Patent ID: 6866094

Claim:
A temperature control system for a workpiece chuck comprising: a fluid circulation system for circulating a temperature control fluid through the workpiece chuck; and a fluid recovery system coupled to the fluid circulation system for recovering the temperature control fluid from the fluid circulation system, the fluid recovery system comprising: a gas inlet for allowing gas to be forced into the fluid circulation system and circulated through the fluid circulation system to carry a first portion of recovered temperature control fluid through the fluid circulation system, a reservoir receiving the gas circulated through the fluid circulation system and the first portion of recovered temperature control fluid, the reservoir comprising an outlet above the temperature control fluid in the reservoir, the gas and the first portion of recovered temperature control fluid received by the reservoir displacing a portion of the gas with vapor of the temperature control fluid out of the reservoir through the outlet above the temperature control fluid in the reservoir, a heat exchanger for receiving the displaced gas with vapor and condensing the vapor to produce a second portion of recovered temperature control fluid, a separator for receiving the displaced gas and the condensed second portion of the recovered temperature control fluid and separating the displaced gas from the condensed second portion of the recovered temperature control fluid, and a fluid line for carrying the condensed second portion of the recovered temperature control fluid from the separator to the reservoir.