LCD Manufacturer Reduces Total Cost of Filtration by Using GORE® Filters for New DI Water Plant
An LCD manufacturer was evaluating a new DI water plant to support their new latest generation fab. Historically, UF modules have been used for upstream TFT and color filter processes and microfiltration cartridges for downstream module assembly. For the greatest cost-efficiency, the manufacturer chose 0.1 μm cartridge filters as the final filter in a DI system to support both color filter and module assembly.
Benefits
- Capital cost reduced by 40%
- Operating costs reduced by 20%
Situation
An LCD manufacturer was evaluating a new DI water plant to support their new latest generation fab. Historically, UF modules have been used for upstream TFT and color filter processes and microfiltration cartridges for downstream module assembly. For the greatest cost-efficiency, the manufacturer chose 0.1 μm cartridge filters as the final filter in a DI system to support both color filter and module assembly.
- System flow of 560 CMH: 2 loops of 120 CMH and 2 loops of 160 CMH
- Particle specification of 50cts/ml ≥ 0.1μm
The initially proposed system that would provide the required flow and particle specification with 30-inch 0.1 μm PES filters with a flow rate of 1.7 GPM/psi per 10-inch equivalent would require two (2) 40-round housings for each of the 120 CMH loops and two (2) 69-round housings for each of the 160 CMH loops.
Solution
GORE® 0.1μm DI Filters, with a flow rate of 5.1 GPM/psi per 10-inch equivalent, were selected as the final filter for the DI system. Because of the substantially higher flow rate of the GORE® Filters, the DI system could be substantially smaller than the one proposed with conventional filters: two (2) 22-round housings of 30-inch filters for each of the 120 CMH loops and two (2) 29-round housings of 30-inch filters for each of the 160 CMH loops.
Results
- Reduced the number of filters required by 53%
- Significantly reduced the size of housings required
- Reduced pressure drop by 35%
FOR MICROELECTRONICS USE ONLY.
Not for use in food, drug, cosmetic or medical device manufacturing, processing, or packaging operations.