Concentric Gas Scrubber and Electrostatic Precipitator for Compact Effluent Treatment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing gas treatment apparatuses for effluent gases from epitaxial deposition processes face inefficiencies in capturing small solid particles and acidic gases, leading to increased volume and complexity with rising flow rates and efficiency requirements.
Innovation Solution
A compact gas treatment apparatus design featuring a concentric arrangement of a gas scrubber chamber and an electrostatic precipitation chamber, where the first chamber surrounds the second, allowing for shared volume and reduced part count, with features like a header tank for constant liquid flow and circumferentially flowing liquid curtains to enhance particle removal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a packed tower scrubber is used to remove acid gases and an electrostatic precipitator is added downstream to capture small particles, then the treatment effectiveness for both acidic gases and fine particles is improved, but the device complexity and volume increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the gas scrubbing function and electrostatic precipitation function into a single integrated chamber. The chamber contains both liquid scrubbing elements (for acid gas removal) and electrostatic precipitation elements (for particle capture) operating simultaneously within the same volume, thereby reducing device complexity and volume while maintaining treatment effectiveness for both acidic gases and fine particles.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated chamber serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as both a gas scrubber for acid gas removal and an electrostatic precipitator for particle capture. This multi-functional design eliminates the need for separate sequential treatment devices, reducing overall apparatus complexity while achieving comprehensive treatment of both gaseous and particulate contaminants.
2Ease of manufacture
If the scrubber and electrostatic precipitator are arranged as separate sequential chambers, then each component can be optimized independently, but the total volume and footprint of the apparatus increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent nests one treatment function within another by placing electrostatic precipitation elements inside the same chamber that contains liquid scrubbing elements. This nested arrangement allows both functions to occupy overlapping spatial volumes, significantly reducing the total apparatus volume and footprint while still enabling independent optimization of each component's design and operation.
3Ease of operation
If conventional separate chamber design is used, then maintenance and operation are straightforward, but the apparatus occupies excessive space and becomes increasingly complex with higher flow rates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the scrubbing and precipitation chambers into a single integrated unit, reducing the apparatus footprint and eliminating the need for large sequential chamber arrangements. This consolidation maintains operational simplicity while achieving compact dimensions suitable for higher flow rate applications without increasing spatial requirements.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration results in a more compact and efficient apparatus capable of handling higher flow rates with reduced complexity, effectively capturing smaller particles and acidic gases, while minimizing residue buildup and insulation issues.
Implementation Method 1
Acid gases such as HF and HCl are commonly removed from a gas stream using a packed tower scrubber, in which the acid gases are taken into solution by a scrubbing liquid flowing through the scrubber.
Implementation Method 2
it is known to provide an electrostatic precipitator downstream from the scrubber to remove these smaller particles from the waste stream
Implementation Method 3
before the waste stream is conveyed through the scrubber it is common practice for the waste stream to be conveyed through a thermal incinerator to react silane or other pyrophoric gas present within the waste stream with air
Data Source
AI summary
A gas treatment includes: a gas scrubber chamber operable to receive an effluent gas stream originating from a manufacturing process tool to be scrubbed therewithin to provide a scrubbed gas stream; and an electrostatic precipitation chamber operable to receive the scrubbed gas stream to be treated therewithin to provide a treated gas stream, one of the gas scrubber chamber and the electrostatic precipitation chamber defining a first chamber and another of the gas scrubber chamber and the electrostatic precipitation chamber defining a second chamber, the first chamber being configured to surround the second chamber. In this way, the first chamber and the second chamber can share the same volume.