|
 |
|
Saving money and protecting the environment
It is often believe that meeting more stringent environmental standards can be prohibitively expensive. But Texas Instruments (TI) proudly disproved the antiquated notion. A recent effort to lower air emissions actually saved the company money and resulted in national recognition from the highest environmental authority in the United States.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency gave TI and partner Matros Technologies a 2008 Clean Air Excellence Award for halving fuel use and slashing nitrogen oxide (NOx) production at TI's Dallas manufacturing plant. NOx contributes to ground-level ozone, which can cause asthma.
"We are always looking for ways to operate more cleanly, less expensively and in a way that supports the environment," said Laurie Lehmberg, TI's worldwide environmental and energy manager.
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality also gave TI the state's highest environmental award for the emission reduction project.
In need of cleaner air
The Dallas/Fort Worth region is particularly sensitive to ozone problems; its levels violate federal Clean Air Act standards.
In 2005, TI asked St. Louis-based Matros Technologies to solve an industry-wide problem: how to reduce the cost of cleaning the solvents used in semiconductor fabrication facilities (fabs) from the exhaust air stream. Solvents such as isopropyl alcohol remove tiny amounts of water and particles, making wafers ultraclean.
These solvents, also known as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), are harmful to breathe. To protect workers, fabs direct any fumes out of the process equipment and into a high-temperature unit. At temperatures of more than 1,300 degrees Fahrenheit, the compounds dissolve into carbon dioxide, water and usable heat.
But these high-temperature ovens run on natural gas. Although they do a great job of removing unwelcome VOCs, they still emit some NOx, creating an air emissions problem of their own.
If the ovens – also known as regenerative thermal oxidizers (RTOs) – could do the same job at a lower heat, they would use less fuel, emit less NOx and create less ground-level ozone.
Matros Technologies President Yurii Matros, Ph.D. provided a catalyst that enables the RTOs to operate at a lower temperature. Eventually, TI and Matros successfully reduced the cooking temperature to approximately 900 degrees Fahrenheit.
The lower cooking temperature cut fuel use by 50 to 60 percent, reduced NOx emissions by 45 percent, and saved TI nearly $900,000 in natural gas costs.
The catalyst also makes VOC destruction more effective and extends the units' useful lives.
"We enjoyed working with TI," said Matros at the EPA ceremony in Washington, "and look forward to being able to apply our catalyst in other applications that will provide benefits to both the environment and economic well being of our customers."
|
|
|
