Ozone Adsorption Columns Serial-Parallel Cycle
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for producing high-concentration ozone gas face inefficiencies in adsorption and pressure reduction, requiring large facilities and high energy costs, with issues of ozone decomposition and impurity contamination, limiting continuous and high-purity ozone supply in semiconductor production.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus with multiple adsorption/desorption columns in a serial and parallel configuration, using silica gel as an ozone adsorbent at low temperatures and high pressures, allowing for efficient ozone adsorption and desorption, reducing ozone discharge, and enhancing adsorption efficiency while minimizing impurities and energy loss.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If conventional ozone adsorption methods are used with refrigerating machines and reduced pressure, then high-concentration ozone can be produced, but the facility size and energy consumption increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the operating parameters by using ambient temperature or slightly elevated temperatures instead of refrigeration, and atmospheric pressure instead of reduced pressure. This eliminates the need for refrigerating machines and vacuum pumps, dramatically reducing energy consumption while maintaining high ozone concentration through the novel adsorption-desorption cycle
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts and eliminates the energy-intensive components (refrigerating machines and reduced pressure systems) from the conventional ozone production process, replacing them with a simplified system that uses temperature and pressure cycling of the adsorbent bed to achieve the same concentration effect
2Productivity
If adsorption/desorption columns operate at reduced pressure with refrigeration, then ozone adsorption efficiency improves, but facility complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the operating conditions from reduced pressure with refrigeration to atmospheric pressure with ambient or slightly elevated temperature. The adsorption efficiency is maintained through cyclic heating and cooling of the adsorbent bed, which controls the adsorption-desorption process without requiring complex vacuum and refrigeration systems
Solution Approach 2:
The adsorbent bed performs self-regulation of the adsorption-desorption process through temperature cycling. The heating phase promotes desorption of ozone from the adsorbent, while the cooling phase promotes re-adsorption, creating a self-sustaining cycle that eliminates the need for external refrigeration and vacuum systems
3Ease of operation
If ozone is stored or transported over distance, then convenient supply to multiple locations is achieved, but ozone decomposition occurs due to strong self-decomposition property
Solution Approach 1:
The invention establishes a continuous production and delivery system where ozone is generated and supplied to the treatment chamber without interruption or storage. The adsorption-desorption columns operate in a continuous cycle, ensuring steady ozone supply to the semiconductor treatment process, eliminating the stability issues associated with storage and transport
4Stability of the object's composition
If nitrogen is mixed in oxygen gas to stabilize ozone generation, then ozone generation stability improves, but nitrogen oxide contamination occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts nitrogen from the oxygen gas supply, using pure oxygen instead of nitrogen-oxygen mixtures for ozone generation. This eliminates the source of nitrogen oxide contamination while maintaining ozone generation stability through precise control of the oxygen flow rate and ozone generation conditions in the semiconductor treatment chamber
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 apparatus achieves continuous high-purity ozone output with increased adsorption capacity, reduced facility size and cost, and improved energy efficiency, enabling stable semiconductor processing without nitrogen oxide contamination.
Implementation Method 1
ozonized oxygen gas at an atmospheric pressure exceeding one is supplied, ozone is selectively concentrated with silica gel (ozone is adsorbed) at a low temperature of 0° C. or less and a high atmospheric pressure
Implementation Method 2
evacuation processing of discharging oxygen from the ozone adsorbent which has absorbed ozone, and desorption processing of outputting the ozonized gas that is highly concentrated with oxygen being discharged therefrom by vacuum desorption or heating desorption
Implementation Method 3
desorption processing of outputting the ozonized gas that is highly concentrated with oxygen being discharged therefrom by vacuum desorption or heating desorption
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for producing high-concentration ozone gas has a plurality of adsorption/desorption columns and a plurality of valves capable of switching opening/closing of the passage of gas flowing into or out of the adsorption/desorption columns, such that each of the adsorption/desorption columns can performs ozone adsorption processing, evacuation processing or desorption processing. At least two of the adsorption/desorption columns are placed in a serial cycle arrangement to constitute a main adsorption/desorption column group, and one or more of the other adsorption/desorption columns is placed in parallel with the main adsorption/desorption column group to constitute an auxiliary adsorption/desorption column. The auxiliary adsorption/desorption column performs desorption processing during a period in which none of the adsorption/desorption columns of the main adsorption/desorption column group is performing desorption processing.