[labnetwork] longevity of N2 purifiers

[Kyle Keenan]

Hi Nick,

Thanks for the reply and your thoughts. Air Products supplies us with
99.998% pure LN2, then that is purified locally. Perhaps I'm worrying over
nothing, at least, that is my hope.

Hope you are doing well.

Kyle

On Thu, Feb 13, 2025 at 3:07 PM Nicholas Menounos <menounos at mit.edu> wrote:

> Hi Kyle,
>
>
>
> We run UHP (>99.9995%) electropolished 316 from our (“VLSI” – SEMI
> Standard) bulk tanks, so don’t have POU purifiers. But I would be thinking
> about grab samples w/ analytical testing, not changing as preventive
> maintenance activity.
>
>
>
> We used https://astg.com/
> <https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://astg.com/__;!!IBzWLUs!SCPKd886CBtXg1z1nbqjc5SFKmp-4_FS4PiCffhR8-tZ6kzee3cCtSrNj6qw7S5q5AOf5JFX1vnORvvfbm2QIA$>
> for onsite 3rd party QA/QC of our bulk tanks in the past and they offer
> cylinder rentals for remote mass spec testing. It was reasonably prices.
>
>
>
> I would also grab the “dirty” side to compare…If your source is boil off
> and distributed in clean copper, you might be pleasantly surprised at the
> quality upstream. Depending on the contaminant of concern (e.g. typically
> H2O, O2, Hydrocarbons and particles), some are inexpensive/easy to remove
> with filters and desiccants. Once you get into the all in one or reactive
> media, the cost gets very high.
>
>
>
> I have found that components (filters, meters, regulators etc) tend to run
> far longer than I assumed under inert UHP conditions…
>
>
>
> *Nicholas Menounos, *PE, LEED AP
>
> Associate Director of Infrastructure
>
>
>
> *MIT.nano*
>
> *Massachusetts Institute of Technology*
>
> 77 Massachusetts Ave, Bldg 12-5007
>
> Cambridge, MA 02139
>
> Cell: (508) 932-0938 <+15089320938>
>
> Office: (617) 253-7234 <+16172537234>
>
> Email: Menounos at mit.edu
>
>
>
> *From:* labnetwork <labnetwork-bounces at mtl.mit.edu> *On Behalf Of *Kyle
> Keenan
> *Sent:* Wednesday, February 12, 2025 4:10 PM
> *To:* Lab Network (labnetwork at mtl.mit.edu) <labnetwork at mtl.mit.edu>
> *Subject:* [labnetwork] longevity of N2 purifiers
>
>
>
> Hello All,
>
>
>
> Our cleanroom has been in operation for 11 years and, for high purity N2,
> we use local purifiers. Given their age, I'm starting to wonder if/when
> they might need to be replaced. I've looked into it, and doing so would be
> quite costly. I know there are a ton of variables at play, but generally
> speaking, for an 11,000 sq/ft facility that uses UPN2 on, perhaps, 15-20
> pieces of research equipment and for N2 guns at ~15 wet benches, what would
> be your expectation? Is this something we even need to worry about?
>
>
>
> I'd be interested to read your thoughts.
>
>
>
> Best,
>
> --
>
> Kyle Keenan
>
>
>
> Senior Manager - Laboratory Operations
>
> Quattrone Nanofabrication Facility
>
> University of Pennsylvania
>
> P: 215-898-7560
>
> F: 215-573-4925
>


-- 
Kyle Keenan

Senior Manager - Laboratory Operations
Quattrone Nanofabrication Facility
University of Pennsylvania
P: 215-898-7560
F: 215-573-4925
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