The AMC investigation of air supply around etching equipment should be based on relevant materials, equipment operations, adjacent areas and external fresh air sources. All gases cannot be inferred based on the name of the etching process, nor can clean air supply be used to replace process exhaust gas control. Supplementary air is a means of protection, not a means of emission treatment.

First distinguish between supplementary air and process exhaust

The function of supplementary air around the etching equipment is to maintain the air condition of the equipment's microenvironment or operating area, while process exhaust requires special exhaust and treatment systems. The two are often discussed together. The filter section of the make-up air system handles the ambient air entering the surroundings of the equipment. The exhaust gas generated by the process should be discharged through the exhaust pipe and should not be 'diluted' by relying on the make-up air filtration. If the exhaust air is insufficient or the sealing measures are not in place, the process gas may enter the supplementary air area. In this case, the exhaust problem needs to be dealt with first instead of strengthening the supplementary air filtration. Distinguishing these two systems is the prerequisite for investigating the source of AMC.

External AMC that supplemental air may bring

If the supplementary air is fresh air or comes from an adjacent area, external AMC may be brought into the surrounding area of ​​the equipment. Sources include acid gases and organic emissions in outdoor air, volatiles from adjacent wet processes or cleaning areas, and other process releases carried by return air systems. The location and media configuration of the makeup air filter section should be designed for these external sources. If the make-up air intake is close to the exhaust outlet or pollution source, the load introduced may be higher. During the investigation, the location of the air intake and the surrounding environment should be recorded to determine the proportion of external input in the total load. Regarding the method of distinguishing external and internal pollution, please refer toHow to distinguish whether workshop pollution comes from outside or inside?。

Equipment operations and material releases are another source

Maintenance operations of the etching equipment itself, opening of the chamber, replacement of consumables, and storage of peripheral materials may cause short-term releases. These releases occur near the equipment, unlike makeup air external inputs, and may be concentrated during specific operating periods. If the makeup air filter section is located upstream of the equipment and the release occurs downstream, the filter section will not cover this part of the pollution. During the investigation, the equipment operation records and the period of occurrence of odor or concentration should be combined to determine the contribution of internal release. Regarding the filtering configuration of the device-side microenvironment, please refer toHow does EFEM air inlet chemical filtration correspond to equipment cleanliness requirements?。

Adjacent regions and cross-region propagation cannot be ignored

The periphery of etching equipment is often adjacent to other processes. Acid mist, alkaline gas or organic release from adjacent areas may enter through door areas, gaps or shared return air. The propagation paths of these sources are different from makeup air systems, and the filtering configuration needs to cover the actual air path. If cross-regional transmission is obvious, it may be more direct to improve partitions, pressure differences, or local exhaust than to add supplemental air filter sections. During the investigation, the concentration and time period changes around the equipment and adjacent areas should be compared to confirm the dominant path.

Aili industrial supporting equipment

For the filtration package of supplementary air around etching equipment, we usually recommend that customers first separately investigate the external input, equipment release and adjacent area transmission, and then determine whether the filter section should be placed at the supplemental air inlet, circulation section or local location at the equipment end. Aili Industry can provide selection packages for box-type, flat-plate and V-type chemical filtration products. For box-type MAU packages, please refer toMAU box type chemical filter , product series can be viewedChemical filter product range . Device-side applications can useChemical filter FFU type, integrated chemical adsorption layer withHEPA/ULPA filter particle filtration, local air supply section can be configured according to equipment space and target gas. The manufacturing end covers independent R&D and production of motors and fans, control systems, sheet metal and complete machine assembly. The air supply path, filter section position and fan operating point can be checked in the same package, and non-standard structures can be adjusted according to the equipment layout. The specific gas effect, applicable environment and replacement cycle still need to be verified based on the corresponding configuration data and on-site working conditions. The actual results are subject to on-site leak detection and gas detection results.

Related questions and answers

The etching equipment is equipped with a chemical filter for air supply. Does the process exhaust still need to be treated?
need. The supplementary air filtration processes the ambient air entering the surroundings of the equipment. The process exhaust gas should be processed separately through the exhaust and treatment systems. The two cannot replace each other.

Does the location of the supplementary air intake have an impact on AMC?
influential. When the air intake is close to the exhaust outlet or pollution source, the load may be higher. During the investigation, the location of the air intake and the surrounding environment should be recorded.

Can Aili Industrial assist in the selection of supplementary air filtration for the etching area?
The filter section location and product form can be checked based on the air supply path, target gas and equipment space. The specific plan needs to be confirmed based on product data and on-site working conditions.

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Key points for selection and acceptance inspection