Effluent gas stream treatment system having utility for oxidation treatment of semiconductor manufacturing effluent gases

Abstract

An effluent gas stream treatment system for treatment of gaseous effluents such as waste gases from semiconductor manufacturing operations. The effluent gas stream treatment system comprises a pre-oxidation treatment unit, which may for example comprise a scrubber, an oxidation unit such an electrothermal oxidizer, and a post-oxidation treatment unit, such as a wet or dry scrubber. The effluent gas stream treatment system of the invention may utilize an integrated oxidizer, quench and wet scrubber assembly, for abatement of hazardous or otherwise undesired components from the effluent gas stream. Gas or liquid shrouding of gas streams in the treatment system may be provided by high efficiency inlet structures.

1 . An effluent gas stream treatment system, comprising:
 means for pre-treating the effluent gas stream, to enhance its character for subsequent oxidation treatment;   an oxidation unit for oxidizing at least a portion of the oxidizable components of the effluent gas stream to abate such oxidizable components;   means for post-oxidation treatment of the effluent gas stream, to enhance the character of the effluent gas stream for discharge from the treatment system.   
   
   
       2 . An effluent gas stream treatment system according to  claim 1 , comprising a gas stream inlet structure for shrouding the effluent gas stream with a liquid or gas shrouding medium. 
   
   
       3 . An effluent gas stream treatment system according to  claim 2 , wherein the shrouding medium comprises a gas. 
   
   
       4 . An effluent gas stream treatment system according to  claim 2 , wherein the shrouding medium comprises a liquid. 
   
   
       5 . An effluent gas stream treatment system according to  claim 2 , wherein said inlet structure comprises a gas/liquid interface structure for transport of the effluent gas stream from an upstream source of same to a downstream processing unit, said gas/liquid interface structure comprising:
 a first vertically extending inlet flow passage member having an upper entrance for introduction of said gas stream and a lower end for discharge of said gas stream;   a second flow passage member circumscribing the first flow passage member and in spaced relationship thereto, to define an annular volume therebetween, said second flow passage member extending downwardly to a lower end below the lower end of the first flow passage member, and said second flow passage member having an upper liquid-permeable portion elevationally above the lower end of the first flow passage member and a lower liquid-impermeable portion below said upper liquid-permeable portion;   an outer wall member enclosingly circumscribing the second flow passage member and defining therewith an enclosed interior annular volume; and   a liquid flow inlet port in the outer wall member for introducing liquid into the enclosed interior annular volume between the second flow passage member and the outer wall member.   
   
   
       6 . An effluent gas stream treatment system according to  claim 5 , wherein the upper liquid-permeable portion of the second flow passage member comprises a porous cylindrical wall member. 
   
   
       7 . An effluent gas stream treatment system according to  claim 6 , wherein the porous cylindrical wall member is formed of a sintered metal material. 
   
   
       8 . An effluent gas stream treatment system according to  claim 5 , wherein the upper liquid-permeable portion of the second flow passage member is formed of a porous ceramic material. 
   
   
       9 . An effluent gas stream treatment system according to  claim 5 , wherein the liquid-permeable portion is constituted by a porous wall having an average pore size in the range of from about 0.5 to about 30 microns. 
   
   
       10 . An effluent gas stream treatment system according to  claim 5 , wherein the first and second flow passage members are each cylindrical in character and coaxial with one another. 
   
   
       11 . An effluent gas stream treatment system according to  claim 5 , wherein the outer wall member enclosingly circumscribing the second flow passage member comprises a cylindrical sidewall in radially spaced relationship to the second flow passage member, a top end wall through which the first liquid flow passage member extends, and a bottom end wall between the second flow passage member and the sidewall of the outer wall member. 
   
   
       12 . An effluent gas stream treatment system according to  claim 2 , wherein the inlet structure comprises a clog-resistant inlet structure for introducing a particulate solids-containing fluid stream to a treatment unit in said effluent gas stream system, said inlet structure comprising:
 first and second generally vertically arranged flow passage sections in serial coupled relationship to one another, defining in such serial coupled relationship a generally vertical flow passage through which the particulate solids-containing fluid stream may be flowed, from an upstream source of the particulate sohds-containing fluid to the treatment unit in fluid stream-receiving relationship to the inlet structure;   said first flow passage section comprising an upper section of the inlet structure and including an inner gas-permeable wall having an interior surface bounding an upper part of the flow passage, and an outer wall enclosingly surrounding the gas-permeable wall to define an interior annular volume therebetween;   a low pressure gas flow port in the outer wall of the first flow passage section, said low pressure gas flow port being coupleable to a source of low pressure gas for flowing of low pressure gas at a predetermined flow rate into the interior annular volume, for subsequent flow of low pressure gas from the interior annular volume into the flow passage of the inlet structure;   a high pressure gas flow port in the outer wall of the first flow passage section, said high pressure gas flow port being coupleable to a source of high pressure gas for flowing of high pressure gas into the interior annular volume, to clean the gas-permeable wall of particulates depositing or forming thereon;   the second flow passage section being serially coupled to the first flow passage section, for flowing of particulate solids-containing fluid downwardly into the second flow passage section from the first flow passage section, said second flow passage including an outer wall having a liquid injection part therein, said second flow passage section outer wall being coupled with the first flow passage section, and an Inner weir wall in spaced apart relationship to the outer wall to define an interior annular volume therebetween, with the inner weir wall extending toward but terminating short of the gas-permeable wall of the first flow passage section, to provide a gap therebetween defining a weir, and with said weir wall having an interior surface bounding the flow passage in the second flow passage section;   whereby when liquid is flowed into the interior annular volume between the outer wall of the second flow passage section and the inner weir wall thereof, the introduced liquid overflows the weir and flows down the interior surface of the inner wall of the second flow passage section to wash any particulate solids from the wall and to suppress the deposition or formation of solids on the interior surface of the inner weir wall, as the particulate solids-containing gas stream is flowed through the flow passage of the inlet structure.   
   
   
       13 . An effluent gas stream treatment system according to  claim 12 , wherein a source of low pressure gases is coupled to the low pressure gas port in the outer wall of the first flow passage section. 
   
   
       14 . An effluent gas stream treatment system according to  claim 12 , wherein a source of high pressure gas is coupled to the high pressure gas port in the outer wall of the first flow passage section. 
   
   
       15 . An effluent gas stream treatment system according to  claim 12 , wherein a lower end of the second flow passage section is joined to a water scrubber for scrubbing of the particulate solids-containing gas stream flowed through the flow passage of the inlet structure. 
   
   
       16 . An effluent gas stream treatment system according to  claim 12 , wherein the first and second flow passage sections are quick disconnectably coupled to one another. 
   
   
       17 . An effluent gas stream treatment system according to  claim 12 , wherein the first flow passage section is of cylindrical shape. 
   
   
       18 . An effluent gas stream treatment system according to  claim 12 , wherein the first flow passage section and second flow passage section are coaxially aligned with one another. 
   
   
       19 . An effluent gas stream treatment system according to  claim 12 , wherein the gas permeable wall is formed of a porous metal material. 
   
   
       20 . An effluent gas stream treatment system according to  claim 12 , wherein the gas permeable wall is formed of a porous ceramic.