Process and apparatus for removing a contaminant from a substrate
First Claim
1. A process for removing a contaminant from a substrate comprising:
- placing the substrate within a chamber, wherein the substrate includes a pseudoplastic material and the contaminant;
exposing the pseudoplastic material to a supercritical fluid to remove at least part of the contaminant from the substrate;
flowing the supercritical fluid to a separator that lies at an elevation lower than the chamber;
separating at least a portion of the contaminant from a compound within the supercritical fluid; and
removing the substrate from the chamber after exposing, wherein a shape of the pseudoplastic material, after removing, is not significantly changed when compared to the shape of the pseudoplastic material, before placing.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Contaminant removal from a substrate can be performed using a supercritical fluid. An apparatus can be configured to operate at conditions that take advantage of higher solubility of a contaminant in its supercritical state compared to its liquid state. The substrate can be exposed to a supercritical fluid in a chamber to remove at least some of the contaminant. Outside the chamber, the supercritical fluid can be cooled to its corresponding liquid state, in which lower solubility of the contaminant may allow the contaminant to separate into a different phase from the liquid phase of the supercritical fluid. Such contaminant removal can be highly advantageous to substrates that withstand only limited amounts of physical or mechanical stress or heat. The contaminant removal can also be used where geometries virtually prevent removal by physical or mechanical means.
38 Citations
28 Claims
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1. A process for removing a contaminant from a substrate comprising:
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placing the substrate within a chamber, wherein the substrate includes a pseudoplastic material and the contaminant;
exposing the pseudoplastic material to a supercritical fluid to remove at least part of the contaminant from the substrate;
flowing the supercritical fluid to a separator that lies at an elevation lower than the chamber;
separating at least a portion of the contaminant from a compound within the supercritical fluid; and
removing the substrate from the chamber after exposing, wherein a shape of the pseudoplastic material, after removing, is not significantly changed when compared to the shape of the pseudoplastic material, before placing. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A process for removing a contaminant from a substrate comprising:
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placing the substrate within a chamber, wherein;
the contaminant overlies the substrate; and
the contaminant includes molecules having a dipole moment of at least approximately one;
exposing the substrate to a supercritical fluid to remove at least part of the contaminant from the substrate, wherein the supercritical fluid comprises molecules with a dipole moment less than approximately one;
flowing the supercritical fluid to a separator that lies at an elevation lower than the chamber;
separating at least a portion of the contaminant from a compound within the supercritical fluid; and
removing the substrate from the chamber after exposing. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A process for removing a contaminant from a substrate comprising:
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placing the substrate within a chamber, wherein the substrate includes a pseudoplastic material and the contaminant;
exposing the pseudoplastic material to a supercritical fluid to remove at least part of the contaminant from the substrate;
cooling the supercritical fluid to form a liquid, wherein cooling is performed on the supercritical fluid after it has been exposed to the pseudoplastic material;
pumping the liquid;
heating the liquid to form the supercritical fluid, wherein heating is performed on the liquid after it has been pumped; and
removing the substrate from the chamber after exposing, wherein a shape of the pseudoplastic material, after removing, is not significantly changed when compared to the shape of the pseudoplastic material, before placing. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A process for removing a contaminant from a substrate comprising:
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placing the substrate within a chamber, wherein;
the contaminant overlies the substrate; and
the contaminant includes molecules having a dipole moment of at least approximately one;
exposing the substrate to a supercritical fluid to remove at least part of the contaminant from the substrate, wherein the supercritical fluid comprises molecules with a dipole moment less than approximately one;
cooling the supercritical fluid to form a liquid, wherein cooling is performed on the supercritical fluid after it has been exposed to the pseudoplastic material;
pumping the liquid;
heating the liquid to form the supercritical fluid, wherein heating is performed on the liquid after it has been pumped; and
removing the substrate from the chamber after exposing. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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Specification