BACKGROUND Semiconductor manufacturing requires large volumes of water to convey process chemistry and to wash and rinse the wafers at many stages during fabrication. Semiconductor fabs also use large chiller systems to supply chilled water to the production area’s PCW (process cooling water). Regulating a fab’s manufacturing environment is critical, as even slight variations in temperature and relative humidity can have profound effects on chip quality, and the cost of downtime is very high. The chiller assets used to provide this climate control have high value as well. Cooling water systems are prone to three primary types of water-related stress: corrosion, microbiological growth and scale, which can be exacerbated by varying water quality and water temperatures. An

Join for free to read