Ventilating method and ventilating system for semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses
AssigneeTokyo Electron Limited
InventorKiyoshi Komiyama
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus ventilating system can reduce energy consumption with respect to air-conditioning and a power spent for transporting air in a clean room by minimizing an amount of circulating air in a clean room. The clean room air, which is supplied to the clean room, is introduced into an air circulating system including the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus. The air circulating system is separated from an atmosphere in the clean room. The clean room air in the air circulating system is circulated within the air circulating system.
Claims8
A ventilating system for ventilating a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus installed in a clean room, the ventilating system comprising:
- a casing constructed and arranged for enclosing said semiconductor manufacturing apparatus in a substantially airtight state, said casing having an air intake port and an air exhaust port;
- an air circulating system having a fan for circulating air within said air circulating system, an outlet of said fan being connected to said air intake port of said casing of said semiconductor manufacturing apparatus via a first air passage, an inlet of said fan being connected to said air exhaust port of said casing via a second air passage;
- gas detecting means provided to said second air passage for detecting leakage of a predetermined gas in said semiconductor manufacturing apparatus;
- a switching air passage having a first end and a second end opposite to said first end, said first end connected to said second air passage via a direction switching valve, said second end connected to an emergency exhaust duct;
- and
- direction controlling means responsive to a gas leakage detection signal provided by said gas detecting means for controlling said direction switching valve so as to direct the air exiting from said casing to said switching air passage.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.