Method and apparatus for pyrophoric and other type gas line explosion suppression

Abstract

A flash arrestor applicable to suppress explosions in gas lines generally, but specifically appropriate for suppressing explosions of pyrophoric gases, particularly silane in connection with integrated circuit manufacturing, has two identical flash suppression assemblies that are interconnected and act bidirectionally so as to suppress explosions occurring on either side of the apparatus. The positioning of a poppet relative to a poppet seat can be set manually into “open,” “closed” and “armed” positions, the latter indicating that the apparatus has been configured so as to intercept automatically any explosion that is transmitted to it through a gas line so as to yield a valve “closed” configuration, and that closed position can then be locked in manually. Sets of baffles, suppression media and shock resonating orifice plates serve not only to close the necessary valves to prevent damage to equipment to which the apparatus is connected, but also to extinguish combustion within the apparatus itself and back up the line to the source of the explosion. The valves are self-actuating under breach conditions.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.