Does the compressed air system in a chip manufacturing facility require pressure‑regulated supply?

Basic Classification of Compressed Air Systems in Chip Manufacturing Plants

In the semiconductor manufacturing process, compressed air is an indispensable power source. Chip fabrication facilities typically divide their compressed air systems into categories based on application and quality requirements,Clean Dry Air (CDA)andInstrument Air (IA)Two major categories. Air of different classes exhibits significant differences in pressure, dew point, oil content, and particulate matter control, which necessitates the adoption of a staged-pressure air supply strategy.

Why do chip fabs require partitioned gas supply?

• Meeting diverse device requirements:Within a chip fabrication facility, a wide array of equipment—ranging from large auxiliary systems to small pneumatic valves—operates at vastly different rated pressures. A single high-pressure gas supply could damage low-pressure devices, while a uniform low-pressure system would fail to meet the power requirements of high-pressure equipment.
• Avoiding energy waste:If the entire plant uses a single high-pressure air supply, low-pressure equipment at the end of the system must rely on throttling valves to reduce pressure, resulting in significant waste of compressed air. By contrast, a staged-pressure air supply allows pressure to be tailored to the specific demands of each section of the piping network, substantially lowering the discharge pressure of the compressors and thereby saving energy.
• Ensuring pressure stability:Precision manufacturing processes are highly sensitive to fluctuations in air supply pressure. Pressure‑splitting air supply can isolate different air‑consumption zones, preventing sudden changes in air demand in one area from causing pressure swings throughout the plant’s piping network, thereby ensuring stable pressures for instrument air and critical process equipment.

Methods for implementing pressure‑regulated gas supply and pipeline network design

In practical plant‑wide system design, staged pressure reduction is typically achieved through multi‑stage pressure‑reducing stations and a looped pipeline network. The high‑pressure gas discharged from the air compressor room first entersMain Pressure-Reducing Station, after being reduced to medium pressure, it is delivered to the various production workshops. Within the workshops or near specific equipment clusters, additional units are installed.Regional Pressure-Reducing Valve GrouporEnd pressure-reducing valve, precisely adjust the pressure to the setpoint required by the equipment.

Furthermore, for the instrument air system—since it directly controls various control valves and safety interlock devices in the utility system—an independent pressure-reducing loop is typically employed, equipped with redundant pressure-reducing valves and filters, to ensure a stable, clean low-pressure air supply even under extreme operating conditions.

The significance of partial-pressure gas supply for yield and cost

Chip manufacturing is a quintessential capital- and technology-intensive industry, where even minor environmental fluctuations can lead to a decline in wafer yield. A well‑designed, pressure‑regulated gas supply system not only provides precise equipment with an appropriate and stable power source, thereby reducing equipment downtime and process deviations caused by abnormal air pressure, but also significantly lowers the overall energy consumption of the compressed‑air system through optimized pipeline network pressures. Consequently, pressure‑regulated gas supply is not merely a technical requirement; it is a critical measure for semiconductor fabs to achieve lean production and cost control.