TWI408285B - Vacuum apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

A vacuum apparatus for providing vacuum environments to chambers is provided. The vacuum apparatus includes a plurality of air-extracting units and a third pipe unit. Each of the air-extracting units is connected to one of the chambers and includes a low vacuum air-extracting device, at least a high vacuum air-extracting device, a first pipe unit and a second pipe unit. The high vacuum air-extracting device is disposed between the low vacuum air-extracting device and the corresponding chamber. The first pipe unit is connected between the high air-extracting device and the low vacuum air-extracting device, wherein at least a first valve is disposed therein. The second pipe unit is connected to the corresponding chamber and the first pipe unit, wherein a second valve is disposed therein. A joined portion of the second pipe unit and the first pipe unit is located between the first valve and the low vacuum air-extracting device. The third pipe unit is connected to the first pipe units and at least a third valve is disposed therein, wherein the third valve is located between two neighboring first pipe units.

Description

Vacuum equipment

This invention relates to a pumping apparatus, and more particularly to a vacuum apparatus.

1 is a schematic view of a conventional vacuum apparatus. Referring to FIG. 1 , the conventional vacuum apparatus 100 includes a plurality of individual independent pumping units 200. Each pumping unit 200 is used to provide a vacuum environment within a chamber 50. Each pumping unit 200 includes a dry pump 210, a booster pump 220, and two booster pumps 230, wherein the booster pump 220 is coupled between the dry pump 210 and the turbo pump 230. . The turbo pump 230 is coupled to a corresponding chamber 50 and a valve member 240 is disposed between the turbo pump 230 and the chamber 50. The turbo pump 230 is connected to the booster pump 220 through the line unit 250, and a valve member 260 is disposed between each of the turbo pump 230 and the booster pump 220. Further, the booster pump 220 is directly connected to the corresponding chamber 50 through the pipe unit 270, and the pipe unit 270 is provided with a valve member 280.

The conventional vacuum apparatus 100 operates by first closing the valve members 240, 260 and opening the valve member 280, and then activating the dry pump 210 to extract the gas in the chamber 50, thereby reducing the pressure in the chamber 50 to about 6.6. Below kilopascals (kPa). Next, boost pump 220 is activated to further reduce the pressure within chamber 50 to below about 266 Pascals. Valve member 280 is then closed and valve members 240, 260 are opened while turbine pump 230 is activated to maintain a high vacuum environment within chamber 50. In Fig. 1, an arrow F1 indicates a gas flow direction when the turbo pump 230 is started.

After the turbo pump 230 is started, the dry pump 210 and the booster pump 220 need only maintain the starting pressure required when the turbo pump 230 is started, and the back pressure when the turbo pump 230 is not operated may be excessively high. However, these pumping units 200 of the conventional vacuum apparatus 100 are independent of each other, so after the turbo pump 230 is started, the dry pump 210 and the booster pump 220 of each pumping unit 200 must remain in an operating state. In this way, not only the energy is consumed, but also the maintenance cost of the vacuum device 100 is increased.

The present invention provides a vacuum device to save energy.

The invention further provides a method of operating a vacuum device to save energy.

To achieve the above advantages, the present invention provides a vacuum apparatus adapted to provide a vacuum environment within a plurality of chambers. The vacuum apparatus includes a plurality of pumping units and a third line unit. Each of the pumping units is coupled to one of the plurality of chambers, and each of the pumping units includes a low vacuum pumping device, at least one high vacuum pumping device, a first line unit, and a second line unit. The high vacuum pumping device is disposed between the low vacuum pumping device and the corresponding chamber and is connected to the corresponding chamber. The first pipeline unit is connected to the high vacuum suction device and the low vacuum suction device, and the first pipeline unit is provided with at least one first valve member. The second conduit unit is coupled to the corresponding chamber and the first conduit unit. The junction of the second conduit unit and the first conduit unit is between the first valve member and the low vacuum suction device, and the second conduit unit is provided with the second valve member. The third pipeline unit connects the first pipeline unit of the air suction unit, wherein the third pipeline unit is provided with at least one third valve member, and each third valve member is located at the adjacent two first pipeline units between.

In an embodiment of the invention, each of the first pipeline units is further provided with a fourth valve member located between the low vacuum pumping device and the second pipeline unit, and the first valve member is located in the high vacuum pumping unit. Between the gas device and the second conduit unit.

In an embodiment of the invention, the first valve member, the second valve member, the third valve member and the fourth valve member are manual valve members or computer controlled valve members.

In an embodiment of the invention, each of the pumping units further includes at least one fifth valve member disposed between the high vacuum pumping device and the corresponding chamber.

In an embodiment of the invention, each of the fifth valve members is an adaptive pressure controller (APC).

In an embodiment of the invention, each of the low vacuum pumping devices comprises a dry pump and a booster pump, wherein the booster pump is coupled between the dry pump and the high vacuum pumping device.

In one embodiment of the invention, each of the high vacuum pumping devices described above includes a turbo pump.

The present invention further provides a method of operating a vacuum apparatus that is suitable for use in the vacuum apparatus described above. The method of operating the vacuum apparatus includes closing the first valve member and the third valve member and opening the second valve member, and activating the low vacuum suction device to reduce the pressure in the chamber. Then, after the pressure in the chamber is lowered to the first preset value, the second valve member is closed and the first valve member and the third valve member are opened, and the high vacuum suction device is activated and a part of the low vacuum suction device is closed.

In an embodiment of the invention, each of the first pipeline units is further provided with a fourth valve member located between the low vacuum pumping device and the second pipeline unit, and the first valve member is located in the high vacuum pumping unit. Between the gas device and the second conduit unit. In addition, when the low vacuum suction device is activated, the fourth valve member is further opened, and when the partial vacuum suction device is closed, the corresponding fourth valve member is further closed.

In an embodiment of the present invention, each of the low vacuum pumping devices includes a dry pump and a booster pump connected between the dry pump and the high vacuum pumping device, and the method of turning on the low vacuum pumping device Includes: Turn on the dry pump to reduce the pressure inside the chamber. Then, after the pressure in the chamber is lowered to a second preset value, the booster pump is turned on, and the second preset value is greater than the first preset value.

When the high vacuum pumping device is started, the low vacuum pumping device only needs to avoid the back pressure being too high when the high vacuum pumping device is operated. In the vacuum apparatus of the present invention and the method of operating the same, since the first line unit of the plurality of pumping units is connected by the third line unit, the pressure in each chamber is used when the low vacuum pumping device is used After lowering to the first preset value and then starting the high vacuum pumping device, part of the low vacuum pumping device can be turned off. That is, when the high vacuum pumping device is operated, it is only necessary to operate the partial low vacuum pumping device to prevent the back pressure from being too high during the operation of the high vacuum pumping device, so the vacuum device and the operating method thereof of the invention can save energy.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more <RTIgt;

2 is a schematic view of a vacuum apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein FIG. 2 omits the second piping unit of each of the pumping units. Figure 3 is a schematic illustration of the single pumping unit of Figure 2. Referring to Figures 2 and 3, the vacuum apparatus 300 of the present embodiment is adapted to provide a vacuum environment within a plurality of chambers 60. This vacuum apparatus 300 includes a plurality of pumping units 400 and a third duct unit 310. Each of the pumping units 400 is coupled to one of the plurality of chambers 60, and each of the pumping units 400 includes a low vacuum pumping device 410 and at least one high vacuum pumping device 420 (FIG. 2 is two high) The vacuum pumping device 420 is an example), a first pipe unit 430, and a second pipe unit 440. The high vacuum pumping device 420 is disposed between the low vacuum pumping device 410 and the corresponding chamber 60 and is coupled to the corresponding chamber 60. The first line unit 430 is connected to the high vacuum pumping unit 420 and the low vacuum pumping unit 410. The second conduit unit 440 is coupled to the corresponding chamber 60 and the first conduit unit 430. The third line unit 310 connects the first line unit 430 of the pumping unit 400.

Each of the low vacuum pumping devices 410 described above includes, for example, a dry pump 412 and a booster pump 414, wherein the booster pump 412 is coupled between the dry pump 414 and the high vacuum pumping device 420. In addition, the number of high vacuum pumping devices 420 of each pumping unit 400 may depend on the size of the chamber 60, although the number of high vacuum pumping units 420 of each of the pumping units 400 of the present embodiment is two, But it can also be one or two or more. Each high vacuum pumping device 420 is, for example, a turbo pump. In addition, each of the pumping units 400 may further include at least one fifth valve member 450. Each of the fifth valve members 450 is disposed between a high vacuum pumping device 420 and a chamber 60 corresponding to the high vacuum pumping device 420. Each of the fifth valve members 450 is, for example, an adaptive pressure controller, that is, the opening degree of the fifth valve member 450 can be adjusted.

The first line unit 430 connects the high vacuum pumping unit 420 of the pumping unit 400 to the low vacuum pumping unit 410. The first pipe unit 430 is provided with at least one first valve member 432. In more detail, the number of the first valve members 432 is, for example, corresponding to the number of high vacuum pumping devices 420, and each of the first valve members 432 is disposed in the corresponding high vacuum pumping device 420 and the low vacuum air extracting device. Between 410. In another embodiment, a plurality of high vacuum pumping devices 420 may also share a first valve member 432. In addition, each of the first pipe units 430 may further be provided with a fourth valve member 434 between the low vacuum pumping device 410 and the second pipe unit 440, and the first valve member 432 is located in the high vacuum pumping device. 420 is between the second conduit unit 430.

In the above, the connection C of the second pipe unit 440 and the first pipe unit 430 is located between the first valve member 432 and the low vacuum pumping device 410, and the second pipe unit 440 is provided with the second valve member 442. . In addition, the third pipe unit 310 is provided with at least one third valve member 312, and each third valve member 312 is located between the adjacent two first pipe units 430. That is, the number of the third valve members 312 depends on the number of the pumping units 400. For example, when the number of the pumping units 400 is two, the number of the first duct units 430 is two, and the number of the third valve members 312 is at least one. In the present embodiment, the number of the air extraction units 400 is exemplified by four, so the number of the first duct units 430 is also four, and the number of the third valve members 312 is, for example, three. In addition, the first valve member 432, the second valve member 442, the third valve member 312 and the fourth valve member 434 may be manual valve members or computer controlled valve members.

The vacuum apparatus 300 of the present embodiment connects the first piping unit 430 of each of the pumping units 400 by using the third piping unit 310, so that the low vacuum of the partial pumping unit 400 can be turned off when the high vacuum pumping unit 420 is started. The air pumping device 410 is used to achieve the effect of power saving. The method of operation of this vacuum apparatus will be described in detail below.

4 is a flow chart of a method of operating a vacuum apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a gas flow of a single pumping unit of the vacuum apparatus of FIG. 2 when the low vacuum pumping device is started and the high vacuum pumping device is turned off. FIG. 6 is a schematic view showing the gas flow of the vacuum apparatus of FIG. 2 when the high vacuum pumping device is started. Referring first to FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, the operation method of the vacuum apparatus of this embodiment is applied to the above-described vacuum apparatus 300. The operation of the vacuum apparatus is as shown in step S110: closing the first valve member 432 and the third valve member 312 and opening the second valve member 442, and activating the low vacuum suction device 410 to reduce the pressure in the chamber 60. Further, in the embodiment in which the first conduit unit 430 is provided with the fourth valve member 434, the fourth valve member 434 is further included when the low vacuum suction device 410 is activated. In other words, in step S110, since the third valve member 312 is closed, the respective pumping units 400 are independent of each other. Each of the pumping units 400 reduces the pressure within the corresponding chamber 60 by a respective low vacuum pumping device 410. In addition, in the present embodiment, the method of turning on the low vacuum pumping device 410 is, for example, first turning on the dry pump 412 to extract the gas in the chamber 60, thereby reducing the pressure in the chamber 60. In Fig. 5, an arrow F2 indicates the direction of gas flow when the low vacuum pumping device 410 is activated. Next, after the pressure in the chamber 60 has decreased to a second predetermined value, the booster pump 414 is turned on to simultaneously reduce the pressure within the chamber 60 by the dry pump 412 and the booster pump 414. This second preset value is, for example, about 6.6 kPa, but is not limited thereto.

Next, referring to step S120 and FIG. 6, after the pressure in the chamber 60 is lowered to the first preset value, the second valve member 442 is closed and the first valve member 432 and the third valve member 312 are opened, and the high vacuum is started. The aspirator 420 and a portion of the low vacuum aspirator 410 are closed to maintain each chamber 60 in a high vacuum environment. The first preset value is less than the second preset value, and the first preset value is, for example, about 266 Pa, but is not limited thereto. In Fig. 6, an arrow F3 indicates the direction of gas flow when the high vacuum pumping device 420 is activated. Further, in the embodiment in which each of the pumping units 400 includes the fifth valve member 450, the opening of the high vacuum pumping device 420 further includes opening the fifth valve member 450. In the embodiment in which the first conduit unit 430 is provided with the fourth valve member 434, the closing of the partial vacuum evacuation device 410 further includes closing the corresponding fourth valve member 434, that is, the low vacuum suction device 410. When closed, the corresponding fourth valve member 434 also needs to be closed so that the gas in each chamber 60 can be smoothly withdrawn by the low vacuum pumping device 410 that maintains the operating state.

In more detail, after the high vacuum pumping device 420 is started, the low vacuum pumping device 410 only needs to maintain the starting pressure required when the high vacuum pumping device 420 is started, and does not allow the back pressure of the high vacuum pumping device 420 to operate. Too high. Therefore, in the embodiment, the second valve member 442 is closed and the first valve member 432 is opened when the high vacuum pumping device 420 is operated, so that the first pipe unit 430 of each pumping unit 400 is passed through the third pipe unit. 310 is connected to each other. In this manner, the low vacuum pumping device 410 of the partial pumping unit 400 can be turned off to prevent the high vacuum pumping device 420 from being operated by a small number of low vacuum pumping devices 410 (eg, a low vacuum pumping device 410). The back pressure is too high.

Since the vacuum apparatus 300 of the present embodiment and the method of operating the same can be used to turn off the low vacuum pumping unit 420 when the high vacuum pumping unit 420 is operated, the energy saving effect can be achieved. In addition, since only a part of the low vacuum pumping device 410 needs to be turned on when the high vacuum pumping device 420 is operated, the number of operating hours of the low vacuum pumping device 410 can be reduced, thereby reducing the equipment maintenance of the vacuum device 300 of the present embodiment. cost.

Although the present invention has been disclosed in the above preferred embodiments, it is not intended to limit the invention, and it is intended to be a part of the invention. The scope of protection of the present invention is therefore defined by the scope of the appended claims.

50, 60. . . Chamber

100. . . Vacuum equipment

200. . . Pumping unit

210. . . Dry pump

220. . . Booster pump

230. . . Turbo pump

240, 260, 280. . . Valve

250, 270. . . Pipe unit

300. . . Vacuum equipment

310. . . Third pipe unit

312. . . Third valve

400. . . Pumping unit

410. . . Low vacuum pumping device

412. . . Dry pump

414. . . Booster pump

420. . . High vacuum pumping device

430. . . First pipe unit

432. . . First valve

434. . . Fourth valve

440. . . Second pipe unit

442. . . Second valve

450. . . Fifth valve

C. . . a junction of the second conduit unit and the first conduit unit

F1, F2, F3. . . Gas flow direction

S110, S120. . . step

1 is a schematic view of a conventional vacuum apparatus.

2 is a schematic view of a vacuum apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 3 is a schematic illustration of the single pumping unit of Figure 2.

4 is a flow chart showing a method of operating a vacuum apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing the gas flow of the single pumping unit of the vacuum apparatus of FIG. 2 when the low vacuum pumping device is started and the high vacuum pumping device is turned off.

6 is a schematic view showing the gas flow of the vacuum apparatus of FIG. 2 when the high vacuum pumping device is started.

60. . . Chamber

300. . . Vacuum equipment

310. . . Third pipe unit

312. . . Third valve

400. . . Pumping unit

410. . . Low vacuum pumping device

412. . . Dry pump

414. . . Booster pump

420. . . High vacuum pumping device

430. . . First pipe unit

432. . . First valve

434. . . Fourth valve

450. . . Fifth valve

F3. . . Gas flow direction

Claims (10)

A vacuum apparatus adapted to provide a vacuum environment in a plurality of chambers, the vacuum apparatus comprising: a plurality of pumping units, each pumping unit being coupled to one of the chambers, each pumping unit comprising: a low a vacuum pumping device; at least one high vacuum pumping device disposed between the low vacuum pumping device and the corresponding chamber and connected to the corresponding chamber; a first pipe unit connected to the high a vacuum pumping device and the low vacuum pumping device, wherein the first pipe unit is provided with at least one first valve member; a second pipe unit is connected to the corresponding chamber and the first pipe unit, a connection between the second pipe unit and the first pipe unit is between the first valve member and the low vacuum pumping device, and the second pipe unit is provided with a second valve member; and a third a pipeline unit disposed between the first pipeline units of the air suction units and the low vacuum suction devices, and the third pipeline unit is connected to the first pipelines of the air suction units Unit, wherein the third pipeline unit is provided with at least one third valve member, each third A first conduit member positioned between two adjacent cells. The vacuum apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the first pipeline units further has a fourth valve member located between the low vacuum suction device and the second conduit unit, and the first A valve member is located between the high vacuum pumping device and the second conduit unit. The vacuum device of claim 2, wherein the first valve member, the second valve member, the third valve member and the fourth valve member are manual valve members or computer controlled valve members. . Such as the vacuum device described in claim 1, wherein each pumping The unit further includes at least a fifth valve member disposed between the high vacuum pumping device and the corresponding chamber. The vacuum apparatus of claim 4, wherein each of the fifth valve members is an adaptive pressure controller. The vacuum apparatus of claim 1, wherein each low vacuum pumping device comprises: a dry pump; and a booster pump connected between the dry pump and the high vacuum pumping device. The vacuum apparatus of claim 1, wherein each high vacuum pumping device comprises a turbo pump. A method for operating a vacuum apparatus, which is suitable for the vacuum apparatus of claim 1, wherein the vacuum apparatus operates by closing the first valve member and the third valve member and opening the second valve member, and Activating the low vacuum suction devices to reduce the pressure in the chambers; and when the pressure in the chambers is lowered to a first predetermined value, closing the second valve members and opening the first valves And the third valve member, and the high vacuum suction devices are activated and some of the low vacuum suction devices are closed. The operating method of the vacuum apparatus of claim 8 , wherein each of the first pipeline units further comprises a fourth valve member between the low vacuum pumping device and the second pipeline unit, the first The valve member is located between the high vacuum pumping device and the second pipeline unit, and when the low vacuum pumping devices are activated, further comprising: opening the fourth valve members, and in the closing portion, the low vacuum pumping The gas device further includes closing the corresponding portions of the fourth valve members. The method of operating a vacuum apparatus according to claim 8 wherein each low vacuum pumping device comprises a dry pump and a booster pump connected between the dry pump and the high vacuum pumping device Low vacuum pumping unit The method includes: opening the dry pump to reduce pressure in the chambers; and turning on the booster pump when the pressure in the chambers is lowered to a second predetermined value, and the second preset value is greater than the The first preset value.