Real-Time Pollution Source Tracking in Process Water
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Solution Overview
Problem
In high-tech industries like semiconductor manufacturing, the challenge is to improve the reclaim rate of process water while maintaining water quality, as current methods fail to identify pollution sources in real-time, leading to excessive water wastage and pollution of ultra-pure water supplies.
Innovation Solution
A method that involves detecting drain water amount variations and water quality variations in a buffer tank, superposing liquid level and water quality curves to calculate peak overlap ratios, allowing for real-time identification of pollution sources and directing contaminated water to waste treatment systems, thereby stabilizing water quality and optimizing water reuse.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If water quality monitoring is performed only after drain water is drained to the buffer tank, then the monitoring system is simple, but the pollution source cannot be identified and large amounts of water are wasted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the monitoring system into multiple segments: individual monitoring points at each rinsing tank outlet, buffer tank monitoring, and reclaiming system monitoring. This segmentation enables identification of pollution sources at specific tanks while maintaining overall system simplicity through modular detection points that measure parameters like conductivity, TOC, and pH at distributed locations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary analysis system that receives data from multiple monitoring points and performs analytical comparison to identify pollution sources. This intermediary layer processes drain water amount variation curves and water quality variation curves to determine which specific rinsing tank is the pollution source, enabling targeted response without complex direct tracing infrastructure.
2Reliability
If the whole tank water is guided to waste water treatment system when pollution is detected, then water quality stability is maintained, but reclaim rate decreases due to excessive water wastage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality control by identifying and isolating only the specific rinsing tank that is the pollution source, rather than treating all tanks uniformly. When pollution is detected, the system directs water only from the identified problematic tank to the waste water treatment system, while water from other clean tanks continues to the reclaiming system, thereby maintaining water quality stability while maximizing reclaim rate.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements selective discarding and recovering by separating clean water streams from polluted streams. Water from rinsing tanks determined to be pollution-free is recovered and directed to the reclaiming system for reuse, while only water from tanks identified as pollution sources is discarded to waste treatment. This selective approach maintains reliability by removing contaminants while improving productivity by recovering usable water.
3Quantity of substance
If drain water is monitored after gathering in buffer tank, then monitoring cost is reduced, but real-time pollution source tracking is impossible
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by placing monitoring points at the outlets of individual rinsing tanks before the drain water converges in the buffer tank. These preliminary measurements of drain water amount and quality parameters create baseline data that enables retrospective identification of pollution sources. The system performs preliminary detection and then uses analytical comparison to trace pollution sources in real-time without requiring continuous expensive monitoring at every location.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent establishes a feedback mechanism where monitoring data from multiple points (individual tank outlets and buffer tank) is continuously collected and analytically compared. The system provides feedback by generating pollution source identification results that trigger automated responses, such as directing water from identified problematic tanks to waste treatment. This feedback loop enables real-time tracking and response while maintaining cost-effectiveness through strategic placement of monitoring points.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for tracking a pollution source in process water is presented. Firstly, variation curves of drain water drained from different rinsing tanks are respectively obtained, and a water quality concentration of the drain water drained to a buffer tank is detected, so as to output a water quality variation curve. Then, an analytical comparison is performed on each drain water amount variation curve and the water quality variation curve within a same time interval, so as to output an analytical result of each flow of drain water in a range exceeding a predetermined water quality standard. In this manner, the drain water that exceeds the predetermined water quality standard can be tracked in real-time according to the analytical result, thereby quickly improving the process for discharging the drain water.