US 7,069,984 B2Granted

Multi-channel temperature control system for semiconductor processing facilities

AssigneeOriol, Inc.

InventorIn Kwon Jeong

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Abstract

A temperature control system for multiple process components in a semiconductor processing facility includes a common cooling unit for controlling the temperature of a cooling fluid and multiple remote temperature control modules in fluid communications with the common cooling unit that separately control the temperature of the multiple process components. The remote temperature control modules are located near the process components and each remote temperature control module includes a circulation loop for the cooling fluid from the common cooling unit and a circulation loop for a heat transfer fluid that received from a process component. A heat exchanger within the remote temperature control module allows heat transfer between the heat transfer fluid and the cooling fluid, thereby cooling the process component. A heat source may also be included within the remote temperature control module to provide heat to the heat transfer fluid and to the process component.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A temperature control system for a semiconductor processing facility comprising:

a cooling unit for controlling the temperature of a cooling fluid;
and
a plurality of remote temperature control modules in fluid communication with said cooling unit, each of said remote temperature control modules including:
a cooling fluid circulation loop for circulating said cooling fluid through said remote temperature control module, said cooling fluid circulation loop being in fluid communication with said cooling unit;
a heat transfer fluid circulation loop for circulating a heat transfer fluid through said remote temperature control module, said heat transfer fluid being in fluid communication with at least one process component of said semiconductor processing facility;
an integrated heat exchanger including a portion of the cooling fluid circulation loop, a portion of the heat transfer fluid circulation loop and an electrical heat source, the integrated heat exchanger exchanging heat between said cooling fluid that is circulated in said cooling fluid circulation loop and said heat transfer fluid that is circulated in said heat transfer fluid circulation loop,
a cooling fluid control valve in fluid communication with said cooling fluid circulation loop for controlling the circulation of said cooling fluid through said cooling fluid circulation loop;
and
a controller programmed with a temperature control logic for controlling said cooling fluid valve and controlling said current controller.

6 more elements

A temperature control system for a process component of a semiconductor processing facility comprising:

a least one remote temperature control module, said remote temperature control module including;
a cooling fluid input for receiving cooling fluid from a cooling unit that serves multiple remote temperature control modules;
a cooling fluid output for returning cooling fluid to said cooling unit that serves multiple remote temperature control modules;
a cooling fluid circulation loop for circulating said cooling fluid through said remote temperature control module;
a heat transfer fluid input for receiving heat transfer fluid from the process component;
a heat transfer fluid output for returning said heat transfer fluid to said process component;
a heat transfer fluid circulation loop for circulating said heat transfer fluid through said remote temperature control module, said heat transfer fluid being in fluid communication with said process component of said semiconductor processing facility;
an integrated heat exchanger including a portion of the cooling fluid circulation loop, a portion of the heat transfer fluid circulation loop and an electrical heat source, the integrated heat exchanger exchanging heat between said cooling fluid that is circulated in said cooling fluid circulation loop and said heat transfer fluid that is circulated in said heat transfer fluid circulation loop, said electrical heat source being in thermal communication with a portion of said cooling fluid circulation loop and said heat transfer fluid circulation loop;
a current controller being operably coupled with said electrical heat source;
a cooling fluid control valve in fluid communication with said cooling fluid circulation loop for controlling the circulation of said cooling fluid through said cooling fluid circulation loop;
and
a controller programmed with a temperature control logic for controlling said cooling fluid control valve and controlling said current controller.

9 more elements

A temperature control system for a process component of a semiconductor processing facility comprising:

at least one remote temperature control module, said remote temperature control module including:
a cooling fluid input for receiving cooling fluid from a physically separate cooling unit that serves multiple remote temperature control modules;
a cooling fluid output for returning cooling fluid to said cooling unit that serves multiple remote temperature control modules;
a cooling fluid circulation loop for circulating said cooling fluid through said remote temperature control module;
a heat transfer fluid input for receiving heat transfer fluid from said process component;
a heat transfer fluid output for returning said heat transfer fluid to said process component;
a heat transfer fluid circulation loop for circulating said heat transfer fluid through said remote temperature control module, said heat transfer fluid being in fluid communication with said process component of said semiconductor processing facility, wherein said cooling fluid circulation loop and said heat transfer fluid circulation loop are separate fluid distribution systems;
an electrical heat source in thermal communication with said heat transfer fluid for providing heat to said heat transfer fluid;
an integrated heat exchanger for exchanging heat between said cooling fluid that is circulated in said cooling fluid circulation loop and said heat transfer fluid that is circulated in said heat transfer fluid circulation loop where the integrated heat exchanger includes a portion of the cooling fluid circulation loop, a portion of the heat transfer fluid circulation loop and the electrical heat source, said electrical heat source being in thermal communication with the portion of the cooling fluid loop and the portion of the heat transfer fluid circulation loop;
a current controller being operably coupled to said electrical heat source.
a cooling fluid control valve in fluid communication with said cooling fluid circulation loop for controlling the circulation of said cooling fluid through said cooling fluid circulation loop;
and
a controller programmed with a temperature control logic for controlling said fluid control valve and controlling said current controller.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 09/780,713Filed 8 Feb 2001
Published: US 2004/0182563 A123 Sep 2004
Granted: 4 Jul 2006
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification7 codes

H10P 72/0602
Apparatus for monitoring, sorting, marking, testing or measuring: temperature monitoring
F25B 25/005
Machines, plants or systems, using a combination of modes of operation covered by two or more of the groups F25B1/00 - F25B23/00: using primary…
F25D 17/02
Arrangements for circulating cooling fluids; Arrangements for circulating gas, e.g. air, within refrigerated spaces: for circulating liquids, e.g.…
F25D 31/005
Other cooling or freezing apparatus: combined cooling and heating devices