Membrane contactors installed in Malaysian semiconductor fab for oxygen removal

CHARLOTTE, NC, Feb. 22, 2006 -- Membrana announces that another Liqui-Cel^® membrane contactor system for oxygen removal is being shipped to Malaysia. The 115 m³/hr system utilizes Liqui-Cel 10 x 28 high purity membrane contactors to provide a dissolved oxygen outlet of less than 100 ppb. The system will operate in combo mode using nitrogen and vacuum.

The semiconductor plant will use the membrane contactors to manufacture Logic chips used in automobiles and industrial power applications. Oxygen in water used to manufacture Semiconductor wafers negatively impacts production yields.

These membrane contactors are used around the world for adding or removing Oxygen (O₂), Carbon Dioxide (CO₂) and Nitrogen (N₂) to or from different liquids in semiconductor, power, pharmaceutical, photographic, food and beverage, and many other industries. For example, it is known that O₂ negatively impacts many processes; it is corrosive and can oxidize materials. In the power and industrial areas, piping and equipment are susceptible to corrosion. Specifically to the semiconductor market, high levels of O₂ can cause lower wafer yields. Additionally, CO₂ negatively impacts performance of EDI and Ion Exchange. The contactors offer a modular solution for O₂/CO₂ removal before these processes without chemicals.

These membrane contactors are also used to add gasses to liquids to enhance megasonic cleaning. The beverage industry looks to membrane contactors for carbonation, nitrogenation and O₂ removal. These reflect only a few examples of the variety of applications where they're used. New applications are constantly being developed.

Additionally, Membrana offers liquid ring vacuum pumps, eductors and oxygen sensors to complement the membrane contactors.

Membrana's Industrial Membrane Group also manufactures a variety of membranes used for filtration in various industries and applications. Manufacturing facilities are located in the USA and Europe. Global markets are served through sales offices and affiliates in North America, Europe, Japan, Southeast Asia and China. Based in Wuppertal, Germany, with U.S. headquarters in Charlotte, NC, Membrana (www.membrana.com or www.liquicel.com) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of POLYPORE Inc. (www.polypore.net), a growing worldwide developer, manufacturer and marketer of highly specialized polymer-based membranes used in separation and filtration processes.

Also see: "Membrana announces a new agent in China for Liqui-Cel membrane contactors"

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