EP2644900A2 - Système de pompe destiné à évacuer du gaz depuis plusieurs compartiments ainsi que le procédé de commande du système de pompe - Google Patents

Système de pompe destiné à évacuer du gaz depuis plusieurs compartiments ainsi que le procédé de commande du système de pompe Download PDF

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Publication number
EP2644900A2
EP2644900A2 EP20130156718 EP13156718A EP2644900A2 EP 2644900 A2 EP2644900 A2 EP 2644900A2 EP 20130156718 EP20130156718 EP 20130156718 EP 13156718 A EP13156718 A EP 13156718A EP 2644900 A2 EP2644900 A2 EP 2644900A2
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
pump
pumps
pump system
cross
turbomolecular
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
EP20130156718
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP2644900B1 (fr
EP2644900A3 (fr
Inventor
Thorsten Burggraf
Tobias Stoll
Jan Hofmann
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Pfeiffer Vacuum GmbH
Original Assignee
Pfeiffer Vacuum GmbH
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Pfeiffer Vacuum GmbH filed Critical Pfeiffer Vacuum GmbH
Publication of EP2644900A2 publication Critical patent/EP2644900A2/fr
Publication of EP2644900A3 publication Critical patent/EP2644900A3/fr
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Publication of EP2644900B1 publication Critical patent/EP2644900B1/fr
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Classifications

    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F04—POSITIVE - DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS FOR LIQUIDS OR ELASTIC FLUIDS
    • F04D—NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT PUMPS
    • F04D19/00—Axial-flow pumps
    • F04D19/02—Multi-stage pumps
    • F04D19/04—Multi-stage pumps specially adapted to the production of a high vacuum, e.g. molecular pumps
    • F04D19/042—Turbomolecular vacuum pumps
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F04—POSITIVE - DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS FOR LIQUIDS OR ELASTIC FLUIDS
    • F04B—POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS
    • F04B23/00—Pumping installations or systems
    • F04B23/04—Combinations of two or more pumps
    • F04B23/08—Combinations of two or more pumps the pumps being of different types
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F04—POSITIVE - DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS FOR LIQUIDS OR ELASTIC FLUIDS
    • F04D—NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT PUMPS
    • F04D19/00—Axial-flow pumps
    • F04D19/02—Multi-stage pumps
    • F04D19/04—Multi-stage pumps specially adapted to the production of a high vacuum, e.g. molecular pumps
    • F04D19/046—Combinations of two or more different types of pumps
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F04—POSITIVE - DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS FOR LIQUIDS OR ELASTIC FLUIDS
    • F04D—NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT PUMPS
    • F04D25/00—Pumping installations or systems
    • F04D25/16—Combinations of two or more pumps ; Producing two or more separate gas flows
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F04—POSITIVE - DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS FOR LIQUIDS OR ELASTIC FLUIDS
    • F04D—NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT PUMPS
    • F04D27/00—Control, e.g. regulation, of pumps, pumping installations or pumping systems specially adapted for elastic fluids
    • F04D27/009—Control, e.g. regulation, of pumps, pumping installations or pumping systems specially adapted for elastic fluids by bleeding, by passing or recycling fluid
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F04—POSITIVE - DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS FOR LIQUIDS OR ELASTIC FLUIDS
    • F04D—NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT PUMPS
    • F04D27/00—Control, e.g. regulation, of pumps, pumping installations or pumping systems specially adapted for elastic fluids
    • F04D27/02—Surge control
    • F04D27/0253—Surge control by throttling
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F04—POSITIVE - DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS FOR LIQUIDS OR ELASTIC FLUIDS
    • F04D—NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT PUMPS
    • F04D27/00—Control, e.g. regulation, of pumps, pumping installations or pumping systems specially adapted for elastic fluids
    • F04D27/02—Surge control
    • F04D27/0269—Surge control by changing flow path between different stages or between a plurality of compressors; load distribution between compressors

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a pump system for evacuating gas from a plurality of chambers and a method for controlling the pump system.
  • An overall system consists in practice of one or more vacuum chambers (recipient). These chambers can be used individually, but also at least partially be connected to each other. In this case, if there is a pressure difference between two chambers, the conductance of an opening in the common wall between two process chambers or the conductance of the connecting pipeline significantly determines the gas flow between them.
  • One or more chambers can continue to be exposed to gas loads, these can both by connections to the outside of the chamber ("atmosphere"), by an on-handed gas load from an upstream chamber, by otherwise generated, usually process-related gas streams, also by the admission of inert or process gases which are usually noble gases such as helium, caused by desorption of introduced into the chamber workpieces, specimens and / or the chamber components and / or by active in the process resulting reaction products.
  • inert or process gases which are usually noble gases such as helium
  • each chamber In order to maintain the process within each chamber, they must be evacuated by vacuum pumping systems connected to an intended vacuum pressure and the pressure then kept as constant as possible.
  • These individual vacuum pump systems each consist either of a single pump or of a series and / or parallel connection of several pumps. Depending on the amount of gas accumulating several chambers can be evacuated by individual pumps simultaneously or even several pumps are evacuated by a common backing pump. Between the chambers and pumps, both series, parallel circuits or any combinations thereof can be designed as compounds.
  • the technical problem underlying the invention is to make optimum use of as many pumps as possible from an economic and technical point of view, and to obtain gas loads as evenly as possible without repercussions distributed to the process on a plurality of as simple as possible and similar or the same pump.
  • the pump system according to the invention for evacuating gas from a plurality of chambers with at least three vacuum pumps, wherein at least two backing pumps and at least one turbomolecular pump are provided, characterized in that at least one cross-sectional constriction for controlling a gas flow in at least one connecting line between the at least two backing pumps is provided.
  • cross-sectional constriction in the context of the invention is also understood to mean a device for completely closing a wire strand.
  • a cross-sectional constriction can be advantageously carried out as a simple aperture. This represents a component which has a defined cross-sectional constriction over a certain length of the existing strand.
  • An orifice is in the simplest case provided with a fixed constriction.
  • Another particularly advantageous embodiment is adjustable within a defined range.
  • This embodiment is called a throttle valve.
  • the adjustment The range can be done either mechanically by hand or electrically, pneumatically or hydraulically via the control drive.
  • the adjustment of the throttle valve is advantageously based on a previously determined, calibrated scale, but offers no feedback on the actual cross section or gas flow.
  • a gas flow measurement can be done either separately or integrated, so that the execution is possible as a closed loop to be able to control a given gas flow.
  • corresponding default values are electrically generated as an analog signal, for example as voltage, current, pulse width modulation or other conventional methods or transmitted as a digital signal via any bus system.
  • a specification can also be generated via a locally or remotely connected operator panel with a user interface. This device is commonly referred to as a gas flow regulator.
  • the gas flow controller is a commercially available component, which is also referred to as "Mass Flow Controller".
  • the mentioned cross-sectional constrictions can be carried out in a suitable manner individually or as a combination of identical or different embodiments in parallel and / or in series.
  • the use of one or more valves for separating one or more sub-strands of the constructed network additionally expands the possibilities for adaptation to individual process states.
  • the invention it is possible, at one or more locations both at one or more chambers and / or at any points within the line strands or at provided for the terminals of the pumps to measure the current vacuum pressure and / or the gas flow and to use to control the aforementioned means.
  • the simplest embodiment describes a pressure switch, which gives a signal for opening or closing a sub-string at a predetermined limit pressure in order to avoid overloading a connected pump or influencing the process specifications.
  • a further advantageous embodiment of the invention provides a higher-level process control.
  • higher-level process control it is possible to use the acquired measured values from different locations for process evaluation and influencing, thus optimizing the optimization of the process and the load on the individual pumps.
  • LCMS systems in which one of the low load pumps must pump mainly light gases (low particle masses) in at least one process state, such as helium in the "additional gasload" is initiated as a process gas.
  • the performance of most pumping principles depends on the atomic or molecular weights to be pumped, while light gases with low masses are usually more difficult to pump.
  • the pumping power of such pumps increases greatly when heavier gases are used as trailing medium. In this case, the heavy particles entrain the light in the right direction through the pump, thus reducing the backflow of the light gases.
  • the pump has to pump more gas in total, the pumping power for light gases increases significantly.
  • the discharge of the first pump which delivers via a cross-sectional constriction gas flow with a lower proportion of light gases to the second pump, leading in the case of the second pump, which in the case described a high proportion light gases pumping, to a corresponding drag effect, so that light gases can be pumped much better.
  • the problem can be solved by the inventive installation of at least one cross-sectional constriction at least between the affected first variable speed pump and / or variable drive power and a second pump, which either pumps off an area in which the chamber pressure is irrelevant and / or for at least one directly the pump connected to the chamber, for example one or more molecular pumps (n) generates the admission pressure, which reacts robustly to pressure changes on its discharge side.
  • the simple change or adjustment of said cross-sectional constriction compensates for the difference in pumping capacity of the first pump so that the affected chamber pressure remains constant without intervention in or on the chamber.
  • Such an adjustment can, as already described, also be carried out with an internally or externally connected control unit which determines the process state, for example the vacuum pressure of the chamber concerned and adjusts the cross-sectional constriction to a desired value in the current process state.
  • a control can also eliminate the problem that the variable pumping power is not due to influences of the power supply network, but due to differences in the operating state of the pump, so it shows different pump powers in warm operating condition or changed environmental conditions, especially ambient and / or cooling water temperature.
  • a common embodiment has two or more chambers which are at least partially interconnected and which are operated with mostly different vacuum pressures. Gas streams are generated by the admission of gases to be analyzed and often by the admission of further auxiliary gases into other chambers.
  • the vacuum is directly generated at one or more of the chambers with a forepump, otherwise one or more other chambers are evacuated by means of one or more molecular pumps, which in turn are assisted jointly and / or separately via one or more backing pumps.
  • at least one of the vacuum pumps may have more than one pump inlet (“split flow", interstage port) connected to at least one other chamber than the first inlet of the pump.
  • the Pumps have a high robustness against high discharge pressures, typical is the pressure between molecular and forepump in a range of 1 to 20 mbar (millibars).
  • at least one connection is realized with a cross-sectional constriction between the suction connections of the first-mentioned and a second pre-pump, which allows maximally so much gas flow, so that the second pre-pump can always hold at least a certain suction pressure.
  • the first, relieved pre-pump can be chosen smaller, the second is better utilized.
  • Fig. 1 shows a belonging to the prior art pump system with two chambers to be evacuated 1, 2.
  • the chamber 1 is associated with a turbomolecular pump 3 and the chamber 2 is a turbomolecular pump 4th
  • the turbomolecular pump 3 is supported by a backing pump 5.
  • the turbomolecular pump 4 is supported by a backing pump 6.
  • turbomolecular pump 3 must maintain the predetermined pressure in the chamber 1 and the turbomolecular pump 4, the predetermined pressure in the chamber 2.
  • the pumps 3, 4, 5, 6 must be qualified accordingly. This means that they have to provide the required pump power under the country-specific conditions of the voltage network and the mains frequency.
  • Q is the gas flow.
  • the chambers 1, 2 are interconnected. At different pressures in the chambers 1, 2, a gas flow Q takes place between the chambers.
  • a gas inlet 7 is provided to supply a process gas to the chamber 2.
  • Fig. 2 shows the chambers 1, 2, which are evacuated by the turbomolecular pumps 3, 4.
  • the backing pumps 5, 6 in this case support the turbomolecular pumps 3, 4.
  • a wiring harness 8 is provided between the backing pumps 5, 6, a wiring harness 8 is provided.
  • a diaphragm 9 is arranged in the wiring harness 8 . With this panel 9, the gas flow in the wiring harness 8 can be regulated.
  • the chamber 1 is evacuated directly from the fore pump 5.
  • the backing pump 6 is provided.
  • a wiring harness 8 is provided, which is provided with a diaphragm 9.
  • Fig. 4 shows a modified structure with three chambers 1, 2, 10.
  • the two backing pumps 5, 6 are provided and the turbomolecular pump 3 for evacuating the chamber 1.
  • a split-flow pump 11 is provided which has two inlets 12, 13.
  • the wiring harness 8 is provided, in which the aperture 9 is arranged.
  • Fig. 5 shows a further embodiment with the chambers to be evacuated 1, 2, 10, 13, 14, 15.
  • the chambers 2, 10, 13 have additional gas inlets 16, 17, 18 for process gases.
  • the turbomolecular pump 3 is provided, which is supported by the backing pump 5.
  • a split flow pump 19 is provided, which is supported by the backing pump 6.
  • an additional turbomolecular pump 20 is provided for evacuation of the chamber 15.
  • a wiring harness 8 is provided, in which a diaphragm 9 is arranged.
  • a relief of the first pump 5 is provided, which emits gas flow over the cross-sectional constriction 9 with a small proportion of light gases to the second pump 6.
  • the second pump 6 which in the present case pumps a high proportion of light gases, to a corresponding drag effect, so that light gases can be pumped much better.
  • Fig. 6 shows an arrangement with the chambers 1, 2, 10, 13.
  • the chamber 1 is evacuated with the turbomolecular pump 3, the chamber 2 with the turbomolecular pump 4.
  • the turbomolecular pump 3 is supported by the backing pump 5.
  • the turbomolecular pump 4 is supported by the backing pump 6.
  • a wiring harness 8 is provided, in which a diaphragm 9 is arranged.
  • a split flow pump 11 is provided, which is supported by a fore-pump 21.
  • an additional wiring harness 22 is arranged, which has a diaphragm 23.
  • Fig. 7 shows a pump assembly for a multi-chamber system with the chambers 1, 2, 10, 13, 14, 15.
  • the chambers 1, 2, 13, 14, 15 are evacuated by structurally identical turbomolecular pumps 3, 4, 20, 24, 25.
  • the turbomolecular pump 3 is supported by the backing pump 5.
  • the pumps 4, 20, 24, 25 are supported by the backing pump 6.
  • the conductor strand 8 is provided, in which the aperture 9 is arranged.
  • Fig. 8 shows a multi-chamber system with the chambers 1, 2, 10, 13, 14, 15.
  • the chamber 1 is evacuated from the fore pump 5.
  • the chambers 2, 13, 14, 15 are evacuated from the structurally identical turbomolecular pumps 4, 20, 24, 25 and in this case supported by the backing pump 6.
  • a wiring harness 8 is arranged, in which a diaphragm 9 is arranged.
  • a device 26 for measuring the current vacuum pressure is provided in the chamber 14.
  • a device 27 for measuring the current vacuum pressure is also arranged at a designated port.
  • a further device 28 is provided for measuring the gas flow.
  • a device 30 for measuring the gas flow is arranged in the wiring harness 8.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Sustainable Development (AREA)
  • Non-Positive Displacement Air Blowers (AREA)
  • Compressors, Vaccum Pumps And Other Relevant Systems (AREA)
EP13156718.2A 2012-03-30 2013-02-26 Système de pompe destiné à évacuer du gaz depuis plusieurs compartiments ainsi que le procédé de commande du système de pompe Active EP2644900B1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE102012102761 2012-03-30
DE201210105951 DE102012105951A1 (de) 2012-03-30 2012-07-04 Pumpensystem zur Evakuierung von Gas aus einer Mehrzahl von Kammern sowie Verfahren zur Steuerung des Pumpensystems

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP2644900A2 true EP2644900A2 (fr) 2013-10-02
EP2644900A3 EP2644900A3 (fr) 2015-08-19
EP2644900B1 EP2644900B1 (fr) 2017-12-27

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Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP13156718.2A Active EP2644900B1 (fr) 2012-03-30 2013-02-26 Système de pompe destiné à évacuer du gaz depuis plusieurs compartiments ainsi que le procédé de commande du système de pompe

Country Status (4)

Country Link
US (1) US20130259711A1 (fr)
EP (1) EP2644900B1 (fr)
JP (1) JP5695690B2 (fr)
DE (1) DE102012105951A1 (fr)

Families Citing this family (10)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US10269537B2 (en) 2013-12-16 2019-04-23 Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc. Vacuum assembly for an ion implanter system
CA2935762C (fr) 2014-01-07 2019-09-10 Fluid Handling Llc Application de multiples pompes a vitesse variable pour realiser des economies d'energie en calculant et en compensant les pertes par friction en utilisant une reference de vitesse
PL3040286T3 (pl) * 2014-12-30 2017-06-30 Multivac Sepp Haggenmüller Se & Co. Kg Maszyna pakująca z zespołem pompy płynowej
US9368335B1 (en) * 2015-02-02 2016-06-14 Thermo Finnigan Llc Mass spectrometer
DE202015004596U1 (de) * 2015-06-26 2015-09-21 Oerlikon Leybold Vacuum Gmbh Vakuumpumpensystem
DE102017101202B4 (de) 2017-01-23 2021-11-18 VON ARDENNE Asset GmbH & Co. KG Verfahren und Vakuumanordnung
GB2572958C (en) * 2018-04-16 2021-06-23 Edwards Ltd A multi-stage vacuum pump and a method of differentially pumping multiple vacuum chambers
JP7037440B2 (ja) * 2018-06-01 2022-03-16 川崎重工業株式会社 機器ユニット
TWI684707B (zh) * 2019-02-27 2020-02-11 亞台富士精機股份有限公司 尾氣真空節能幫浦系統
GB2591814A (en) * 2020-02-10 2021-08-11 Edwards Vacuum Llc Housing for a vacuum pump

Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2011121322A2 (fr) 2010-03-31 2011-10-06 Edwards Limited Système de pompage sous vide

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JPS5823514B2 (ja) * 1978-11-24 1983-05-16 スズキ株式会社 真空熱処理炉における真空ポンプ装置
EP0344345B1 (fr) * 1988-06-01 1991-09-18 Leybold Aktiengesellschaft Système à pompe pour un appareil de détection de fuite
DE4213763B4 (de) * 1992-04-27 2004-11-25 Unaxis Deutschland Holding Gmbh Verfahren zum Evakuieren einer Vakuumkammer und einer Hochvakuumkammer sowie Hochvakuumanlage zu seiner Durchführung
JP3494457B2 (ja) * 1993-07-07 2004-02-09 株式会社大阪真空機器製作所 真空ポンプ装置
JP2003083248A (ja) * 2001-09-06 2003-03-19 Ebara Corp 真空排気システム
DE10348639B4 (de) * 2003-10-15 2009-08-27 Von Ardenne Anlagentechnik Gmbh Schleusensystem für eine Vakuumanlage
GB0411426D0 (en) * 2004-05-21 2004-06-23 Boc Group Plc Pumping arrangement
JP5452839B2 (ja) * 2006-10-05 2014-03-26 アジレント・テクノロジーズ・インク 分析装置
JP2010167338A (ja) * 2009-01-20 2010-08-05 Renesas Electronics Corp 真空処理装置及び真空処理方法

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2011121322A2 (fr) 2010-03-31 2011-10-06 Edwards Limited Système de pompage sous vide

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP2644900B1 (fr) 2017-12-27
JP2013213498A (ja) 2013-10-17
EP2644900A3 (fr) 2015-08-19
DE102012105951A1 (de) 2013-10-02
JP5695690B2 (ja) 2015-04-08
US20130259711A1 (en) 2013-10-03

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