Apparatus and methods for ambient air abatement of electronic manufacturing effluent

• US 8,003,067 B2
• Filed: 03/21/2008
• Issued: 08/23/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: BHT Services Pte., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: Brown, Daniel S., Loldj, Youssef, Page, Barry, Pyzel, William D., Correa, Rene T., Fox, Allen, Curry, Mark W., Crawford, Shaun W., Vermeulen, Robbert
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith; Duane
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAM, MINH CHAU THI
• Application Number:
  US12/053,480
• Publication Number:
  US 20090078656A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,250 Days
• Field of Search: 552/23, 552/571, 553/851, 554/31, 555/22, 952/25, 952/27, 406/46, 406/48, 406/193, 422/168, 422/169, 422171-174, 422/177, 422/194, 422/207, 423/210, 423/215.5, 423/240.R, 423/219, 261/112.1, 431/5
• US Class Current: 423/210
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2251/11 Air
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/00 Components to be removed
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/108 Hydrogen
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2258/0216 from CVD treatment or semi-conductor manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/46 Removing components of defined structure
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/76 Gas phase processes, e.g. by using aerosols
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 10/37 using solar energy

Abstract

An abatement system is provided which includes 1) an abatement unit adapted to abate effluent; and 2) an ambient air supply system. The ambient air supply system includes an air moving device, wherein the ambient air supply system is adapted to supply ambient air to the abatement unit for use as an oxidant. Numerous other aspects are provided.

Claims

1. An abatement system comprising:

an abatement unit of the abatement system adapted to abate effluent which has been exhausted from one or more process tools, wherein the effluent flows from the one or more process tools to the abatement unit via a conduit; and

an ambient air supply system adapted to supply ambient air to the abatement unit of the abatement system for use as an oxidant in the abatement unit to abate the effluent, the ambient air supply system comprising;

an air moving device including a blower; and

a manifold adapted to transport ambient air from the ambient air supply system through more than one air inlet to the abatement unit;

wherein the ambient air supply system is adapted to flow the ambient air through each air inlet at a selected mass flow rate, and wherein the mass flow rate selected for each air inlet may be the same as or different from the mass flow rate selected for any other air inlet.

2. The abatement system of claim 1 wherein the ambient air supply system is adapted to supply ambient air to the abatement unit at a selected mass flow rate.

3. The abatement system of claim 1 wherein the ambient air supply system is adapted to prevent backflow of the effluent through the air supply system.

4. The abatement system of claim 1 wherein the ambient air supply system is adapted to supply the ambient air to the abatement unit at a selected pressure.

5. The abatement system of claim 1 wherein each air inlet comprises an orifice where the diameter of the orifice is selected to allow air to flow into the abatement unit at a selected mass flow rate.

6. The abatement system of claim 5 wherein the mass flow rate selected for each air inlet may be the same as or different from the mass flow rate selected for any other air inlet.

7. The abatement system of claim 4 further comprising an air box, wherein the air box is adapted to reduce pressure fluctuations of the air supplied to the abatement unit.

8. A system for supplying ambient air to an abatement unit of an abatement system for use as an oxidant comprising in the abatement unit:

an air moving device comprising a blower; and

a manifold coupled to the air moving device and adapted to supply air to the abatement unit of the abatement system via more than one air inlet, the air for use as an oxidant in the abatement unit to abate effluent exhausted from one or more process tools coupled to the abatement unit;

wherein the air moving device and the manifold are adapted to receive air from a source of ambient air; and

wherein the air supply system is adapted to flow the ambient air through each air inlet at a selected mass flow rate, and wherein the mass flow rate of ambient air through each air inlet is the same as or different from the mass flow rate of any other air inlet.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the ambient air supply system is further adapted to supply ambient air to the abatement unit at a selected mass flow rate.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein the air supply system is further adapted to supply the ambient air to the abatement unit at a selected pressure.

11. The system of claim 10 further comprising an air box adapted to reduce pressure fluctuations of the ambient air supplied to the abatement unit.

12. A method of abating effluent using ambient air as an oxidant comprising:

providing an abatement unit of an abatement system adapted to abate effluent which has been exhausted from an electronic device manufacturing process tool;

flowing effluent from the electronic device manufacturing process tool to the abatement unit via a conduit;

providing an ambient air supply system of the abatement system which comprises an air moving device, wherein the ambient air supply system is adapted to provide ambient air to the abatement unit of the abatement system for use as an oxidant in the abatement unit to abate the effluent; and

wherein the air moving device comprises a blower;

providing a manifold coupled to the air moving device;

supplying ambient air to the abatement unit through more than one air inlet of the manifold, the air flowed through each air inlet at a selected mass flow rate;

providing the same or different mass flow rate of ambient air through each air inlet compared to any other air inlet; and

abating effluent within the abatement unit with the ambient air supplied by the ambient air supply system.

13. A system for supplying ambient air to an abatement unit of an abatement system for use as an oxidant comprising:

an ambient air source;

an air moving device having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is coupled to the ambient air source via a first valve, and wherein the air moving device comprises a blower;

an air box having a first end and a second end, wherein a first end of the air box is coupled to the second end of the air moving device, the air box adapted to provide a reservoir of ambient air to reduce pressure fluctuations of the air supplied to the abatement unit of the abatement system for use as an oxidant in the abatement unit to abate effluent exhausted from one or more process tools coupled to the abatement unit; and

a manifold, wherein the manifold is coupled to the second end of the air box via a second valve, and wherein the manifold includes more than one air inlet adapted to supply air to the abatement unit of the abatement system;

a controller adapted to control the operation of the first and second valves;

wherein the air moving device and the manifold are adapted to receive air from the source of ambient air;

wherein the air supply system is adapted to flow the ambient air through each air inlet at a selected mass flow rate, and wherein the mass flow rate of ambient air through each air inlet is the same as or different from the mass flow rate of any other air inlet.