Apparatus for treating a substrate with an ozone-solvent solution

Abstract

A system for treating a substrate with an ozone-solvent solution has an ozone-solvent solution supply. The supply has a supply outlet, and the ozone solvent solution supply is capable of delivering at the supply outlet a generally continuous supply of an ozone-solvent solution formed at a first temperature. The system includes a heater having an inlet and heater outlet, with the inlet fluidly coupled to receive the ozone-solvent solution at approximately the first temperature from the supply outlet. The heater is configured to heat the ozone-solvent solution from the first temperature to a second temperature to form a heated ozone-solvent solution such that the heated ozone-solvent solution is supersaturated with ozone. The heater is capable of providing a generally continuous supply of heated, supersaturated, ozone-solvent solution at the heater outlet for use in treating the substrate.

1 . A system for treating a substrate with an ozone-solvent solution comprising: 
 an ozone-solvent solution supply having a supply outlet, said ozone solvent solution supply capable of delivering at said supply outlet a generally continuous supply of an ozone-solvent solution formed at a first temperature;    a heater having an inlet and heater outlet, said inlet fluidly coupled to receive said ozone-solvent solution at approximately said first temperature from said supply outlet, said heater configured to heat said ozone-solvent solution from said first temperature to a second temperature to form a heated ozone-solvent solution relative to said first temperature such that the heated ozone-solvent solution is supersaturated with ozone, said heater capable of providing a generally continuous supply of heated, supersaturated, ozone-solvent solution at said heater outlet for use in treating the substrate.    
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a pressure dropping element having an inlet and outlet, said inlet of the pressure dropping element fluidly coupled to said heater outlet, and said outlet of said pressure dropping element capable of providing a generally continuous supply of heated supersaturated ozone-solvent solution for use in treating the substrate.  
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 an injected chemicals supply:    an injector-mixer having a mixer inlet, an injection port, and a mixer outlet, said mixer inlet fluidly coupled to said heater outlet, said injection port fluidly coupled to said injected chemicals supply, said mixer outlet capable of providing a generally continuous supply of heated supersaturated ozone-solvent solution mixed with a predetermined percentage of injected chemicals from said injected chemicals supply, for use in treating a substrate.    
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 an injected chemicals supply;    an injector-mixer having a mixer inlet, an injection port, and a mixer outlet, said mixer inlet fluidly coupled to receive said ozone-solvent solution at approximately said first temperature from said supply outlet, said injection port fluidly coupled to said injected chemicals supply, said mixer outlet fluidly coupled to the inlet of said heater, said mixer outlet providing a generally continuous supply of ozone-solvent solution mixed with a predetermined percentage of injected chemicals from said injected chemicals supply at the inlet of said heater.    
   
   
       5 . A system for treating a substrate with an ozone-solvent solution comprising: 
 an ozone-solvent solution supply with a fluid inlet and a ozone-solvent solution outlet, said supply capable of delivering a generally continuous supply of an ozone-solvent solution formed at a first temperature at said solution supply outlet;    a pump with a pump inlet and a pump outlet, said pump inlet fluidly coupled to receive said ozone-solvent solution at approximately said first temperature from said pump supply outlet, said pump capable of delivering said ozone solvent solution at a higher pressure at the pump outlet than that available at the pump inlet;    a three way valve with a common valve inlet, a first valve outlet, and a second valve outlet, said common valve inlet fluidly coupled to the pump outlet to receive said ozone-solvent solution at approximately said first temperature, said first valve outlet fluidly connected to return the ozone-solvent solution back to the fluid inlet of said ozone-solvent solution supply, said three way valve configured in one of two modes, said first mode for providing a generally continuous supply of ozone-solvent solution for use in treating a substrate at the second valve outlet during a treatment cycle, and said second mode for returning said ozone-solvent solution to said ozone solvent solution supply during idle periods between treatment cycles.    
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 5  further comprising a heater having an inlet and outlet, said inlet fluidly coupled to receive said ozone-solvent solution at approximately said first temperature from said a second valve outlet, said heater configured to heat said ozone-solvent solution from said first temperature to form a heated ozone-solvent solution relative to said first temperature such that the heated ozone-solvent solution is supersaturated with ozone, said heater outlet capable of providing a generally continuous supply of heated supersaturated ozone-solvent solution for use in treating a substrate.  
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 6  further comprising a pressure dropping element having an inlet and outlet, said inlet of the pressure dropping element fluidly coupled to the outlet of said heater, and said outlet of said pressure dropping element capable of providing a generally continuous supply of heated supersaturated ozone-solvent solution for use in treating a substrate.  
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 6  further comprising: 
 an injected chemicals supply;    an injector-mixer having a mixer inlet, an injection port, and a mixer outlet, said mixer inlet fluidly coupled to the outlet of said heater, said injection port fluidly coupled to said injected chemicals supply, said mixer outlet capable of providing a generally continuous supply of heated supersaturated ozone-solvent solution mixed with a predetermined percentage of injected chemicals from said injected chemicals supply, for use in treating a substrate.    
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 6  further comprising: 
 at least one injected chemical supply;    at least one injector-mixer having a mixer inlet, an injection port, and a mixer outlet, said mixer inlet fluidly coupled to receive said ozone-solvent solution at approximately said first temperature from said supply outlet, said injection port fluidly coupled to said injected chemicals supply, said mixer outlet fluidly coupled to the inlet of said heater providing a generally continuous supply of ozone-solvent solution mixed with a predetermined percentage of at least one injected chemical from said at least one injected chemicals supply at the inlet of said heater.    
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the ozone-water solution supply comprises: 
 an ozone-solvent contacting device, said contacting device having a fluid inlet, a gas inlet, a gas outlet, and an ozone-solvent solution outlet;    a supply of solvent fluidly coupled to the fluid inlet of said ozone-solvent contacting device;    a supply of ozone gas fluidly coupled to the gas inlet of said ozone-solvent contacting device;    a ozone-off-gas receiving vent fluidly coupled to the gas outlet of said ozone-solvent contacting device;    an ozone-water solution outlet capable of providing a generally continuous supply of an ozone-solvent solution formed at a first temperature for use in treating a substrate.    
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 5 , where the ozone-water solution supply comprises: 
 an ozone-solvent contacting device, said contacting device have a fluid inlet, a gas inlet, a gas outlet, and an ozone-solvent solution outlet;    a supply of solvent fluidly coupled to the fluid inlet of said ozone-solvent contacting device;    a supply of ozone gas fluidly coupled to the gas inlet of said ozone-solvent contacting device;    a ozone-off-gas receiving vent fluidly coupled to the gas outlet of said ozone-solvent contacting device;    an ozone-water solution outlet capable of providing a generally continuous supply of an ozone-solvent solution formed at a first temperature for use in treating a substrate.    
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 10  further including a solvent cooler having a cooler inlet and a cooler outlet, said cooler inlet fluidly coupled to said supply of solvent and said cooler outlet fluidly coupled to the fluid inlet of said solvent-gas contacting device, said solvent cooler configured to cool said solvent to a predetermined temperature to increase the solubility of the ozone-gas in the solvent.  
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 11  further including a solvent cooler having a cooler inlet and a cooler outlet, said cooler inlet fluidly coupled to said supply of solvent and said cooler outlet fluidly coupled to the fluid inlet of said solvent-gas contacting device, said solvent cooler configured to cool said solvent to a predetermined temperature to increase the solubility of the ozone-gas in the solvent.  
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 5  further including 
 an injected chemicals supply:    an injector-mixer having a mixer inlet, an injection port, and a mixer outlet, said inlet fluidly coupled to said second valve outlet of said three-way valve, said injection port fluidly coupled to said injected chemicals supply, said outlet capable of providing a generally continuous supply of said ozone-solvent solution mixed with a predetermined percentage of injected chemicals from said injected chemicals supply, for use in treating a substrate.    
   
   
       15 . A system as in  claim 1  wherein said second temperature is at least 5 degree C. greater than said first temperature.  
   
   
       16 . A system of  claim 1  wherein said at least one injected chemical is selected from the group consisting of a pH buffer, an acid, and a base.  
   
   
       17 . A system of as in  claim 1  wherein said at least one injected chemical is a hydroxyl radical scavenger.  
   
   
       18 . A system as in  claim 1  wherein said first temperature is in the range of 1 degree C. to 30 degrees C.  
   
   
       19 . A system as in  claim 1  wherein said first temperature is in the range of 5 degrees C. to 20 degrees C.  
   
   
       20 . A system as in  claim 1  wherein said second temperature is in the range of 30 degrees C. to 95 degrees C.  
   
   
       21 . A system as in  claim 1  wherein said second temperature is in the range of 35 degrees C. to 65 degrees C.  
   
   
       22 . A system as in  claim 1  wherein said heater comprises a heat exchanger.  
   
   
       23 . A system as in  claim 1  wherein said heater comprises an in-line heater.  
   
   
       24 . A system as in  claim 12  wherein said cooler comprises a heat exchanger