[labnetwork] catastrophic release scrubbers

[Mark Heiden]

Iulian, 

I agree with Dennis from UofM. The scenario that is called a "catastrophic
release" with RFO's in place would require the cylinder to be dropped and
the valve broken off or the stem damaged. This essentially can't take place
in the confines of a gas cabinet but is much more likely to happen just
outside the cabinet where a cylinder could fall. In this case a
"catastrophic release" scrubber connected to the cabinet would do very
little good since the release is not contained within the cabinet. We wasted
a great deal of money and precious floor space on two of these units in our
first cleanroom. A word of caution; you may also find it very hard to make
any argument against a "safety" item once it has been suggested.

 

Mark Heiden 
UC Riverside 
Center for Nanoscale Science and Engineering 
NanoFab Cleanroom Manager 
(951) 827-2551 
mheiden at engr.ucr.edu 

 

 

From: labnetwork-bounces at mtl.mit.edu [mailto:labnetwork-bounces at mtl.mit.edu]
On Behalf Of Dennis Schweiger
Sent: Monday, September 23, 2013 11:57 AM
To: Iulian Codreanu
Cc: Fab Network
Subject: Re: [labnetwork] catastrophic release scrubbers

 

Iulian,

 

I figured everyone would want to see this response to your question as well.

 

We looked at the catastrophic release scenario when we designed the
expansion for our fab here at UofM, and by installing a restrictive flow
orifice in the cylinder (0.010"), minimizing the fill quantity (short
filling the cylinder to considerably less than a maximum), and maximizing
the dilution at the tip of the exhaust fans (using Strobic fans), we were
able to find a workable/acceptable solution.  It would take a "huge"
abatement system to handle what could essentially never happen.  It made
more sense to put our capital dollars into something that worked for
everything (the additional exhaust dilution), and share that capacity across
the entire fab.

 

Take care,




Dennis Schweiger

University of Michigan/LNF

 

734.647.2055 Ofc

 

"People can be divided into 3 groups - those that make things happen, those
that watch things happen, and those that wonder what happened."  Within
which group do you belong?

 

On Tue, Sep 17, 2013 at 4:42 PM, Iulian Codreanu <codreanu at udel.edu> wrote:

Dear Colleagues,

I am writing to ask for input on the use individual catastrophic release
scrubbers for gas cabinets.  They are being proposed to reduce the risk of
toxic gases from the under-design toxics/pyrophorics bunker into the
building air handlers.

If anyone is using these or has considered using them I would very much like
to hear your thoughts on the subject.

Thanks a lot!

Iulian

-- 
iulian Codreanu, Ph.D.
Director of Operations, UD NanoFab
University of Delaware
149 Evans Hall
Newark, DE 19716
302-831-2784


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