Method and apparatus for measuring and controlling the water content of a water-containing liquid mixture

US6996479B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignees

• Infineon Technologies AG · DE
• Motorola, Inc. · US
• Infineon Technologies SC 300 GmbH & Co. KG · DE

Inventors

• Stefan Ottow · Dresden, DE
• Martin Welzel · Dresden, DE
• Dan Wissel · Austin, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 31, 2003
• Grant date: Feb 7, 2006
• Expiry date: Nov 21, 2023

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H01L21/31111
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

An apparatus for measuring the water content of a water-containing liquid mixture contained in a tight chemistry tank includes a heating device for controlling the temperature of the liquid mixture to a temperature near the boiling point of the liquid mixture, a cooling medium system disposed at the top of the tight chemistry tank having a cooling medium inlet and a cooling medium outlet, a temperature measurement system for determining the temperature difference between the cooling medium inlet and outlet, and a computing device for calculating the water content of the liquid mixture from the temperature difference. Also provided is a tank for supplying water to the liquid mixture, and a control system for adjusting the amount of water supplied from the tank based upon the water content measured by the measuring apparatus. Also provided is a method for measure the water content.