Abstract: An apparatus for reducing a relative humidity of air inside an enclosed space includes a portable outside air heat exchanger unit having a fan operative to create an air stream by drawing outside air from an intake and discharging the air stream through an outlet inside the enclosed space, and a temperature adjusting element located in the air stream. A heating source supplies heat energy to the temperature adjusting element in response to directions from a heat controller. A humidity sensor is operative to sense the relative humidity of the air in a sensing location and to send a humidity signal to the heat controller to change the amount of heat energy supplied to the temperature adjusting element in response to the humidity signal. HEPA filters and ultra-violet lights can shine on the air stream to kill mold spores and the like.

Abstract: A semiconductor manufacturing process facility requiring use therein of air exhaust for its operation, such facility including clean room and gray room components, with the clean room having at least one semiconductor manufacturing tool therein, and wherein air exhaust is flowed through a region of the clean room. The facility includes an air exhaust treatment apparatus arranged to (i) receive air exhaust after flow thereof through said region of said clean room, (ii) produce a treated air exhaust, and (iii) recirculate the treated air exhaust to an ambient air environment in the facility, e.g., to the gray room of the facility.

Abstract: A paper trap includes a trap chamber. An outlet of the trap chamber is preferably connected to an inlet of the exhaust bypass damper. An inlet of the trap chamber is coupled to dust capture hoods and an outlet of the bypass chamber is coupled to a dust collector. A perforated plate is disposed in the trap chamber to prevent scraps of paper from passing through the paper trap. The paper trap includes a normal operating position and a cleaning position. In a normal operating position, air from the dust capture hoods flows through the paper trap. In a cleaning position, a paper disposal opening is uncovered to remove scraps of paper from the perforated plate. A junction between the trap chamber and bypass chamber is covered and a bypass inlet uncovered. Air flows into the bypass inlet and out-of-the outlet of the bypass chamber.

Abstract: A fluid filter apparatus includes a filter element located in a filter chamber formed in a filter housing. A valve unit is located in a passageway formed in the filter housing to control flow of fluid into or out of the filter chamber.

Abstract: An isolation device for one or more ion transport membranes and that has a housing and one or more check valves in communication with one or more passageways extending through the housing to prevent gas flow within the housing and the ion transport membrane(s) upon breakage thereof. Where a lance tube is used with the oxygen transport membrane a second check valve can be used. The check valves, preferably contain spring loaded poppet valves which, though normally open, are capable of resetting themselves into a closed position upon breakage or other failure of the oxygen transport membrane tubes.

Abstract: An air extraction and treatment unit is located above a source of contaminated air. The apparatus has a series of ultraviolet tubes for treating the decontaminated air. The unit is arranged such that in use substantially no direct or reflected ultraviolet light is visible from outside the unit. Furthermore even when a removable filter is removed, there is no direct line of sight to the ultra-violet source. The unit further has a first switch being disposed between a first filter and the unit. The first switch modulates the ultraviolet tubes between at least a first condition and a second condition.

Abstract: An air extraction and treatment unit (2) is located above a source of contaminated air. The apparatus has a series of ultraviolet tubes (20) for treating the decontaminated air. The unit is arranged such that in use substantially no direct or reflected ultraviolet light is visible from outside the unit. Furthermore even when a removable filter (4) is removed, there is no direct line of sight to the ultra-violet sources.

Abstract: An airflow feedback control method and apparatus for fan filter unit (FFU) is proposed, which is designed for use with a fan filter unit that is widely used in semiconductor fabrication factories for dust-clearing purpose, for controlling the fan filter unit to generate a constant amount of airflow equal to a preset desired amount. The proposed FFU airflow feedback control method and apparatus is characterized by that it utilizes bell inlet as an airflow measuring nozzle and that airflow is used as feedback parameter to control the FFU, rather than utilizing motor speed as feedback parameter by prior art. This feature allows the fan filter unit to continuously generate a fixed amount of airflow equal to the preset desired amount even if there is a pressure change at the site of installation, thus lessening the problems of insufficient air change rate and sideward-going airflows.

Abstract: A cargo or bulk product off-load system includes a compressor (10) that pressurizes air. The air is dried by a dryer (12, 14) and routed to a supply tank (16). From the supply tank, the air is either used to pressurize service reservoirs (24, 26) or to assist the off-load system. Air stored in the service reservoirs (24, 26) is used to pressurize purge volumes associated with the dryers (12, 14). The compressor (10) operates at a lower pressure when supplying air to assist the off-load system than when pressurizing the service reservoirs (24, 26). Controllers (30, 40) coordinate switching of airflow, and alternating purging and drying of the dryers.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for continuously removing siloxanes and H2O from a waste gas stream containing H2O and siloxanes includes cooling the waste gas stream in a primary heat exchanger to a temperature of greater than 2° F. to condense a portion of the H2O from the waste gas stream, chilling the waste gas stream in a first gas-refrigerant heat exchanger to a temperature of about −20° F. to condense the siloxanes and freeze the H2O and then directing the cooled waste gas stream from the primary heat exchanger to a second gas-refrigerant heat exchanger while the first gas-refrigerant heat exchanger is defrosted to remove frozen H2O and siloxanes.

Abstract: An access port for a house vacuum system that is equipped with a removable trap is described. The access port can be constructed by the components of a port body of elongated, cylindrical shape, which may have either an annular cross-section or a rectangular cross-section; a port cover that is pivotally connected to a floor panel by a hinge; a debris trap of elongated, cylindrical shape that is removable mounted inside the port body; a vacuum hose access port that is provided in the port cover; and a cover for the vacuum hose access port pivotally connected to the port cover by a hinge. The access port may also be made into a portable unit that can be moved from vacuum port to vacuum port in a cleanroom environment.

Abstract: A full-flow mechanical failsafe is composed of a cylindrical shell having a movable sealing plug therein, for attachment to a reaction tube of a fluid treatment system, such as a gas clean up system in a power plant. The sealing plug rests on locking spheres within the shell during normal operation. Upon reaction tube failure or breakage, the flow of fluid will be substantially increased, causing an increase in upward pressure against the sealing plug, forcing it upward off the spheres and into a sealing contact with a flow aperture, shutting off fluid flow. The spheres move downward into a locking position upon movement of the sealing plug, to secure the sealing plug in its upward sealing position. The failsafe can be used in fluid flow control systems other than fluid filtering systems, such as oil or gas pipelines, and can be used to prevent improper reverse fluid flow.

Abstract: A full-flow mechanical failsafe (100) is composed of a cylindrical shell (101) having a movable sealing plug (105) therein, for attachment to a filter element (110) of a fluid filtering system, such as a gas clean up system in a power plant. The sealing plug (105) rests on locking spheres (107) within the shell (101) during normal operation. Upon filter failure or breakage, the flow fluid will be substantially increased, causing an increase in upward pressure against the sealing plug (105), forcing it upward off the spheres (107) and into sealing contact with a flow aperture (102, 103), shutting off fluid flow. The spheres (107) move downward into a locking position upon movement of the sealing plug (105), to secure the sealing plug (105) in its upward sealing position. The failsafe (100) can be used in fluid flow control systems other than fluid filtering systems, such as oil or gas pipelines, and can be used to prevent improper reverse fluid flow.

Abstract: A protection system arranged to prevent a large trans-membrane pressure difference over a pressure sensitive membrane (4) fitted in a pressure resistant chamber (3), wherein the membrane forms a physical barrier between a liquid and a gas mixture carried through the chamber (3), the protection system includes two shut-off valves (9, 10) provided in the liquid inlet and outlet lines respectively, a buffer tank (3) provided in the line between one of the shut-off valves (9, 10) and the pressure resistant chamber (3), a pressure equalizing valve (12) provided between the gas inlet line (8) and the buffer tank (2) and a pressure sensing valve (14) for measuring the pressure difference over the membrane (4) and which activates the shut-off valves (9, 10) once this pressure difference exceeds a predetermined value.

Abstract: A ventless air scrubber assembly for use with a conventional cooking appliance situated within an interior location. A ventilation hood is arrayed in an overhanging manner above the cooking appliance and includes a recessed interior defined by a planar base surface and a plurality of interconnecting sides. The hood further includes an intake and an exhaust and a plurality of individual grease extraction units located within the hood in proximity to the exhaust. A filtration housing having an inlet and an outlet is located a specified distance from the hood and is interconnected to the hood exhaust by a first length of ductwork extending filtration housing inlet. A plurality of individual filters are arrayed between the inlet and an outlet in successive fashion. The filters include particulate entrapment filters and an odor removal filter. A second length of ductwork extends between the filtration housing outlet and an inlet of an exhaust fan.

Abstract: An oil separator such as used in an air charging system includes a bypass assembly. During normal operation, airflow from an inlet to an outlet passes through the filter to remove oil and oil vapor from the compressed air. If a restriction or blockage occurs in the filter, as exhibited by a predetermined pressure differential across the filter, a bypass passage is opened to allow direct communication between the inlet and outlet ports. A spring defines the pressure responsive member that allows the filter to move away from the valve seat and establish communication between the inlet and outlet ports of the housing.

Abstract: The filtering plant has a plurality of porous, gas-permeable filter elements with at least one raw gas side and at least one clean gas side. The gas to be cleaned (raw gas) flows towards the raw gas side, and the clean gas side is connected with a clean gas passage. Into the clean gas passage and into the filter elements, pulse gas coming from a pressure vessel is introduced for periodically detaching dust adhering at the raw gas side. Via a gas-permeable passage, the pressure vessel is connected with a measuring chamber having a smaller volume than the pressure vessel. While pulse gas flows out of the pressure vessel into the clean gas passage and to the filter elements, the pressure difference .DELTA.p=p1-p2 is measured and monitored, where p1 is the static pressure in the measuring chamber, and p2 is the static pressure in the pressure vessel. Expediently, an alarm signal is activated when the maximum of the pressure difference falls below a predetermined minimum value.

Abstract: A method and a device for collecting by-products individually, applied to the semiconductor manufacture factory, is disclosed. The device, adapted to be used to filter a fluid accompanied with an object, for retaining the object therein includes a body, an entrance provided on an upper portion of the body for enabling the fluid to flow into the body, a powder trap mounted in the body for filtering the fluid to retain the object therein, a guiding device mounted in the body for guiding the fluid to pass the powder trap, and an exit provided on a lower portion of the body for enabling the filtered fluid to flow out. The advantages of the present invention have: (a) preventing the by-products from being reacted with each other resulting in a fire; (b) preventing the low vacuum tube from being chocked by by-products; and (c) collecting the by-products individually.

Abstract: Two filters provided in an exhaust path of an internal combustion engine are used to simultaneously collect particulate in an exhaust gas and are alternately refreshed. When a refresh timing of the filters comes, a determination is made as to which of the filters has a larger accumulation amount. The plurality of filters are refreshed in an order from the filter determined as having the larger accumulation amount, and variation of accumulation amounts of particulate of the filters is corrected, so that both of the filters are refreshed within a tolerable temperature range.

Abstract: The present invention is a filtering unit providing after-treatment of the gases emited in the exhaust of Diesel engines, comprising a filtering set which includes at least one filtering element (11, 12, 13); at least one resistive element (3) which heats a zone (121, 122, 123) of one of the at least one filtering element; at least one detection device which determines fouling of the filtering set (1); a control (5), responsive to the at least one detection device, which controls independently each of the resistive elements, according to the fouling of the filtering set and electrical power available to the at least one resistive element. The resistive elements (3) can be each wound around a zone of a filtering element. The invention further relates to the associated process.

Abstract: A method for filtering the dust in gaseous emissions discharged from a glass furnace includes filtering the emissions at a traverse speed of at least 0.1 m/sec with at least one filtering element downstream of the furnace, and regenerating the filtering element by washing using a water-based solvent which is capable of dissolving and/or washing away most of the filtered dust.

Abstract: The present invention is concerned with a process for the filtering out of fibers form an air stream, in which process a stripping blade (3), for the purpose of cleaning, is moved along the surface of a filter (2) installed in a vacuum chamber (10). A controlled linear drive (51) is applied to the said stripper blade (3), by which the stripping blade (3) is made movable for the carrying out of a two phase operational motion along a linear path of travel. The end positions are located at opposite sides outside of the surface of the filter (2) in areas (A, B) wherein the stripping plate (3) is without contact with an opposing surface. During the first phase of travel, the fibrous material is scraped from the surface of the filter (2), while during the second phase of travel of the stripping blade (3) the said fibers are pressed against the filter (2) and the stripping plate (3) essentially moves back over the fiber without taking the said fibrous material with it.

Abstract: A method and apparatus provides a resource capable of affecting the manufacture of a product to a bay and a chase. Clean resource is supplied to the bay where it is used to affect the manufacture of a product in one or more steps highly sensitive to contaminants in the resource. The resource contaminated by the manufacture of the product is then sent to a chase where it is further used to affect the manufacture of the same or a different product in steps that are less sensitive to the contamination of the resource. Because the bay is most sensitive to contaminants in the resource, the impurified resource received at the chase may not adversely affect the manufacture of products in the chase and thus, supplying a clean resource to the chase is unnecessary.

Abstract: Pressure control apparatus for a cyclone separator includes a variable air flow control valve in at least one line exiting from the separator. The air flow through that valve is adjusted in response to pressure changes in the separator. A flow control valve with adjustable bladders is preferred.