On-site generation, purification, and distribution of ultra-pure anhydrous ammonia
First Claim
1. A method for on-site generation and purification of ultra-pure ammonia, comprising:
- generating ammonia in a reactor to produce a first effluent comprising ammonia and impurities;
processing the first effluent with an absorption apparatus fluidly connected to the reactor to produce a bottom fraction comprising ammonia, water, minor amounts of carbon dioxide and trace levels of impurities;
processing the absorption apparatus bottom fraction with a first distillation apparatus fluidly connected to the absorption apparatus to produce an overhead fraction comprising ammonia having minor amounts of water and trace levels of impurities;
flowing the overhead fraction from the first distillation apparatus through a first purification system containing a first purifier material and fluidly connected to said first distillation apparatus to produce a second effluent comprising ammonia having less than about 10,000 ppm water, minor amounts of carbon dioxide, and trace levels of impurities;
flowing the second effluent through a second purification system containing a second purifier material and fluidly connected to the first purification system to produce a third effluent comprising ammonia having less than about 10,000 ppm water, minor amounts of carbon dioxide, and trace levels of impurities;
processing the third effluent with a second distillation apparatus fluidly connected to the second purification system to produce a bottom fraction comprising ammonia having less than about 10,000 ppm water, less than about 40 ppm carbon dioxide, and less than about 200 ppm other impurities;
flowing the bottom fraction from the second distillation apparatus through a third purification system containing a third purifier material and fluidly connected to the third distillation apparatus to provide a fourth effluent comprising ammonia having less than about 10,000 ppm water, less than about 40 ppm carbon dioxide and less than about 200 ppm other impurities; and
flowing the fourth effluent through a fourth purification system containing a fourth purifier material and fluidly connected to the third purification system to produce ultra-pure ammonia having less than about 10,000 ppm water, less than about 40 ppm carbon dioxide, and less than about 200 ppm other impurities; and
flowing the fourth effluent through a fourth purification system containing a fourth purifier material and fluidly connected to the third purification system to produce ultra-pure ammonia having less than about 10,000 ppm water, less than about 40 ppm carbon dioxide, and less than about 200 ppm other impurities.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for generating, purifying, and using ultra-pure ammonia on-site, such as at a semiconductor manufacturing facility. The system includes an ammonia generation system configured to generate ammonia including carbon dioxide, water, and other impurities. A purification system is provided with the generation system in the manufacturing facility and is linked to the output of the generation system. The purification system processes the effluent from the ammonia generation system to remove substantially all of the carbon dioxide, water, and other impurities to produce an outlet stream of ultra-pure ammonia. The system further includes a point of use system provided at the same manufacturing facility to utilize the outlet stream of ultra-pure ammonia.
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Citations
31 Claims
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1. A method for on-site generation and purification of ultra-pure ammonia, comprising:
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generating ammonia in a reactor to produce a first effluent comprising ammonia and impurities; processing the first effluent with an absorption apparatus fluidly connected to the reactor to produce a bottom fraction comprising ammonia, water, minor amounts of carbon dioxide and trace levels of impurities; processing the absorption apparatus bottom fraction with a first distillation apparatus fluidly connected to the absorption apparatus to produce an overhead fraction comprising ammonia having minor amounts of water and trace levels of impurities; flowing the overhead fraction from the first distillation apparatus through a first purification system containing a first purifier material and fluidly connected to said first distillation apparatus to produce a second effluent comprising ammonia having less than about 10,000 ppm water, minor amounts of carbon dioxide, and trace levels of impurities; flowing the second effluent through a second purification system containing a second purifier material and fluidly connected to the first purification system to produce a third effluent comprising ammonia having less than about 10,000 ppm water, minor amounts of carbon dioxide, and trace levels of impurities; processing the third effluent with a second distillation apparatus fluidly connected to the second purification system to produce a bottom fraction comprising ammonia having less than about 10,000 ppm water, less than about 40 ppm carbon dioxide, and less than about 200 ppm other impurities; flowing the bottom fraction from the second distillation apparatus through a third purification system containing a third purifier material and fluidly connected to the third distillation apparatus to provide a fourth effluent comprising ammonia having less than about 10,000 ppm water, less than about 40 ppm carbon dioxide and less than about 200 ppm other impurities; and flowing the fourth effluent through a fourth purification system containing a fourth purifier material and fluidly connected to the third purification system to produce ultra-pure ammonia having less than about 10,000 ppm water, less than about 40 ppm carbon dioxide, and less than about 200 ppm other impurities; and flowing the fourth effluent through a fourth purification system containing a fourth purifier material and fluidly connected to the third purification system to produce ultra-pure ammonia having less than about 10,000 ppm water, less than about 40 ppm carbon dioxide, and less than about 200 ppm other impurities. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An on-site ultra-pure ammonia generation system, comprising:
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an ammonia generation system comprising a reactor generating a first effluent at an outlet, the reactor effluent comprising ammonia, carbon dioxide, and water; and a purification system with an inlet connected to the reactor outlet for receiving the first effluent, wherein the purification system processes the first effluent to remove substantially all of the carbon dioxide and the water to produce an outlet stream comprising 99.0 percent or greater purity ammonia; and a point of use system adapted for utilizing the outlet stream and having an ammonia input fluidically connected to the purification system to receive the ammonia outlet stream, wherein the ammonia generation system, the purification system, and the point of use system are housed in a manufacturing facility. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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18. A method for on-site generation and purification of ultra-pure ammonia, comprising:
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generating ammonia in a reactor to produce a first effluent comprising ammonia; processing the first effluent with an absorption apparatus fluidly connected to the reactor to produce a bottom fraction comprising ammonia, water, and carbon dioxide; processing the absorption apparatus bottom fraction with a first distillation apparatus fluidly connected to the absorption apparatus to produce an overhead fraction comprising ammonia having minor amounts of water; flowing the overhead fraction from the first distillation apparatus through a first purification system containing a first purifier material and fluidly connected to said first distillation apparatus to produce a second effluent comprising ammonia having less than about 10,000 ppm water and carbon dioxide; and outputting the ammonia from the first purification system to an inlet of a point of use system, wherein the point of use system, the reactor, the absorption apparatus, the first distillation apparatus, and the first purification system are provided at a single manufacturing facility, whereby the point of use system is supplied with purified ammonia without requiring storage and handling of liquid ammonia sources. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. An on-site ultra-pure ammonia generation system, comprising:
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an ammonia generation system comprising a system generating an effluent at an outlet, the reactor effluent comprising ammonia and impurities; and a purification system with an inlet connected to the reactor outlet for receiving the reactor effluent, wherein the purification system processes the reactor effluent to remove substantially all of the impurities to produce an outlet stream comprising 99.0 percent or greater purity ammonia, the purification system comprising; an absorption apparatus fluidly connected to the reactor outlet operable to produce a fraction comprising ammonia, water, carbon dioxide and impurities; a first distillation apparatus fluidly connected to the absorption apparatus adapted for processing the absorption apparatus fraction to produce a fraction comprising ammonia having minor amounts of water and trace levels of impurities; and a first purification device containing a first purifier material and fluidly connected to said first distillation apparatus through which the fraction from the first distillation apparatus is forced to flow to produce the outlet stream comprising ammonia having less than about 10,000 ppm water, minor amounts of carbon dioxide, and trace levels of impurities; and a point of use system adapted for utilizing the outlet stream and having an ammonia intake fluidically connected to the purification system to receive the ammonia outlet stream. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28)
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29. A method for generating ultra-pure ammonia for on-site use, comprising:
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operating a reactor to generate a first effluent at an outlet of the reactor, the first effluent comprising ammonia and impurities; receiving the first effluent at an inlet to a purification system connected to the reactor outlet; processing the received first effluent with the purification system to remove substantially all of the impurities to produce an outlet stream comprising 99.0 percent or greater purity ammonia; and utilizing the outlet stream from the purification system with a point of use system connected to the purification system, wherein the reactor, the purification system, and the point of use system are provided at a single facility. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31)
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Specification