UPW System Electrification for fabs
Fabs consume huge volumes of UPW, up to 5,500 m³/day, equivalent to a small city's water usage. he SEMI S23 standard estimates ~9 kWh/m³ for cold UPW and ~92 kWh/m³ for hot UPW.
Electrifying ultrapure water (UPW) systems through heat pumps, electric boilers, and waste-heat recovery is a high-value decarbonization pathway for semiconductor fabs. With UPW heating representing up to 92 kWh/m³, heat recovery and electrification can yield major CO2 reductions and energy savings, while ensuring precision thermal control in ultra-sensitive fabrication processes.
UPW systems produce water of extremely high purity (>18 MO·cm resistivity, <1 µg TOC/L, particles <0.05 µm) through multi-stage treatment: reverse osmosis (RO), deionization, UV, degasification, ultrafiltration, and polishing filters.
Critical for wafer cleaning, etching, CMP, photolithography, and final rinses—the UPW supplied per tool can be ~30 L/min hot water, totaling megawatts of thermal load per fab.
Traditional UPW systems rely heavily on gas-fired heaters or steam, especially for hot UPW (~92 kWh/m³ for heating). Electrifying through high-efficiency heat pumps, electric boilers, and waste-heat recovery (e.g., from chillers) can cut heating CO2 by 50–90%, while stabilizing water temperature and reducing Scope 1 emissions.
Electrified UPW Components
Heat Pumps
Water-to-water heat pumps capture waste heat from refrigeration loops or equipment chillers and repurpose it for UPW heating and facility space heating.
Electric Boilers & Heaters
Low-emission, modular electric boilers or cartridge heaters offer rapid, clean heating of RO or polishing stages, replacing fossil-fuel sources.
Waste Heat Integration
Intelligent recovery systems capture HVAC/chiller heat for UPW heating, as implemented at Intel Fab 34, reducing overall gas use by funneling energy to manufacturing loads.
Emissions & Efficiency Impact
- Carbon reduction: Electrification targets Scope 1 gas use; total CO2 from UPW heating can drop ~50–90%.
- Optimizing with electrification could save tens of GWh per year, depending on fab size and recirculation strategies.
Supply Chain & Deployment Challenges
- Electricity infrastructure: Upgrades likely required to support higher electrical loads, similar to cleanroom HVAC electrification.
- Capital and space: Installing heat pumps or electric boilers adds equipment and requires integration planning.
| Vendor | Product |
|---|