1-4. (canceled)
5. A method of charging raw material to a quartz crucible in a single-crystal manufacturing process including charging the raw material to the quartz crucible, melting the raw material into melt in the quartz crucible, and pulling a single crystal from the melt, comprising:
storing the raw material in a recharge tube including a quartz cylinder configured to store the raw material and a conical valve configured to open or close an opening positioned at a lower end of the cylinder;
installing the recharge tube storing the raw material in a chamber; and
feeding the raw material stored in the recharge tube into the quartz crucible by locating the recharge tube and the quartz crucible such that a distance between the lower end of the recharge tube and raw material or melt in the quartz crucible ranges from 200 mm to 250 mm at the start of a raw-material feeding operation, and then lowering the conical valve to open the opening positioned at the lower end of the cylinder while simultaneously lowering the quartz crucible such that a ratio CLSL ranges from 1.3 to 1.45, where CL is a lowering speed of the quartz crucible and SL is a lowering speed of the conical valve of the recharge tube.
6. The method of charging raw material according to claim 5, wherein the lowering speed SL of the conical valve of the recharge tube ranges from 250 mmmin to 375 mmmin.
7. A method of manufacturing a plurality of single crystals by using a single quartz crucible, comprising
repeating a process including: charging raw material to the quartz crucible by the method according to claim 5; melting the raw material into a melt in the quartz crucible; and pulling a single crystal from the melt.
8. A method of manufacturing a plurality of single crystals by using a single quartz crucible, comprising
repeating a process including: charging raw material to the quartz crucible by the method according to claim 6; melting the raw material into a melt in the quartz crucible; and pulling a single crystal from the melt.
9. A single-crystal manufacturing apparatus comprising:
a recharge tube including a quartz cylinder configured to store raw material and a conical valve configured to open or close an opening positioned at a lower end of the cylinder;
a quartz crucible configured to receive the raw material;
a heater configured to melt the raw material into a melt;
a chamber in which the quartz crucible and the heater are disposed, the chamber being capable of installing the recharge tube therein; and
a control unit configured to automatically control location of the recharge tube and the quartz crucible at the start of a raw-material feeding operation and lowering of the quartz crucible and the conical valve of the recharge tube during the raw-material feeding operation, when the raw material is charged to the quartz crucible by the method according to claim 5.
10. A single-crystal manufacturing apparatus comprising:
a recharge tube including a quartz cylinder configured to store raw material and a conical valve configured to open or close an opening positioned at a lower end of the cylinder;
a quartz crucible configured to receive the raw material;
a heater configured to melt the raw material into a melt;
a chamber in which the quartz crucible and the heater are disposed, the chamber being capable of installing the recharge tube therein; and
a control unit configured to automatically control location of the recharge tube and the quartz crucible at the start of a raw-material feeding operation and lowering of the quartz crucible and the conical valve of the recharge tube during the raw-material feeding operation, when the raw material is charged to the quartz crucible by the method according to claim 6.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A controlled valve comprising:
a valve body comprising a cavity and a first chamber;
a sleeve between the cavity and the first chamber, wherein the sleeve comprises an inner bore and at least one opening, wherein the inner bore extends from a first end of the sleeve to a second end of the sleeve, wherein the at least one opening extends through the second end of the sleeve, and wherein a portion of the inner bore proximate the second end forms a second chamber;
a spool movably disposed within the inner bore of the sleeve; and
a valve actuator assembly connected to the spool;
wherein the first chamber is in fluid communication with the second chamber through the at least one opening, and wherein the spool is configured to be movable over at least a portion of the at least one opening to regulate fluid flow therethrough.
2. The controlled valve of claim 1 further comprising a first fluid conduit connected to the first chamber and a second fluid conduit connected to the second chamber.
3. The controlled valve of claim 2 wherein the first chamber surrounds the second chamber, and wherein the second conduit surrounds the first conduit.
4. The controlled valve of claim 1 wherein the at least one opening comprises an annular array of openings.
5. The controlled valve of claim 4 wherein each of the openings in the annular array of openings comprises a circular, slotted, square, rectangular, triangular, or any other suitable type shape.
6. The controlled valve of claim 1 wherein the valve actuator assembly is an electromagnetic valve actuator assembly.
7. The controlled valve of claim 6 wherein the valve is electronically controlled.
8. The controlled valve of claim 1 wherein the sleeve is fixedly disposed within the valve body.
9. The controlled valve of claim 1 wherein an end of the spool proximate the second chamber comprises a narrowing profile shape.
10. The controlled valve of claim 1 wherein the valve actuator assembly is a wetted valve actuator assembly.
11. The controlled valve of claim 1 further comprising a diaphragm between the spool and the valve actuator assembly, and wherein the valve actuator assembly is an isolated actuator assembly.
12. A servo valve comprising:
a valve body comprising a first end, a second end, and a first interface at the second end, wherein the first interface is configured to receive a first conduit;
a valve actuator assembly disposed inside the valve body proximate the first end;
a sleeve fixedly mounted inside the valve body, wherein the sleeve comprises an inner bore and at least one opening, wherein a portion of the inner bore comprises a second interface, wherein the second interface is configured to receive a second conduit extending through the first interface, wherein the at least one opening is configured to allow fluid flow between the first conduit and the second conduit, and wherein the sleeve is between the valve actuator assembly and the first interface; and
a spool slidably connected to the inner bore of the sleeve, wherein the spool is attached to the valve actuator assembly.
13. The servo valve of claim 12 wherein the at least one opening comprises an annular array of openings.
14. The servo valve of claim 13 wherein the spool is configured to slide over the annular array of openings.
15. The servo valve of claim 13 wherein each of the at least one opening comprises a circular, slotted, square, rectangular, triangular, or any other suitable type shape.
16. The servo valve of claim 13 wherein the annular array of openings extend from the inner bore to an outer surface of the sleeve.
17. The servo valve of claim 12 further comprising an inner chamber within the inner bore of the spool and an outer chamber proximate the second end of the valve body, wherein the outer chamber surrounds the inner chamber, wherein the outer chamber is configured to be in communication with the first conduit, and wherein the inner chamber is configured to be in communication with the second conduit.
18. The servo valve of claim 12 further comprising a sensor, wherein the sensor is configured to sense a location of the spool relative to the sleeve.
19. The servo valve of claim 18 wherein sensor is configured to sense via a contact or non-contact sensing technique.
20. The servo valve of claim 18 wherein sensor comprises a contact potentiometer.
21. The servo valve of claim 18 wherein the sensor comprises hall effect sensor, an optical sensor, or a capacitive sensor.
22. The servo valve of claim 18 further comprising a sensing element mounted inside the valve body, and wherein the sensor is mounted to a stationary portion of the valve.
23. The servo valve of claim 22 wherein the sensing element is mounted to a stationary portion of the valve.
24. The servo valve of claim 22 wherein the sensing element is mounted to a movable portion of the valve.
25. The servo valve of claim 12 wherein the valve actuator assembly is an electromagnetic valve actuator assembly.
26. The servo valve of claim 25 wherein the valve is electronically controlled.
27. A method of manufacturing a controlled valve comprising:
providing a valve body having a cavity and a first chamber;
mounting a sleeve between the cavity and the first chamber, wherein the sleeve comprises an inner bore and at least one opening, wherein the inner bore extends from a first end of the sleeve to a second end of the sleeve, wherein the at least one opening extends through the second end of the sleeve, and wherein a portion of the inner bore proximate the second end forms a second chamber;
movably connecting a spool within the inner bore of the sleeve; and
connecting a valve actuator assembly to the spool;
wherein the first chamber is in fluid communication with the second chamber through the at least one opening, and wherein the spool is configured to be movable over at least a portion of the at least one opening to regulate fluid flow therethrough.