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US 9,960,062 B2Granted
Effluent control system
AssigneePeek Process Insights, Inc.
InventorBenjamin R. Peek
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus, method, and system for collecting data related to effluent emitted from tools in semiconductor fabrication facilities using one or more sensors to take continuous real-time samples of the effluent to indicate one or more properties and characteristics of effluent, and based at least in part on the properties and characteristics indicated in the samples taken by at least one or more sensors, determining the proper processing, recyclability, and treatment of the effluent.
Claims24
A liquid effluent monitoring system, comprising:
- one or more outlet pipes connected to one or more outlet ports of a wafer cleaning system for receiving one or more liquid effluents discharged by the wafer cleaning system;
- one or more bypass pipes connected to the one or more outlet pipes, the one or more bypass pipes in communication with one or more sensors, the one or more sensors to generate one or more outputs indicative of characteristics of the one or more liquid effluents;
- one or more valves connected to the one or more outlet pipes and to a first, second, and third diversion pipes, the one or more valves positioned to be downstream from the one or more outlet pipes and upstream of the first, second, and third diversion pipes, the one or more valves configured to direct the one or more liquid effluents from the one or more outlet pipes to one of the first, second, or third diversion pipes;
- first, second, and third storage facilities connected at a downstream end to each of the first, second, and third diversion pipes, respectively;
- a controller, operatively connected to the one or more valves to direct the one or more liquid effluents to the first, second, or third diversion pipes, the controller having as an input:
- one or more outputs from the one or more sensors, an output from an operational state of the wafer cleaning system, and/or a predetermined chemical mixture output corresponding to a particular operational stage of the wafer cleaning system;
- wherein the controller, based at least on the one or more inputs, having as an output a valve control instruction that operates the one or more valves to direct the one or more liquid effluents to the first, second, or third diversion pipes;
- the one or more outlet ports of the wafer cleaning system comprise an acid outlet port for discharging the liquid effluent and a hydrofluoric acid outlet port for discharging the liquid effluent from the wafer cleaning system;
- the one or more outlet pipes comprise a first outlet pipe connected at an upstream end to the first outlet port and a second outlet pipe connected at an upstream end to the second outlet port;
- and
- the one or more bypass pipes comprise a first bypass pipe connected at an upstream end to the first outlet pipe and a second bypass pipe connected at an upstream end to the second outlet pipe, the first bypass pipe in communication with the one or more sensors including a first pH sensor and a first resistivity sensor, the first pH sensor generates a first pH output indicative of a pH of the liquid effluent, the first resistivity sensor generates a first resistivity output indicative of a resistivity of the liquid effluent, the second bypass pipe in fluid communication with the one or more sensors including a second pH sensor, a second resistivity sensor and a hydrogen fluoride sensor, the second pH sensor generates a second pH output indicative of a pH of the liquid effluent, the second resistivity sensor generates a second resistivity output indicative of a resistivity of the liquid effluent, the hydrogen fluoride sensor generates a concentration output indicative of a hydrogen fluoride concentration of the liquid effluent.
8 more elements
A liquid and gas effluent monitoring system, comprising:
- a flue outlet pipe connected to a flue outlet port of a wafer cleaning system for receiving a flue gas released by the wafer cleaning system;
- a flue bypass pipe connected to the flue outlet pipe and in communication with one or more flue sensors, the one or more flue sensors configured to generate one or more outputs indicating concentrations of one or more chemical components present in the flue gas;
- a flue valve connected to the flue outlet pipe and to a first, second, and third flue diversion pipes, the flue valve positioned to be downstream from the flue outlet pipe and upstream of the first, second and third flue diversion pipes, the flue valve configured to direct the flue gas from the flue outlet pipe to one of the first, second or third flue diversion pipes;
- first, second, and third exhaust processing modules connected at a downstream end to each of the first, second, and third flue diversion pipes, respectively;
- an acid outlet pipe connected to an acid outlet port of the wafer cleaning system for receiving a liquid effluent discharged by the wafer cleaning system;
- an acid bypass pipe connected to the acid outlet pipe and in fluid communication with a first set one or more liquid effluent sensors, the first set one or more liquid effluent sensors are to generate one or more outputs indicative of characteristics of the liquid effluent;
- an acid valve connected to the acid outlet pipe and to the first, second, and third acid diversion pipes, the acid valve positioned to be downstream from the acid outlet pipe and upstream of the first, second, and third acid diversion pipes, the acid valve configured to direct the liquid effluent from the acid outlet pipe to one of the first, second, or third acid diversion pipes;
- first, second, and third storage facilities connected at a downstream end to each of the first, second, and third acid diversion pipes, respectively;
- a hydrofluoric acid outlet pipe connected to a hydrofluoric acid outlet port of the wafer cleaning system for receiving the liquid effluent discharged by the wafer cleaning system;
- a hydrofluoric acid bypass pipe connected to the hydrofluoric acid outlet pipe and in communication with a second set of one or more liquid effluent sensors, the second set of one or more sensors are configured to generate one or more outputs indicative of characteristics of the liquid effluent;
- an hydrofluoric acid valve connected to the hydrofluoric acid outlet pipe and to a first, second, and third hydrofluoric acid diversion pipes, the hydrofluoric acid valve positioned to be downstream from the hydrofluoric acid outlet pipe and upstream of a first, second, and third hydrofluoric acid diversion pipes, the hydrofluoric acid valve configured to direct the liquid effluent from the hydrofluoric acid outlet pipe to one of the first, second, or third hydrofluoric acid diversion pipes;
- the first, second, and third storage facilities connected at a downstream end to each of the first, second, and third hydrofluoric acid diversion pipes, respectively;
- a controller, operatively connected to the flue, acid, and hydrofluoric acid valves to:
- direct the flue gas to the first, second, or third flue diversion pipes via a flue valve control instruction, to direct the liquid effluent to the first, second, or third hydrofluoric acid diversion pipes via a hydrofluoric acid valve control instruction, and/or to direct the liquid effluent to the first, second, or third acid diversion pipes via an acid valve control instruction;
- and
- wherein the controller, having as an input:
- one or more outputs from the one or more flue sensors, the first set of liquid effluent sensors, the second set of liquid effluent sensors, an output from an operational stage of the wafer cleaning system, and/or a predetermined chemical mixture output corresponding to a particular operational stage of the wafer cleaning system, wherein the controller, based at least on the one or more inputs, having as an output:
- the flue valve control instruction, the acid valve control instruction, and/or the hydrofluoric acid valve control instruction.
15 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.