# US 12,179,133 B2 · Chemical solution supply system and chemical solution supply method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,179,133 B2 - Document ID: US12179133B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/407,618 - Filed: 2021-08-20 - Published: 2022-08-18 - Granted: 2024-12-31 - Earliest claimed: 2021-02-16 - Assignees: Kioxia Corporation - Applicants: Kioxia Corporation - Inventors: Toshiyuki Muranaka; Yuichi Kuroda - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12179133B2 ## CPC - B01D 35/1435: {with alarm means} - B01D 29/52: in parallel connection - B01D 29/56: in series connection - B01D 29/603: {by flow measuring} - B01D 35/1475: {Pressure relief valves or pressure control valves} - B01D 35/26: Filters with built-in pumps {filters provided with a pump mounted in or on the casing (aquarium pumps or filters A01K63/04)} - B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28) ## Abstract According to one embodiment, there is provided a chemical solution supply system including: a tank configured to store a chemical solution; a first pipe connected to the tank and configured to provide the chemical solution; a first filter unit connected to the first pipe and having a first filter configured to filter the chemical solution; a second pipe connected to the first filter unit and configured to provide the chemical solution filtered by the first filter; and a detector connected to the first pipe and configured to detect foreign matter in the chemical solution in the first pipe. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A chemical solution supply system comprising: a tank configured to store a chemical solution; a first pipe connected to the tank, the first pipe being configured to provide the chemical solution; a first filter unit connected to the first pipe, the first filter unit having a first filter configured to filter the chemical solution; a second pipe connected to the first filter unit, the second pipe being configured to provide the chemical solution filtered by the first filter; a further pipe directly connected to the first pipe; a valve provided on a first end of the further pipe; a detector directly connected to a second end of the further pipe, the detector being configured to detect an amount of foreign matter in the chemical solution in the first pipe wherein the further pipe is directly connected to the first pipe via the valve; and a calculation device configured to estimate a number of particles passing through the first filter based on the detected amount of the foreign matter in the chemical solution in the first pipe to determine a deterioration state of the first filter. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The chemical solution supply system according to claim 1, further comprising: determination circuitry configured to determine a quality of the first filter based on the amount of the foreign matter in the chemical solution and a flow rate of the chemical solution in the second pipe. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The chemical solution supply system according to claim 2, further comprising: a flow meter provided in the second pipe, the flow meter being configured to measure the flow rate. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The chemical solution supply system according to claim 2, further comprising: a pump provided in the first pipe, the pump being configured to provide the chemical solution, wherein the flow rate is measured based on an amount of the chemical solution provided by the pump. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The chemical solution supply system according to claim 2, further comprising: control circuitry configured to control an amount of the chemical solution provided to the first filter based on the quality of the first filter. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The chemical solution supply system according to claim 2, further comprising: a notification device configured to issue a notification based on the quality of the first filter. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The chemical solution supply system according to claim 2, further comprising: a threshold value storage device configured to store one or more threshold values for determining the quality of the first filter. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The chemical solution supply system according to claim 1, further comprising: a third pipe connected to the tank, the third pipe being configured to provide the chemical solution, wherein the third pipe and the first pipe have an identical pipe length; a second filter unit connected to the third pipe, the second filter unit having a second filter configured to filter the chemical solution; and a fourth pipe connected to the second filter unit, the fourth pipe being configured to provide the chemical solution filtered by the second filter. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The chemical solution supply system according to claim 1, further comprising: a third pipe connected to the tank, the third pipe being configured to feed the chemical solution, wherein the third pipe has a pressure reducing valve, and the third pipe has a pipe length shorter than a pipe length of the first pipe; a second filter unit connected to the third pipe, the second filter unit having a second filter to filter the chemical solution; and a fourth pipe connected to the second filter unit, the fourth pipe being configured to provide the chemical solution filtered by the second filter. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The chemical solution supply system according to claim 1, wherein the chemical solution includes hydrochloric acid (HCl), sulfuric acid (H2SO4), de-ionized water (DIW: ultrapure water), ammonia (NH3) aqueous solution, acetic acid (CH3COOH), hydrogen fluoride (HF) aqueous solution, or isopropyl alcohol (IPA). ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The chemical solution supply system according to claim 1, further comprising: determination circuitry configured to determine a quality of the first filter as a state based on the number of particles passing through the first filter being equal to or greater than a threshold value. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The chemical solution supply system according to claim 1, further comprising determination circuitry configured to: determine whether the estimated number of particles passing through the first filter is greater than or equal to a first threshold value; and in response to determining that the estimated number of particles passing through the first filter is greater than or equal to the first threshold value, determine the deterioration state of the first filter as a first state.