Semiconductor wafer fabrication uses a number of chemicals to etch the surface of individual silicon wafers. Many of these chemicals contain VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) and HAPs (Hazardous Air Pollutants) which evaporate into the airspace of the tool. When released into the atmosphere these pollutants contribute to smog and ozone depletion as well as the destruction of agriculture and forests. In humans they can cause birth defects, nervous system damage, respiratory ailments, heart conditions and, during massive accidental releases, death. To meet EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) and other national regulations for air pollution control, the emission laden air needs to be captured and treated before being released into the atmosphere.
As is the case with many industrial manufacturing operations, emissions are best destroyed through the use of thermal or catalytic oxidation. These devices use temperature, time and turbulence to convert VOCs and HAPs into Carbon Dioxide (CO2), heat and water vapor. Historically, the semiconductor industry has used rotor concentrators in-line with the oxidation device to convert the large volume, low concentration streams into a lower volume, highly concentrated stream.
During system operation, the tool exhaust is sent from the process and drawn into the concentrator where pollutants are removed from the air by adsorption. The cleaned air passes through the absorbent and is discharged to atmosphere. The rotor turns continuously to transport adsorbed emissions into the desorption section before returning regenerated zeolite to the process. The concentrated air stream is sent to the oxidizer where the VOCs and HAPs are destroyed. The energy content of highly concentrated emissions contributes to the oxidation process, thus reducing the supplemental energy requirements. Concentrators reduce the size of the abatement device, lower operating costs and minimize energy input.
Anguil Environmental Systems has been supplying oxidation and concentrator technologies to industry for nearly 40 years. Some of the advantages of Anguil abatement systems on semiconductor applications include:
- Single system capacity of 170,000 SCFM (Standard Cubic Feet per Minute)
- Low pressure fluctuations for sensitive processes like wafer production
- High destruction efficiencies (99%)
Headquartered in the United States, Anguil also has fabrication facilities and installation capabilities in Europe, Asia, and Australia as well as an extensive network of agents located domestically and throughout the world.