Abstract: Provided is a purging apparatus including an upper nozzle provided above an opening of a substrate storage container and configured to supply a dry gas obliquely downwardly to a side opposite to the opening of the substrate storage container and over the entire surface of the width of the opening of the substrate storage container; and a plurality of side nozzles provided at both left and right sides of the opening of the substrate storage container, respectively, and each configured to supply the dry gas towards the inside of the substrate storage container from an outside of the opening of the substrate storage container. Each of the side nozzles is longer than a height of the opening of the substrate storage container and is provided with a plurality of supply holes formed thereon at predetermined intervals in a vertical direction.

Abstract: A method for purging a substrate container which accommodates in multiple stages a plurality of substrates to be processed by a substrate processing apparatus, the method includes: mounting the substrate container on a mounting unit; connecting a gas supply port provided in the substrate container and a gas supply line provided in a mounting unit; starting supply of a dry gas into the substrate container from a gas supply line before opening a cover of the substrate container; opening the cover of the substrate container while keeping the supply of the dry gas; closing the cover of the substrate container upon completion of processing of the substrates in the substrate container; and stopping the supply of the dry gas after closing the cover of the substrate container.

Abstract: Provided is a purging apparatus including an upper nozzle provided above an opening of the substrate storage container and configured to supply a dry gas obliquely downwardly to a side opposite to the substrate storage container and over the entire surface of the width of the opening; and a plurality of side nozzles provided at both sides of the opening of the substrate, respectively, and each configured to supply a dry gas towards the inside of the substrate storage container from an outside of the opening. The side nozzles are each longer than a height of the opening and formed with a plurality of supply holes supplying the dry gas at predetermined intervals in a vertical direction. The respective supply hole formed on one side nozzle and the respective supply holes formed on the other side nozzle are disposed alternately so as not to be located at the same height.