PTQ Q3 2025 Issue

removed from streams using MagAFS. Figures 3 and 4 show before and after images of the circulating lean sol- vent stream samples captured prior to the installation of the MagAFS filtration system and after stable operations were achieved following system installation. Electronic solvent systems While solvent systems used in electronics manufacturing differ in the broader functionality of the process, they remain very similar in nature to circulating solvent systems found in the refining and petrochemical industry. It is imperative that solvents be maintained free of fine particles for IC chip and battery manufacturing. Various hydrocarbon solvents are applied in the electronics industry, creating a direct con- nection between the tech industry and the petrochemical industry. For electronic-grade solvents used in IC chip man - ufacturing, MagAFS filtration technology has proven to be highly effective in removing ultrafine particles. This ensures that the solvents do not contaminate electronic products, thereby maintaining high manufacturing standards. Traditional processes for electronic solvent purification and regeneration include similar treatments to those used in refining and petrochemical industries, such as heating and bag filtration. While bag filters can be quickly changed and provide removal of large volumes of particulate matter, they are very limited in their ability to remove ultrafine particles. To capture particles in the nanometer range, upgraded tech- nology is required, which significantly increases the mainte - nance requirements for filtration systems and ultimately the cost associated with solvent purification. The application highlighted in the data set shown in Figure 5 utilised a standard MagAFS filtration system with two fixed magnetic filter vessel arrangements as a solution for purifying the electronic solvent. The Figure 5 plot illus- trates the particle size distribution of solids collected from the inlet stream of the filtration unit, solids collected from

Percentage contaminant removal from lean solvent stream

Element %

Removal by MagAFS

98.9 96.2 87.6 90.0 100.0 100.0

Al Cr

Ni Cl

74.4 64.4

100.0

Table 1

the solvent regeneration reboiler is shown, which typically processes a slip stream of solvent to provide continuous high performance. However, there are inherent downsides to the continuous operation of the solvent regeneration reboiler. Exposure to high temperatures can lead to fur- ther degradation of solvent, and since this is performed under a vacuum, oxygen ingress can exacerbate this issue. Degradation products can be corrosive in nature and lead to further system fouling from particulates. With the simple incorporation of MagAFS on the regener- ated solvent stream, the removal of solids from the stream has resulted in a significant improvement in the overall per - formance of the solvent. The removal of all particle sizes, including nanoparticles, restores the solvent clarity, which improves the separation of components entering the sol- vent recovery column. This inherently reduces the need to drive the reboiler duty on the solvent regenerator. The full solvent stream or just a slip stream can be cir- culated through the filtration unit, which is periodically cleaned of contaminants. As the contaminant load level has reduced within the circulating system, both the over- all filtration requirements and loading have stabilised, and the solvent regenerator has been reduced to periodic operations. Table 1 highlights the removal efficiency by components, demonstrating the wide variety of materials that can be

Figure 3 Lean solvent before filtration

Figure 4 Lean solvent after filtration

PTQ Q3 2025