Oxygen Monitor for Foup's in Semiconductors and Cleanrooms

Over time, the contamination control requirements in the semiconductor industry have become more stringent. Employees now must spend more time adhering to cleaning protocols to preserve the sanitary nature of the environment and comply with regulations. The front-end unified pod (or FOUP) began appearing in semiconductors in the 1990s, serving as a transportation box to safely and securely hold silicon wafers and ensure easier compliance with the industry's  contamination control requirements.

FOUPs allow the wafers to remain in a sterile environment, while also remaining isolated from the cleanroom itself. Not only does this save time, this saves money by lowering the maintenance needs and investments needed to maintain a clean room. Widespread today, FOUPs must be properly cleaned and maintained in order to remain functional. Since a single FOUP can cost $1,000’s so this is not something to be taken lightly by staff. 

Why Cleanliness is Critical to the Semiconductor Industry

Maintaining a cleanroom is so important because air particles can get on equipment or tools and compromise them. During manufacturing processes such as etching, the wafers held inside FOUPs are removed from the isolated environment of the FOUP and then subject to different chemicals. After the etching process ends, trace amounts of these chemicals remain on the wafers. If these were to be returned to the FOUP, they would contaminate the closed atmosphere with chemical residue. This could wreak havoc on the remaining wafers stored in the clean environment of the FOUP. Were this to happen, FOUPs and the wafers inside would need to be cleaned - a very expensive and time consuming process. 

The average FOUP can last for roughly five years before it needs to be replaced. To extend its lifespan and keep all components clean and sanitary, it is necessary to clean FOUPs periodically and to maintain good laboratory habits to minimize mishandling of FOUPs.

Compressed dry air or an inert gas such as nitrogen are common choices for effective cleaning of FOUPs. Studies have shown that passing nitrogen gas over the lower ports and front-end environment of the FOUPs is a reliable way to clean the interior by removing debris and chemical residue stuck inside. While this is useful for reliable FOUP cleaning, introducing nitrogen into the laboratory environment can pose a safety hazard.

Safety Risks of FOUP Cleaning With Nitrogen

Nitrogen gas can displace oxygen if it is released in a closed environment. Were nitrogen to leak from the FOUP and into the clean room, it could reduce levels of oxygen in the air below safe breathing levels. In a worst-case scenario, staff could become sick or die from lack of oxygen. Since both oxygen and nitrogen are colorless and odorless gases, staff cannot tell how much oxygen is in the air, or whether nitrogen used to clean FOUPs has escaped through a leak.
An oxygen monitor can evaluate the levels of oxygen in the air to ensure that nitrogen used to clean FOUPs does not make its way into the clean room, to compromise the air quality and safety there. A wall-mounted O2 monitor takes periodic readings of the level of oxygen in the room. As long as oxygen levels remain in an acceptable range, the sensor will continue to operate as usual. 

If oxygen levels were to drop such that employee health and safety might be compromised, the oxygen deficiency monitor would set off an alarm that would tell staff to evacuate. Staff then have enough time to exit the clean room and avoid health problems associated with oxygen deficient environments. 

When looking for an oxygen monitor for FOUPs, it is vital that the O2 monitor be as hardy and long-lasting as the FOUPs themselves. At PureAire, we make oxygen sensors guaranteed to last for 10 years. Our O2 monitors do not need calibration or maintenance to perform, unlike other brands of oxygen monitors. To ensure a clean, safe environment, while protecting your investment, choose the best in oxygen deficiency monitoring. Learn more about our products at our website, www.pureairemonitoring.com.

Source

http://www.sdram-technology.info/FOUP.html
http://www.entegris.com/Resources/assets/1013-0667.pdf

http://micromagazine.fabtech.org/archive/04/08/keyhani.html

Auotclaves and Nitrogen. Why an Oxygen Monitor may be Required for Safety

In many industries, including aerospace, autoclaves play an important role in the manufacturing process. Key components of aerospace systems need to be put under an intense pressure and temperature during their formation; at present, an autoclave offers the best and safest way to do this. However, the manufacturing process usually uses nitrogen to create high levels of pressure in the system and to sweep away off-gases created by the composite curing process. If a component malfunctions, this nitrogen could escape into the workroom and pose a health hazard. Learn more about how autoclaves utilize nitrogen and how an oxygen monitor may be required for employee safety. 

Autoclaves and Nitrogen: Nitrogen's Role in Aerospace Manufacturing

When composite parts are created and cured, the pressure in the autoclave environment puts them into a situation where they become highly flammable due to increased pressure and temperature inside the autoclave. 

Once cured, these parts are safe and do not pose a fire risk. However, during the curing process they could combust if the right conditions prevailed - namely, if oxygen were introduced. Nitrogen is favored for use in autoclaves since it is inexpensive to buy and is inert, thus will not catch fire. Nitrogen can safely remove these off-gases and reduce the risk of fire. However, the use of nitrogen in the autoclave brings about another set of challenges. Nitrogen must be kept in the autoclave and safely vented outside the room, since nitrogen creates an oxygen deficient environment when it mixes with pure O2. 

Since there is a safety concern with autoclaves, they are highly regulated by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) code. The good news is, the pressure valves used on autoclaves are very safe, thanks to the conservative ASME guidelines. Every autoclave in use today has multiple safety valves, which ensure that pressure inside can be safely released. 

Even though autoclaves are subject to strict regulations, have built-in safety redundancies, and are generally considered to be very safe, accidents can still occur. One small step you can take to protect workers and prevent a tragedy from occurring is to invest in an oxygen deficiency monitor. 

How an O2 Monitor Keeps Workers Safe

If the nitrogen were to escape from the autoclave during the manufacturing process, it could actually deplete oxygen levels in the room. When oxygen levels go down, workers can have a difficult time getting enough air to breathe and may become dizzy or lightheaded as a result. Nitrogen has no odor or color, so these minor physical symptoms are the only clue staff may have that there is something wrong.

As nitrogen escapes it creates an oxygen deficient environment. When there is not enough oxygen to breath, your employees can suffocate and die in a worst case scenario.  

To keep your employees safe, you must make sure that all equipment is working properly by scheduling regular autoclave inspections and performing routine maintenance as scheduled. Additionally, invest in oxygen monitors in any area where you use autoclaves. These O2 monitors offer a simple, cost-effective way to keep track of oxygen levels in the room 24/7. 

An oxygen sensor or O2 monitor takes regular readings of the oxygen levels in the room. When oxygen levels are within the normal range, the monitor continued to function. If oxygen levels fall below the safest acceptable level, the monitor lets off an alarm that tells staff that there is a problem. Employees can then exit the room and avoid being exposed to an oxygen deficient environment and suffering grave and potentially fatal health problems. 

PureAire's oxygen sensors are guaranteed to last for a period of 10 years, thanks to their hardy zirconium construction. Whereas other types of oxygen deficiency monitors require regular calibration and maintenance, our products are reliable, guaranteed to perform over a test of time, and do not require staff maintenance. 

When you want the best in oxygen monitoring to keep your employees safe, look to PureAire, which has more than 15 years of experience creating O2 monitors. Visit our website, www.pureairemonitoring.com, or email us at info@pureaire.net for more information on how oxygen monitors can protect employee safety. 

CO2 Monitor For Breweries: Carbon Dioxide Safety and How to Stay Safe

Carbon dioxide is a necessary byproduct of the brewing process, yet too much CO2 can be dangerous to employee health. In Germany, two workers died at the same brewery in 2012 due to hazardous levels of CO2 present in beer mixing and pressure tanks. Learn more about how CO2 levels can get out of control during the beer brewing process and ways to protect your staff from this deadly gas.

Carbon Dioxide in Brewing

As beer ferments in stainless steel fermentation tanks, the yeast that was pitched into the wort eats up the natural sugars (glucose) over the course of 14 days or more. Lagers have a longer fermentation period of up to 6 weeks. During this time, the beer is held in a pressurized tank and kept at a constant temperature. As the yeast consumes the sugars, it creates carbon dioxide gas and ethyl alcohol. The alcohol-free wort then becomes both carbonated and alcoholic, essentially turning into beer as we know it.

Some carbon dioxide gas escapes the fermenter through an airlock during the initial fermentation period. However, as the beer finishes fermentation and reaches its final specific gravity (a measure of alcohol by volume), the airlock is capped and CO2 is then allowed to build up inside the tank. This ensures that beer becomes carbonated and develops the fizzy mouth feel you've come to associate with beer. Additional carbon dioxide can be added to the beer as needed to control the end result and ensure consistency in commercial brewing.

Hazards of Carbon Dioxide

While carbon dioxide is crucial to the taste and feel of beer, it is also highly dangerous. CO2 displaces oxygen, which can lead to asphyxiation if the oxygen deficiency is not corrected. CO2 can also be highly toxic, even at levels as low as 0.5%. Exposure to more than 10% by volume of carbon dioxide can cause death within minutes. By the time a fellow staff member realizes that a colleague is non-responsive or has been overcome by exposure, the damage is done.

Brewers must control their exposure to CO2 through all aspects of the beer brewing process, from fermentation to packaging and bottling. CO2 is heavier than air, so it will settle to the bottom of fermentation tanks. The gas can then escape from fermentation tanks and hide on the brewery floor, in invisible and dangerous pockets of air.

Since carbon dioxide gas is odorless and colorless, brewery workers may not know when they are being exposed to dangerous levels of CO2 until it's too late. Even if staff are trained in the best practices regarding carbon dioxide in the environment, they cannot protect themselves from something they cannot see or smell.

To keep staff safe, it's a smart idea to monitor levels of carbon dioxide in the air. A dual-use oxygen/carbon dioxide sensor can monitor existing levels of CO2 and alert staff if the amount of CO2 start to rise. This monitor can also track the level of oxygen, sounding an alarm if oxygen levels fall to a point where staff do not have enough oxygen to breathe.

When levels of CO2 reach the point that can be hazardous to health or exceed the minimum exposure risk, or when the amount of oxygen in the air becomes too low, visual and auditory alarms go of that alert all staff on the brewery floor to the dangers. Staff can then evacuate the premises safely.

These monitors take readings of the levels of O2 and CO2 in the environment at all times. If levels become too high, brewery staff can remove carbon dioxide from the environment by using the ring main or manually removing the CO2.

PureAire offers a dual O2/CO2 monitor that has a zirconium sensor, which is uniquely equipped to perform in humid environments where temperatures fluctuate. The same Co2 detector can last for up to 10 years, and will not require significant maintenance or calibration to remain accurate. Compared to other brewery CO2 monitor offerings, PureAire's are accurate, durable, reliable, and easy to use.
As a leading expert in the area of carbon dioxide monitoring, PureAire has more than 15 years of experience creating durable oxygen deficiency monitors. Learn more about the PureAire Oxygen Monitoring System by emailing info@pureaire.net or visiting the business website, www.pureairemonitoring.com.

PureAire O2 Monitor for Food Manufacturing Tunnel/Freezers with N2 and CO2: Using a 10 Year No Calibration Sensor

For flash freezing nothing beats a liquid nitrogen or carbon dioxide immersion or tunnel style freezer for efficiency, overall performance, and cost savings. If you haven't yet switched to an immersion freezer, doing so now could position you to better compete in your market segment and save money over time. Learn more about why these freezers are a must for frozen food manufacturers.

Immersion Freezers: How They Work

Ideal for freezing seafood, poultry, meat, and marinated or glazed products, these freezers use a conveyor belt to ferry food items through a liquid nitrogen or carbon dioxide bath. When the food is fully immersed in the gas, which is held at a steady temperature suitable for freezing food items, it freezes completely in seconds. This locks in nutrients, flavor, and texture to preserve the best qualities of the item.

Unit controls accommodate for fluctuations in the product load and variations in temperature of the incoming food items to enforce quality control every time. A turn up/turn down capability allows you to save money by moderating unit performance; the unique space-saving design and tunnel orientation reduces air infiltration and helps maintain best practices in unit sanitation.

By offering a better yield retention, a low capital investment, and lower operating costs, these units allow you to increase your production rates without increasing your staffing or your physical footprint. The immersion freezing system is customizable for a wide range of products and ensures the consistent quality in frozen foods you need.

These freezers run on inert gases, which deplete oxygen from the air. To protect workers and maintain safety, you must ensure that your freezer has an O2 monitoring system, which ensures that there is enough oxygen in the environment and alerts staff if the level of oxygen falls below the minimum safe level.

Why You Need an Oxygen Monitor For Your Immersion Freezer


If oxygen levels in the work environment get too low, staff working in the area may not have enough oxygen to breathe and could asphyxiate. PureAire's O2 monitors are capable of performing in sub-zero environments, where other oxygen sensors may fail to perform consistently.

The oxygen monitor keeps tabs on the amount of oxygen in the environment at all times. Even in a sensitive environment like the tunnel or immersion freezer, where the temperatures are constantly changing as food cycles off of and on to the conveyor belts, the oxygen monitor is able to provide a stable reading to ensure accuracy and protect your employees.

This oxygen deficiency monitor features a zirconium sensor, which is able to detect oxygen levels across the temperature spectrum and regardless of humidity. The oxygen monitor is guaranteed to perform accurately for a period of 10 years or more, without requiring the time-consuming maintenance that another oxygen detector might need. Additionally, you will not need to calibrate the oxygen monitor, as you would with other models. This offers an improvement over disposable sensors, which increase your bottom line and the amount of waste you produce.

When you switch to a tunnel or immersion freezer, you stand to boost your production capacity and your bottom line. Oxygen detectors from PureAire can help you save as much as $475 per year off our operating expenses while supporting your overall business growth.

With over 15 years of experience, PureAire is the industry's leading expert in oxygen monitoring. To learn more about the PureAire Oxygen Monitoring System, visit the company's website at www.Pureairemonitoring.com

Argon Gas, 3D Printing, and How to Stay Safe

For the average person, Argon gas is not a topic of daily conversation, or, for that matter, any conversation, ever. It may be surprising to learn that argon is the third most common gas in the earth’s atmosphere, though most people know little about it. The word argon itself comes from a Greek word meaning ‘inactive’ because of its lack of chemical reactions. Argon is colorless, odorless, tasteless, and non-toxic, but this doesn’t mean it is completely harmless. Because it is 38% denser than air, it can displace the oxygen in an enclosed area, asphyxiating anyone inside.

When using the right safety precautions, like an oxygen deficiency monitor, argon can be very useful. It is used as a shielding gas in metal work and welding to prevent burning, and can even be used to extinguish fires. As a preservative, argon can be used to displace oxygen out of packaging to extend shelf life by preventing oxidation and spoilage. Even light bulbs are filled with argon to prevent oxidation of the filament.

One of the most modern uses of argon gas is in selective laser melting, which is a type of 3D printing. In this process of additive manufacturing, layers of a powder are bonded together using a powerful laser (as opposed to sinter bonding them). Argon is an inert gas, and relatively inexpensive, therefore it creates the perfect environment for this process to take place in. The use of argon here permits a tightly controlled atmosphere, allowing for an oxygen free environment. Using this amount of argon requires the use of an oxygen monitor for safety.

An oxygen deficiency monitor tests the percentage of oxygen in an enclosed area to ensure it is safe to breathe. If a gas like argon were to leak, it would push breathable oxygen out as it filled the room displacing any breathable air. Having no color or odor, a person in the room would be unaware of this exchange of gasses until it was too late. Having an oxygen monitor, like ones sold by PureAire Monitoring Systems, would alert anyone around of a gas leak in time for them to seek safety. If you are interested in using argon gas, contact PureAire Monitoring Systems to learn about how easy it can be to stay safe with an oxygen monitor. Argon has an important place in our modern world, so spread the word and share the knowledge of how to use argon while practicing safety.

Looking Hot while Staying Cool: Liquid Nitrogen at the Club

You feel the pulse of the music and the energy of the crowd around you. The beat is infectious and before you know it you are on the dance floor moving your body and having a good time. As the rhythm builds and your hips shake, one thing is holding you back and preventing you from fully enjoying the night. You are just too hot. You left your house looking like a million bucks and now you are a sweaty mess who is one song away from completely melting.

Seconds before you make the decision to escape the crowd and mop up your dripping face, a blast of cold air seemingly from the heavens sweeps across the club and sends a chill through your overheated body. You breathe in deeply and feel refreshed and alive, as you change your mind and stick it out to dance a while longer. You are happy just where you are, looking hot but feeling cool.

The cold blast you felt didn’t come from the heavens, but from a specifically designed and constructed cryogenic system created for the club. A quick blast of liquid nitrogen is all it takes to cool the crowd and have you feeling renewed. This liquid quickly dissipates into a gas, and, because it is denser therefore heavier than air, falls onto the dance floor and the sweaty people below.

Nitrogen is odorless, colorless, and tasteless, making it ideal for going unnoticed (other than a nice cool feeling). These qualities are also what can make it dangerous, because a room could fill with nitrogen without anybody noticing before it is too late. If the right safety precautions, like an oxygen deficiency monitor, are in place, you can party on in confidence. These monitors, like the ones sold by PureAire Monitoring Systems, make sure the oxygen level in the room is at a safe and breathable level, which changes as it is displaced with a heavier gas like nitrogen. If this occurs, an alarm will sound and you will be evacuated before anyone is harmed.

If you are looking for a cool a new experience, try attending a club with a liquid nitrogen system, but always remember, safety first. Check with the club and make sure they are using an oxygen monitor, and if they are not, have them contact PureAire Monitoring Systems to get hooked up.

Contact www.pureairemonitoring.com with any questions

Dry Ice –Carbon Dioxide: Where is it being used and how to handle safely?

Carbon dioxide, in its solid form, is colder than ice. It is so cold, in fact, that handling it without protection can cause frostbite. It does not melt, but instead dissipates into a gas that can be dangerous to breathe. This substance is called dry ice, and, when handled properly, has many useful applications.

The most practical use of dry ice is to keep things cold. It can be used to flash freeze anything from biological samples to ice cream. It does not alter the taste of food, but alternatively keeps the fats in food from becoming rancid and preserves flavor over time. When transporting perishable items, even medications, dry ice can be used to insure freshness. With safety precautions, it can be used to ship food in packages, and even be brought on an airplane.

Another common use of dry ice is to create ‘fog’. This can be done for a special effect in a movie, or even in a haunted house or nightclub. When a piece of dry ice is placed in water, sublimation is accelerated. This is the process from which a chemical in a solid state skips over the liquid stage and turns directly into a gas. For dry ice, this process occurs more rapidly in water, allowing a dense cloud of fog to dramatically fill a room. Since carbon dioxide is heavier than air, the fog will stay low to the ground, providing an eerie special effect.

Dry ice may sound enticing, and can even be obtained from your local grocery store, however, it is important to remember to follow safety precautions before and during the handling of this powerful substance. The first thing to consider is how you are going to transport and store the dry ice. It is very important to wear protective gloves while picking up dry ice. It is so cold than it can cause frostbite upon contact. If you will be driving with a large quantity of dry ice, make sure to have your windows down to allow a flow of air so carbon dioxide does not build up inside your car. Also, store dry ice in a cooler so it lasts longer, but make sure it is not airtight so it does not explode under pressure from the sublimation.

As dry ice sublimates and creates ‘fog’, it is slowly filling the room with carbon dioxide. This is not a gas you want to breathe in large quantities. It can replace the oxygen in a room, causing illness and suffocation, so it is very important to have good ventilation in any area in which you are storing or using dry ice. Since carbon dioxide is colorless and odorless, it can be easy not to realize you are having a ventilation problem till it is too late. The absolute safest way to use dry ice is with the use of an OXYGEN METER.

An oxygen meter tests the air in the room to make sure it is safe to breathe. PureAire Monitoring Systems makes an oxygen monitor for just this purpose, and with its 10+ year sensor, it is a smart choice to purchase if you are regularly using dry ice. Chemicals can be useful, and even necessary, to get a job done. It is important to use them safely and correctly to prevent injury, and even death. If the oxygen meter alarm goes off, you are able to evacuate the area before any long term ill effects take place. When using dry ice, remember to have fun, but first and foremost, say safe.

For more information on the PureAire Oxygen Monitor, contact PureAire Monitoring Systems, Inc., 557 Capital Drive, Lake Zurich, Illinois 60047; Phone - (888) 788-8050, Fax - (847) 726-6051.
Find us on the web at www.PureAireMonitoring.com, and www.MonitorOxygen.com.