Phase change based heating element system and method

Abstract

A method of and apparatus for regulating carbon dioxide using a pre-injection assembly coupled to a processing chamber operating at a supercritical state is disclosed. The method and apparatus utilize a source for providing supercritical carbon dioxide to the pre-injection assembly and a temperature control element for maintaining the pre-injection region at a supercritical temperature and pressure.

1 . A system for regulating a processing fluid temperature within a high-pressure processing system, the system comprising:
 a high-pressure, temperature-controlled recirculation loop comprising a high-pressure, temperature-controlled processing chamber and a high-pressure, temperature-controlled recirculation system coupled to the high-pressure, temperature-controlled processing chamber, wherein the processing fluid flows through the high-pressure, temperature-controlled recirculation loop;   a pre-injection assembly coupled to the high-pressure, temperature-controlled recirculation loop and comprising means for supplying high-pressure, temperature-controlled fluid to the high-pressure, temperature-controlled recirculation loop;   a process chemistry supply system coupled to the high-pressure, temperature-controlled recirculation loop and comprising means for supplying process chemistry to the high-pressure, temperature-controlled recirculation loop; and   a controller coupled to the high-pressure, temperature-controlled processing chamber, the high-pressure, temperature-controlled recirculation system, the pre-injection assembly, and the process chemistry supply system wherein the controller comprises means for determining required process temperature data, means for obtaining measured temperature data for the processing fluid in the pre-injection assembly, means for comparing the required process temperature data to the measured temperature data, and means for changing the temperature of the processing fluid in the pre-injection assembly when the measured temperature data is substantially greater than or substantially less than the required process temperature data.   
   
   
       2 . The system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the pre-injection assembly comprises:
 a fluid inlet means comprising an input port;   a supply assembly coupled to the fluid inlet means;   a fluid outlet means comprising an output port and being coupled to the supply assembly; and   a controller coupled to the fluid inlet means, coupled to the supply assembly, and coupled to the fluid outlet means.   
   
   
       3 . The system as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the supply assembly comprises a chamber, heater assembly, insulation, and a sensor subassembly. 
   
   
       4 . The system as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the chamber volume is between approximately three times and approximately twenty times the volume of the high-pressure, temperature-controlled recirculation loop and the chamber has an operating pressure up to 10,000 psi, and an operating temperature up to 300 degrees Celsius. 
   
   
       5 . The system as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the heater subassembly comprises a removable high temperature blanket heater. 
   
   
       6 . The system as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the insulation comprises a removable high-temperature insulating blanket. 
   
   
       7 . The system as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the sensor subassembly comprises a temperature sensor, a flow sensor, a pressure sensor, or a combination thereof. 
   
   
       8 . The system as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the temperature sensor comprises a thermocouple, a temperature-indicating resistor, a radiation type temperature sensor, a thermistor, a thermometer, a pyrometer, a micro-electromechanical (MEM) device, or a resistance temperature detector (RTD), or a combination thereof. 
   
   
       9 . The system as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the sensor subassembly is configured to operate at pressures above 3000 psi. 
   
   
       10 . The system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the processing fluid comprises gaseous, liquid, supercritical, or near-supercritical carbon dioxide, or a combination of two or more thereof. 
   
   
       11 . The system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the process chemistry comprises a cleaning agent, a rinsing agent, a curing agent, a drying agent, or an etching agent, or a combination of two or more thereof. 
   
   
       12 . The system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the high-pressure, temperature-controlled recirculation loop further comprises temperature controlled process tubing coupling the high-pressure, temperature-controlled processing chamber to the high-pressure, temperature-controlled recirculation system, wherein the processing fluid flows through the temperature controlled process tubing. 
   
   
       13 . The system as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the temperature controlled process tubing comprises a heater and an insulation layer. 
   
   
       14 - 22 . (canceled)