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Recovery and Recycling

Gas recovery and recycling can improve economics and protect our environment by reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

EFC Gases & Advanced Materials > Recycling and Recovery

Rare Gas Recovery

We offer recovery, collection & purification, services for rare gases (Ne, Kr, Xe) from our Rare Gas Center of Excellence.  There are a number of applications where rare gases are used, but not used up.  Used gas that is suitable for reuse after purification comes from semiconductor manufacturing, light bulb production, thruster testing, cylinder residuals, etc.  The used gases can be captured, purified, and reused.  Captured rare gases are purified to meet the same specifications as the virgin material.  This rare gas recovery offers reduced costs, and improved security of supply.

Recovery starts with collection from the process exhaust stream.  Depending on the process, the entire exhaust stream can be captured, or initial processing of the rare gas is conducted as it is collected.  This is to remove impurities or to increase the concentration of the desired gas.  The collected gas is then returned to our facility for purification in the same cryogenic distillation column that is used to produce the rare gases from the crude.  And finally, it is analyzed with the same equipment in the same lab, to the same specifications, as with the virgin gases

 

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Our Recycling Capabilities

SF6 Capabilities

As a major supplier and responsible member of the global community, we are committed to collaborating with users to do our part in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. We continue to take every opportunity to implement new processes and systems designed to facilitate the recovery and recycling of used SF6. We are proud to offer services to reduce sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) releases using cost-effective technologies.

SF6 is widely used in the electrical industry. It is a very stable molecule, which makes it superior to many other substances due to its insulation properties, dielectric strength, and arc quenching abilities. However, SF6 is a potent greenhouse gas with a GWP of 22,800. This is 22,800 times as potent as CO2 on a per molecule basis. SF6 is very stable, with an atmospheric lifetime of up to 3200 years, meaning that any SF6 released stays in the environment for a very long time. SF6 users are often required to track and report losses. By reclaiming and recycling releases can be reduced. EFC Gases & Adanced Materials provides the SF6 reclamation service at our Hatfield, PA facility.

Whether SF6 is recovered from old breakers, cylinders, or other systems, we will recycle this material and return it to a fit-for-use purity that exceeds ASTM D2472-00 and IEC 60480 standards.

Halocarbon Capabilities

As a major supplier and responsible member of the global community, we are committed to collaborating with users to do our part in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.  We continue to take every opportunity to implement new processes and systems designed to facilitate the recovery and recycling of used halocarbons. We are proud to offer services to reduce halocarbon releases using cost-effective technologies.

Halocarbons are widely used for to manufacture semiconductors and as refrigerants.  While these compounds were developed as replacements for ozone depleting substances, they are potent greenhouse gases.  Halocarbon use will be restricted in the United States due to regulations connected to the American Innovation and Manufacturing (AIM) Act and globally the Kigali Pledge (amendment to the Montreal Protocol) will reduce the availability of halocarbons globally. As your company adjusts to these regulations, we are prepared to support through recycling services.

Collecting and purifying halocarbons can reduce the environmental releases and increase availability.