Continuous gas saturation system and method
AssigneeAir Liquide America Corporation
InventorDouglas B. Nurmi
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Provided is a system for controlled vaporization of a liquid chemical. The system includes: (a) an evaporation vessel connected to receive a liquid chemical which is carrier gas free; (b) a mechanism for maintaining the liquid chemical in the evaporation vessel at a substantially constant level; and (c) a mechanism for controlling the temperature of the liquid chemical in the evaporation vessel to a desired value, the controlling mechanism including: (I) a system for cooling the liquid chemical, and (II) a heater inside the evaporation vessel for heating the liquid chemical. Also provided, are methods of controlled delivery of a vaporized liquid chemical. The above systems and methods are particularly applicable to the semiconductor manufacturing industry.
Claims10
A system for controlled vaporization of a liquid chemical, comprising:
- (a) an evaporation vessel connected to receive a liquid chemical and which is carrier gas-free;
- (b) means for maintaining the liquid chemical in the evaporation vessel at a substantially constant level;
- and
- (c) means for controlling the temperature of the liquid chemical in the evaporation vessel to a desired value, the controlling means comprising (I) a system for cooling the liquid chemical, and (ii) a heater inside the evaporation vessel for heating the liquid chemical.
A method of controlled delivery of a vaporized liquid chemical which is carrier gas-free, comprising the steps of:
- (a) introducing a liquid chemical into an evaporation vessel;
- (b) maintaining the liquid level in the evaporation vessel at a substantially constant level;
- and
- (c) controlling the temperature of the liquid chemical in the evaporation vessel to a desired sub-ambient value by cooling the liquid chemical to the desired value, and adding heat to the liquid chemical, as necessary to adjust the temperature, with a heater inside the saturation vessel;
- and
- (d) removing a stream of vaporized liquid chemical from the evaporation vessel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.