Abstract: The present invention discloses a method for the removal of a number of molecular contaminants from surfaces within a device. A purge gas containing oxygen and/or water is introduced into the interior of the device, contacting at least a portion of the interior surfaces. A contaminated purge gas is produced by transferring a portion of the contamination from the interior surfaces into the purge gas. The contaminated purge gas is removed from the device and the process is continued until the contaminant concentration in the contaminated purge gas is below a predetermined level.

Abstract: A method is described for rapid and economical activation and/or preconditioning of gas purification substrates by providing forced convection of the preconditioning or activating gas through the pores of the substrate. The gas is pumped into the substrate-containing vessel and raised to an elevated pressure, which is maintained for a short predetermined time, followed by venting of contents of the vessel. The vessel is again pressurized with the purging gas to an elevated level, and the elevated pressure is maintained for a short predetermined time, followed by venting of the vessel. This cycle is repeated as often as needed or desired. Activation and/or preconditioning can be accomplished in a much shorter time and with much less gas usage compared to diffusion preconditioning and activation processes. This process is particularly suited for preconditioning and activation of gas purifier substrates for decontamination of gases down to ?1 ppm contaminants.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method for the removal of a number of molecular contaminants from surfaces within a device. A purge gas containing oxygen and/or water is introduced into the interior of the device, contacting at least a portion of the interior surfaces. A contaminated purge gas is produced by transferring a portion of the contamination from the interior surfaces into the purge gas. The contaminated purge gas is removed from the device and the process is continued until the contaminant concentration in the contaminated purge gas is below a predetermined level.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method for the removal of a number of molecular contaminants from surfaces within a device. A purge gas containing oxygen and/or water is introduced into the interior of the device, contacting at least a portion of the interior surfaces. A contaminated purge gas is produced by transferring a portion of the contamination from the interior surfaces into the purge gas. The contaminated purge gas is removed from the device and the process is continued until the contaminant concentration in the contaminated purge gas is below a predetermined level.

Abstract: A method and composition for the removal of contaminants in a gas stream used in the contamination sensitive processes of photolithography and metrology are described. The synergistic effect of a combination of an electropositive metal component, a high silica zeolite, and a late transition metal compound effects removal or reduction of the contaminates in the gas which interfere with light transmittance to the ppb or ppt levels necessary for the gas to be suitable for these uses. The removal of neutral polar molecules, neutral polar aprotic molecules, protic and aprotic alkaline molecules, acidic polar species, and neutral non-polar aprotic molecules is accomplished with the claimed composition. Depending on the type of contaminant, the composition components are each varied from 10 to 80 parts by volume, with the total composition limited to 100 parts by volume.

Abstract: A method is described for rapid and economical activation and/or preconditioning of gas purification substrates by providing forced convection of the preconditioning or activating gas through the pores of the substrate. The gas is pumped into the substrate-containing vessel and raised to an elevated pressure, which is maintained for a short predetermined time, followed by venting of contents of the vessel. The vessel is again pressurized with the purging gas to an elevated level, and the elevated pressure is maintained for a short predetermined time, followed by venting of the vessel. This cycle is repeated as often as needed or desired. Activation and/or preconditioning can be accomplished in a much shorter time and with much less gas usage compared to diffusion preconditioning and activation processes. This process is particularly suited for preconditioning and activation of gas purifier substrates for decontamination of gases down to ≦1 ppm contaminants.

Abstract: A method for decontaminating fluid carbon dioxide for use in a product production process such as carbonated beverage production is disclosed. Contaminants, including those normally highly resistant to removal such as S, N, P and Si compounds (especially COS), are removed from the CO2 by contact with a metal oxide decontamination agent. The metal oxide is one or more oxides of transition metal elements including lanthanides, the iron oxides being preferred. Decontamination of the CO2 is interrupted at intervals for regeneration of the metal oxide agent by passage of CO2 containing an oxygen-containing contaminant over the metal oxide in a countercurrent flow direction at higher temperature for a short time. The metal oxide decontaminant may also be mixed with a high-silica content zeolite, preferably a Zeolite Y or zeolite ZSM-5. The contaminated CO2 and the CO2 containing an oxygen-containing contaminant are preferably from the same source.

Abstract: A method and composition for the removal of contaminants in a gas stream used in the contamination sensitive processes of photolithography and metrology are described. The synergistic effect of a combination of an electropositive metal component, a high silica zeolite, and a late transition metal compound effects removal or reduction of the contaminates in the gas which interfere with light transmittance to the ppb or ppt levels necessary for the gas to be suitable for these uses. The removal of neutral polar molecules, neutral polar aprotic molecules, protic and aprotic alkaline molecules, acidic polar species, and neutral non-polar aprotic molecules is accomplished with the claimed composition. Depending on the type of contaminant, the composition components are each varied from 10 to 80 parts by volume, with the total composition limited to 100 parts by volume.

Abstract: A method is described for rapid and economical activation and/or preconditioning of gas purification substrates by providing forced convection of the preconditioning or activating gas through the pores of the substrate. The gas is pumped into the substrate-containing vessel and raised to an elevated pressure, which is maintained for a short predetermined time, followed by venting of contents of the vessel. The vessel is again pressurized with the purging gas to an elevated level, and the elevated pressure is maintained for a short predetermined time, followed by venting of the vessel. This cycle is repeated as often as needed or desired. Activation and/or preconditioning can be accomplished in a much shorter time and with much less gas usage compared to diffusion preconditioning and activation processes. This process is particularly suited for preconditioning and activation of gas purifier substrates for decontamination of gases down to ≦1 ppm contaminants.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for detecting oxidizable contaminants in gas streams at very low levels. A portion of a contaminant-containing gas stream is reacted, preferably catalytically, to effect complete oxidation of the contaminant to at least one oxidized product whose concentration in the system can be readily and quantitatively determined. Since ratio of the contaminant concentration to the product concentration is known, the method provides a simple and effective method of measuring a contaminant concentration which would otherwise be incapable of measurement or capable of measurement only very difficultly. The method is capable of attaining the detection limits required by the most demanding industrial processes of less than 1000 ppt, 500 ppt, or 10 ppt for such contaminants as hydrocarbons, organocarbons and siloxanes. Through rapid quantitative measurements of the oxidized products, contaminant concentration monitoring can operate on substantially a real time basis.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for the decontamination of fluid ammonia are described. Liquid or gaseous ammonia is purified of contaminants by passage through an adsorbent bed, the contaminants accumulating in the bed. A portion of the purified ammonia discharged from the bed is decomposed to hydrogen and nitrogen. The hydrogen is used to regenerate an adsorbent bed which has accumulated sufficient contaminants to reduce its ability to further decontaminate incoming ammonia satisfactorily. Preferably there are a plurality of interconnected adsorbent beds, with some being operated for ammonia decontamination while others are being regenerated, with their operations being reversed as needed to maintain a continual production of decontaminated ammonia from the plurality of beds. Computers or other controllers can be used to control such bed operations and interchanges. Internal production of hydrogen makes the system self-contained and no addition of hydrogen is needed.

Abstract: A gas purification system has at least one purifier in a purifier line with a gas supply inlet at one end and a process outlet at an opposite end for connection to a process tool using the purified gas. A vent line having a vent outlet is connected to the outlet end of the purifier. A control valve in the vent line controls connection of the purifier outlet to the vent outlet, and a control valve in the purifier line controls connection of the purifier outlet to the process outlet. A flow controller in the purifier line controls flow rate through the purifier. The system is controlled to provide an increased flow rate through the purifier and to connect the purifier outlet to the vent outlet on start up of the system, and then to connect the purifier outlet to the process outlet as soon as conditioning is complete.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a procedure for recycling used gasses and to devices that can be use to accomplish this recycling.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus used for gas purification in a manner that allows for higher flow rates without an unacceptable increase in the pressure vessel diameter. The purifier contains inner and outer filter sleeves. Between the sleeves is contained a purification medium that allows for radial flow of the gas from the inner filter sleeve to the outer filter sleeve, via the purification medium, in order to be released from the purifier.

Abstract: A method and composition for the removal of contaminants in a gas stream used in the contamination sensitive processes of photolithography and metrology are described. The synergistic effect of a combination of an electropositive metal component, a high silica zeolite, and a late transition metal compound effects removal or reduction of the contaminates in the gas which interfere with light transmittance to the ppb or ppt levels necessary for the gas to be suitable for these uses. The removal of neutral polar molecules, neutral polar aprotic molecules, protic and aprotic alkaline molecules, acidic polar species, and neutral non-polar aprotic molecules is accomplished with the claimed composition. Depending on the type of contaminant, the composition components are each varied from 10 to 80 parts by volume, with the total composition limited to 100 parts by volume.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus used for gas purification in a manner that allows for higher flow rates without an unacceptable increase in the pressure vessel diameter. The purifier contains inner and outer filter sleeves. Between the sleeves is contained a purification medium that allows for radial flow of the gas from the inner filter sleeve to the outer filter sleeve, via the purification medium, in order to be released from the purifier.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for the decontamination of fluid ammonia are described. Liquid or gaseous ammonia is purified of contaminants by passage through an adsorbent bed, the contaminants accumulating in the bed. A portion of the purified ammonia discharged from the bed is decomposed to hydrogen and nitrogen. The hydrogen is used to regenerate an adsorbent bed which has accumulated sufficient contaminants to reduce its ability to further decontaminate incoming ammonia satisfactorily. Preferably there are a plurality of interconnected adsorbent beds, with some being operated for ammonia decontamination while others are being regenerated, with their operations being reversed as needed to maintain a continual production of decontaminated ammonia from the plurality of beds. Computers or other controllers can be used to control such bed operations and interchanges. Internal production of hydrogen makes the system self-contained and no addition of hydrogen is needed.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for providing a pure gas for use medical procedures in which the gas is contaminated with other gases during the procedure, and then separating the contaminants and recovering and reusing the decontaminated gas. The method is most advantageously used in medical imaging processes, such as magnetic resonance image (MRI), where hyperpolarized image enhancing noble gases, notably He3 or Xe129, are used for image enhancement in brain and lung imaging, and in which the contaminants are normally the exhalant gases from the imaged patient. The contaminated gas is passed through a series of drying and purification steps to remove the exhalant gases and separate the gas. The purified gas is then recovered and stored for reuse. This system prevents the loss of significant amounts of the image enhancing gases, which is important since key gases such as He3 and Xe129 are rare and expensive, and (especially He3) permanently lost once vented.

Abstract: A method and composition for the removal of contaminants in a gas stream used in the contamination sensitive processes of photolithography and metrology are described. The synergistic effect of a combination of an electropositive metal component, a high silica zeolite, and a late transition metal compound effects removal or reduction of the contaminates in the gas which interfere with light transmittance to the ppb or ppt levels necessary for the gas to be suitable for these uses. The removal of neutral polar molecules, neutral polar aprotic molecules, protic and aprotic alkaline molecules, acidic polar species, and neutral non-polar aprotic molecules is accomplished with the claimed composition. Depending on the type of contaminant, the composition components are each varied from 10 to 80 parts by volume, with the total composition limited to 100 parts by volume.

Abstract: A method for the decontamination of fluid (liquid or supercritical) carbon dioxide fluid, especially of hydrocarbon contaminants, down to ≦100 ppb concentration are described. The critical component is a high silica zeolite, preferably a high silica Y-type zeolite, ZSM-5 or a high silica mordenite, which in a variety of physical forms is capable of decontaminating such fluid CO2 to ≦100 ppb, ≦10-50 ppb, or ˜1 ppb, without being detrimentally affected by the supercritical operating environment. The high silica zeolite may be 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. Preferably the zeolite is disposed in separate quantities in at least two vessels, which operate alternately. A portion of the purified product from the operating vessel is directed to the other vessel and there used to remove accumulated contaminants from that vessel's zeolite.