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Systems and methods for treating flammable effluent gases from manufacturing processes

  • US 9,387,428 B2
  • Filed: 02/04/2009
  • Issued: 07/12/2016
  • Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2008
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method of treating a flammable effluent gas from an electronic device manufacturing process, comprising the steps of:

  • providing a first configuration and a second configuration of conduits for mixing a second gas with the flammable effluent gas, the second configuration comprising a distribution unit configured to receive the second gas from at least an external source and configured to input the second gas at one or more input points including directly to an abatement unit which is adapted to abate the flammable effluent gas, the first configuration excluding the distribution unit and including a stored gas supply comprising the second gas, the first configuration configured to input the second gas from the stored gas supply into a bypass conduit bypassing the abatement unit;

    providing the flammable effluent gas from the manufacturing process to the abatement unit;

    monitoring a parameter of the abatement unit;

    diverting the flammable effluent gas by actuating a bypass valve to bypass the abatement unit if the parameter of the abatement unit falls outside a predefined bound; and

    mixing, substantially coincident with actuating the bypass valve, the diverted flammable effluent gas with the second gas in the bypass conduit downstream of the bypass valve in the first configuration to form a gas mixture having a lower flammability than the flammable effluent gas, wherein a concentration of flammable effluent gas in the gas mixture is below a lower flammability limit of the flammable effluent gas.

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