Semiconductor manufacturing is one of the most waterintensive
industries. In 1996, Intel Corporation, a large
semiconductor manufacturer, used 13.2 mgd (50 ML/d)
worldwide. Faced by rising water costs, scarcity of supplies, and
heightened public awareness about industrial waste, the microelectronics
industry has been investigating options for mitigating
the environmental effects of its manufacturing processes. This
study was undertaken to show how water reclamation using
existing technologies can be effectively used.
Water reclamation reduces the amount of water needed by
reusing and recycling wastewater from manufacturing processes.
A generic design for a water reclamation plan was developed for
a large-scale microelectronic production facility in central Arizona.
The design included system descriptions, diagrams, and flow
analyses and can be modified to address regional climates,
wastewater infrastructure, source water quality, and discharge
regulation.
Although modifications to plant systems may incur high capital
costs, the payback period can be as little as several months.
Semiconductor manufacturers can reap even greater savings by
incorporating reclamation planning in the design of new
facilities. Includes 19 references, figure.
| Edition : | Vol. 94 - No. 7 |
| File Size : | 1
file
, 230 KB |
| Note : | This product is unavailable in Ukraine, Russia, Belarus |
| Number of Pages : | 9 |
| Published : | 07/01/2002 |
