Cryopump

• US 5,582,017 A
• Filed: 04/26/1995
• Issued: 12/10/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ebara Corporation
• Original Assignee: Ebara Corporation
• Inventors: Aono, Hiroshi, Sato, Motoyasu, Hayakawa, Junichi, Komai, Tetsuo, Noji, Nobuharu
• Primary Examiner(s): Capossela, Ronald C.
• Application Number:
  US08/427,827
• Time in Patent Office: 594 Days
• Field of Search: 62/55.5, 417/901
• US Class Current: 62/55.5
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 2205/01 Pressure before the pump inlet
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 2205/10 Inlet temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 37/08 by condensing or freezing, e.g. cryogenic pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 37/085 Regeneration of cryo-pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 49/065 and making use of computers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 417/901 Cryogenic pumps

Abstract

A cryopump is provided with a detecting means for detecting an operation parameter at an elapsed operation time in a current operation cycle of the cryopump, a storing means for storing a value of another operation parameter in a past operation cycle of the cryopump as a management parameter, an arithmetic controlling means for calculating a succeeding rotational speed of the expander motor based on the current operational parameter and the management parameter stored in the storing means and outputting the same as a driving instruction signal, with which the succeeding rotational speed of the expander motor is controlled so as to maintain a temperature of a cryopanel or a pressure in a vacuum chamber to which the cryopump is attached at a predetermined value by using the operation parameter at the elapsed operation time in the current operation cycle of the cryopump detected by the detecting means and the operation parameter at the corresponding elapsed operation time in the past operation cycle of the cryopump stored in the storing means as the management parameter, and an expander motor driving means for driving the expander motor according to the driving instruction signal output from the arithmetic controlling means, whereby the cryopump may be operated stably even if a temporal load change has occurred.

Claims

1. A cryopump comprising:

a compressor unit for inhaling a low pressure working gas and discharging a high pressure and ordinary temperature working gas;

an expanding portion driven by an expander motor for adiabatically expanding said high pressure and ordinary temperature working gas discharged from said compressor unit to generate a cryogenic temperature, said compressor unit and said expanding portion being connected to each other to form a closed circuit; and

a cryopanel cooled by the cryogenic temperature generated by said expanding portion,

characterized in that said cryopump further comprises;

detecting means for detecting an operation parameter at an elapsed operation time in a current operation cycle of said cryopump;

storing means for storing a value of another operation parameter at a corresponding elapsed operation time in a past operation cycle of said cryopump as a management parameter;

arithmetic controlling means for calculating a succeeding rotational speed of said expander motor based on said current operational parameter and said management parameter stored in said storing means and outputting the same as a driving instruction signal, with which the succeeding rotational speed of said expander motor is controlled so as to maintain a temperature of said cryopanel or a pressure in a vacuum chamber to which said cryopump is attached at a predetermined value by using a current rotational speed of said expander motor and a rotational speed at said corresponding elapsed operation time in the past operation cycle of the cryopump stored in said storing means as the management parameter; and

expander motor driving means for driving said expander motor according to the driving instruction signal output from said arithmetic controlling means.

2. A cryopump according to claim 1, wherein said operation parameter comprises a current temperature of said cryopanel and a current rotational speed of said expander motor, said another operation parameter comprises a rotational speed of said expander motor at a corresponding elapsed operation time in said past operation cycle, and said arithmetic controlling means controls the speed of said expander motor so as to maintain said temperature of said cryopanel at said predetermined value.

3. A cryopump according to claim 2, wherein said past operation cycle is a last or second to last operation cycle of said cryopump.

4. A cryopump according to claim 1, wherein said operation parameter comprises a current pressure in said vacuum pump and a current rotational speed of said expander motor, said another operation parameter comprises a rotational speed of said expander motor at a corresponding elapsed operation time in said past operation cycle, and said arithmetic controlling means controls the speed of said expander motor so as to maintain said pressure in said vacuum chamber at said predetermined value.

5. A cryopump according to claim 4, wherein said past operation cycle is a last or second to last operation cycle of said cryopump.

6. A cryopump according to claim 1, wherein said past operation cycle is a last or second to last operation cycle of said cryopump.

7. A cryopump comprising:

a compressor unit for inhaling a low pressure working gas and discharging a high pressure and ordinary temperature working gas;

an expanding portion driven by an expander motor for adiabatically expanding said high pressure and ordinary temperature working gas discharged from said compressor unit to generate a cryogenic temperature, said compressor unit and said expanding portion being connected to each other to form a closed circuit; and

a cryopanel cooled by the cryogenic temperature generated by said expanding portion,

characterized in that said cryopump further comprises;

detecting means for detecting an operation parameter at an elapsed operation time in a current operation cycle of said cryopump;

storing means for storing a value of a diagnosis parameter for judging a time for maintenance or regeneration of said cryopump;

arithmetic controlling means for judging whether said cryopump is now in the time for maintenance or regeneration by comparing the current operation parameter detected by said detecting means with the value of the diagnosis parameter stored in said storing means and outputting an alarm signal; and

controlling means for displaying that the cryopump is now in the time for maintenance or regeneration based on the alarm signal output from said arithmetic controlling means.

8. A cryopump according to claim 7, wherein said operation parameter comprises a current rotational speed of said expander motor, said diagnosis parameter comprises an upper limit of rotational speed of said expander motor or little lower than the same, and said arithmetic controlling means judges that said cryopump is now in the time for regeneration when said current rotational speed exceeds said upper limit of rotational speed of said expander motor or little lower than the same.

9. A cryopump according to claim 7, wherein said operation parameter comprises a current rotational speed of said expander motor, said diagnosis parameter comprises a target exchanging time and an upper limit of the rotational speed of said expander limit, and said arithmetic controlling means judges that said cryopump is now in the time for maintenance when said current rotational speed exceeds said upper limit of the rotational speed of said expander motor before said target exchanging time.

10. A cryopump according to claim 7, wherein said operation parameter comprises a value of current temperature, pressure, rotational speed or vibration frequency of said cryopump, said diagnosis parameter comprises a predetermined value of temperature, pressure, rotational speed or vibration frequency of said pump which respectively are higher than normal value thereof, and said arithmetic controlling means judges that said cryopump is now in the time for maintenance when said current temperature, pressure, rotational speed or vibration frequency of said cryopump exceeds said predetermined value of the same.

11. A cryopump comprising:

a compressor unit for inhaling a low pressure working gas and discharging a high pressure and ordinary temperature working gas;

an expanding portion driven by an expander motor for adiabatically expanding the high pressure and ordinary temperature working gas discharged from said compressor unit to generate a cryogenic temperature, said compressor unit and said expanding portion being connected to each other to form a closed circuit; and

a cryopanel cooled by the cryogenic temperature generated by said expanding portion,

characterized in that said cryopump further comprises;

.

detecting means for detecting an operation parameter at an elapsed operation time in a current operation cycle of said cryopump;

storing means for storing a value of another operation parameter at a corresponding elapsed operation time in a past operation cycle of said cryopump as a management parameter and storing a value of a diagnosis parameter to judge a time for maintenance or regeneration of said cryopump;

arithmetic controlling means for calculating a succeeding rotational speed of said expander motor based on the current operational parameter and the management parameter stored in said storing means and outputting the same as a driving instruction signal, with which a succeeding rotational speed of said expander motor is controlled so as to maintain a temperature of the cryopanel or a pressure in a chamber to which the cryopump is attached at a predetermined value by using a current rotational speed of said expander motor and a preceding rotational speed at the corresponding elapsed operation time in the past operation cycle of said cryopump stored in said storing means as the management parameter, and for judging whether said cryopump is now in the maintenance time or the regeneration time by comparing the current operation parameter detected by said detecting means with the value of the diagnosis parameter stored in said storing means and outputting an alarm signal;

expander motor driving means for driving said expander motor according to the driving instruction signal output from said arithmetic controlling means; and

controlling means for displaying that the cryopump is now in the maintenance time or the regeneration time based on the alarm signal output from said arithmetic controlling means.

12. A regenerative method for a cryopump which includes at least one of first and second stage cryopanel surfaces to at least one of condense and adsorb gases thereon during a pump operation and a cooling mechanism for cooling said cryopanel surfaces, said method comprising:

releasing gases from at least one of said first stage cryopanel surface and said second stage cryopanel surface by maintaining said at least one of said cryopanel surfaces at a fixed temperature, and

quickly reducing, upon completion of said releasing step, and internal pressure of said cryopump to 1/10³ Pa (pascal) or less with said at least one of said cryopanel surfaces being maintained at said fixed temperature, and then quickly cooling the second stage cryopanel surface to a temperature of 20 K. or lower.

13. A regenerative apparatus for a cryopump which includes at least one of first and second stage cryopanel surfaces to at least one of condense and absorb gases thereon during a pump operation and a cooling mechanism for cooling said cryopanel surfaces, said regenerative apparatus comprising:

heating means for heating at least one of said first stage cryopanel surface and said second stage cryopanel surface,

a temperature sensor for detecting a temperature of said cryopanel surfaces,

pressure detecting means for detecting an internal pressure of said cryopump,

control means for generating a control signal in response to an output from said temperature sensor and an output from said pressure detecting means, and

pressure reducing means for reducing an internal pressure of said cryopump,

wherein upon completion by said cryopump of releasing gases from at least one of said first stage cryopanel surface and said second stage cryopanel surface by maintaining said at least one of said cryopanel surfaces at a fixed temperature, said control means causes said pressure reducing means to quickly reduce an internal pressure of said cryopump to 1/10³ Pa or less while controlling said heating means so as to maintain said at least one of said cryopanel surface at said fixed temperature, and then causes said cooling means to quickly cool said second stage cryopanel surface to a temperature of 20 K. or lower.

14. A regenerative apparatus for a cryopump according to claim 13, wherein said pressure reducing means comprises a vacuum pump including a turbo-molecular pump.

15. A regenerative apparatus for a cryopump according to claim 13, wherein said cooling means performs quick cooling by increasing a rotational speed of an expander motor of a refrigerator of said cryopump.

16. A regenerative apparatus for a cryopump according to claim 15, wherein a maximum rotational speed of said expander motor of a refrigerator is 80-120 rpm.

17. A cryopump comprising:

at least one of first said second stage cryopanels having respective surfaces onto which a gas is at least one of condensed and absorbed during a pump operation,

a compressor unit,

an expander for adiabatically expanding said compressor unit,

an expander motor for driving said expander,

cooling means for cooling said surfaces of at least one of said first and said second stage cryopanels, said cooling means allowing a working gas at room temperature and high pressure supplied from said compressor unit to be adiabatically expanded by said expander driven by said expander motor so as to generate cryogenic temperature,

a temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the surfaces of said at least one of first stage and second stage cryopanels; and

control means for causing said expander to be one of operationally suspended for a certain period of time or rotated in a reverse direction, based on a detection signal from said temperature sensor, so as to control the temperature of the surfaces of said at least one of said first and second stage cryopanels to be within respective predetermined ranges.

18. A cold trap comprising:

a surface of a first stage cryopanel onto which a gas is condensed,

a compressor unit,

an expander for adiabatically expanding said compressor unit,

an expander motor for driving said expander,

cooling means for cooling the surface of said cryopanel, said cooling means allowing a working gas at room temperature and high pressure supplied from said compressor unit to be adiabatically expanded by said expander driven by said expander motor so as to generate cryogenic temperature,

a temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the surface of said cryopanel, and

control means for causing said expander to be one of operationally suspended for a certain period of time or rotated in a reverse direction, based on a detection signal from said temperature sensor, so as to control the temperature of the surface of said cryopanel to be within a predetermined range.