Active filtration system for controlling cleanroom environments

{
  "publication_number": "US9808760B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Active filtration system for controlling cleanroom environments",
  "abstract": "This invention is in the field of systems and methods for controlling contamination in high purity environments. This invention relates generally to particulate filtering and treatment of molecular contamination and process gases in enclosures, such as cleanrooms, contamination controlled manufacturing environments, mini-environments, isolators, glove boxes and restricted air barrier systems (RABS). The invention is capable of chemically transforming molecular contamination and process gases into less reactive or inert reaction products while at the same time decreasing the level of biological and nonbiological particulates.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A system for controlling conditions in a cleanroom enclosure comprising: an active filtration system in fluid communication with said cleanroom enclosure for reducing a concentration of one or more molecular contaminants or process gases in said cleanroom enclosure, wherein said active filtration system receives gas from said cleanroom enclosure or provides gas to said cleanroom enclosure, decomposes said one or more molecular contaminants or process gases to reaction products and reduces the abundance of particles present in said enclosure.",
    "2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a gas inlet for introducing said one or more process gases into said enclosure.",
    "3. The system of claim 1, wherein a gas inlet of said active filtration system is provided in fluid communication with said enclosure.",
    "4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a fluid actuator for transporting said gas from said enclosure through said active filtration system or transporting gas through said active filtration system into said enclosure.",
    "5. The system of claim 1, wherein said fluid actuator is a pump or a fan.",
    "6. The system of claim 1, wherein said fluid actuator transports said gas through said active filtration system and away from said enclosure.",
    "7. The system of claim 1, wherein said fluid actuator transports said gas through said active filtration system and returns treated gas to said enclosure.",
    "8. The system of claim 1, wherein a gas outlet of said active filtration system is positioned in fluid communication with said enclosure.",
    "9. The system of claim 1, wherein said enclosure and said active filtration system comprise a closed system.",
    "10. The system of claim 1, wherein said enclosure comprises a cleanroom, an equipment front end module, mini-environment, a contamination controlled manufacturing environment, a glove box, a restricted air barrier system, an isolator or a freeze dryer.",
    "11. The system of claim 1, wherein said enclosure is located within a cleanroom.",
    "12. The system of claim 1, wherein said one or more molecular contaminants is one or more volatile organic compounds or refractory compounds.",
    "13. The system of claim 1, wherein said one or more process gases is one or more gas-phase sterilants.",
    "14. The system of claim 1, wherein said enclosure is for preparation, manufacture, storage, transfer, fill or finish of a sterile pharmaceutical or biological product, a sterile container for a pharmaceutical or biological product or a sterile delivery device a pharmaceutical or biological product.",
    "15. The system of claim 1, wherein said enclosure is for preparation, manufacture, storage, transfer or processing of a food or a drink.",
    "16. The system of claim 1, wherein said enclosure is for preparation, manufacture, transport, processing or storage of semiconductors, optical materials, microelectronic systems, data storage devices, LED devices, or flat panel displays.",
    "17. The system of claim 1, wherein said enclosure is for preparation, manufacture, storage, transfer or processing of a cosmetic."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The manufacture of many classes of products requires precisely controlled chemical environments characterized by stringent criteria on the acceptable levels of particulate and/or gas phase contaminants. Semiconductor and microelectronics processing, for example, requires very low levels of molecular and particulate contaminants to provide high purity materials and processing conditions enabling a wide range of state of the art products. Similarly, the manufacture of pharmaceutical and biological products requires highly sterile environments characterized by low levels of biologically active contaminants to address safety and efficacy considerations.\n\nCurrently, the electronic manufacturing industry relies primarily on filtration for removal of particulate to maintain cleanroom conditions. Filtration is typically achieved by pumping ambient gas through either a high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) or an ultra-low penetration air (ULPA) filtration system. HEPA and ULPA filtration are capable of achieving low particulate levels but require a substantial pressure drop to transport gas through the dense filters necessary for effective particulate collection. Additionally, current HEPA and ULPA filtration systems remove almost no airborne molecular contamination (AMC), such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The VOCs can lead to surface molecular contaminations, such as residues, within the electronics, which may substantially impact physical, chemical, electrical, or optical performance.",
  "cpc": [
    "B01D 53/82",
    "A61L 2/00",
    "A61L 2209/14",
    "A61L 2209/212",
    "A61L 9/00",
    "A61L 9/12",
    "A61L 9/22",
    "B01D 2251/104",
    "B01D 2257/708",
    "B01D 2257/91",
    "B01D 2258/06",
    "B01D 2259/4508",
    "B01D 53/323",
    "B01D 53/44",
    "B01D 53/46",
    "B01D 53/72"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "A61L 2/00",
    "A61L 9/00",
    "A61L 9/12",
    "B01D 53/32",
    "B01D 53/44",
    "B01D 53/46",
    "B01D 53/72",
    "B01D 53/82"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Particle Measuring Systems SRL",
    "Particle Measuring Systems Inc"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Gerald GROMALA",
    "Ronald W. ADKINS",
    "Gilberto DALMASO",
    "Brian A. Knollenberg",
    "Daniel Rodier"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2017-06-06",
  "publication_date": "2017-11-07",
  "grant_date": "2017-11-07",
  "priority_date": "2014-07-08",
  "application_number": "US-201715615590-A",
  "family_id": "55064775",
  "cited_by_count": 29,
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}