Rare Gas Recovery
We offer recovery, collection, and purification services for rare gases through our Rare Gas Center of Excellence®. There are numerous industry applications where rare gases are critical for their unique physical properties, yet are not consumed completely in the manufacturing process. Examples include neon (Ne) in semiconductor manufacturing and xenon (Xe) and krypton (Kr) in light bulb production and spacecraft thruster testing. When the volume of waste gas is significant, it becomes economically viable to install technology to capture, recondition, and reuse the rare gas component. At our Hatfield Plant the captured gas is purified to meet the same specifications as the original virgin material. Utilizing our rare gas recovery systems can reduce your operational costs and improve supply chain security.
One example of our recovery technologies is our Laser Gas Recycling System (LGRS), which recycles neon from excimer lasers used in semiconductor applications. The semiconductor industry heavily relies on neon as a buffer gas in ultraviolet lasers, which are crucial for chip fabrication. Neon enhances energy transfer within the laser, improving overall efficiency. During laser operation, spent laser gas, which is 95% neon, must be vented to the atmosphere to maintain optimum performance. This use of neon presents sustainability challenges. The supply of high-purity neon is highly susceptible to global shortages, and its production is energy-intensive with a large carbon footprint. Moreover, there are no viable alternatives to neon for this application.
EFC Gases & Advanced Materials has developed the LGRS to address these sustainability challenges. The skid-mounted LGRS efficiently collects used neon from up to thirty laser light sources. The gas is then purified and reconditioned for reuse by the same lasers. By offsetting the need for fresh neon production, LGRS can reduce one million metric tons of Scope 3 carbon dioxide emissions per semiconductor fab over the next 20 years. Learn more about this award-winning technology here – LGRS.
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Our Recycling Capabilities
SF6 Capabilities
As a major supplier and responsible member of the global community, we are committed to collaborating with users to do our part in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. We continue to take every opportunity to implement new processes and systems designed to facilitate the recovery and recycling of used SF6. We are proud to offer services to reduce sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) releases using cost-effective technologies.
SF6 is widely used in the electrical industry. It is a very stable molecule, which makes it superior to many other substances due to its insulation properties, dielectric strength, and arc quenching abilities. However, SF6 is a potent greenhouse gas with a GWP of 22,800. This is 22,800 times as potent as CO2 on a per molecule basis. SF6 is very stable, with an atmospheric lifetime of up to 3200 years, meaning that any SF6 released stays in the environment for a very long time. SF6 users are often required to track and report losses. By reclaiming and recycling releases can be reduced. EFC Gases & Adanced Materials provides the SF6 reclamation service at our Hatfield, PA facility.
Whether SF6 is recovered from old breakers, cylinders, or other systems, we will recycle this material and return it to a fit-for-use purity that exceeds ASTM D2472-00 and IEC 60480 standards.
Halocarbon Capabilities
As a major supplier and responsible member of the global community, we are committed to collaborating with users to do our part in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. We continue to take every opportunity to implement new processes and systems designed to facilitate the recovery and recycling of used halocarbons. We are proud to offer services to reduce halocarbon releases using cost-effective technologies.
Halocarbons are widely used for to manufacture semiconductors and as refrigerants. While these compounds were developed as replacements for ozone depleting substances, they are potent greenhouse gases. Halocarbon use will be restricted in the United States due to regulations connected to the American Innovation and Manufacturing (AIM) Act and globally the Kigali Pledge (amendment to the Montreal Protocol) will reduce the availability of halocarbons globally. As your company adjusts to these regulations, we are prepared to support through recycling services.
Collecting and purifying halocarbons can reduce the environmental releases and increase availability.
