Vacuum Environment and Vacuum Pumps
Vacuum environments are currently receiving wide attention in applied science fields, especially in medicine, food, components, and nuclear atomics. In practice, a vacuum environment can only be created near vacuum conditions with the help of a vacuum pump system, which creates a space with much lower pressure than the surrounding atmospheric pressure to serve various specialized purposes. Vacuum pumps are becoming more and more popular, but not everyone fully understands their structure and operating principles. This article will provide you with a comprehensive overview of vacuum pumps.
First, what is a vacuum?
A vacuum can be simply understood as an environment without matter. When the volume is non-zero and the mass of matter is zero, the environment will have no pressure. In reality, quantum physics has proven that a perfect vacuum environment does not exist. The vacuum environment we aim for is only a near-vacuum environment, meaning there is pressure in this environment, but it is much lower than atmospheric pressure with the help of a vacuum pump system. A vacuum pump is a device designed to remove matter from a closed space to create, enhance, or maintain a vacuum.
Vacuum pumps are characterized by working chambers, which, depending on the type of pump, are arranged between pistons or vanes. Analyzing the design of vacuum pumps shows that nearly all vacuum pumps operate on the principle of displacement. Essentially, creating a vacuum is the process of reducing the number of matter molecules, removing them from the closed system, and gradually decreasing the air density in a space, thus reducing the absolute pressure of the remaining gas. In other words, to reduce the pressure in a closed space to a certain value, the working chambers of the vacuum pump will extract the gas or water vapor from the closed space to the outside environment. The working chambers of the pump have a volume that changes cyclically.
In one operating cycle, when the volume of the working chamber increases, the pump will suck in the working fluid (water or oil) along with air and water vapor. As the volume of the working chamber changes, this mixture will be compressed and expelled through the pump’s exhaust port. The gas and water vapor will be separated and completely removed, and the working fluid, under the influence of a special component (condenser system), will be sent back to the pump to continue transporting the remaining gas and water vapor to the outside, forming a closed circulation loop. For vacuum pumps that do not use working fluids, the working chambers need to ensure a higher level of sealing to expel the gas more easily.
Classification of Vacuum Pumps
-
Classification by Vacuum Pressure:
- Low vacuum pump (p > 100Pa)
- Medium vacuum pump (100Pa > p > 0.1Pa)
- High vacuum pump (0.1Pa > p > 10−5Pa)
- Ultra-high vacuum pump (p < 10−5Pa)
-
Classification by Pump Structure:
- Piston-type vacuum pump
- Rotary vane-type vacuum pump
- Dual-rotor vacuum pump
-
Classification by Working Fluid:
- Oil-sealed vacuum pump
- Water-sealed vacuum pump
- Dry vacuum pump
See more about Oil-Free Vacuum Pumps.
Today, vacuum pumps play a very important role in scientific research, healthcare, and industrial production. A few typical examples show us the significant application of vacuum technology. In electronics, a vacuum is necessary for the operation of light bulbs, generators, microwave devices, TV, and X-ray tubes. In semiconductor and integrated circuit manufacturing, vacuum technology is widely used for thin film deposition. In the food industry, vacuum pumps are used to store and preserve food products for long periods. In medicine, vacuum is used for drug preservation, as a medium for producing certain drugs, and also in surgeries to help heal wounds.
Applications of Vacuum Pumps
Given the essential need for vacuum pumps, a range of companies supplying vacuum pumps have emerged in Vietnam. However, with more distributors, it becomes harder for consumers to choose a reliable and quality provider, as finding a trustworthy address is not always easy.
CTSTEC established in 2007, is one of the leading companies in the field of supplying and consulting on chemicals, laboratory equipment, scientific technical devices, educational equipment, and medical supplies. Cuong Thinh is the authorized distributor of high-quality vacuum pumps from the Rocker brand – Taiwan in Vietnam, offering competitive prices on the market. The advantages of Rocker vacuum pumps are continuous operation, high durability, overheating protection, and being environmentally friendly. Each Rocker vacuum pump is internationally certified for safety. We believe that the vacuum pumps from CTSTEC are a reliable choice for you.
