Fluorine container

Abstract

A tube trailer containing a gas comprising from 35 to 92.5 vol % of molecular fluorine. A semiconductor manufacturing plant having a gas supply system wherein such tube trailer is connected to the gas supply system of the semiconductor manufacturing plant. A method for supplying a gas comprising using such tube trailer to transport gas from a gas manufacturing site to a user site.

1 . A tube trailer containing a gas comprising from 35 to 92.5 vol % of molecular fluorine. 
     
     
         2 . The tube trailer of  claim 1 , comprising at least one cylindrically shaped hollow body containing said gas comprising from 35 to 92.5 vol % of molecular fluorine, wherein said tube trailer has a space containing said molecular fluorine containing gas, said molecular fluorine containing gas containing space of said tube trailer having an internal volume which is at least 1 m 3  per hollow body, and wherein parts of said tube trailer which are to be in contact with said gas are made of or coated with a material resistant to molecular fluorine. 
     
     
         3 . The tube trailer according to  claim 1 , wherein the remainder of said gas consists essentially of an inert gas selected from the group consisting of helium, neon, argon, xenon, nitrogen, and NF 3 . 
     
     
         4 . The tube trailer of  claim 1 , wherein parts of said tube trailer are made of or coated with said material resistant to molecular fluorine. 
     
     
         5 . The tube trailer according to  claim 1 , wherein parts of said tube trailer are made from said material selected from the group consisting of Monel metal, stainless steel, copper, and nickel. 
     
     
         6 . The tube trailer according to  claim 1 , comprising from 4 to 64 hollow bodies which are of substantially identical shape and dimensions. 
     
     
         7 . The tube trailer according to  claim 1 , further comprising a safety device which is operable to inject an inert gas into gas-containing parts of the tube trailer. 
     
     
         8 . The tube trailer according to  claim 7 , wherein the safety device contains nitrogen. 
     
     
         9 . The tube trailer according to  claim 1 , further comprising a safety device which is operable to reduce the pressure of a hollow body. 
     
     
         10 . A semiconductor manufacturing plant having a gas supply system, wherein the tube trailer according to  claim 1  is connected to said gas supply system of said semiconductor manufacturing plant. 
     
     
         11 . The semiconductor manufacturing plant according to  claim 10 , which is suitable to manufacture photovoltaic elements. 
     
     
         12 . The semiconductor manufacturing plant according to  claim 10 , which has a molecular fluorine requirement of from 5 to 100 metric tons per year. 
     
     
         13 . A method for supplying a gas, comprising utilizing the tube trailer according to  claim 1  to transport gas from a gas manufacturing site to a user site. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 13 , comprising
 (a) a first phase during which a gas containing molecular fluorine is supplied to the user site using said tube trailer; and   (b) a second phase wherein a gas containing molecular fluorine is supplied to the user site using a molecular fluorine generating device which is located on the user site.   
     
     
         15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . The tube trailer according to  claim 1 , wherein said molecular fluorine containing gas consists of from 80 to 92% by volume of molecular fluorine, the remainder to 100% by volume being at least one inert gas selected from the group consisting of nitrogen and argon. 
     
     
         18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . (canceled)