Continuous dissolving device, continuous dissolving method, and gas-dissolved water supply

• US 20050093182A1
• Filed: 03/18/2003
• Published: 05/05/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Kurita Water Industries Limited
• Original Assignee: Kurita Water Industries Limited
• Inventors: Ida, Junichi, Morita, Hiroshi, Tsukamoto, Kazumi
• Application Number:
  US10/507,539
• Publication Number:
  US 20050093182A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 261/26
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 2101/2204 Mixing chemical components in generals in order to improve chemical treatment or reactions, independently from the specific application
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 2101/58 Mixing semiconducting materials, e.g. during semiconductor or wafer manufacturing processes
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/232 using flow-mixing means for introducing the gases, e.g. baffles
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/23764 Hydrogen
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/29 Mixing systems, i.e. flow charts or diagrams
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/20 Measuring; Control or regulation
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/2111 Flow rate
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/2211 Amount of delivered fluid during a period
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/83 by controlling the ratio of two or more flows, e.g. using flow sensing or flow controlling devices
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/883 using flow rate controls for feeding the substances
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2103/346 from semiconductor processing, e.g. waste water from polishing of wafers

Abstract

An apparatus for continuous dissolution comprising a dissolution portion for dissolving a gas into a main stream liquid, which comprises a flow meter measuring the flow rate of the main stream liquid and outputting a signal of the value obtained by the measurement and a mechanism for controlling the flow rate which controls the amount of supply of the gas based on the input signal; and a process for continuously dissolving a gas into the main stream liquid, wherein the amount of the gas is controlled based on the flow rate of the main stream liquid. Since a solution having a constant concentration can be obtained with stability even when the flow rate of the main stream liquid changes, cleaning water or surface treatment water used for electronic materials which particularly require a precisely clean surface can be supplied without loss.

Claims

1. An apparatus for continuous dissolution which comprises a dissolution portion for dissolving a gas into a main stream liquid, the apparatus further comprising a flow meter which measures a flow rate of the main stream liquid and outputs a signal of a value obtained by the measurement, a mechanism for controlling a flow rate which controls an amount of supply of the gas based on the signal input from the flow meter and an apparatus for degassing the main stream liquid which is disposed at a position at an upstream of the dissolution portion for dissolving a gas.

2. An apparatus for continuous dissolution according to claim 1, wherein the main stream liquid is pure water or ultra-pure water.

3. An apparatus for continuous dissolution according to claim 2, which comprises a means for injecting an other liquid into the main stream liquid and controls an amount of addition of the other liquid based on the signal.

4. A process for continuous dissolution which comprises continuously dissolving a gas or a gas and an other liquid into a main stream liquid, wherein the main stream liquid is degassed before the gas is dissolved and an amount of supply of the gas or amounts of supply of the gas and the other liquid are controlled based on a flow rate of the main stream liquid before the degassing or after the degassing.

5. An apparatus for supplying water containing a dissolved gas which comprises:

a portion for producing the water containing a dissolved gas comprising;

an apparatus for dissolving a gas which comprises a flow meter measuring a flow rate of pure water or ultra-pure water and outputting a signal of a value obtained by the measurement and a mechanism for controlling a flow rate which controls an amount of a gas to be dissolved into the pure water or the ultra-pure water based on the signal input from the flow meter, and

a means for adjusting an amount of water which adjusts an amount of the pure water or the ultra-pure water supplied to the apparatus for dissolving a gas, and

a portion for supplying the water containing a dissolved gas comprising;

a water tank which receives the water containing a dissolved gas in an excess amount which is not used at a point of use,

a piping system through which the water containing a dissolved gas flows from the water tank towards the point of use and the water containing a dissolved gas in an excess amount returns to the water tank, and

a piping for supplying the water containing a dissolved gas which supplies the water containing a dissolved gas obtained in the portion for producing the water containing a dissolved gas to the water tank; and

controls the means for adjusting an amount of water based on a water level in the water tank.

6. An apparatus for supplying water containing a dissolved gas according to claim 5, wherein the water tank is a water tank of a sealed type equipped with a portion for supplying a sealing gas and the sealing gas is a same gas as the gas dissolved in the water containing a dissolved gas.