Finding
The purification train is already electric; the electrification gains are hot UPW heating by heat pump and electrodeionization in place of chemical regeneration
Fab UPW must reach the theoretical 18.2 MΩ·cm resistivity with organic carbon below about 1 part per billion, through reverse osmosis, electrodeionization, UV oxidation, degassing, ion-exchange polishing and ultrafiltration. Pumps, UV lamps and EDI stacks are electric; the fuel use is in heating hot UPW for wet cleans, traditionally by gas boilers or steam.
SEMI S23 conversion factors put cold UPW near 9 kWh per cubic meter and hot UPW near 92, and a large fab draws millions of gallons of water a day. Water-to-water heat pumps lift heat from process cooling water or chiller condensers to 70-80 °C, removing the boiler load and cutting UPW heating CO2 by roughly 50-90% depending on the grid. Intel reports chiller heat recovery feeding UPW heating at Fab 34 in Ireland.
Electrodeionization (EDI) uses an electric field to keep ion-exchange resin regenerated continuously, replacing bulk acid and caustic regeneration and the chemical handling that goes with it. Water reuse is the parallel trend: Samsung, TSMC and Intel are building reclaim plants that recycle rinse water back to the UPW feed, which also recovers its heat. Samsung's Taylor, Texas fab is the largest new US example.
Components
Electrified UPW components
Each stage is electric; the heating and regeneration stages are where gas and chemicals come out.
| Stage | Function | Energy and electrification note |
|---|---|---|
| Reverse osmosis (double pass) | Removes most salts and organics | High-pressure pumps; VFDs and energy recovery |
| Electrodeionization (EDI) | Removes remaining ions | Electric field replaces acid and caustic regeneration |
| UV 185 nm and 254 nm | Oxidizes organic carbon; disinfects | Lamp power; LED UV emerging |
| Membrane degassing | Removes dissolved oxygen and CO2 | Vacuum pumps |
| Mixed-bed polishing and ultrafiltration | Final ions and particles | Pumps; resin replaced off site |
| Hot UPW heating | Supplies 70-80 °C water to wet benches | Heat pumps on waste heat replace gas boilers and steam |
| Reclaim and reuse | Returns rinse water to the feed | Cuts intake and recovers heat |
Suppliers
UPW system and component makers
Japanese builders lead fab UPW; membranes and resins come from a few US and Japanese makers. Heat pumps for hot UPW are listed on the industrial heat pumps page. Active companies first, then pilots, research groups and companies that exited.
| Company | Products | HQ | Technology | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ecolab (Ovivo Electronics) | UPW systems | US | RO, EDI and polishing | active: Ecolab acquired Ovivo's electronics UPW business |
| Gaopin Tech | UPW systems for Chinese fabs | China | RO, EDI and polishing | active |
| Kurita Water Industries | UPW systems and operation contracts | Japan | RO, EDI, UV and polishing; build-own-operate | active |
| Nomura Micro Science | UPW systems | Japan | RO, EDI and polishing | active |
| Organo | UPW systems for fabs and displays | Japan | RO, EDI and polishing | active |
| Veolia Water Technologies | UPW systems and membranes | France | RO, EDI and polishing | active |
| Xylem (Evoqua) | UPW systems and services | US | RO, EDI and polishing | active: Xylem acquired Evoqua in 2023 |
| Company | Products | HQ | Technology | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asahi Kasei | UF and MF membranes | Japan | Hollow-fiber UF | active |
| DuPont | RO membranes and ion-exchange resins | US | FilmTec RO, Amberlite resins | active |
| Toray | RO and UF membranes | Japan | RO and UF | active |
Sources
Sources and scope
- Scope
- Electrified Ultrapure Water Systems
- Sources
- SEMI F63 and S23; Intel and Samsung sustainability reports; supplier disclosures
- Updated
- October 2026