South Korea unveiled an ultrapure water demonstration plant worth 2,400 tons per day for semiconductor chip manufacturing. The plant was unveiled yesterday, November 16 at the SK Silitron plant, in a groundbreaking ceremony by the South Korea Ministry of Environment.
The plant tested a UV oxidation system for organic matter removal, a degassing system for dissolved oxygen removal, and other equipment and construction methods used in producing industrial ultrapure water.
The new plant is being constructed in the semiconductor manufacturer’s factory and will be able to provide ultrapure water during the technical verification phase. To lessen its reliance on foreign technology, South Korea wants to complete technical verification by 2025.
This factory’s goal is to create 2,400 tons of ultrapure water every day. Moreover, the long-term goal is to reduce import dependence on technology and equipment acquisition to 40% and to eliminate the use of imported equipment in the production and operation process to 0%.
Ultrapure water is essential in the semiconductor chip production process, and TSMC needs to utilize a considerable volume of it every day to clean the water’s surface. The organic component of the water must be less than 0.01 parts per million. Previously, South Korea has relied on ultra-pure water imports from France and Japan.
According to foreign media, the global ultrapure water market for electronics, medicine, steel, and semiconductors is predicted to be worth 23 trillion won. While the ultrapure water market for semiconductors is expected to reach 4.4 trillion won.