Cryopump system and regeneration controller

Abstract

A cryopump system includes a plurality of cryopumps each of which includes a cryopump container, an exhaust valve that exhausts an exhaust fluid from the cryopump container, and an exhaust purge valve that supplies a purge gas to the exhaust valve or downstream thereof and an exhaust line through which the exhaust fluid is exhausted from the plurality of cryopumps to a treatment device, the exhaust line including a plurality of branch lines and a merging line, the plurality of branch lines each connected to the exhaust valve and the exhaust purge valve of a corresponding cryopump, the merging line connecting the plurality of branch lines to the treatment device.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A cryopump system comprising:
 a plurality of cryopumps each of which includes a cryopump container, an exhaust valve that exhausts an exhaust fluid from the cryopump container, and an exhaust purge valve that supplies a purge gas to the exhaust valve or downstream thereof; and   an exhaust line through which the exhaust fluid is exhausted from the plurality of cryopumps to a treatment device, the exhaust line including a plurality of branch lines and a merging line, the plurality of branch lines each connected to the exhaust valve and the exhaust purge valve of a corresponding cryopump, the merging line connecting the plurality of branch lines to the treatment device.   
     
     
         2 . The cryopump system according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein each of the branch lines includes a buffer volume that connects the exhaust valve of the corresponding cryopump to the merging line, and the exhaust purge valve of the corresponding cryopump is connected to that branch line on an exhaust valve side with respect to the buffer volume.   
     
     
         3 . The cryopump system according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein the buffer volume is in a range of 1 liter to 30 liters.   
     
     
         4 . The cryopump system according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the plurality of cryopumps include a first cryopump and a second cryopump, and   the cryopump system further comprises:   a regeneration controller that controls regeneration of the cryopump system, the regeneration controller being configured to control the first cryopump so that the exhaust fluid is exhausted from the first cryopump to the treatment device and concurrently to control the second cryopump so that the purge gas is supplied from the second cryopump to the merging line of the exhaust line.   
     
     
         5 . The cryopump system according to  claim 4 ,
 wherein the plurality of cryopumps further include a third cryopump, and   the regeneration controller is configured to control the first cryopump so that the exhaust fluid is exhausted from the first cryopump to the treatment device and concurrently to control the second cryopump and the third cryopump so that the purge gas is supplied from the second cryopump and the third cryopump to the merging line of the exhaust line.   
     
     
         6 . The cryopump system according to  claim 4 ,
 wherein each of the plurality of cryopumps includes a body purge valve that supplies the purge gas to the cryopump container, and   the regeneration controller is configured to open both the body purge valve and the exhaust purge valve of the first cryopump in order to exhaust the exhaust fluid from the first cryopump to the treatment device.   
     
     
         7 . The cryopump system according to  claim 4 ,
 wherein each of the plurality of cryopumps includes a cryocooler that cools the cryopump, and   the regeneration controller is configured to control the cryocooler so that the second cryopump is cooled to prevent generation of the exhaust fluid in the cryopump container of the second cryopump and to open the exhaust purge valve of the second cryopump.   
     
     
         8 . The cryopump system according to  claim 4 ,
 wherein the regeneration controller is configured to control the first cryopump and the second cryopump so that a flow rate of the purge gas from the second cryopump to the merging line is increased compared to a flow rate of the purge gas from the first cryopump to the merging line.   
     
     
         9 . A regeneration controller for a cryopump system,
 wherein the cryopump system includes:
 a plurality of cryopumps, each of which includes a cryopump container, an exhaust valve that exhausts an exhaust fluid from the cryopump container, and an exhaust purge valve that supplies a purge gas to the exhaust valve or downstream thereof, and 
 an exhaust line through which the exhaust fluid is exhausted from the plurality of cryopumps to a treatment device, the exhaust line including a plurality of branch lines and a merging line, the plurality of branch lines each connected to the exhaust valve and the exhaust purge valve of a corresponding cryopump, the merging line connecting the plurality of branch lines to the treatment device, 
   the plurality of cryopumps include a first cryopump and a second cryopump, and   the regeneration controller is configured to control the first cryopump so that the exhaust fluid is exhausted from the first cryopump to the treatment device and concurrently to control the second cryopump so that the purge gas is supplied from the second cryopump to the merging line of the exhaust line.   
     
     
         10 . A cryopump system comprising:
 a cryopump that includes a cryopump container, an exhaust valve which exhausts an exhaust fluid from the cryopump container, and a first exhaust purge valve which supplies a purge gas to the exhaust valve or downstream thereof; and   an additional exhaust purge valve that is connected to the exhaust valve and the exhaust purge valve, that is provided at an exhaust line through which the exhaust fluid is exhausted from the cryopump to a treatment device, and that supplies the purge gas to a treatment device side with respect to the first exhaust purge valve.   
     
     
         11 . The cryopump system according to  claim 10 ,
 wherein the exhaust line includes a buffer volume connected between the first exhaust purge valve and the additional exhaust purge valve.