[labnetwork] question to cleanroom colleagues: distributed vs. manifolded gases...

[Ian Harvey]

Dear micro/nano cleanroom colleagues:

Please critique the following thought process and give your insight which approach is best in planning the process gas piping for a new installation.  

Which do you use (VMP/distributed) in your new facility or new tool installations and are you happy?

If VMP's, what is the threshold number of tools for which you consider it justifiable to use VMP's?

valve manifold panels:
pro's: 
• clean, organized installation, flexible to any future installation, populated when needed
• system contamination attained by ability to purge regulators with venturi
• leaks or failures within isolated runs do not contaminate other processes or cause downtime on other tools
• prevent cross-talk between process MFC's, using the same gases
• does not cause system downtime when installing new processes

Con's
• up front cost is greater, though not sure how much

Process gases distributed through shared supply line, and laterals / drops:
pro's:
• Up front cost is lower (not sure how much-- it depends...)
• cross-talk can be minimized by a regulator at each tool

Con's:
• system downtime for all tools sharing the gases during
• cost may be comparable depending upon number of valved drops, and how good the planning is for predicting future installation points
• see pro's above in VMP

Thank you all!

--Ian


********************************************
Ian R. Harvey, Ph.D.
Research Associate Professor
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Adjunct Associate Professor
Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering
2511 SMBB (USTAR)

Associate Director,
Utah Nanofab & 
Micron Microscopy Core

801/585-6162 (voicemail)
801/581-5676 (lab main number)
www.nanofab.utah.edu

mail to:
Utah Nanofab / University of Utah
36 South Wasatch Drive
Suite 2500
Salt Lake City, Utah   84112-9011


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