Hydrogen Chloride Mixture Dehydration for Corrosion Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional methods for producing high-purity hydrogen chloride gas for semiconductor production result in water contamination, leading to corrosion of metal pipes and equipment, particularly stainless steel, due to inadequate dehydration techniques, which increase the risk of hydrogen chloride gas leakage and accidents.

Innovation Solution

A method involving two dehydration steps: initial cooling to condense and separate water, followed by contact with a water adsorbent like zeolite to achieve a hydrogen chloride mixture with a water concentration in the gas phase of 0.001-4.5 mol ppm and liquid phase of 0.01-1 mol ppm, significantly reducing metal corrosion.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If high-purity hydrogen chloride is filled into a filling container, then the initial water concentration is low, but water concentrates in the liquid phase during gasification, causing corrosion

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewater concentration controlVSAvoidcorrosion resistance
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by performing dehydration treatment before filling hydrogen chloride into the container. The water concentration is reduced to 10 ppm or less prior to filling, preventing subsequent corrosion issues during gasification. This advance preparation ensures that even as water concentrates during use, it remains below corrosive thresholds.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the water concentration parameter to an extremely low level (10 ppm or less) before filling. This parameter control ensures that during the gasification process, even though water concentrates in the liquid phase, the concentration remains insufficient to cause corrosion of metal components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Quantity of substance

If conventional dehydration methods are used, then water is removed to some extent, but water concentration increases during gasification, leading to pipe corrosion

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewater removalVSAvoidcorrosion
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by reducing water concentration to an extremely low level (10 ppm or less) before filling. This stringent parameter control ensures that even during complete gasification when water concentrates, the final concentration remains below the threshold for corrosion, thus eliminating the harmful effect.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies preliminary anti-action by performing aggressive dehydration before filling to prevent the harmful effect of corrosion. By reducing water to 10 ppm or less in advance, the system preemptively counteracts the concentration effect that occurs during gasification, ensuring corrosion never occurs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

3Reliability

If water concentration is reduced to prevent corrosion, then metal equipment is protected, but dehydration complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveequipment protectionVSAvoiddehydration process
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by performing complete dehydration to 10 ppm or less before filling. This one-time advance treatment simplifies the overall system by eliminating the need for complex corrosion prevention mechanisms during operation, while providing robust equipment protection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

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

The method effectively suppresses metal corrosion by maintaining low water concentrations throughout the gasification process, ensuring the hydrogen chloride mixture does not corrode stainless steel equipment, enhancing safety and efficiency in semiconductor production.

Implementation Method 1

initial cooling to condense and separate water

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCondensation: Condensation

Implementation Method 2

contact with a water adsorbent like zeolite to achieve a hydrogen chloride mixture with a water concentration in the gas phase of 0.001-4.5 mol ppm

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAdsorption: Adsorption

Data Source

PatentEP3395759B1Hydrogen chloride mixture, method for producing the same, and filling container
Publication Date: 2022.02.09 RESONAC HOLDINGS CORP

AI summary

There is provided a hydrogen chloride mixture hardly corroding a metal. The hydrogen chloride mixture contains hydrogen chloride and water. The hydrogen chloride mixture is filled into a filling container so that a part of the hydrogen chloride mixture is liquid. The concentration of water in a gas phase in the hydrogen chloride mixture is 0.001 mol ppm or more and less than 4.5 mol ppm.