Flow-stabilized wet scrubber system for treatment of process gases from semiconductor manufacturing operations

A flow stabilization system for damping pressure and flow rate increases and decreases in a process discharging an effluent gas stream, in which the process is pressure-sensitive and flow rate-sensitive and downstream pressure and flow variations can adversely affect the upstream process, said system comprising a motive fluid driver constructed and arranged to receive the effluent gas stream from the process, an orifice plate upstream of said motive fluid driver between said motive fluid driver and the process, and means for sensing a pressure characteristic of the effluent gas stream across the orifice plate and responsively selectively adjusting the motive fluid driver to stabilize pressure and flow rate increases and decreases in the process.

A flow stabilization system for damping pressure and flow rate increases and decreases in a process discharging an effluent gas stream, in which the process is pressure-sensitive and flow rate-sensitive and downstream pressure and flow variations can adversely affect the upstream process, said system comprising a motive fluid driver constructed and arranged to receive the effluent gas stream from the process, and means for sensing a flow characteristic of the effluent gas stream and responsively selectively driving the motive fluid driver to stabilize pressure and flow rate increases and decreases in the process.

A flow stabilization system for stabilizing pressure and flow rate increases and decreases in an upstream process discharging an effluent gas stream, in which the upstream process is sensitive to fluctuations in downstream flows and pressure producing perturbations that can adversely affect the upstream process, said system comprising a motive fluid driver constructed and arranged to flow the effluent gas stream from the upstream process through a downstream flow path, with said downstream flow path including a flow control valve and means for sensing a characteristic of the effluent gas stream selected from the group consisting of pressure, temperature, composition, and flow rate, and responsively adjusting the flow control valve to stabilize pressure and flow rate increases and decreases in the process.

A flow stabilization system for stabilizing pressure and flow rate increases and decreases in an upstream process discharging an effluent gas stream, in which the upstream process is pressure-sensitive and flow rate-sensitive and downstream pressure and flow variations can adversely affect the upstream process, said system comprising a motive fluid driver constructed and arranged to flow the effluent gas stream from the upstream process through a downstream flow path, and means for sensing a characteristic of the effluent gas stream and controlling the flow rate of the effluent gas stream to stabilize pressure and flow rate increases and decreases in the upstream process.

A flow stabilization system for stabilizing pressure and flow rate increases and decreases in an upstream process discharging an effluent gas stream, in which the upstream process is pressure-sensitive and flow rate-sensitive and downstream pressure and flow variations can adversely affect the upstream process, said system comprising a motive fluid driver constructed and arranged to flow the effluent gas stream from the upstream process through a downstream flow path, and means for sensing a characteristic of the effluent gas stream and responsively adjusting the motive fluid driver to control the flow rate of the effluent gas stream and stabilize pressure and flow rate increases and decreases in the upstream process.

A flow stabilization system for stabilizing pressure and flow rate increases and decreases in an upstream process discharging an effluent gas stream, in which the upstream process is pressure-sensitive and flow rate-sensitive and downstream pressure and flow variations can adversely affect the upstream process, said system comprising a motive fluid driver constructed and arranged to flow the effluent gas stream from the upstream process through a downstream flow path, a flow control valve in said downstream flow path, and means for sensing a characteristic of the effluent gas stream and responsively adjusting at least one of the motive fluid driver and the flow control valve to control the flow rate of the effluent gas stream and stabilize pressure and flow rate increases and decreases in the upstream process.

A flow stabilization system for stabilizing pressure and flow rate increases and decreases in an upstream process discharging an effluent gas stream, in which the upstream process is pressure-sensitive and flow rate-sensitive and downstream pressure and flow variations can adversely affect the upstream process, said system comprising a motive fluid driver constructed and arranged to flow the effluent gas stream from the upstream process through a downstream flow path, and means for sensing a pressure characteristic of the effluent gas stream and responsively adjusting the flow rate of the effluent gas stream to stabilize pressure and flow rate increases and decreases in the upstream process.

A flow stabilized semiconductor manufacturing process system, comprising:

• a semiconductor manufacturing process unit discharging an effluent gas stream, wherein the semiconductor manufacturing process unit is pressure-sensitive and flow rate-sensitive and downstream pressure and flow variations can adversely affect the upstream semiconductor manufacturing process unit;
• a flow stabilization system for stabilizing pressure and flow rate increases and decreases in the upstream semiconductor manufacturing process unit, said flow stabilization system comprising a downstream flow path through which the effluent gas stream is flowed, a motive fluid driver constructed and arranged to flow the effluent gas stream from the semiconductor manufacturing process unit through the downstream flow path, and means for sensing a characteristic of the effluent gas stream and controlling the flow rate of the effluent gas stream to stabilize pressure and flow rate increases and decreases in the upstream semiconductor manufacturing process unit.

A method for stabilizing pressure and flow rate increases and decreases in an upstream process discharging an effluent gas stream, in which the upstream process is pressure-sensitive and flow rate-sensitive and downstream pressure and flow variations can adversely affect the upstream process, said method comprising sensing a characteristic of the effluent gas stream selected from the group consisting of pressure, temperature, composition, and flow rate, and responsively adjusting the flow rate of the effluent gas stream to stabilize pressure and flow rate increases and decreases in the upstream process.

A method of stabilizing flow to damp pressure and flow rate increases and decreases in a semiconductor manufacturing process discharging an effluent gas stream, wherein the semiconductor manufacturing process is pressure-sensitive and flow rate-sensitive, and downstream pressure and flow variation can adversely affect the semiconductor manufacturing process, said method comprising flowing an effluent gas stream from the semiconductor manufacturing process through a downstream flow path, including a motive fluid driver constructed and arranged to flow the effluent gas stream through the downstream flow path, wherein a characteristic of the effluent gas stream is sensed and in response to such sensing the flow rate of the effluent gas stream is adjusted to stabilize pressure and flow rate increases and decreases in the semiconductor manufacturing process.

A flow stabilization system for damping pressure and flow rate increases and decreases in a process discharging an effluent gas stream, in which the process is pressure-sensitive and flow rate-sensitive, and downstream pressure and flow variations can adversely affect the upstream process, said system comprising means for sensing a characteristic of the effluent gas stream and responsively adjusting flow of the effluent gas stream to maintain a uniform effluent gas stream flow rate and stabilize the process.

A flow stabilization system for damping pressure and flow rate increases and decreases in a process discharging an effluent gas stream, in which the process is pressure-sensitive and flow rate-sensitive, and downstream pressure and flow variations can adversely affect the upstream process, said system comprising means for sensing a characteristic of the effluent gas stream and responsively adjusting a variable flow control valve to maintain a uniform effluent gas stream flow rate and stabilize the process.