof, metal oxides such as stainless steel and alumina, and non-metal materials such as graphite.
A material that can be easily molded is preferable, and the material can be freely selected as long as it has the required rigidity regardless of the difficulty of forming a chemical resistant coating. As a material forming the loop-shaped elastic member, a rubber elastic material is preferable, and in consideration of a case where the chemical resistant sheet is damaged, it is preferable to use a chemical resistant rubber such as fluororubber or silicone rubber. Most preferred. The elastic member may be fixed to the heat transfer board by being housed and fixed in the groove, or may be fixed to the surface of the heat transfer board by an adhesive or the like. There may be a plurality of grooves or protrusions formed on the side wall body.

The side wall may have its outer surface coated with a chemical resistant material, but it is easy to manufacture and reliable.
It is desirable that the material itself be made of a material having chemical resistance (for example, fluororesin). The chemical resistant sheet (film) is appropriately selected depending on the properties of the chemical solution with which the sheet comes into contact, the thermal conductivity of the sheet material, etc., but it is desirable that it has ductility and that it has elasticity. Is ideal. Generally, it is appropriately selected from plastic films and rubber sheets having chemical resistance. The sheet and the heat transfer substrate can be bonded by using a method such as bonding, pressure contact by making the bonding surface a vacuum, or bonding via a semi-fluid such as heat conductive grease. The thickness of the sheet is preferably as thin as possible so long as the strength is maintained.

In the above description, when the chemical resistant sheet material has elasticity, the sheet is provided with a side wall or a contact portion of the heat transfer substrate and a loop-shaped ridge provided so as to face the contact portion. In some cases, the heat exchange chamber can be hermetically sealed without the need for an elastic member by only pinching between them or by pinching the chemical resistant sheet with the ridge and the circumferential groove facing the ridge. That is, a chemical resistant sheet made of a stretchable elastic material is used to cover the facing surface of a heat transfer substrate which is arranged to face the side wall body and / or a ridge and / or a circumferential groove provided on the heat transfer substrate.
A heat exchanger characterized by sealing the heat exchange chamber by pinching the peripheral portion of the sheet also belongs to the scope of the present invention.

The heat exchanger according to the first aspect includes a chemical resistant sheet provided so as to cover the facing surface of the heat transfer substrate,
A seal structure for pinching between a loop-shaped elastic member provided on the heat transfer board side and a ridge provided at a position facing the elastic member on the side wall body side, or the board plane on the heat transfer board side From at least a part of the cross-sectional shape of the elastic member so as to project toward the side wall body in a loop shape, and the elastic member provided on the side wall body side and at a position facing the elastic member. With a groove that can accommodate the part, a seal structure that presses the chemical resistant sheet, or by providing these two seal structures at the same time, a liquid-tight heat exchange chamber surrounded by the heat transfer substrate and the side wall body is formed. Form. Therefore, since the rubber sealing material does not come into direct contact with the chemical liquid, an extremely high degree of chemical resistance can be obtained by examining the materials of the chemical resistant sheet and the side wall body.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the heat exchanger defined in the first aspect, the loop-shaped elastic member is housed in a series of circumferential grooves formed in the heat transfer board.
The loop-shaped elastic member has a ridge formed integrally with the side wall body,
A chemical-resistant heat exchanger characterized in that the heat exchange chamber is liquid-tightly sealed by pressure contact with a chemical-resistant sheet.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the chemical resistant heat exchanger defined in the first aspect, the loop-shaped elastic member housed in the circumferential groove formed in the heat transfer substrate is a heat transfer member. The loop-shaped elastic member is housed in such a state that a part of its cross-sectional shape protrudes from the plane formed by the substrate,
The heat exchange chamber is sealed in a liquid-tight manner by entering a groove engraved in the side wall abutting portion and pressurizingly contacting the groove via a chemical resistant sheet, and thus the chemical resistant heat It is in the exchange. By selecting an appropriate shape such as a V-shaped or E-shaped cross-sectional shape of the groove provided on the side wall body side, the area in which the elastic member and the groove should come into contact with each other becomes small, and therefore, the above-mentioned The force for pinching the sheet concentrates on the narrow contact portion, so that the sealing property is improved.

[0015]

1 and 2 show a first embodiment of the present invention in which a heat exchanger is incorporated in a chemical temperature controller for semiconductor manufacturing. The chemical liquid temperature controller Y includes a chemical resistant heat exchanger 1, electronic refrigerators 80 and 80 using a thermoelectric conversion element (Peltier element), and a radiator 9.
It is composed of 0 and 90. The heat exchanger 1 comprises a pair of heat transfer substrates 2 and 2 made of a material having good heat conductivity such as aluminum, graphite, etc., which are corrosion-resistant with aluminum or alumite treatment or fluororesin coating.
And the heat transfer substrates 2 and 2 are interposed between the heat transfer substrates 2 and 2.
It also has a side wall body 5 that constitutes the heat exchange chamber 4.

On the outer surfaces (non-opposing surfaces) of the heat transfer boards 2 and 2,
One side of the electronic refrigerators 80, 80 (acting mainly as a cooling surface) is press-contacted so as to be able to exchange heat, and the other side of the electronic refrigerators is also a heat dissipation block made of a heat conductive material. 91 is in contact so that heat can be transferred. Heat dissipation block 9
A pair of cooling water conduits 92, 92, ... Are connected to 1, 91, and cooling water is passed through the heat dissipation block to cool the heat dissipation block. Further, the heat exchange chamber 4 is also provided with inlets and outlets 6a and 6b of the chemical liquid by a pair of chemical liquid conduits 6 and 6 penetrating the side wall body 5. Such a configuration,
The structure is the same as that of a conventional chemical temperature controller. The heat exchanger of the present application is characterized by the following seal structure.

As shown in FIG. 2, the sidewall 5 is made of high-purity polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) having a predetermined thickness.
It is integrally configured by a plate-making body, and has a substantially cylindrical void 4a that serves as the heat exchange chamber 4 in the up-down direction and penetrates in the up-down direction. The upper and lower surfaces of the side wall body 4 surrounding the gap serve as contact portions 5b with the facing surface of the heat transfer substrate.
A V-shaped groove 5 having a V-shaped cross section in the abutting portion 5b surrounding the
a is engraved so as to surround the void 4a in a loop shape. By the way, the gap 4a is partitioned by a partition plate 7a, 7b in the shape of a battledore so as to form a meandering flow path, and a chemical solution inlet 6a is open at one end of the meandering flow path and an outlet 6b is open at the other end. .

On the other hand, on the heat transfer substrates 2 and 2, the side wall body 5 is provided.
And stacking the heat transfer substrates 2 and 2 in the vertical direction of the side wall body 5,
When the heat exchange chamber 4 is surrounded by the heat transfer substrates 2 and 2,
Elastic member storage grooves 2b, 2b are formed in the portions facing the V-shaped grooves 5a, 5a, and an O-ring made of fluororubber is stored as the elastic member 8 therein.
It is desirable to set the thickness of the O-ring (8) so that at least a portion exceeding the radius in the cross-sectional shape projects from the storage groove 2b toward the V-shaped groove.

In this manner, with the elastic member 8 housed and fixed in the housing groove 2b, the opposing surfaces 2a of the heat transfer boards 2 and 2,
The chemical resistant sheets 3 and 3 are adhered to the entire surface of 2a. As the chemical resistant sheet 3, as with the side wall body 5, P
A sheet made of TFE is used. Thus, the elastic member 8 remains protruding from the facing surface 2a of the heat transfer substrate while the sheet 3
Will be covered by. In this state, the heat transfer substrates 2 and 2 are brought into contact with the upper and lower surfaces of the side wall body 4, and the V-shaped groove 5a and the elastic member storage groove 2b are overlapped at a position facing each other, and the bolt holes 9, 9, ... Through fixing tools such as bolts and nuts,
The heat transfer boards 2 and 2 and the side wall body 5 are firmly clamped and fixed. The elastic member 8 enters the V-shaped groove 5a through the sheet 3 covering the elastic member 8 and firmly presses the wall surface of the groove 5a to seal the heat exchange chamber 4.

FIG. 3 shows an essential part of the second embodiment of the present invention. An elastic member housing groove 22b for housing a ring-shaped elastic member 28 made of fluororubber forms a loop surrounding the heat exchange chamber 24 at a contact portion of the heat transfer boards 22, 22 with the side wall body 25. It is carved. The elastic member 28 having a rectangular cross section is housed and fixed therein without a gap. The exposed surface of the elastic member 28, 28a and the facing surface 22 of the heat transfer substrate are substantially coplanar. As in the case of the first embodiment, the facing surface 22 is provided with PT
A chemical resistant sheet 23 made of FE is adhered and covered.

On the other hand, the heat transfer substrate 2 of the side wall body 25 made of PTFE
At a position where the elastic member 28 is abutted, the protrusion 25 that integrally projects from the side wall body toward the elastic member is provided at the contact portion with 2.
a is provided. Thus, when the heat transfer boards are brought into contact with the upper and lower surfaces of the side wall body 25 and clamped and fixed by the tightening fixture, the ridges 25a are formed by the ductility of the sheet 23.
Can press-fit into the elastic member 28 in a state where the chemical resistant sheet is in close contact with the heat exchanging chamber 24 so as to be liquid-tightly closed.

FIG. 4 shows an essential part of the third embodiment of the present invention. Elastic member housing grooves 32b for housing the ring-shaped elastic members 38 made of fluororubber are engraved in a loop at the contact portions of the heat transfer boards 32, 32 with the side walls 35. The elastic member 38 having a rectangular cross section is housed therein so as to be flush with the facing surface 32 of the heat transfer substrate without a gap. The facing surfaces 32a, 32
The chemical resistance sheets 33 and 33 adhere and cover a.

On the other hand, the elastic members 38, 3 are provided at the contact portions of the side wall body 35 made of a chemical resistant material with the heat transfer boards 32, 32.
Two ridges 35a and 35b that integrally project from the side wall body toward the elastic member are provided in a position facing 8 in a loop. Furthermore, these ridges 35a, 35
A ridge 35c lower than the ridges 35a and 35b is provided inside the b. Thus, when the heat transfer substrates are brought into contact with the upper and lower surfaces of the side wall body 35 and clamped and fixed by the tightening fixture, the ridges 35a and 35b are elastic members via the chemical resistant sheet due to the ductility of the sheet 23. The heat exchange chamber 34 is liquid-tightly sealed by press-fitting into the heat exchange chamber 34. Further, the innermost ridge 35c is press-fitted into the sheet 33 to firmly hold the sheet 33 together with the heat transfer board 32.
Pressure. The clamping force is changed by the elastic member 32 that changes elastically.
Unlike the case of b and the ribs 35a and 35b, it becomes extremely large.

The height (protrusion) of the protrusion 35c that does not face the elastic member is empirically determined by the thickness, ductility or strength of the chemical resistant sheet and the seal structure. However, it is not always smaller than the protrusions 35a and 35b facing the elastic member. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, when the ring-shaped elastic member 48 is protruded from the facing surface of the heat transfer board 42 and is fixed by adhesion, the ring-shaped elastic member 48 is more attached than the ridges 45 a and 45 facing the elastic member 48. 48 not facing 48
The protrusion degree of c may be larger.

The ridges that do not face the elastic member may be provided outside the loop formed by the elastic member, or both inside and outside, but the inside one is more effective. The ridge 35c presses the sheet 43 strongly,
Since the high sealing performance is exhibited, the liquid pressure exerted on the seal portion by the protrusion 35b located on the outer side is remarkably reduced, so that the elastic member 38 is deteriorated to some extent and the sandwiching pressure of the seal portion is reduced. However, the sealability is not impaired and liquid leakage does not occur. In other words, the life of the seal portion can be extended.

[0026]

[Effects] In the heat exchanger of the present application, since the rubber elastic material is not exposed and used in the heat exchange chamber as exemplified in the above-mentioned embodiment, particularly in the case of a chemical solution having a strong corrosive property such as a semiconductor processing solution. Even if it is used for temperature control, if all peripheral walls of the heat exchange chamber are made of a material that is not likely to be eroded by a corrosive chemical liquid such as photoetching liquid, for example, PTFE, a sealing material can be formed as in the conventional case. It is possible to prevent an accident in which the metal ion in the rubber member is eluted into the processing liquid to generate a defective product. In addition, since it is not necessary to use an expensive precision member having a special structure as a seal member, and no special skill is required for assembly,
The heat exchanger can be manufactured at low cost.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory view showing a liquid temperature controller incorporating a heat exchanger according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a structure of a side wall body of FIG.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a main part of a second embodiment of the heat exchanger according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a main part of a third embodiment of the heat exchanger according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a main part of a fourth embodiment of the heat exchanger according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a conventional technique.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory view showing a part of FIG. 6 in an enlarged manner.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Chemical Resistance Heat Exchanger 2, 22, 32, 42 Heat Transfer Substrate 2a Facing Surfaces 2b, 22b, 32b Elastic Member Storage Grooves 3, 23, 33, 43 Chemical Resistance Sheet 4, 24, 34 Heat Exchange Chamber 5, 25, 35, 45 Side wall body 5a V-shaped groove 25a, 35a-c, 45a-c Protrusions 8, 28, 38, 48 Elastic member 80 Electronic refrigerator 90 Radiator

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A pair of heat transfer substrates which are made of a material having good thermal conductivity and which are arranged to face each other at a predetermined interval, and a pair of heat transfer substrates which are made of a chemical resistant material and are interposed between the heat transfer substrates. In a heat exchanger including a heat transfer substrate and a side wall body that liquid-tightly surrounds the heat exchange chamber, and a fluid inlet / outlet opening the heat exchange chamber to the outside, abutting of the pair of heat transfer substrates with the side wall body A loop-shaped elastic member is fixed to the portion, and a ridge and / or groove is integrally formed with the side wall body at a position facing the elastic member, and is provided so as to cover the facing surfaces of the pair of heat transfer boards. The heat transfer board and the side wall body are pressed and fixed to each other in a state where the peripheral portion of the chemical resistant sheet is pressed between the loop-shaped elastic member and the ridges and / or grooves. Chemical heat exchanger. 2. An elastic member is housed in a series of circumferential grooves engraved on a heat transfer substrate, and a ridge integrally formed with the side wall body is pressed against the elastic member via a chemical resistant sheet. The chemical-resistant heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the heat exchange chamber is liquid-tightly sealed. 3. An elastic member housed in a circumferential groove engraved in the heat transfer board is housed in a state of partially protruding from a plane formed by the heat transfer board, and the elastic member contacts the side wall body. The chemical resistance heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the heat exchange chamber is liquid-tightly sealed by entering the groove engraved in the contact portion and pressing the groove through the chemical resistance sheet.