Siemens Develops New Modular Ammonia Treatment System for Semiconductor Wastewater

The Siemens Group Industrial Solutions and Services (I&S) has developed a new modular ammonia treatment system that removes high levels of dissolved ammonia from semiconductor industry wastewater. Ammonium compounds used in some semiconductor fabrication processes can pose an environmental threat both in terms of the plant wastewater discharge limits and as a potential source of air emissions and ammonia odors. The ammonium treatment system developed by the I&S company USFilter, Warrendale, Pennsylvania, reduces wastewater ammonia concentrations to below 20 mg/liter, while containing and eliminating 100 percent of the air emissions.

The ammonia treatment system has been designed to treat 600 cubic meters per day (100 gallons per minute) of industrial wastewater containing up to 10,000 mg/L of dissolved ammonia. The unique modular design offers the customer the ability to grow the treatment system in parallel with production, conserving capital and plant space while providing high system availability. Treatment capacity is provided in 80 cubic meter per day (15 gallon per minute) treatment modules which may be added as plant production rates and wastewater rates increase. Standby modules provide complete system redundancy.

The waste ammonia is concentrated as 30 to 40 percent ammonium sulfate solution, which may be stored for periodic disposal off-site or further treated for use as fertilizer.

http://www.siemens.com/