Combustion device

• US 5,445,522 A
• Filed: 04/26/1993
• Issued: 08/29/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Original Assignee: Tokyo Electron Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo Electron Tohoku Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Mitsuhashi, Hiroyuki, Akimoto, Kazuo, Miyagi, Katsushin
• Primary Examiner(s): Kamen, Noah P.
• Application Number:
  US08/051,945
• Time in Patent Office: 855 Days
• Field of Search: 432/241, 432/156, 432/5, 432/6, 431/346
• US Class Current: 432/156
• CPC Class Codes: C30B 33/005 Oxydation

Abstract

This invention relates to a combustion device for feeding hydrogen gas and oxygen gas into a combustion vessel, while heating the same, to generate water vapor. The combustion device comprises a hydrogen gas injection nozzle for feeding hydrogen gas into the combustion vessel, and an oxygen gas injection nozzles for feeding oxygen gas into the combustion vessel. The oxygen nozzles are projected further upward in the combustion vessel beyond the forward end of the hydrogen gas injection nozzle, and opened at a plurality of positions, whereby to diffuse oxygen widely around. The combustion device of this structure can feed a large amount of hydrogen gas for the combustion, whereby a large amount of water vapor can be generated without enlarging the combustion vessel, and troubles, such as the devitrification of the forward ends of the nozzles, abnormal heating in the combustion vessel.

Claims

1. An oxidation furnace for treating semiconductor wafers, said furnace having a combustion device for feeding hydrogen gas and oxygen gas, while heating the same, through a hydrogen gas feed pipe and an oxygen gas feed pipe and combusting the gases to generate water vapor, said combustion device comprising:

an elongate combustion vessel having a first end portion and a second end portion located opposite to said first end portion;

a hydrogen gas injection nozzle located centrally in said first end portion and provided on a forward end of said hydrogen gas feed pipe for axially feeding hydrogen gas into said first end of said elongate combustion vessel, said hydrogen injection nozzle having an injection port;

a plurality of oxygen gas injection nozzles each having an injection port, said oxygen gas injection nozzles being located concentrically around said hydrogen injection nozzle, said oxygen gas injection nozzles being provided on a forward end of said oxygen gas feed pipe for axially feeding oxygen gas into said first end portion of said elongate combustion vessel,

said oxygen gas injection ports being located further forward toward said second end portion in said elongate combustion vessel beyond said injection port of said hydrogen gas injection nozzle,

said combustion vessel having a water vapor outlet located at said second end of said elongate combustion vessel.

2. The combustion device according to claim 1, wherein

said first end portion of said elongate combustion vessel has a cavity integrally formed therewith, said hydrogen gas feed pipe being connected to said first end portion of said cavity at a central portion,

said cavity having an upper wall defined by an annular diffusion plate disposed horizontally with respect to said cavity, said plate having a middle part that extends to substantially the depth of said cavity, said forward end portion of said hydrogen gas injection pipe being connected to the inner periphery of said middle part of said diffusion plate, and

an annular diffusion space is defined below said diffusion plate said oxygen gas feed pipe being connected to said annular space.

3. An oxidation furnace for treating semiconductor wafers, said furnace having a combustion device for feeding hydrogen gas and oxygen gas, while heating the same, through a hydrogen gas feed pipe and an oxygen gas feed pipe, and combusting the gases to generate water vapor, said combustion device comprising:

an elongate combustion vessel having a first end portion, and a second end portion located opposite of said first end portion,

a gas feed head centrally connected to said first end portion of said elongate combustion vessel and integrally formed therewith, wherein

said gas feed head has a hydrogen passage and an oxygen passage formed about said hydrogen passage, said hydrogen passage and said oxygen passage having respective injection ports for feeding gas into said elongate combustion vessel,

said hydrogen passage and said oxygen passage being in communication with said hydrogen gas feed pipe and said oxygen gas feed pipe respectively,

said hydrogen feed passage and said oxygen feed passage each extending radially outwardly at where they respectively terminate in their said injection ports.