WHAT IS A VACUUM PUMP?

Vacuum Pumps

• A vacuum pump is a device specifically designed to remove gases, liquids, and vapors from a confined space in order to create a vacuum or near-vacuum environment.

• A vacuum environment is one with no pressure, and in practice, it is very difficult to create such an environment. Therefore, vacuum pumps today can only create a near-vacuum environment, which is a state with low pressure but still existing pressure that is much lower than atmospheric pressure. This environment is sufficient to meet the optimal needs for production, work, and research across various fields and industries.

• The first vacuum pump was created in 1650 by the German inventor, Otto von Guericke. The precursor to the vacuum pump was the mechanical pump invented by the Romans.

⇒ SEE DETAILS OF VACUUM PUMPS FOR LABORATORIES

Operating Principle of a Vacuum Pump:

A vacuum pump requires an energy source to operate, which could be electrical power, a piston, or compressed air. Once the pump is supplied with energy, it begins to operate. The working chambers of the pump will remove the gases and vapors from the enclosed space and push them out into the surrounding air. The volume of these working chambers will change cyclically during operation.

During each work cycle, as the volume of the working chambers increases, the pump system will remove the working fluid along with gases and vapors. As the volume of the chambers changes, the working fluid, gases, and vapors will be gradually compressed and expelled through the discharge valve.

In this process, the gases and vapors are completely removed, while the working fluid is returned to the machine via a special part to continue assisting in removing the remaining gases and vapors from the enclosed space until no more can be removed.

For pumps that do not use working fluids like water or oil, the chambers will be designed with higher sealing to push the gases out more easily and conveniently.

Classification of Vacuum Pumps:

1. By Vacuum Pressure:

   • Low Vacuum Pumps (p > 100Pa)
   • Medium Vacuum Pumps (100Pa > p > 0.1Pa)
   • High Vacuum Pumps (0.1Pa > p > 10−5Pa)
   • Ultra-High Vacuum Pumps (p < 10−5Pa)

2. By Working Fluid:

   • Water-ring Vacuum Pumps
   • Oil-sealed Vacuum Pumps
   • Dry Vacuum Pumps

3. By Pump Structure:

   • Rotary Vane Vacuum Pumps
   • Piston Vacuum Pumps
   • Dual-rotor Vacuum Pumps