With Vaporization Of Condensed Gas Or Vapor Patents (Class 34/470)
  • Patent number: 11840795
    Abstract: A clothing processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include a cabinet having a receiving space formed therein, in which clothing is received, a holder configured to be located in the receiving space to hold a clothing supporter configured to support the clothing, a steamer configured to spray steam toward the clothing while elevating inside the receiving space in the vertical direction, an elevating motor configured to provide an elevating power of the steamer, and a tilting motor configured to rotate the holder so that the arm of the clothing droops downward to be separated from the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Ayeong Lee, Jeongjoon Roh, Jihyun Yoon, Taehee Lee
  • Patent number: 11320199
    Abstract: The invention relates to an evaporation dryer (1) for drying particles, having—a process chamber (10) with at least one product inlet (11) for supplying the particles to be dried into the process chamber (10) and a product outlet (12) for discharging dried particles from the process chamber (10), —a heat exchanger (20) arranged within the process chamber (10), —having at least one inlet (21, 211) into the heat exchanger (20) for pressurized steam as process steam and at least one condensate outlet (22, 222) from the heat exchanger (20), wherein—the at least one condensate outlet (22, 222) is connected to an expansion tank (30), wherein at least one pump (40) is connected to the expansion tank (30), and the expanding steam is pumped out of the expansion tank (30) and supplied to the process steam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: BMA BRAUNSCHWEIGISCHE MASCHINENBAUANSTALT AG
    Inventors: Gerald Caspers, Hartmut Hafemann
  • Patent number: 10315331
    Abstract: Thermo treatment process for wood comprising the following steps: a. Placing the wood batch to be treated in a treatment chamber; b. Exchanging the atmosphere inside the treatment chamber by evacuating the air, replacing the evacuated air by an inert gas atmosphere in gas form, at 8 to 12 bar pressure; c. Heating the inert gas atmosphere up to 165 to 175° C., d. increasing the pressure in the inert gas atmosphere to 14-16 bar; e. maintaining the temperature in step c. and the pressure in step d. for from 90 to 150 minutes; f. cooling the inert gas atmosphere to a temperature of 20 to 35° C. g. retrieving the treated wood batch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: WTT Holding ApS
    Inventor: Peter Klaas
  • Patent number: 9526400
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for abatement of vapors for washing machines as well as to a washing machine comprising the apparatus. The apparatus for abatement of vapors according to the present invention simultaneously allows vapors generated inside the washing chamber to be effectively abated and the energy consumption of the machine to be optimized by pre-heating the working fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: IWT S.R.L.
    Inventor: Luciano Savoia
  • Patent number: 9511322
    Abstract: An air temperature and humidity control device is provided including a heat pump and a humidity controller. The heat pump has a condenser, a first evaporator, a compressor, and a second evaporator. The humidity controller includes a first contactor fluidly coupled to the second evaporator. The first contactor includes at least one contact module having a porous sidewall that defines an internal space through which a liquid desiccant flows. A liquid source is coupled to the first contactor such that a second liquid provided by the liquid source flows through the first contactor adjacent an external side of the porous sidewall. Heat and/or water vapor transfers between the second liquid and the liquid desiccant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: CARRIER CORPORATION
    Inventors: Rajiv Ranjan, Gary D. Winch
  • Patent number: 8966783
    Abstract: Provided are a novel vacuum-pressure spray-drying method and a novel vacuum-pressure spray-drying apparatus suitable for drying and powdering a liquid raw material containing a substance susceptible to heat denaturation, such as a food raw material and a medicine raw material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Tanabe Engineering Corporation
    Inventors: Yutaka Kitamura, Kazuhiko Yamazaki, Yoshitsugu Yamano
  • Patent number: 8925217
    Abstract: Method for steam recapture in the drying of a tissue paper web with a cylinder that is fed from a live steam network and with a hot air hood that flows hot air onto the tissue paper web, includes the steps of: removing condensate from the cylinder; compressing the condensate to a first pressure level essentially corresponding to that of the live steam network; heating the condensate by heat exchange with the exhaust air from the hot air hood; vaporizing the condensate; and feeding generated steam into the live steam network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: SCA Hygiene Products AB
    Inventors: Martin Wiens, Bruno Dexler, Jan Hieke, Josef Heintz
  • Patent number: 8434241
    Abstract: A method for drying a wet material, which comprises a liquid Fd to be distilled, uses a gas-tight container system resistant to excess and/or negative pressure and a drying container, a condenser and a vapor chamber connecting the drying container and condenser. The temperature adjustable drying container contains the wet material. The liquid Fd is turned to vapor in the temperature adjustable vapor chamber. The condenser condenses the vapor to give the condensation product. The pressure in the vapor chamber is monitored and controlled so that drying and distillation are always carried out in a range close to the saturation vapor pressure of the liquid Fd to be distilled. The pressure and the temperature in the vapor chamber are continuously determined. If the pressure goes above the upper limit of the range, the pressure is reduced in such a manner that especially foreign gas is removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: Markus Lehmann
    Inventors: Markus Lehmann, Markus Braendli
  • Patent number: 8407916
    Abstract: An apparatus for solvent recovery from a solvent/gas mixture from the exhaust air of systems processing printing, painting or other solvents, wherein the solvent/gas mixture from at least one oil-containing solvent/gas mixture is cooled down to a temperature below the lower condensation temperature of the oil of the solvent mixture using a heat exchanger, wherein a further, second heat exchanger is connected upstream of the heat exchanger, said second heat exchanger cooling the solvent/gas mixture specifically to the condensation temperature of an oil present in the mixture and both heat exchangers produce a recovery unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Prinotech GmbH
    Inventors: Rainer Haerle, Stephan Krauss
  • Patent number: 8353115
    Abstract: An exhaust air dryer includes a process airflow entering from outside as supply air, which removes moisture from laundry introduced in a treatment compartment and which emerges to the outside as exhaust air through an air outlet, a heat exchanger between the treatment compartment and the air outlet, seen in the airflow direction, which removes heat from the process airflow, while forming condensate, a dispersal device arranged downstream of the treatment compartment in the airflow direction and in front of the air outlet, which adds at least part of the formed condensate to the exhaust air, and a hydrophilic body belonging to the dispersal device, which projects into the process airflow and is impinged upon by condensate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventor: Günter Steffens
  • Patent number: 7937851
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for continuously treating a moist biomass feedstock is disclosed. The method includes treating a biomass feedstock with a swelling agent in a pressurized first vessel, transferring the feedstock to a second vessel at a lower operating pressure than the first vessel such that the biomass fibers rupture. At least portions the swelling agent, and/or the moisture are recycled in the process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Assignee: Michigan Biotechnology Institute
    Inventors: Srinivasan Rajagopalan, Tonya Tiedje, Darold McCalla
  • Patent number: 7803253
    Abstract: A dehydration method of a water-containing substance using a liquefied matter, including a step (1) of contacting a liquefied matter of a substance which is in a gas phase under a condition at ambient temperature and atmospheric pressure with the water-containing substance, to dissolve contained water in the water-containing substance into the liquefied matter, for obtaining the liquefied matter containing a large amount of water; and a step (2) of vaporizing the substance out of the liquefied matter containing a large amount of water, to thereby separate the substance as the gas from water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2010
    Assignee: Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry
    Inventors: Hideki Kanda, Youichi Urakawa
  • Publication number: 20100115789
    Abstract: A method for drying a wet material which comprises a liquid Fd to be distilled, uses a gas-tight container system that is resistant to excess and/or negative pressure. The container system comprises a drying container containing the wet material whose temperature can be adjusted, a condenser for condensing the liquid Fd, which has turned to vapor and whose temperature can be adjusted, to give the condensation product, and a vapor chamber connecting the drying container and the condenser. The pressure in the vapor chamber is monitored and controlled in such a manner that drying and distillation are always carried out in a range close to the saturation vapor pressure of the liquid Fd to be distilled. The pressure and the temperature in the vapor chamber are continuously determined. If the pressure goes above the upper limit of the range, the pressure is reduced in such a manner that especially foreign gas is removed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2008
    Publication date: May 13, 2010
    Inventor: Markus Lehmann
  • Patent number: 6886273
    Abstract: A system for separating hydrocarbons from a material which includes a process chamber, a process pan operatively connected to the process chamber and removable therefrom, a blower operatively connected to the process chamber and to a heat source, the blower adapted to force heated air into the process chamber through the material disposed on the process pan, the forced heated air adapted to vaporize hydrocarbons and other contaminants disposed on the material, and at least one condenser operatively connected to the process chamber and adapted to condense the vaporized hydrocarbons and other contaminants is disclosed. Further, a method for separating hydrocarbons from a material which includes passing a stream of heated air over the material to volatilize the hydrocarbons, passing the stream of heated air containing the hydrocarbons through at least one condenser to form liquid hydrocarbons, collecting the liquid hydrocarbons, and recirculating the heated air is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2005
    Assignee: M-I L.L.C.
    Inventors: Gary E. Fout, Jerry T. Connaughton
  • Patent number: 6655042
    Abstract: A drying system for drying a semiconductor substrate is provided. The drying system includes: a chamber for housing a vapor distributor and a fluid bath, said fluid bath being disposed in a lower portion of the chamber and said distributor being disposed in an upper portion of the chamber for distributing vapor for drying the substrate; and a fluid flow system for supplying fluid flow into said fluid bath for cleaning and drying the substrate and for draining said fluid from the fluid bath, wherein the chamber includes a plurality of exhaust vents disposed at the upper portion for venting the vapor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hun-jung Yi, Ki-seok Lee, Bo-yong Lee, Sang-oh Park, Pil-kwon Jun, Sang-mun Chon, Kyung-dae Kim
  • Patent number: 6519869
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for drying semiconductor wafers by using an IPA drying apparatus. The present invention uses a vapor generator to generate an IPA vapor. The IPA vapor is generated and saved in a closed surrounding and then transferred in a porous hollow plate in the dryer tank by using a quartz pipe. The IPA vapor is diffused evenly from the porous hollow plate. Furthermore, the present invention increases the safety of the process and can easily control the input amount of the IPA vapor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2003
    Assignee: United Microelectronics, Corp.
    Inventor: Fu-Sheng Peng
  • Patent number: 6493964
    Abstract: A critical point drying apparatus for sample preparation in electron microscopy and semiconductor wafer production includes a computer system to automate the operational modes in drying the specimen. These operational modes controlled by the computer system are: cooling, in which a drying chamber is cooled; starting, in which the specimen chamber is filled with a transitional fluid; purging, in which the transitional fluid purges an intermediary fluid from the drying chamber and the purged intermediary fluid is collected by a collector condenser; heating, in which the drying chamber is heated to elevate the transitional fluid to its critical point temperature and pressure; and bleeding, in which the drying chamber is depressurized to atmospheric pressure at a very slow rate until the drying chamber is completely vented, which signals the end of the drying operation. The drying chamber incorporates concave surfaces for pressure dispersal and to facilitate purging the intermediary fluid completely.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2002
    Assignee: Tousimis Research Corp.
    Inventors: Anastasios J. Tousimis, Chris Tousimis
  • Patent number: 6438867
    Abstract: In a process for drying microporous, fluid-containing particles, the heat required for increasing the temperature is supplied by convection by reducing the interfacial tension of the fluid, preferably to 0 to 1/10, in particular to 0 to 1/20, of the interfacial tension of the fluid at room temperature, by appropriately increasing the temperature at from close to the critical pressure to supercritical pressure of the fluid. Furthermore, microporous, three-dimensionally networked particles are prepared by a process in which the drying process is used. In addition, an apparatus is used for carrying out the drying process, the apparatus comprising a pressure container having an inner container and pressure-withstanding outer container and suitable measuring and control apparatuses and pump apparatuses and heat exchangers, the inner container being provided for holding the particles to be dried and a gap being provided between the inner container and the outer container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2002
    Assignee: BASF Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Friedhelm Teich, Heiner Schelling, Herbert Köster, Horst Kratzer, Wolfgang Reichert, Martin Gall, Bernd Ziegler
  • Patent number: 6398875
    Abstract: A process of drying a semiconductor wafer which includes at least one microelectric structure disposed thereon which includes contacting a water-containing thin film-covered semiconductor wafer with a composition which includes liquid or supercritical carbon dioxide and a surfactant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2002
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: John Michael Cotte, Dario L. Goldfarb, Kenneth John McCullough, Wayne Martin Moreau, Keith R. Pope, John P. Simons, Charles J. Taft
  • Patent number: 6289605
    Abstract: The present invention provides a drying method for removing a residual solution from a semiconductor wafer. The semiconductor wafer is placed into a chamber, and then the air pressure of the chamber is lowered from atmospheric pressure to a lower pressure. Next, an inert gas with a predetermined pressure is injected into the chamber to exchange with the dissolved oxygen in the residual solution. The pressure in the chamber is reduced to 0.5˜100 torr so as to lower the boiling point of the solution and to remove the displaced oxygen. Finally, a heating process is performed to completely evaporate the residual solution on the semiconductor wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2001
    Assignee: Macronix International Co. Ltd.
    Inventor: Ching-Yu Chang
  • Patent number: 6101737
    Abstract: A drying apparatus and method of drying is provided for drying a semiconductor member mounted in a carrier that is placed in a processing tank through contact with isopropyl alcohol. An isopropyl alcohol liquid is vaporized in a bottom portion of the processing tank, and the resulting vapor is condensed in its top portion. A heater is disposed so as to heat the inside of the processing tank to keep the inside at a predetermined temperature range in a middle-layer portion, i.e., a drying portion, of the processing tank. The heater is covered with a heat insulating member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2000
    Assignees: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha, Ryoden Semiconductor System Engineering Corporation
    Inventor: Takatoshi Kinoshita
  • Patent number: 6067727
    Abstract: A cover is provided to an opening of a chamber in such a manner to open and close the opening and when the cover closes the opening, the chamber and the cover form a sealed drying process space. In this drying process space, nitrogen gas is supplied to purge the gas in the drying process space to turn into an inert gas filled space. Thereafter, substrates to be treated are brought into the drying process space. nitrogen gas is further supplied to the drying process space and then the substrates are being rotated to dry the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2000
    Assignee: Dainippon Screen Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yusuke Muraoka
  • Patent number: 6067728
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for drying a microelectronic structure on wafer substrate using supercritical phase gas techniques and a unique pressure vessel locking mechanism. There is lid and a base with an open cavity to contain at least one microelectronic structure on wafer substrate. Clamping the lid to the base uses locking clamp rings with open jaws large to partially enclose the edge of the vessel. The clamp rings are supported symmetrically about the sides of the vessel. The rings are adjusted between an open position where the rings are clear of the vessel and a locking position where the jaws partially enclose the vessel. The jaws and the vessel share a tapered cam plate and roller system configured to bring the rings into vertically compressive locking engagement on the pressure vessel when the rings are moved into locking position. Mechanical interlocks provide security against back pressure opening the rings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2000
    Assignee: G.T. Equipment Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert B. Farmer, Bernard D. Jones, Kedar P. Gupta, Ijaz H. Jafri, Derek M. Dispensa
  • Patent number: 6055743
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for drying a semiconductor wafer. The semiconductor wafer is first dipped in a liquid with a volatility higher than water and which is miscible with water. The dipped semiconductor wafer is then delivered in an IPA dryer to carry out the drying process. The drying process includes evaporating isopropyl alcohol to obtain a vapor and condensing the IPA vapor on the surface of the semiconductor wafer. The IPA is heated and vaporized by a hot plate disposed at the bottom of the IPA dryer. The condenser is mounted on the inner peripheral surface of the IPA dryer and surrounds the semiconductor wafer, which is supported by a holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2000
    Assignee: Nanya Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Yi-Nan Chen, Wen-Chi Hsu
  • Patent number: 5873181
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for cleaning the interior of a container or one or more objects suspended therein comprising generating a fluid vapor column by forming an air column having a direction of air flow. The air column is passed through a heating means, so as to heat the air, and then the cleaning fluid is injected into the air column against the direction of air flow. The fluid vapor column is then brought into contact with the interior of the container so that the vapor condenses on the interior of the container or on objects suspended therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 23, 1999
    Inventor: Mace T. Miyasaki
  • Patent number: 5815942
    Abstract: A vapor drying system includes a tank for holding a drying liquid and a heater for boiling the drying liquid in the tank to produce a vapor. A manifold is arranged in the tank for bubbling gas into the drying liquid. A controller is configured to cause the manifold to bubble gas into the drying liquid at a time when substrates to be dried are first introduced into the tank in order to quench the boiling of the drying liquid and generate a saturated vapor at a rate sufficient to achieve condensation of the drying liquid over substantially the entire surface of each of the substrates to be dried. In this way, staining of the substrates is reduced and process yield is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 6, 1998
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Jin Jwang Wu, Soichi Nadahara, Susan L. Cohen, Russell Arndt
  • Patent number: 5758434
    Abstract: A wood drying system to eliminate the discharge of liquid kiln water includes a kiln which is heated to dry a batch of wood, a basin to collect the water driven from the wood, and an evaporator in which the collected water is converted into steam. The steam is provided to the kiln to balance the drying and alleviate the splitting, warping, etc. caused by over drying. The steam is ultimately vented harmlessly into the atmosphere to effectively eliminate any discharge of the kiln water as a liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 2, 1998
    Assignee: Georgia-Pacific Corporation
    Inventor: George E. Gipson
  • Patent number: 5752532
    Abstract: This invention pertains to a substrate cleaner and dryer or a dryer alone, and in particular, to an improved method of isopropyl alcohol (IPA) vapor drying having "closed loop" processing and capability to process extremely large substrates. The invention uses an inert gas, typically nitrogen (N.sub.2) or argon (Ar), as a process gas for carrying the vapor of a drying fluid in a "closed loop" cycle through a process vessel. The carrier gas and is pumped through a vapor generator and the process vessel in a rapid "closed loop" manner with extremely pure IPA vapor. Various embodiments employ the invention including two different vapor drying methods, a water rinse and vapor dry method and a solvent clean and vapor dry method. In either the water rinse and vapor dry method and a solvent clean and vapor dry method rinse water or cleaning fluid is rapidly drained in an unimpeded manner from the vessel while the process vessel is vented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 19, 1998
    Inventor: Robert S. Schwenkler
  • Patent number: 5715612
    Abstract: This invention pertains to a substrate cleaner and dryer or a dryer alone, and in particular, to an improved method of isopropyl alcohol (IPA) vapor drying having "closed loop" processing and capability to process extremely large substrates. The invention uses an inert gas, typically nitrogen (N.sub.2) or argon (Ar), as a process gas for carrying the vapor of a drying fluid in a "closed loop" cycle through a process vessel. The carrier gas and is pumped through a vapor generator and the process vessel in a rapid "closed loop" manner with extremely pure IPA vapor. Various embodiments employ the invention including two different vapor drying methods, a water rinse and vapor dry method and a solvent clean and vapor dry method. In either the water rinse and vapor dry method and a solvent clean and vapor dry method rinse water or cleaning fluid is rapidly drained in an unimpeded manner from the vessel while the process vessel is vented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 10, 1998
    Inventor: Robert S. Schwenkler
  • Patent number: 5711819
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for cleaning the interior of a container or one or more objects suspended therein comprising generating a fluid vapor column by forming an air column having a direction of air flow. The air column is passed through a heating means, so as to heat the air, and then the cleaning fluid is injected into the air column against the direction of air flow. The fluid vapor column is then brought into contact with the interior of the container so that the vapor condenses on the interior of the container or on objects suspended therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 27, 1998
    Inventor: Mace T. Miyasaki
  • Patent number: 5709037
    Abstract: A material to be dried, such as a semiconductor substrate during manufacturing a semiconductor device, is loaded into a process chamber fitted at a loading opening with a lid which is closed from above. The inner side wall surface of the process chamber has a first surface formed in the lower part thereof and is substantially in parallel with the inner wall surface of the lid, and a second surface extending from the upper end part of the first surface and bent outwards to face the inner wall surface of the lid. A processing solution vapor is fed through a steam supply port in the second surface into the process chamber and flowed downwardly over the material to be dried. The processing solution vapor is condensed and recovered below the material to be dried.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 20, 1998
    Assignees: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha, Ryoden Semiconductor System Engineering Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Tanaka, Nobuaki Doi, Masashi Omori, Hiroaki Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 5575079
    Abstract: A substrate drying apparatus includes a process bath having an object containing region for containing an object to be treated, a treatment liquid containing region for containing a volatile treatment liquid, and heating member for evaporating the treatment liquid, a receiving container, provided below the object containing region, for receiving water removed from the object with use of the evaporated treatment liquid, an exhaust pipe, attached to the container, for exhausting the water from the container to the outside of the process bath, and a cooling device, provided above the object containing region of the process bath, for condensing the evaporated treatment liquid, wherein the exhaust pipe has a valve and a branch pipe branched from the exhaust pipe such that the branch pipe is closer to the container than the valve is.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 19, 1996
    Assignees: Tokyo Electron Limited, Tokyo Electron Kyushu Limited
    Inventors: Kenji Yokomizo, Hiroshi Tanaka, Shori Mokuo, Teruomi Minami
  • Patent number: 5548906
    Abstract: Vaporizing and concentration drying apparatus and method are disclosed. The apparatus and method prepare good quality of condensed water and save evaporation energy and are wide used in making contaminated waste water become distilled water and in purification of the waste water and in concentration and drying of varieties of environmental polluting sludge. The apparatus and method recover and reuse the heating energy, which energy was applied to the vapor so as to heat the vapor to a high temperature and to remove the environmental polluting impurities, such as odor, B.O.D. and C.O.D. laden in the vapor, so that the apparatus and method remarkably save the cost for the heating energy. The apparatus saves the energy by 2-10 times in comparison with the conventional apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 27, 1996
    Inventors: Dae Sung Lee, Ho Keun Shin
  • Patent number: 5539995
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for rapidly drying an object, such as a semiconductor wafer, by creating a vapor flow from a liquid, such as isopropyl alcohol, and exposing the object to that flow. The apparatus comprises a heater for vaporizing liquid in a reservoir into a vapor, a condenser for subsequently condensing the vapor, and a treatment chamber into which the object to be dried is placed. The vaporization of the liquid at the reservoir and its subsequent condensation at the condenser creates a pressure gradient between the heater and the condenser, thereby forming a vapor stream. The object to be dried is exposed to this vapor stream, whereby some of the vapor condenses on the object and combines with the liquid on the object to produce a condensate which flows off the object, thereby drying the object. The method comprises the steps of heating a liquid to form a vapor, condensing the vapor to form a vapor stream, and positioning an object to be dried in the vapor stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 30, 1996
    Assignee: Verteq, Inc.
    Inventor: Mario E. Bran
  • Patent number: 5459945
    Abstract: A vacuum assisted system for drying articles of clothing with recaptured heat includes an evaporation chamber and a condensation chamber. The evaporation chamber is enclosed inside the condensation chamber. Heat transfers from the condensation chamber to the evaporation chamber when vapor condenses on the exterior of the evaporation chamber. Pressure is reduced in each chamber by an automated regulation system which pumps vapor from between the chambers to optimize drying.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 24, 1995
    Inventor: Arthur Shulenberger
  • Patent number: 5454177
    Abstract: A process for the treatment of objects with an inflammable volatile liquid, in an installation comprising at least one upwardly open tank (16) adapted to be filled with the liquid, a drying device (20) adapted to remove contained treatment liquid from the treated objects, and a transport system adapted to bring an object to be treated above the tank, and to immerse it in the tank, to withdraw it, and to transfer it into the drying device, then to remove it. The tank and the drying device are disposed in a closed chamber (2, 4) containing an atmosphere comprised principally of a protective gas, with an oxygen content maintained sufficiently low that the ignition of the treatment liquid will be impossible. This chamber is separated from the exterior by at least one gas lock (1, 5) containing the same atmosphere. The object to be treated passes through the gas lock to enter the chamber and by the same or another gas lock to be removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 3, 1995
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventor: Bertrand Dutournier
  • Patent number: 5369891
    Abstract: A substrate drying apparatus comprising a vessel in which IPA is contained, a chamber enclosing the vessel, a heating heater for heating IPA into vapor in the vessel and in that region in the vessel where a plurality of substrates are vapor-processed, a mechanism for carrying the plural water-washed substrates into the vapor-processing region in the vessel, a mechanism located above the vapor-processing region in the vessel to cool the IPA vapor into solution drops, region in the chamber located above the cooling mechanism where the substrates can be dried while removing IPA from the substrates, and gas supply and exhaust devices for causing gas to flow from above to below in the drying region in the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 1993
    Date of Patent: December 6, 1994
    Assignees: Tokyo Electron Limited, Tokyo Electron Kyushu Limited
    Inventor: Yuuji Kamikawa
  • Patent number: 5351419
    Abstract: A multi-directional flow of isopropyl alcohol vapor is used to uniformly dry a semiconductor substrate. In one embodiment of the invention, isopropyl alcohol vapor (19), which is generated by an external vapor source (30), is injected into the vapor drying system at a location near the top portion (28) of the semiconductor substrate (20), while internally generated isopropyl alcohol vapors (18) are directed toward the bottom portion (26) of the semiconductor substrate (20). Therefore, both the top (28) and the bottom (26) portions of the semiconductor substrate (20) are dried at approximately the same time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 1992
    Date of Patent: October 4, 1994
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: John G. Franka, Gary A. DePinto, Ross A. Fisher, Harry S. Morgan