IP Library › Granted Patent US 9,852,888
Granted Patent B2
US 9,852,888 · App. 14/655,272 · Granted Dec 26, 2017

Circulating cooling/heating device

Inventor: Daisuke Goto (Kanagawa, JP)
Assignee: KELK Ltd.
H01J37/32009F28D1/0213H01J37/32431H01J37/32522H01J37/32724H01L21/67069H01L21/67109H01J2237/334
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,852,888
App. No.
14/655,272
Granted
Dec 26, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

A circulating cooling/heating device that is configured to cool and heat a circulating fluid supplied to a chamber in plasma-etching equipment includes: a reservoir configured to store the circulating fluid; a pump configured to circulate the circulating fluid between the reservoir and the chamber; a heat exchanger configured to perform heat exchange between the circulating fluid and a cooling water, the heat exchanger being immersed in the circulating fluid stored in the reservoir; and a heater configured to heat the circulating fluid in the reservoir.

Claims (34)

1. A circulating cooling/heating device configured to cool and heat a circulating fluid supplied to a chamber in plasma-etching equipment, the circulating cooling/heating device comprising:

a reservoir configured to store the circulating fluid;

a pump configured to circulate the circulating fluid between the reservoir and the chamber;

a heat exchanger configured to perform heat exchange between the circulating fluid and a cooling water, the heat exchanger being immersed in the circulating fluid stored in the reservoir and comprising an outlet configured to release the circulating fluid to an inside of the reservoir; and

a heater configured to heat the circulating fluid in the reservoir,

wherein the heat exchanger is connected to a first inflow path and configured to receive the circulating fluid through the first inflow path, and

wherein a second inflow path is branched from the first inflow path and configured to directly release the circulating fluid from the first inflow path into the reservoir.

2. The circulating cooling/heating device according to claim 1 , wherein the reservoir comprises:

a reservoir body in a shape of a bottomed box; and

a lid body configured to cover an upside of the reservoir body, and

the heat exchanger and the heater are attached to the lid body.

3. The circulating cooling/heating device according to claim 2 , wherein a fluid level sensor is attached to the lid body, the fluid level sensor comprising a float configured to float on the circulating fluid stored in the reservoir.

4. The circulating cooling/heating device according to claim 1 , wherein

the reservoir defines therein an air chamber, the air chamber being a space unfilled with the circulating fluid, and

the reservoir comprises a breather through which the air chamber is in communication with outside of the reservoir.

5. A circulating cooling/heating device configured to cool and heat a circulating fluid supplied to a chamber in plasma-etching equipment, the circulating cooling/heating device comprising:

a reservoir configured to store the circulating fluid;

a pump configured to circulate the circulating fluid between the reservoir and the chamber;

a heat exchanger positioned within the reservoir and configured to be immersed in the circulating fluid stored in the reservoir, the heat exchanger being configured to receive a cooling water through a cooling water inflow path and to perform heat exchange between the received cooling water and the circulating fluid; and

a heater configured to heat the circulating fluid in the reservoir,

wherein the heat exchanger is further configured to receive the circulating fluid through a first inflow path that is separate from the cooling water inflow path, and

wherein the first inflow path includes a second inflow path that is configured to receive circulating fluid from the first inflow path and to release the received circulating fluid into the reservoir.

6. The circulating cooling/heating device according to claim 5 , wherein the reservoir comprises:

a reservoir body in a shape of a bottomed box; and

a lid body configured to cover an upside of the reservoir body, and

the heat exchanger and the heater are attached to the lid body.

7. The circulating cooling/heating device according to claim 6 , wherein a fluid level sensor is attached to the lid body, the fluid level sensor comprising a float configured to float on the circulating fluid stored in the reservoir.

8. The circulating cooling/heating device according to claim 5 , wherein

the reservoir defines therein an air chamber, the air chamber being a space unfilled with the circulating fluid, and

the reservoir comprises a breather through which the air chamber is in communication with outside of the reservoir.

9. The circulating cooling/heating device according to claim 5 , wherein the heat exchanger is configured to perform heat exchange between the received cooling water and the circulating fluid stored in the reservoir.

10. The circulating cooling/heating device according to claim 5 , wherein the heat exchanger is configured to perform heat exchange between the received cooling water and the circulating fluid received by the heat exchanger through the first inflow path.

11. The circulating cooling/heating device according to claim 5 , wherein the heat exchanger is configured to perform heat exchange (i) between the received cooling water and the circulating fluid stored in the reservoir and (ii) between the received cooling water and the circulating fluid received by the heat exchanger through the first inflow path.

12. The circulating cooling/heating device according to claim 5 , wherein the heat exchanger includes an outlet configured to release the circulating fluid to an inside of the reservoir.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 25, 2015
From: GOTO, DAISUKE
To: KELK LTD.
Reel/Frame 035904/0116 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2012-281844 · Dec 25, 2012 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20160196954A1 · Jul 7, 2016