# US 2019/0314738 A1 · Trap assembly and system for trapping polymer vapors in process oven vacuum systems

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- Number: US 2019/0314738 A1
- Document ID: US20190314738A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/189,631
- Filed: 2018-11-13
- Published: 2019-10-17
- Earliest claimed: 2016-11-14
- Applicants: Yield Engineering Systems, Inc.
- Inventors: WILLIAM MOFFAT; CRAIG WALTER MCCOY
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190314738A1

## CPC

- B01D 5/0045: {Vacuum condensation}
- B01D 5/006: {with evaporation or distillation}
- B01D 5/009: {Collecting, removing and/or treatment of the condensate}
- B01D 2221/14: Separation devices for workshops, car or semiconductor industry, e.g. for separating chips and other machining residues
- B01D 2258/02: Other waste gases
- F04B 37/14: to obtain high vacuum
- 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)
- F04B: POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS (machines for liquids, or pumps, of rotary-piston or oscillating-piston type F04C; non-positive-displacement pumps F04D; pumping of fluid by direct contact of another fluid or by using inertia of fluid to be pumped F04F)

## Abstract

A trap system adapted to trap polyimide or other vapors exiting from a process chamber. The vapors are routed from the process chamber through a heated exit line at low pressure and then cooled, resulting in condensation at a selected location. The condensed vapors accumulate in a liquid trap. A method of condensing polymer vapors in vacuum exit lines of process chambers, where the flow which may have vaporized polymer vapor is cooled to enhance condensation at a chosen location. The liquid trap can be emptied and replaced, resulting in the removal of the condensed liquid. The chamber exit lines are protected from condensation build up.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A polymer trap assembly, said polymer trap assembly comprising:
a trap assembly inlet;
a condensation body, said condensation body comprising:
an exterior; and
a condensation chamber, said condensation chamber fluidically coupled to said trap assembly inlet, said condensation chamber comprising an inner condensing surface;
a flow deflector, said flow deflector residing within said condensation chamber; and
a trap assembly outlet, said trap assembly outlet fluidically coupled to said condensation chamber.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The polymer trap assembly of claim 1 wherein said condensation body is a cooled condensation body, wherein said cooled condensation body comprises a heat exchanger adapted for heat exchange.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The polymer trap assembly of claim 2 wherein said heat exchanger comprises a plurality of fins adapted for heat exchange, said fins on an exterior surface of said condensation body.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The polymer trap assembly of claim 3 further comprising a cooling blower adapted to cool said heat exchanger.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The polymer trap assembly of claim 4 wherein said cooling blower is affixed to the exterior of said condenser body.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The polymer trap assembly of claim 1 further comprising:
a condensed fluid exit coupled to said condensation chamber; and
a removable and replaceable fluid reservoir coupled to said condensed fluid exit.

### Claim 7 (depends on 2)

The polymer trap assembly of claim 2 further comprising:
a condensed fluid exit coupled to said condensation chamber; and
a removable and replaceable fluid reservoir coupled to said condensed fluid exit.

### Claim 8 (depends on 5)

The polymer trap assembly of claim 5 further comprising:
a condensed fluid exit coupled to said condensation chamber; and
a removable and replaceable fluid reservoir coupled to said condensed fluid exit.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The polymer trap assembly of claim 1 wherein the vertical elevation of said trap assembly inlet is lower than the vertical elevation of said trap assembly outlet.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The polymer trap assembly of claim 8 wherein the vertical elevation of said trap assembly inlet is lower than the vertical elevation of said trap assembly outlet.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The polymer trap assembly of claim 10 wherein said fluid reservoir is a clear reservoir.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The polymer trap assembly of claim 1 wherein said flow deflector comprises a tube extending down from said trap assembly outlet, and wherein said trap assembly inlet is coupled to said condensation chamber along a side of said condensation chamber.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The polymer trap assembly of claim 12 wherein said tube comprises an orifice along a side of said tube.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The polymer trap assembly of claim 13 wherein said tube extends past said trap assembly inlet.

### Claim 15

A bake oven assembly adapted for the drying and imidization of polymer, said bake oven assembly comprising:
a process chamber, said process chamber comprising a vacuum outlet;
a process chamber vacuum exit line fluidically coupled to said vacuum outlet of said process chamber; and
a polyimide trap assembly, said polyimide trap assembly comprising:
a trap assembly inlet;
a condensation body, said condensation body comprising:
an exterior; and
a condensation chamber, said condensation chamber fluidically coupled to said trap assembly inlet, said condensation chamber comprising an inner condensing surface;
a flow deflector, said flow deflector residing within said condensation chamber; and
a trap assembly outlet, said trap assembly outlet fluidically coupled to said condensation chamber.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The polymer trap assembly of claim 15 wherein said condensation body is a cooled condensation body, wherein said cooled condensation body comprises a heat exchanger adapted for heat exchange.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The polymer trap assembly of claim 16 wherein said flow deflector comprises a tube extending down from said trap assembly outlet, and wherein said trap assembly inlet is coupled to said condensation chamber along a side of said condensation chamber.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The polymer trap assembly of claim 17 wherein said tube comprises an orifice along a side of said tube.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The polymer trap assembly of claim 18 wherein said tube extends past said trap assembly inlet.