Volatile Organic Compound Abatement: The Requirements, Selection Process, and Results at Siliconix Incorporated

Volatile Organic Compound Abatement: The Requirements, Selection Process, and Results at Siliconix Incorporated 
Neil Evans – Siliconix, Inc. Richard Hamilton – Prime Solutions (SSA Journal Volume 8 Number 2 – June 1994 pp. 33 – 36 )

This paper covers the selection process and performance of a Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) abatement device at Siliconix Incorporated, a semiconductor manufacturer in Santa Clara, California. Before selecting a VOC abatement device, current and proposed regulatory requirements triggering VOC abatement were evaluated. Best Available Control Technology (BACT) requirements for Destruction Removal Efficiency (DRE) and NOx levels were incorporated in the selection process for abatement of Volatile Organic Compounds. Once the regulatory requirement for VOC emissions were clearly defined, Siliconix evaluated various abatement technologies: carbon bed adsorption with thermal processor. Each abatement technology was compared with the preliminary design requirements of Siliconix. The technologies which met Siliconix’s requirements were then evaluated using a five-year cost analysis. The selection process and performance results of the VOC abatement device selected will be presented.