Fluorine abatement using steam injection in oxidation treatment of semiconductor manufacturing effluent gases
AssigneeAdvanced Technology Materials, Inc.
InventorsJose L. Arno, Robert M. Vermeulen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus and process for abatement of halogen in a halogen-containing effluent gas, such as is produced by a semiconductor manufacturing plant utilizing perfluorocompounds in the operation of the plant. Halogen-containing effluent gas is contacted with water vapor in a thermal oxidation reactor to convert halogen species to reaction products that are readily removed from the effluent gas by subsequent scrubbing. A shrouding gas may be employed to separate the halogen-containing effluent gas from the water vapor at the inlet of the thermal oxidation reactor, to thereby prevent premature reaction that would otherwise produce particulates and reaction products that could clog the inlet of the reactor.
Claims23
A method for treating an effluent fluid stream comprising one or more halogen-containing components from one or more semiconductor manufacturing process tools, using a system that includes an oxidizing unit having one or more inlet units at one end and a gas flow path susceptible to corrosion in exposure to said effluent fluid stream, comprising the steps of:
- introducing said effluent fluid stream to the oxidizing unit through the inlet end;
- providing water vapor to the inlet end for mixing with the effluent fluid stream in said oxidizing unit;
- effecting, at the inlet end of the oxidizing unit, the conversion of at least a portion of the halogen-containing components of the effluent fluid stream to a form that is more treatable using said water vapor;
- and
- effecting, in the oxidizing unit, the oxidation of at least a portion of the oxidizable components of the effluent fluid stream,
- wherein the water vapor flows between the introduced halogen-containing effluent fluid stream and interior wall of the gas flow path of said oxidizing unit to thereby project said gas flow path from corrosion.
A method of thermally oxidizing a halogen-containing effluent gas in a thermal oxidation reactor including a gas flow path bounded by a liner susceptible to corrosion in exposure to halogen species in the halogen-containing effluent gas, said method comprising introducing the halogen-containing effluent gas into the thermal oxidation reactor and flowing water vapor between the introduced halogen-containing effluent gas and the liner to thereby protect the liner by reaction of the water vapor with the halogen species in the halogen-containing effluent gas.
A method of thermally oxidizing a halogen-containing effluent gas in a thermal oxidation reactor including a gas flow path bounded by a liner susceptible to corrosion in exposure to halogen species in the halogen-containing effluent gas, said method comprising introducing the halogen-containing effluent gas into the thermal oxidation reactor and flowing water vapor between the introduced halogen-containing effluent gas and the liner to thereby protect the liner by introducing and simultaneously mixing the water vapor with the halogen species in the halogen-containing effluent gas.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.