An electrochemical treatment system

Abstract

An out of tank electrochemical treatment system includes a housing with a treatment fluid supply manifold connected to the one or more treatment fluid reservoirs and including treatment fluid supply channels, a return manifold connected to the one or more treatment fluid reservoirs and including treatment fluid return channels, and an electrode section connected to the treatment fluid supply manifold. A porous pad coupled to the electrode section is configured to contact and wet the substrate with treatment fluid. A frame attached to the housing holds the porous pad and compresses the porous pad reducing the porosity of the porous pad at its periphery to reduce treatment fluid outflow at the periphery of the porous pad. The uniformity of current distribution is increased at the porous pad/substrate interface.

1 . An out of tank electrochemical treatment system comprising:
 one or more treatment fluid reservoirs; and   a housing including:
 a treatment fluid supply manifold connected to the one or more treatment fluid reservoirs and including treatment fluid supply channels, 
 a return manifold connected to the one or more treatment fluid reservoirs and including treatment fluid return channels, 
 an electrode section connected to the treatment fluid supply manifold, 
 a porous pad coupled to the electrode section and configured to contact and wet the substrate with treatment fluid, 
 a plurality of treatment fluid supply ports connected to the treatment fluid supply channels of the treatment fluid supply manifold and configured to feed treatment fluid through or across the electrode section and distribute treatment fluid through the porous pad, and 
 a plurality of return suction ports proximate the treatment fluid supply ports and connected to the treatment fluid return channels of the return manifold and configured to remove spent and excess treatment fluid and ambient gases from the substrate, the surrounding air, and the porous pad and deliver said spent and excess treatment fluid and ambient gases to the one or more treatment fluid reservoirs via the return manifold; 
   a peripheral treatment fluid channel about the porous pad and connected to a channel of the return manifold to deliver said spent and excess treatment fluid and ambient gases to the one or more treatment fluid reservoirs via the return manifold;   a frame attached to the housing holding the porous pad and compressing the porous pad reducing the porosity of the porous pad at its periphery to reduce treatment fluid outflow at the periphery of the porous pad; and   means for increasing the uniformity of current distribution at the porous pad/substrate interface.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  in which the frame includes a member extending inwardly under the housing compressing the porous pad between the member and the housing. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1  in which the frame is fastened to the housing. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1  in which the means for increasing the uniformity of the current distribution includes adding a conducting material to at least a portion of the pad. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1  in which the means for increasing the uniformity of the current distribution includes adding a conductive material to the treatment solution. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1  in which the means for increasing the uniformity of the current distribution includes an array of electrodes electrically isolated from each other and from the electrode section and extending in the housing to and/or into the pad. 
     
     
         7 . An out of tank electrochemical treatment system comprising:
 one or more treatment fluid reservoirs; and   a housing including:
 a treatment fluid supply manifold connected to the one or more treatment fluid reservoirs and including treatment fluid supply channels, 
 a return manifold connected to the one or more treatment fluid reservoirs and including treatment fluid return channels, 
 an electrode section connected to the treatment fluid supply manifold, 
 a porous pad coupled to the electrode section and configured to contact and wet the substrate with treatment fluid, 
 a plurality of treatment fluid supply ports connected to the treatment fluid supply channels of the treatment fluid supply manifold and configured to feed treatment fluid through or across the electrode section and distribute treatment fluid through the porous pad, and 
 a plurality of return suction ports proximate the treatment fluid supply ports and connected to the treatment fluid return channels of the return manifold and configured to remove spent and excess treatment fluid and ambient gases from the substrate, the surrounding air, and the porous pad and deliver said spent and excess treatment fluid and ambient gases to the one or more treatment fluid reservoirs via the return manifold; 
   a peripheral treatment fluid channel about the porous pad and connected to a channel of the return manifold to deliver said spent and excess treatment fluid and ambient gases to the one or more treatment fluid reservoirs via the return manifold; and   a frame attached to the housing holding the porous pad and compressing the porous pad reducing the porosity of the porous pad at its periphery to reduce treatment fluid outflow at the periphery of the porous pad.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7  in which the frame includes a member extending inwardly under the housing compressing the porous pad between the member and the housing. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 7  in which the frame is fastened to the housing. 
     
     
         10 . An out of tank electrochemical treatment system comprising:
 one or more treatment fluid reservoirs; and   a housing including:
 a treatment fluid supply manifold connected to the one or more treatment fluid reservoirs and including treatment fluid supply channels, 
 a return manifold connected to the one or more treatment fluid reservoirs and including treatment fluid return channels, 
 an electrode section connected to the treatment fluid supply manifold, 
 a porous pad coupled to the electrode section and configured to contact and wet the substrate with treatment fluid, 
 a plurality of treatment fluid supply ports connected to the treatment fluid supply channels of the treatment fluid supply manifold and configured to feed treatment fluid through or across the electrode section and distribute treatment fluid through the porous pad, and 
 a plurality of return suction ports proximate the treatment fluid supply ports and connected to the treatment fluid return channels of the return manifold and configured to remove spent and excess treatment fluid and ambient gases from the substrate, the surrounding air, and the porous pad and deliver said spent and excess treatment fluid and ambient gases to the one or more treatment fluid reservoirs via the return manifold; 
   a peripheral treatment fluid channel about the porous pad and connected to a channel of the return manifold to deliver said spent and excess treatment fluid and ambient gases to the one or more treatment fluid reservoirs via the return manifold; and   means for increasing the uniformity of current distribution at the porous pad/substrate interface.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10  in which the means for increasing uniformity of the current distribution includes adding a conducting material to at least a portion of the pad. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10  in which the means for increasing the uniformity of the current distribution includes adding a conductive material to the treatment solution. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 10  in which the means for increasing the uniformity of the current distribution includes an array of electrodes electrically isolated from each other and from the electrode section and extending in the housing to and/or into the pad. 
     
     
         14 . A method of electrochemically treating a substrate, the method comprising:
 fitting an electrode with a porous pad;   comprising the porous pad at is periphery to reduce the porosity of the porous pad at its periphery to reduce treatment fluid outflow at the periphery of the porous pad;   contacting the substrate with the with a porous pad;   driving the treatment fluid through supply ports in the electrode and to multiple locations of the porous pad; and   automatically driving spent and excess treatment fluid and gases from multiple locations of the porous pad through return ports in the electrode at a rate which limits treatment fluid leakage from the pad while urging the treatment fluid to fully disperse throughout the extent of the pad.   
     
     
         15 . An out of tank method for electrochemically treating a substrate, the method comprising:
 fitting an electrode with a porous pad;   positioning the porous pad to contact an out of tank substrate;   driving a treatment fluid through a treatment fluid supply manifold associated with the electrode to supply ports in the electrode and to multiple locations of the porous pad wetting said pad;   energizing said electrode;   increasing the uniformity of current distribution at the porous pad/substrate interface;   moving the porous pad about the substrate; and   automatically driving spent and excess treatment fluid and gases through multiple suction ports in the electrode and via a return manifold associated with the electrode at a rate which limits treatment fluid leakage while urging the treatment fluid to fully disperse throughout the extent of the pad.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  in which increasing the uniformity of the current distribution includes adding a conducting material to at least a portion of the pad. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15  in which increasing the uniformity of the current distribution includes adding a conductive material to the treatment solution. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15  in which increasing the uniformity of the current distribution includes energizing an array of independent electrodes electrically isolated from each other and from the electrode and extending in the electrode to and/or into the pad.