Patents by Inventor Duncan Michael PRICE

Duncan Michael PRICE has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20230001478
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a burner element for an abatement apparatus is disclosed. The method comprises: injection moulding a charge comprising metal particles and a flow compound into a mould defining the burner element to produce a moulded burner element; and sintering the moulded burner element. In this way, injection moulding is used to produce the burner element, which provides far more flexibility regarding the design and properties of the burner element and avoids the necessity of incorporating a perforated support into the burner element. This allows burner elements of more intricate design to be produced, as well as burner elements which are thinner than those produced using existing techniques, which increases the volume of a combustion chamber defined by that burner element for any external burner element size, which in turn increases the amount of effluent gas that can be treated for any burner size.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2020
    Publication date: January 5, 2023
    Inventors: Andrew James Seeley, Duncan Michael Price
  • Publication number: 20220373175
    Abstract: A method of optimising operating conditions in an abatement apparatus configured to treat an effluent stream from a processing tool and an abatement apparatus are disclosed. The method of optimising operating conditions in an abatement apparatus configured to treat an effluent stream from a processing tool comprises: determining a concentration of carbon monoxide produced by the abatement apparatus when treating the effluent stream; and adjusting an operating parameter of the abatement apparatus in response to the concentration of carbon monoxide. In this way, the performance of the abatement device can be controlled by simply adjusting the operating parameters of the abatement device in response to the amount of carbon monoxide being produced to create conditions within the abatement apparatus which improve the removal of compounds being treated within the abatement device, while reducing undesirable by-products and without requiring advanced knowledge of the content of the effluent stream.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2020
    Publication date: November 24, 2022
    Inventors: Duncan Michael Price, Michael Colin Graham
  • Publication number: 20220362711
    Abstract: A method of optimising operating conditions in an abatement apparatus configured to treat an effluent stream from a processing tool and an abatement apparatus are disclosed. The method of optimising operating conditions in an abatement apparatus configured to treat an effluent stream containing PFC from a processing tool comprise: changing an operating parameter which controls an operating condition of the abatement apparatus; determining a change in a PFC concentration present in an exhaust stream of the abatement apparatus; and determining whether to retain the operating parameter based on the change in the PFC concentration. In this way, the concentration of PFC present in the exhaust can be used to determine whether the abatement apparatus is operating under the correct operating conditions or not.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2020
    Publication date: November 17, 2022
    Inventors: Michael Colin Graham, Andrew James Seeley, Duncan Michael Price
  • Publication number: 20220234056
    Abstract: An inlet assembly for an abatement apparatus includes an inlet nozzle defining a non-circular inlet aperture coupleable with an inlet conduit providing an effluent gas stream for treatment by the abatement apparatus, at least one outlet aperture and a nozzle bore extending along a longitudinal axis between the non-circular inlet aperture and the outlet aperture for conveying the effluent gas stream from the non-circular inlet aperture to the outlet aperture for delivery to a treatment chamber of the abatement apparatus, the nozzle bore defining an inlet portion extending from the non-circular inlet aperture, a flow-dividing structure positioned downstream of the inlet portion and configured to separate the effluent gas stream into at least a pair of effluent gas streams and an outlet portion extending to the outlet aperture and configured to convey the pair of effluent gas streams to the treatment chamber of the abatement apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2020
    Publication date: July 28, 2022
    Inventors: Andrew James Seeley, Ian David Stones, Duncan Michael Price
  • Patent number: 11112110
    Abstract: A radiant burner for treating an effluent gas stream from a manufacturing processing tool includes a plurality of treatment chambers, each treatment chamber having an effluent stream inlet for supplying a respective portion of the effluent gas stream to that treatment chamber for treatment therewithin. In this way, multiple treatment chambers may be provided, each of which treats part of the effluent stream. Accordingly, the number of treatment chambers can be selected to match the flow rate of the effluent gas stream from any particular processing tool. This provides an architecture which is reliably scalable to suit the needs of any effluent gas stream flow rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Inventors: Andrew James Seeley, Duncan Michael Price
  • Publication number: 20210223755
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a component of an abatement apparatus is disclosed. The method comprises: meshing a 3D model representation of a component defining a reaction chamber of an abatement apparatus based on specified component characteristics to define an optimised finite element representation of the component; and fabricating the optimised finite element representation. In this way, a 3D model of a component of an abatement apparatus can be generated from which its performance can be modelled. Particular characteristics of the component may be defined which affect the operation of the abatement apparatus. Those characteristics may then be used to generate the optimized finite element representation of the component which has those characteristics using meshing (it will be appreciated that meshing is the operation of representing a geometric object as a set of finite elements).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2019
    Publication date: July 22, 2021
    Inventors: Andrew James Seeley, Gary Peter Knight, Duncan Michael Price, Mayank Verma
  • Patent number: 10888817
    Abstract: A purge gas feeding means, an abatement system comprising such a means and a method of modifying an abatement system to include such a purge gas feeding means is disclosed. The purge gas feeding means comprises a plurality of paths running from an outer perimeter of the purge gas feeding means to an inner surface, the inner surface comprising a purge gas outlet for outputting the purge gas into the abatement system; wherein a cross sectional area of the plurality of paths increases from the outer perimeter to the inner surface such that a pressure of the purge gas falls flowing along the paths drops.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: Edwards Limited
    Inventors: Andrew Seeley, Duncan Michael Price
  • Patent number: 10702824
    Abstract: Venturi Scrubbers are used to separate particulate from a large range of fluids. Many provide additional liquid and/or gas to drive the fluid and aid in the removal of particulate. The present invention provides a liquid ring pump through which the fluid to be treated is first passed and then exhausted, with additional work fluid to a Venturi scrubber such that the particulate can be separated from the exhaust fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: Edwards Limited
    Inventors: Gary Peter Knight, Andrew James Seeley, Duncan Michael Price
  • Patent number: 10661217
    Abstract: The abatement apparatus includes a porous element at least partially defining a treatment chamber and through which treatment materials pass for introduction into the treatment chamber for treatment of an effluent gas stream; and an infra-red heating device operable to emit infra-red energy to heat the porous element which heats the treatment materials as they pass through the porous element into the treatment chamber. In this way, infra-red energy, rather than combustion, can be used to raise the temperature within the treatment chamber in order to treat the effluent gas stream. This allows the apparatus to be used in environments where no fuel gas exists or where the provision of fuel gas is considered undesirable. Also, heating the treatment materials as they pass through the porous sleeve, rather than simply using radiant heat to heat the treatment chamber enables significantly more energy to be imparted into the treatment materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: Edwards Limited
    Inventors: Duncan Michael Price, Gary Peter Knight
  • Patent number: 10655626
    Abstract: Liquid ring pumps are used to pump a variety of fluid types. Corrosive fluids are easily handled by the work fluid but can cause corrosion of pumping mechanisms. The present invention provides a magnetically driven liquid ring pump with corrosion resistant pumping mechanisms which achieves a longer time between service intervals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: Edwards Limited
    Inventors: Gary Peter Knight, Andrew James Seeley, Geoffrey Young, Duncan Michael Price
  • Patent number: 10625205
    Abstract: Dry pumps are used to pump a variety of gas mixtures from the semiconductor industry. The present invention provides a liquid ring pump located between the dry pump and an abatement device to remove soluble corrosive materials prior to the exhaust gases entry to the abatement device, the work fluid exhausted from the liquid ring pump being separated from the gas prior to entry to the abatement device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: Edwards Limited
    Inventors: Christopher Mark Bailey, Clive Marcus Lloyd Tunna, Jack Raymond Tattersall, Ingo Stephen Graham, Michael Roger Czerniak, Gary Peter Knight, Darren Mennie, Duncan Michael Price, Derek Martin Baker, Andrew James Seeley
  • Patent number: 10619847
    Abstract: An inlet assembly for a burner includes an inlet nozzle defining an inlet aperture coupleable with an inlet conduit providing an effluent gas stream for treatment by the burner, a non-circular outlet aperture, and a nozzle bore extending along a longitudinal axis between the inlet aperture and the outlet aperture for conveying the effluent gas stream from the inlet aperture to the outlet aperture for delivery to the combustion chamber of the burner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: Edwards Limited
    Inventors: Andrew James Seeley, Duncan Michael Price
  • Publication number: 20200061535
    Abstract: A purge gas feeding means, an abatement system comprising such a means and a method of modifying an abatement system to include such a purge gas feeding means is disclosed. The purge gas feeding means comprises a plurality of paths running from an outer perimeter of the purge gas feeding means to an inner surface, the inner surface comprising a purge gas outlet for outputting the purge gas into the abatement system; wherein a cross sectional area of the plurality of paths increases from the outer perimeter to the inner surface such that a pressure of the purge gas falls flowing along the paths drops.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2018
    Publication date: February 27, 2020
    Inventors: Andrew Seeley, Duncan Michael Price
  • Publication number: 20200030828
    Abstract: A nozzle for an abatement apparatus and a method are disclosed. The nozzle is for abatement apparatus operable to treat an effluent stream from a processing tool, the nozzle comprises: a nozzle body defining a nozzle inlet operable to receive the effluent stream, a nozzle outlet, and a conduit extending between the nozzle inlet and the nozzle outlet and operable to convey the effluent stream in a direction of flow from the nozzle inlet to the nozzle outlet; and an effluent stream rotator configured to impart a rotational component to the effluent stream to rotate the effluent stream around the direction of flow. In this way, the effluent stream is rotated as it passes through the nozzle body. The destruction rate efficiency achieved by an abatement apparatus when receiving such rotating effluent streams has been found to be significantly improved compared to non-rotating effluent streams.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2018
    Publication date: January 30, 2020
    Inventors: Andrew Seeley, Duncan Michael Price
  • Publication number: 20180335209
    Abstract: An inlet assembly for a burner and a method are disclosed. The inlet assembly comprises: an inlet nozzle defining an inlet aperture coupleable with an inlet conduit providing an effluent gas stream for treatment by the burner, a non-circular outlet aperture, and a nozzle bore extending along a longitudinal axis between the inlet aperture and the outlet aperture for conveying the effluent gas stream from the inlet aperture to the outlet aperture for delivery to the combustion chamber of the burner, the nozzle bore having an inlet portion extending from the inlet aperture and an outlet portion extending to the non-circular outlet aperture. In this way, the non-circular outlet aperture provides a non-circular effluent gas stream flow into the combustion chamber. The non-circular effluent gas flow enables a greater volume of effluent gas stream to be introduced into the combustion chamber whilst still achieving or exceeding the required levels of abatement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2017
    Publication date: November 22, 2018
    Inventors: Andrew James Seeley, Duncan Michael Price
  • Publication number: 20180311607
    Abstract: The abatement apparatus includes a porous element at least partially defining a treatment chamber and through which treatment materials pass for introduction into the treatment chamber for treatment of an effluent gas stream; and an infra-red heating device operable to emit infra-red energy to heat the porous element which heats the treatment materials as they pass through the porous element into the treatment chamber. In this way, infra-red energy, rather than combustion, can be used to raise the temperature within the treatment chamber in order to treat the effluent gas stream. This allows the apparatus to be used in environments where no fuel gas exists or where the provision of fuel gas is considered undesirable. Also, heating the treatment materials as they pass through the porous sleeve, rather than simply using radiant heat to heat the treatment chamber enables significantly more energy to be imparted into the treatment materials.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2016
    Publication date: November 1, 2018
    Inventors: Duncan Michael Price, Gary Peter Knight
  • Patent number: 10099169
    Abstract: Liquid ring pumps are used to pump a variety of fluid types. The present invention provides a two stage liquid ring pump through which an exhaust gas comprising compounds to be destroyed is passed. The exhaust gas passes through the first stage to a gas abatement device, following which it is passed back to the second stage of the liquid ring pump for removal of the compounds formed in said abatement device. The stages of the liquid ring pump may be adjustable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: Edwards Limited
    Inventors: Andrew James Seeley, Duncan Michael Price, Gary Peter Knight
  • Publication number: 20180214812
    Abstract: Venturi Scrubbers are used to separate particulate from a large range of fluids. Many provide additional liquid and/or gas to drive the fluid and aid in the removal of particulate. The present invention provides a liquid ring pump through which the fluid to be treated is first passed and then exhausted, with additional work fluid to a Venturi scrubber such that the particulate can be separated from the exhaust fluid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2016
    Publication date: August 2, 2018
    Inventors: Gary Peter Knight, Andrew James Seeley, Duncan Michael Price
  • Publication number: 20180207576
    Abstract: Liquid ring pumps are used to pump a variety of fluid types. The present invention provides a two stage liquid ring pump through which an exhaust gas comprising compounds to be destroyed is passed. The exhaust gas passes through the first stage to a gas abatement device, following which it is passed back to the second stage of the liquid ring pump for removal of the compounds formed in said abatement device. The stages of the liquid ring pump may be adjustable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2016
    Publication date: July 26, 2018
    Inventors: Andrew James Seeley, Duncan Michael Price, Gary Peter Knight
  • Publication number: 20180207581
    Abstract: Dry pumps are used to pump a variety of gas mixtures from the semiconductor industry. The present invention provides a liquid ring pump located between the dry pump and an abatement device to remove soluble corrosive materials prior to the exhaust gases entry to the abatement device, the work fluid exhausted from the liquid ring pump being separated from the gas prior to entry to the abatement device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2016
    Publication date: July 26, 2018
    Inventors: Christopher Mark Bailey, Clive Marcus Lloyd Tunna, Jack Raymond Tattersall, Ingo Stephen Graham, Michael Roger Czerniak, Gary Peter Knight, Darren Mennie, Duncan Michael Price, Derek Martin Baker, Andrew James Seeley