The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 08, 1999
Filed:
Aug. 19, 1997
Daniel Alvarez, Jr, San Diego, CA (US);
Jeffrey J Spiegelman, La Jolla, CA (US);
Aeronex, Inc., San Diego, CA (US);
Abstract
A process and apparatus for the removal of water from corrosive halogen gases, particularly chlorine- or bromine-containing gases, down to .ltoreq.100 ppb water concentration are described. The critical component is a high silica zeolite, preferably high silica mordenite, which in a variety of physical forms is capable of dehydrating such gases to .ltoreq.100 ppb or .ltoreq.50 ppb without being detrimentally affected by the corrosive nature of the gases in the presence of water. The high silica zeolite is produced by the removal of alumina from a natural or synthetic zeolite while retaining the desirable zeolite structure, to a silica:alumina ratio of from 20-2000:1. Metal cations which may be depleted by the alumina removal may be replaced by solution impregnation. Halogen- or halide-containing gases, or those with equivalent corrosion properties, may be dehydrated without deterioration of the high silica zeolite. The high silica zeolite is retained in a corrosion-resistant container which is installed in a gas supply line, such as to a gas- or vapor-deposition manufacturing unit. The invention provides final dehydration to corrosive halogen gas streams intended for gas- or vapor-deposition formation of high purity electronic, optical, prosthetic or similar products, and can be used in combination with upstream preliminary dehydration process and/or solid particulate removal units.