Keywords
Citation
(1999), "Anti-corrosive fume exhaust ducts lined with Teflon ETFE", Anti-Corrosion Methods and Materials, Vol. 46 No. 4. https://doi.org/10.1108/acmm.1999.12846dab.003
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 1999, MCB UP Limited
Anti-corrosive fume exhaust ducts lined with Teflon ETFE
Anti-corrosive fume exhaust ducts lined with Teflon ETFE
Keywords: Du Pont, Non-stick, Linings, Semi conductors
More and more European semiconductor manufacturers are said to be fitting their production lines with new stainless steel Apsalon ducts lined with Teflon ETFE.
These ducts, manufactured by Application Produits de Synthese (APS) of Noisiel, France, are used for extracting fumes, generated as by-products of the silicon wafer etching process, in clean-room environments. They have been designed to meet the needs of all industries such as pharmaceutical, chemical, metal surface treatment - where industrial processes may produce fumes and aggressive or toxic gases such as ammonia, acids and solvents.
Apsalon ducts are available in 1.2m lengths and diameters ranging from 150 to 2,700mm. They are connected by flanges and are claimed to be completely leak proof. Their interior lining of Teflon ETFE, which has an average thickness of 250 microns, can be applied on automatic electrostatic coating lines and is subsequently baked to ensure a reported resistance to corrosive chemicals even at temperatures up to 150 8 C/300 8 F in continuous service.
The well-known non-stick properties associated with Teflon help exhaust fumes flow freely and prevent sooting, thus making for easier and less frequent maintenance. Moreover, Apsalon ducts have a significantly higher service life than less efficient PVC, polypropylene, or glass-fibre reinforced polyester ducts used previously.
Apsalon ducts meet the US Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning National Association (SMACNA) standards. According to the manufacturer their non-flammable properties not only make sprinklers unnecessary in areas where they have been installed, but have also prompted Factory Mutual, the major US insurance company specializing in insurance for semi-conductor manufacturers' production plants, to advocate their use and to lower fire insurance premiums accordingly.
APS has been a renowned specialist of high-tech metal surface coating processes for 30 years. It services a wide range of industries including chemical, automotive, power generation and aerospace. The company has an extensive experience of Teflon fluoropolymer coating methods including electrostatic powdering, fluidised bed, vacuum coating and bonding.
Details are available from: Du Pont de Nemours International S.A. Tel: ++41 22 717 5227; Fax: ++41 22 717 5183; E-mail: Renee.Bernaz@che.dupont.com
Du Pont (UK) Limited. Tel: +44 (0) 1438 734833; Fax: +44 (0) 1438 734550; E-mail: Linda.Terry@gbr.dupont.com