Grantee Research Project Results
2001 Progress Report: Simultaneous Water Conservation/Recycling/Reuse and Waste Reduction in Semiconductor Manufacturing
EPA Grant Number: R828598C799Subproject: this is subproject number 799 , established and managed by the Center Director under grant R828598
(EPA does not fund or establish subprojects; EPA awards and manages the overall grant for this center).
Center: UT Center for Infrastructure Modeling and Management
Center Director: Hodges, Ben R.
Title: Simultaneous Water Conservation/Recycling/Reuse and Waste Reduction in Semiconductor Manufacturing
Investigators: Lawler, Desmond
Institution: The University of Texas at Austin
EPA Project Officer: Aja, Hayley
Project Period: September 1, 2000 through August 31, 2004
Project Period Covered by this Report: September 1, 2000 through August 31, 2001
RFA: Gulf Coast Hazardous Substance Research Center (Lamar University) (1996) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Hazardous Waste/Remediation , Targeted Research
Objective:
The primary goal of this proposed research is to extend our previous work with the microchip manufacturing plants to investigate both treatment options and waste reduction options for currently non-recyclable waste streams to make them recyclable. In previous work, we have developed a system for categorizing the many waste streams in a complex manufacturing facility into three classes. These groups included streams that were considered likely to be recyclable (Group I) based on sufficiently high quantity and quality, those unlikely to be recyclable (Group III), and an intermediate Group II that were too difficult to place definitively in the other groups without additional study. Several types of wastes fit the description of being currently non-recyclable but potentially recyclable. Creative and inexpensive treatment methods and/or minor modification of waste generating processes can be developed to accomplish the goal of water conservation. Specific objectives of the project include the following: 1. Select the waste streams and constituents to be studied in detail. This process includes identifying combinations of waste streams or constituents which, when mixed, are expected to simplify the requiredtreatment. 2.Characterize the selected waste streams by complete chemical analysis for organics, metals, oxidants and reductants, and acids and bases. 3. Investigate the sources of all constituents in the selected waste streams to find potential opportunities to reduce chemical use or change process chemistry. 4. In conjunction with Motorola, design and conduct experiments at the manufacturing facility to investigate the feasibility of waste reduction by process changes. 5. Design and conduct bench-scale laboratory studies at the University of Texas laboratories to investigate treatment options for waste streams that require treatment prior to recycling or reuse. 6. Document the results in a generalizable way that allows for technology transfer not only to other semiconductor manufacturing plants, but also to other manufacturing facilities.
Progress Summary:
In the production of ultra pure water (which is used extensively in semiconductor manufacturing), city water is sent through a series of membranes to produce high purity water in the so-called "makeup loop," and then that water is further processed with ion exchange and ultraviolet oxidation in a "polishing loop." In this year, we investigated the possibility of increasing the yield of the ultra pure water system. The makeup loop consists of both reverse osmosis (RO) and nanofiltration (NF) membrane processes in a combined series/parallel arrangement. At Motorola's MOS 13 site in Austin, TX, city water is supplied to a blend water tank, where it is mixed with the current recycle stream that includes the relatively clean product streams from the two nanofilters and the reject stream from the last RO. Because both RO and NF membranes are very effective at removing small ions and molecules, the product streams are quite clean and the reject streams are considerably more contaminated. The most contaminated stream in the system is the waste (reject) stream from the second NF membrane; in essence, this stream is a fourth generation reject stream. On average for most constituents, that stream was found to have concentrations approximately 10 times those found in the supply water from the City of Austin. As a result, this stream is highly likely to cause problems of precipitative fouling of the membranes if it were to be recycled to the blend water tank without treatment. The question we addressed was whether a treatment could be installed to salvage most of that waste stream and recycle it. The primary concern for this waste stream is the likelihood of precipitation of calcium carbonate, magnesium hydroxide, or various silicate solids (with calcium or magnesium, or both). Hence, the treatment that was considered was lime softening or lime softening with soda ash addition to precipitate these same solids in a controlled environment. Such softening would be followed by a sedimentation process to remove virtually all of the solids in less than 20% of the volume (flow rate), potentially allowing the remaining 80% of this waste stream to be recycled or reused. The flow rate of the NF reject stream is 86 gallons per minute. The results of laboratory testing of lime soda softening indicated that this process could be successful in achieving water quality that nearly matched that of the City water for the target compounds of calcium, magnesium, and silica. As such, the possibility of recycling looked quite promising. However, to accomplish this water quality for those parameters would substantially increase the concentration of sodium in the blend water tank from the addition of substantial quantities of soda ash (i.e., sodium carbonate, required to supply enough carbonate in the water to precipitate the calcium as calcium carbonate). Since recycling would change the chemistry throughout the entire makeup loop, a mathematical model of the entire system was generated to trace the concentration of eight essential constituents through each process. This model was successfully calibrated to describe the current conditions, and then used to predict what conditions would prevail at each point in the system if recycling (after softening treatment) was initiated. Model predictions were then used to investigate the requirements for treatment under the new conditions as well as the effects on water in the "high purity tank," the output of the system. Further, costs of three possible alternatives were investigated and summarized in terms of the return on investment period (the time at which the cost savings from reduced water use would catch up to the capital and operating costs to change). It was first determined that softening could only be cost effective if two chemical additions (sodium hydroxide and sulfuric acid) at two different points in the current membrane processing were eliminated. With such elimination, recycling (returning the treated water to the UPW processing) was feasible but led to a return on investment longer than two years. Reclaiming the water to use in another process led to an ROI of only 1.3 years, and this was recommended. Reclaiming for other uses saves just as much water as recycling but avoids complications associated with increased sodium concentrations entering the UPW system and substantially reduces the risk to Motorola.
Future Activities:
Our attention has turned to the packaging facility associated with one of Motorola's Austin sites. The facility is known as "BAT" for Bump, Assembly, and Test facility. This facility take the large 8-inch diameter wafers, cuts them into the individual chips that are contained on that wafer, mounts them on materials for insertion into circuit boards and other electronic devices. We will learn the quality and quantity of every waste stream in this part of the plant to be able to do the three-part classification described above. Water use in this area is relatively low. Most of the ultra pure water that is used occurs in two processes, back grinding the wafers to remove excess silicon and provide a flat, fresh surface for mounting, and the sawing of wafers into the individual chips. Both processes produce a waste stream with a high particle concentration, mostly pure silicon particles. At this time, we believe our focus will be on the treatment of these two waste streams, and it is likely we will perform bench-scale treatability studies to investigate that possibility. When that work is completed, we expect to investigate another area of the manufacturing, water production, or wastewater treatment to continue the effort to identify possibilities for water recycling.
Journal Articles:
No journal articles submitted with this report: View all 4 publications for this subprojectSupplemental Keywords:
RFA, Scientific Discipline, Toxics, INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION, Waste, Sustainable Industry/Business, POLLUTION PREVENTION, cleaner production/pollution prevention, waste reduction, Environmental Chemistry, Hazardous Waste, Engineering, Hazardous, 33/50, Environmental Engineering, microcircuit lithography, cleaner production, conducting polymer, environmentally conscious manufacturing, waste minimization, chromium & chromium compounds, Chromium, semiconductor industry, water reuse, electronics industry, water conservation, chromium plating sludge, hazardous chemicals, source reduction, chrome plated masksProgress and Final Reports:
Original AbstractMain Center Abstract and Reports:
R828598 UT Center for Infrastructure Modeling and Management Subprojects under this Center: (EPA does not fund or establish subprojects; EPA awards and manages the overall grant for this center).
R822721C529 Environmentally Acceptable Endpoints: Risk Based Remediation Using Bioremediation
R822721C552 Degradative Solidification/Stabilization Technology for Chlorinated Hydrocarbons
R822721C569 Treatment and Product Recovery: Supercritical Water Oxidation of Nylon Monomer Manufacturing Waste
R822721C620 Colloidal Fouling of Membranes: Implications in the Treatment of Textile Dye Wastes and Water Reuse
R822721C626 Catalytic Hydroprocessing of Chlorinated Organics
R822721C627 The Interaction of Microbial Activity and Zero Valent Iron Permeable Barrier Technology
R822721C630 Microbial Cometabolism of Recalcitrant Chemicals in Contaminated Air Streams
R822721C633 Catalyst Lifetime Studies for Chlorocarbon Steam Reforming
R822721C635 Electrokinetic/Surfactant-Enhanced Remediation of Hydrophobic Pollutants in Low Permeability Subsurface Environments
R822721C636 Transformation Reactions of Nitroaromatic and Nitrogen Heterocyclic Compounds on Granular Activated Carbon (GAC) Surfaces: Enhancement of GAC Adsorption in Natural and Engineered Environmental Systems
R822721C640 Environmentally Friendly Organic Synthesis in Supercritical Fluids
R822721C645 Development and Evaluation of an Integrated Model to Facilitate Risk-Based Corrective Action at Superfund Sites
R822721C651 Adjustable Biopolymer Chelators for Cadmium, Lead and Mercury
R822721C653 New Electrochemically Smart Catalysts for Hazardous Waste Management and Development of Capillary Electrophoresis for Analysis of their Products
R822721C655 Soil Sampling in South Alabama Oil Fields
R822721C659 Subsurface Contamination Site Characterization via a Computer-Aided Visual Tool
R822721C661 New Insoluble supports for Protein Immobilization for Use in Metalloprotein Affinity Metal Chromatography
R822721C663 Soil Remediation with Ultra-High-Efficiency Hydrocyclones
R822721C669 Solid Acid Catalyzed Alkylation in Supercritical Fluids
R822721C679 Regeneration/Reactivation of Carbon Adsorbents by Radio Frequency (RF) Induction Heating
R822721C687 Improved Halogen Resistance of Catalytic Oxidation
R822721C696 Phytoremediation and Bioremediation of Land Contaminated By PAHs, PCBs, and TNT
R822721C697 Fundamental and Kinetic Investigation of Sorbent Technology for Optimum Mercury Emission Control
R822721C700 Effects of Natural and Cyclic Variations on Contaminant Fate and Transport
R822721C703 Enhancement of DNAPL Dissolution Rates by Dechlorinating Anaerobes
R826694C620 Colloidal Fouling of Membranes: Implications in the Treatment of Textile Dye Wastes and Water Reuse
R826694C625 Enhanced Treatment of DNAPLs Contaminated Soils and Groundwater Using Biosurfactants: In-Situ Bioremediation
R826694C626 Catalytic Hydroprocessing of Chlorinated Wastes
R826694C627 The Interaction of Microbial Activity and Zero Valent Iron Permeable Barrier Technology
R826694C629 Biofiltration of BTEX in Petroleum-Contaminated Soil Remediation Off-Gas
R826694C630 Microbial Cometabolism of Recalcitrant Chemicals in Contaminated Air Streams
R826694C633 Catalyst Lifetime Studies for Chlorocarbon Steam Reforming
R826694C635 Electrokinetic/Surfactant-Enhanced Remediation of Hydrophobic Pollutants in Low Permeability Subsurface Environments
R826694C636 Transformation Reactions of Nitroaromatic and Nitrogen Heterocyclic Compounds on Granular Activated Carbon (GAC) Surfaces: Enhancement of GAC Adsorption in Natural and Engineered Environmental Systems
R826694C640 Environmentally Friendly Organic Synthesis in Supercritical Fluids
R826694C645 Development and Evaluation of an Integrated Model to Facilitate Risk-Based Corrective Action at Superfund Sites
R826694C651 Adjustable Biopolymer Chelators for Cadmium, Lead, and Mercury Remeidation
R826694C659 Subsurface Contamination Site characterization Via a Computer-Aided Visual Tool
R826694C661 New Insoluble supports for Protein Immobilization for Use in Metalloprotein Affinity Metal Chromatography
R826694C669 Solid Acid Catalyzed Alkylation in Supercritical Reaction Media
R826694C679 Regeneration and Reactivation of Carbon Adsorbents by Radio Frequency Induction Heating
R826694C696 Phytoremediation and Bioremediation of Land Contaminated By PAHs, PCBs, and TNT
R826694C697 Fundamental and Kinetic Investigation of Sorbent Technology for Optimum Mercury Emission Control
R826694C700 Effects of Natural Cyclic Variations on Contaminated Fate and Transport
R826694C703 Enhancement of DNAPL Dissolution Rates by Dechlorinating Anaerobes
R826694C705 A Pilot Plant for Producing Mixed Ketones from Waste Biomass
R826694C722 The Effects of an Oily-Phase on VOC Emissions from Industrial Wastewater
R826694C724 Mercury Removal from Stack Gas by Aqueous Scrubbing
R826694C725 Transport, Fate and Risk Implications of Environmentally Acceptable Endpoint Decisions
R826694C731 Development and Application of a Real-Time Optical Sensor for Atmospheric Formaldehyde
R826694C734 An Advanced System for Pollution Prevention in Chemical Complexes
R828598C001 Field Study Abstract: A Model of Ambient Air Pollution in Southeast Texas Using Artificial Neural Network Technology
R828598C002 Hollow Fiber Membrane Bioreactors for Treating Water and Air Streams Contaminated with Chlorinated Solvents
R828598C003 Fugitive Emissions of Hazardous Air Pollutants from On-Site Industrial Sewers
R828598C004 Biofiltration Technology Development
R828598C005 A Risk-Based Decision Analysis Approach for Aquifers Contaminated with DNAPLs
R828598C006 In-Situ Remediation for Contaminated Soils Using Prefabricated Vertical Drains
R828598C007 Membrane Technology Selection System for the Metal Finishing Industry
R828598C008 Sequential Environments for Enhanced Bioremediation of Chlorinated Aliphatic Hydrocarbons
R828598C009 Waste Minimization in the Magnetic Tape Industry: Waterborne Coating Formulations for Magnetic Tape Manufacture
R828598C010 Soil Remediation by Agglomeration with Petroleum Coke
R828598C011 Recovery of Dilute Phosphoric Acid in Waste Streams Using Waste Gas Ammonia: The Regenerative MAP/DAP Process
R828598C012 Stochastic Risk Assessment for Bioremediation
R828598C013 Selective Removal of Heavy Metals from Wastewater by Chelation in Supercritical Fluids
R828598C014 Optimization of Treatment Technologies for Detoxification of PCB Contaminated Soils
R828598C015 Wastewater Remediation by Catalytic Wet Oxidation
R828598C016 Permanence of Metals Containment in Solidified and Stabilized Wastes
R828598C017 Combustion Enhancement by Radial Jet Reattachment - Low Generation of Hazardous Gases and High Thermal Efficiency
R828598C018 A Process To Convert Industrial Biosludge and Paper Fines to Mixed Alcohol Fuels
R828598C019 Homogeneous Catalysis in Supercritical Carbon Dioxide
R828598C020 Ultrasonic Enhancement of the Removal of Heavy Metals
R828598C021 The Binding Chemistry and Leaching Mechanisms of Advanced Solidification/Stabilization Systems for Hazardous Waste Management
R828598C022 Development of an Air-Stripping and UV/H2O2 Oxidation Integrated Process To Treat a Chloro-Hydrocarbon-Contaminated Ground Water
R828598C023 A Comparative Study of Siting Opposition in Two Counties
R828598C024 Sonochemical Treatment of Hazardous Organic Compounds II: Process Optimization and Pathway Studies
R828598C025 Laser Diagnostics of the Combustion Process within a Rotary Kiln Incinerator
R828598C026 Use of Inorganic Ion Exchangers for Hazardous Waste Remediation
R828598C027 Kaolinite Sorbent for the Removal of Heavy Metals from Incinerated Lubricating Oils
R828598C028 Destruction of Chlorinated Hydrocarbons in Process Streams Using Catalytic Steam Reforming
R828598C029 Integrated Process Treatment Train (Bioremediation {Aerobic/Anaerobic} and Immobilization) for Texas Soils Contaminated with Combined Hazardous Wastes
R828598C030 Photo-Oxidation by H2O2/VisUV of Off-Gas Atmospheric Emissions from Industrial and Environmental Remediation Sources
R828598C031 Concentrated Halide Extraction and Recovery of Lead from Soil
R828598C032 Biodegradable Surfactant for Underground Chlorinated Solvent Remediation
R828598C033 A Software Guidance System for Choosing Analytical Subsurface Fate and Transport Models Including a Library of Computer Solutions for the Analytical Models
R828598C034 Hydrodynamic Modeling of Leachate Recirculating Landfill
R828598C035 Measurement of Oxygen Transfer Rate in Soil Matrices
R828598C036 Sorbent Technology for Multipollutant Control During Fluidized Bed Incineration
R828598C037 Pollution Prevention by Process Modification Using On-Line Optimization
R828598C038 Pollution Prevention by Process Modification
R828598C039 Water Solubility and Henry's Law Constant
R828598C040 Transferring Technical Information on Hazardous Substance Research by Publishing on the World Wide Web
R828598C041 Stress Protein Responses to Multiple Metal Exposure in Grass Shrimp
R828598C042 Life-Cycle Environmental Costing for Managing Pollution Prevention in the Chemical and Petroleum Refining Industries: A Cross-Border Approach
R828598C687 Improved Halogen Resistance of Catalytic Oxidation Through Efficient Catalyst Testing
R828598C696 Phytoremediation and Bioremediation of Land Contaminated By PAHs, PCBs, and TNT
R828598C697 Fundamental and Kinetic Investigation of Sorbent Technology for Optimum Mercury Emission Control
R828598C700 Effects of Natural Cyclic Variations on Contaminated Fate and Transport
R828598C703 Enhancement of DNAPL Dissolution Rates by Dechlorinating Anaerobes
R828598C705 A Pilot Plant for Producing Mixed Ketones from Waste Biomass
R828598C722 The Effects of an Oily-Phase on VOC Emissions from Industrial Wastewater
R828598C724 Mercury Removal from Stack Gas by Aqueous Scrubbing
R828598C725 Transport, Fate and Risk Implications of Environmentally Acceptable Endpoint Decisions
R828598C731 Development and Application of a Real Time Optical Sensor for Atmospheric Formaldehyde
R828598C734 An Advanced System for Pollution Prevention in Chemical Complexes
R828598C743 Field Demonstration of Ultrasound Enhancement of Permeable Treatment Walls
R828598C744 Optical Fibers Coated With Titania Membrane/UV-Generating Crystal in a Distributed-Light Photoreactor for VOC Oxidation
R828598C749 Characterization and Modeling of Indoor Particulate Contaminants In a Heavily Industrialized Community
R828598C753 Adsolubilization and Photocatalysis in a Semiconducting Monolithic Reactor for Wastewater Treatment
R828598C754 Remote Detection of Gas Emissions in Industrial Processes
R828598C759 Searching for Optimum Composition of Phosphogypsum: Fly ash: Cement Composites for Oyster Culch Materials
R828598C761 Development of a Phytologically-Based Biosorptive Water Treatment Process
R828598C766 Chlorinated Solvent Impact and Remediation Strategies for the Dry Cleaning Industry
R828598C769 Soil/Sediment Remediation by Hot Water Extraction Combined with In-Situ Wet Oxidation
R828598C771 Fluoracrylate Polymer Supported Ligands as Catalysts for Environmentally Benign Synthesis in Supercritical Fluids
R828598C774 The Feasibility of Electrophoretic Repair of Impoundment Leaks
R828598C777 Surfactant Enhanced Photo-oxidation of Wastewaters
R828598C778 Stationary Power Generation Via Solid Oxide Fuel Cells: A Response to Pollution and Global Warming
R828598C786 Photocatalytic Recovery of Sulfur and Hydrogen From Hydrogen Sulfide
R828598C787 Biosurfactant Produced from Used Vegetable Oil for removal of Metals From Wastewaters and Soils
R828598C789 Genetic Engineering of Enzymatic Cyanide Clearance
R828598C791 Characterizing the Intrinsic Remediation of MTBE at Field Sites
R828598C799 Simultaneous Water Conservation/Recycling/Reuse and Waste Reduction in Semiconductor Manufacturing
R828598C801 Building Defined Mixed Cultures To Biodegrade Diverse Mixtures Of Chlorinated Solvents
R828598C802 Engineering of Nanocrystal Based Catalytic Materials for Hydroprocessing of Halogenated Organics
R828598C807 Commercial Demonstration of Hydrogen Peroxide Injection to Control NOx Emissions from Combustion Sources
R828598C809 Evaluating Source Grouting and ORC for Remediating MTBE Sites
R828598C810 Application of Total Cost Assessment To Process Design In the Chemical Industry
R828598C846 Quantitative Demonstration of Source-Zone Bioremediation in A Field-Scale Experimental Controlled Release System
The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.
Project Research Results
Main Center: R828598
359 publications for this center
90 journal articles for this center