Usfilter Corporation

Illinois Water Treatment, Inc.

United States Filter Corporation

James L Filson

Frank L Sassaman, Jr

Philip M Kemp

Ramesh R Bhave

Stanley R Kaars

Wesley R Carrera

A novel process and apparatus are disclosed for cleaning wastewater containing metal ions in solution, hydrogen peroxide, and high solids, e.g., greater than about 50 mg/l particulate solids. A carbon adsorption column removes hydrogen peroxide in the wastewater feed containing high solids. A ion exchange unit removes the metal ions from solution. The process and apparatus remove metal ions such as copper from a high solids byproduct polishing slurry from the chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) of integrated circuit microchips to form an environmentally clean wastewater discharge.

Ion exchange removal of metal ions from wastewater

A novel process and apparatus are disclosed for cleaning wastewater containing metal ions in solution, hydrogen peroxide, and high solids, e.g., greater than about 50 mg/l particulate solids. A carbon adsorption column removes hydrogen peroxide in the wastewater feed containing high solids. A chemical precipitation unit removes the metal ions from solution. The process and apparatus remove metal ions such as copper from a high solids byproduct polishing slurry from the chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) of integrated circuit microchips to form an environmentally clean wastewater discharge.

Removing metal ions from wastewater

Particle filtration of a feed of highly corrosive ultra pure water and contaminants is disclosed through a metal oxide membrane on ceramic support in combination with on-line ozonation. In one aspect, the filtering of ultra pure water includes passing the feed cross-flow through a multichannel sintered monolithic metal oxide membrane on ceramic support to form a permeate of particle-free ultra pure water. Although high recoveries per pass rates were used, no detectable metal ions including aluminum, zirconium, or yttrium ions were found in the ultra pure water permeate. The apparatus and process of the present invention for filtering ultra pure water include cross-flow filtration using multichannel monolithic ceramic membranes at suitable pore sizes in a total chemical process system including elevated temperatures and on-line ozonation sterilization of the ceramic membrane particle filter in high purity water applications for electronics manufacturing.

On-line ozonation in ultra pure water membrane filtration

Ceramic filtration of a feed solution of ultra pure water and particle contaminants is disclosed through a metal oxide membrane on ceramic support. In one aspect, the filtering of ultra pure water from a feed solution containing ultra pure water and contaminant particles includes passing the feed solution cross-flow through a multi-channel sintered monolithic metal oxide membrane on ceramic support to form a permeate of particle-free ultra pure water. The sintered metal oxide membrane has a nominal pore size in the range of about 50 to 200 Angstroms. Although high recoveries per pass rates were used, no detectable aluminum ions were found in the ultra pure water. In another aspect, the apparatus and process of the present invention for filtering ultra pure water includes cross-flow filtration using multichannel monolithic ceramic membranes at suitable pore sizes in a total chemical process system including ozonation sterilization of the ceramic membrane particle filter in water purification applications for electronics manufacturing.

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Wexford, PA, United States of America

James L Filson