DAS Environmental Experts is launching ALCEA, a new secondary abatement solution for nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions in semiconductor manufacturing. Installed downstream of NOx-generating waste gas treatment units, ALCEA can reduce NOx by up to 95% while its catalyst stage is integrated into the exhaust duct, reducing additional subfab floor space
In semiconductor fabs, additional emission-control capacity competes for limited and costly subfab space. At the same time, manufacturers are seeking to reduce utility demand, maintenance requirements, and operational interruptions. ALCEA addresses this via a highly integrated architecture: the catalyst unit is fitted into the exhaust duct instead of being installed as a separate floor-standing treatment stage. The solution has been designed for retrofitting into existing exhaust systems and for use downstream of different NOx-generating abatement technologies.
Guy Davies, chief business development Officer, DAS Environmental Experts, said, “Fabs cannot treat emissions, energy use and space as separate challenges. With ALCEA, we place a high-performance secondary DeNOx stage where it creates the most value – directly in the existing exhaust path. The result is a retrofit-ready solution that reduces NOx by up to 95% while keeping the demand for floor space and utilities low. That is exactly the kind of practical innovation needed on the road to an emission-free subfab.”
ACLEA is based on DAS Environmental Experts’ plasma-enhanced Catalytic Technology. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) form and drive reactions on the catalyst surface. The process converts NOx into more highly oxidised, water-soluble nitrogen compounds that can be removed in a downstream central wet abatement system. The dry-oxidation process requires no injection of special gases, and the catalysts are reusable.
Depending on NOx concentration, prior treatment and plasma power, ALCEA manages volume flows of up to 5,000 standard litres per minute and achieves NOx reduction up to 95%. Specified power consumption is up to 3.2kW, depending on the NOx concentration. The system can support up to two catalyst ducts for dual systems or two individual local scrubbers. Process cooling water, reusable catalysts and a design geared toward low maintenance requirements and downtime support integration into ongoing fab operations.
ALCEA was created in collaboration with Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI), Taiwan’s premier applied-technology research institute. The DAS Environmental Experts engineering team in Taiwan played a central role in the development.
The project combines applied research, local engineering expertise and proximity to semiconductor customers. It also expands the company’s waste gas treatment portfolio by adding a compact post-combustion DeNOx option for new and existing fab installations.
The market launch, which took place at SEMICON Taiwan 2026, emphasised the role of DAS Environmental Experts’ regional teams in customer-oriented innovation and local value creation.
