US5061374A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Reverse osmosis as final filter in ultrapure deionized water system
Assignee: Micron Technology Inc
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Filing: 1989-12-18
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Granted: 1991-10-29
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Expires: 2009-12-18
Abstract
Abstract An improved deionized water treatment system and method that consists of using a first and second water treatment train wherein the second train improves water quality by reducing particulate and total organic carbon by means of a reverse osmosis membrane assembly. The final pure water having particulate sizes less than one micron and a total organic carbon measure of less than one part per billion.
Inventors
- 👤 Vic E. Lewis
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 19:36
CPC Classifications
C; C02; C02F; C02F1/00; C02F1/44; C02F1/441; B; B01; B01D; B01D61/00; B01D61/02; B01D61/025; B01D61/026; C02F2103/00; C02F2103/02; C02F2103/04; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S210/00; Y10S210/90
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
144 words
An ultrapure deionized water treatment system comprising: a. a first water treatment train, including means for reducing impurities in water, receiving water from a water source and producing water having about 20 to 200 PPB and about 50 to 23,000 particle counts per liter at 0.3 micron, resistivity of 15 to 18 megohms and silica levels of 0 to 10 ppm; b. a second water treatment train, including means for reducing impurities in water, receiving water produced by said first water treatment train and producing water having about less than 10 PPB and less than 1,000 counts per liter at 0.1 micron particle size, comprising: i. a mixed bed ion exchanger; ii. a UV sterilizer; iii. a reverse osmosis (RO) membrane apparatus, and iv. a subsequent filter, downstream of the second water treatment train, capable of filtering particulates having a diameter of 0.1 micron.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
144 words
An ultrapure deionized water treatment system comprising: a. a first water treatment train, including means for reducing impurities in water, receiving water from a water source and producing water having about 20 to 200 PPB and about 50 to 23,000 particle counts per liter at 0.3 micron, resistivity of 15 to 18 megohms and silica levels of 0 to 10 ppm; b. a second water treatment train, including means for reducing impurities in water, receiving water produced by said first water treatment train and producing water having about less than 10 PPB and less than 1,000 counts per liter at 0.1 micron particle size, comprising: i. a mixed bed ion exchanger; ii. a UV sterilizer; iii. a reverse osmosis (RO) membrane apparatus, and iv. a subsequent filter, downstream of the second water treatment train, capable of filtering particulates having a diameter of 0.1 micron.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
42 words
The system as recited in claim 1, wherein an RO membrane in said RO membrane apparatus of said first and second means of water treatment comprises: a. a thin film polyamide; b. a porous cloth material; and c. a polypropylene retaining material.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
38 words
The system as recited in claim 1, comprising instrumentation to measure contamination by particulates having a diameter of between about 0.1 and 1.0 microns, and a total organic carbon (TOC) measuring apparatus to measure TOC above one PPB.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
129 words
A method of providing ultrapure deionized water having low total organic carbon, (TOC) low particulate contamination and high resistivity, comprising: a. purifying the water in a first purification train to a level of one PPB TOC and less than 1,000 particulates having a diameter of at least 0.1 micron; b. deionizing the water from the first train in a mixed-bed ion exchanger; c. sterilizing the water of step b. in an ultraviolet sterilizer; d. removing total organic carbon and particulate contamination from the water of step c. by means of a reverse osmosis membrane assembly; e. filtering the water of step d. with a final 0.1 micron filter; and f. monitoring the quality of the water of step e. using particle counting means and total organic carbon measuring means.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
129 words
A method of providing ultrapure deionized water having low total organic carbon, (TOC) low particulate contamination and high resistivity, comprising: a. purifying the water in a first purification train to a level of one PPB TOC and less than 1,000 particulates having a diameter of at least 0.1 micron; b. deionizing the water from the first train in a mixed-bed ion exchanger; c. sterilizing the water of step b. in an ultraviolet sterilizer; d. removing total organic carbon and particulate contamination from the water of step c. by means of a reverse osmosis membrane assembly; e. filtering the water of step d. with a final 0.1 micron filter; and f. monitoring the quality of the water of step e. using particle counting means and total organic carbon measuring means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the reverse osmosis membrane assembly is an array of 8-inch tubes arranged in a 3-2-1 configuration.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the membrane assembly materials comprise a thin film polyamide, a porous cloth material and a polypropylene retaining material.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the particle counting means will count as low as 0 particles per liter of 0.1 to 1.0 micron particle size and the total organic carbon measuring means will measure less than one PPB of total organic carbon.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
160 words
An ultrapure deionized water treatment system comprising: a. a first water treatment train, including means for reducing impurities in water, receiving water from a water source and producing water having about 20 to 200 PPB and about 50 to 23,000 particle counts per liter at 0.3 micron, resistivity of 15 to 18 megohms and silica levels of 0 to 10 ppm; b. a second water treatment train, including means for reducing impurities in water, receiving water produced by said first water treatment train and producing water having about less than 10 PPB and less than 1,000 counts per liter at 0.1 micron particle size, comprising: i. a mixed bed ion exchanger; ii. a UV sterilizer; iii. a reverse osmosis (RO) membrane apparatus, and iv. a subsequent filter, downstream of the second water treatment train, capable of filtering particulates having a diameter of 0.1 micron, wherein the RO membrane apparatus comprises an array of 8-inch tubes arranged in a 3-2-1 configuration.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
160 words
An ultrapure deionized water treatment system comprising: a. a first water treatment train, including means for reducing impurities in water, receiving water from a water source and producing water having about 20 to 200 PPB and about 50 to 23,000 particle counts per liter at 0.3 micron, resistivity of 15 to 18 megohms and silica levels of 0 to 10 ppm; b. a second water treatment train, including means for reducing impurities in water, receiving water produced by said first water treatment train and producing water having about less than 10 PPB and less than 1,000 counts per liter at 0.1 micron particle size, comprising: i. a mixed bed ion exchanger; ii. a UV sterilizer; iii. a reverse osmosis (RO) membrane apparatus, and iv. a subsequent filter, downstream of the second water treatment train, capable of filtering particulates having a diameter of 0.1 micron, wherein the RO membrane apparatus comprises an array of 8-inch tubes arranged in a 3-2-1 configuration.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
33 words
The system as recited in claim 8, wherein an RO membrane in said RO membrane apparatus comprises: a. a thin film polyamide; b. a porous cloth material; and c. a polypropylene retaining material.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
38 words
The system as recited in claim 8, comprising instrumentation to measure contamination by particulates having a diameter of between about 0.1 and 1.0 microns, and a total organic carbon (TOC) measuring apparatus to measure TOC above one PPB.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3870033A
Cited
US3985648A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1994-10-28 | 1995-04-29 | 1995-10-29 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1998-10-28 | 1999-04-29 | 1999-10-29 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2002-10-28 | 2003-04-29 | 2003-10-29 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |