Industrial Vacuum Pumps: Applications and Benefits
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Kaishan USA | February 1, 2023 | Uncategorized
The aerospace industry uses industrial vacuum pumps in areas as varied as assembly, wind tunnels, engine testing and altitude chambers.
Industrial Vacuum Pumps: Applications and Benefits
Industrial vacuum pumps are some of the most widely used tools in the commercial and industrial landscape with applications as varied as semiconductor, oil and gas, packaging, plastics, furniture making, pharmaceuticals, electronics, chemicals and aerospace. They’re used not only to draw in dirt, debris and other materials but also to pick up, place or hold in place small parts or devices as part of a larger assembly process.
Choosing the right industrial vacuum pump for your application is a challenging process, driven not simply by the features and benefits of the pumps themselves but also by the intricacies of individual applications.
The Major Issues
And while many people want to dive into equipment selection right at the start of the evaluation process, you should start by considering two major issues: pressure and sizing.
Pressure
Vacuum pumps remove gas molecules and air from a sealed chamber, creating a partial vacuum. There are a number of different ways to measure success in creating a vacuum, but most people in the U.S. use “Hg gauge,” with 0 inches of mercury being the pressure at sea level and 29.92 inches the measurement in a perfect vacuum.
Vacuum technology helps furniture makers keep products in place as they move through routers and other tools.
Sizing
We start by doing an inventory of the vacuum needs of your facility. How many applications need vacuum capability? And what is the level of vacuum needed? The typical applications in a plant usually run between 15 and 29.9 inches of mercury, in the rough vacuum range.
After we list all the levels needed, we move onto the volumetric flow rate, or simply flow. Flow rate is an important element of system design, in that two vacuum pumps could achieve the same vacuum level, but not the same flow. The pump with the higher flow rate will reach the desired vacuum level faster. And, since it removes air at a faster rate, it will be more effective for applications where there are air leaks, or there is not a perfect seal at the end use. Most end uses will specify the CFM requirements and you’ll want to total them up to know how much flow you will need.
And finally, we need to consider utilization: most likely, all your applications won’t all be firing off at once. So we like to know how long the vacuum is working for each tool, how much air is it using and how much of a time lag occurs between each occurrence.
On the one hand, you don’t want to risk under-sizing the system—if you don’t have a stable vacuum level, you can have production losses. And over-sizing can be a problem as well, especially if you’re using rotary screw vacuum machines which are designed to run continuously. The higher the duty cycle, the longer their useful life.
Gas recovery, biogas production and distillation/evaporation applications use vacuum technology in the oil and gas, petrochemicals and chemicals industries.
Other Isssues
A host of other issues deserve consideration when you’re creating an industrial vacuum pump system, including the following:
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- Energy consumption. How efficient is a particular product in generating a certain volume or CFM for a given horsepower? As with air compressors, the energy use of a vacuum pump dwarfs the purchase price over the life of the product. And often exceeds sticker price within a year or two.
- Water consumption. Some vacuum systems (like liquid ring vacuum pumps) consume water while others do not. And while that may not be an issue for some, it is increasingly important in water-deficient areas like the U.S. West Coast.
- Handling discharge water. Discharge water can be contaminated with oil, solids or fluids. In most areas, it cannot simply be discarded into municipal sewer systems. So you have to find a way to dispose of it safely.
- Consumable parts. Different kinds of vacuums require parts like oil, filters and other similar items.
- Dealing with carryover. Different systems have different ways of handling carryover materials, which can include anything from powders and dust particles to blood and other organic material.
- Process contamination. Depending on the process, you must be conscious of the way particles and fluids are captured and dispersed to prevent contamination.
- Service life. The type of industrial vacuum pump you select is critically important in determining the lifespan of your equipment. But, as we will discuss in the equipment selection section, it’s equally important that the capabilities of the pump are a good fit with the demands of the application. Rotary screw vacuum pumps, for instance, will last years or even decades with minimal maintenance, like oil changes and oil monitoring, while life expectancy of liquid ring and vane vacuum pumps is much shorter.
- Centralized vs. point-of-use systems. Many industrial plants deploy dozens of small, fractional-horsepower vacuum units wherever they need vacuum capability in their facility. Over the years, we’ve found it’s much more efficient to have a centralized unit that’s going to be more energy efficient. It may have a higher initial cost, but the total cost of ownership is lower. And you can build in backup, as mentioned below.
Industrial vacuum pumps help manufacturers test engines in automotive assembly plants.
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- Backup. If a point-of-use vacuum pump is down, that may take down your entire line, resulting in significant cost. So the more of them you have, the more vulnerable your process is to a shutdown. As a result, having a centralized system with a backup vacuum pump can produce significant savings and increase reliability across your entire operation.
- Leaks. As with a compressed air system, there can be leaks in a vacuum system as well. We recommend regular inspection and use of ultrasonic leak detection, which will uncover leaks, not only in compressed air and vacuum lines, but also in lines like welding gasses, argon and nitrogen, even steam. You probably will want to turn to a compressed air professional to do this level of leak detection.
- Maintenance. In addition to checking for leaks, you’ll want to have a compressed air and vacuum specialist available to do the more advanced testing and inspection that usually are beyond the skills of your plant maintenance team. We strongly recommend developing a relationship with a local expert. And we are fortunate to have a team of experts available to service your needs.
Industrial Vacuum Pump Selection
There are several different types of vacuum pumps you should consider for commercial and industrial uses. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages.
Side-Channel or Regenerative Blowers
Regen blowers have one particular advantage: they have dual pressure/vacuum capability. As a result, they can be used either to generate a vacuum or to create pressure, offering some redundancy with your compressed air system. The disadvantage? They’re not particularly efficient or effective at either. Specifically, they won’t reach the same level of vacuum as a rotary screw vacuum pump.
Lubricated Rotary Vane Vacuums
Lubricated vane blowers are especially adept at dirty applications. Unlike regen blowers, there’s enough clearance between the rotor blades and the housing that carry-over solids, powder or vapor will not clog up and stop the blower.
Oil-lubricated vane pumps are widely recognized for delivering a deep vacuum and come at a relatively low cost. They have a number of maintenance issues, however. Oil and filters need to be changed on a regular basis. And they generate a haze of oil that often lands on the floor.
Dry Claw Pumps
Dry claw pumps have two claw-shaped rotors moving in opposite directions to generate a vacuum. While dry claw pumps have no oil or sealing liquid and thus require less maintenance, they only achieve a moderate vacuum level—25 or 26 inches of mercury. They are efficient, but they can only handle water vapor in the incoming air. But not water.
Dry Screw Vacuum Pumps
Dry screw vacuum pumps require neither water nor oil for sealing and can generate a deep vacuum and take harsh chemicals. But they operate much differently than other vacuum pumps, requiring special training for your crews. Specifically, they must be warmed up and cooled down for 30 minutes or they will corrode. Plus, to achieve that deep vacuum, they have extremely tight tolerances and cannot take powder, dust or debris. They also come with a high initial cost.
Oil Lubricated Rotary Screw Pumps
Oil-lubricated rotary screw pumps excel in applications where the vacuum holds an item in place or simply evacuates air from a chamber. They are not a good choice for applications where the vacuum draws in solids or liquids.
Kaishan’s KRSV 50 is the most efficient and economical industrial vacuum pump on the market, using variable speed drive to customize operating speed and match the needs of your application.
Kaishan strongly advocates oil lubricated rotary screw pumps like our KRSV 50 rotary screw vacuum pump because of their outstanding efficiency. They have a wide pressure range and a broad range of operating flows.
And, because they are paired with a variable speed drive, Kaishan rotary screw vacuum pumps achieve even greater efficiency and a long operating life. In fact, a vacuum pump is almost a textbook application for variable speed drive. As the vacuum level begins to rise, the power required falls. So the VSD then speeds up the rotors to take advantage of the "extra" motor horsepower available as the vacuum level rises, thus vastly increasing the flow at required vacuum levels.
Kaishan rotary screw vacuum pumps are also air cooled, so they don’t need a water supply to maintain their temperature. As a result, installation and maintenance are simplified.
In addition, our oil lubricated rotary screw vacuum pumps are equipped with a patented variable discharge port that delivers optimal efficiency. At every level of vacuum, you’ll get the most flow for the horsepower consumed, keeping electricity consumption stable. You start with the discharge port wide open to get maximum flow. Then the variable discharge port slowly closes as the vacuum level rises to balance the compression ratio and keep it in an ideal range.
As mentioned, their major disadvantage is that they are sensitive to unwanted liquids and solids and some gasses. They have a higher upfront cost, but their total cost of ownership makes them a very attractive alternative.
The Key to Success
There’s no question that designing and operating an industrial vacuum pump system in your facility can benefit from expert help. We are fortunate to work with a nationwide network of independent distributors, who can provide on-site help and consultation as needed. These factory-trained experts have an investment in their local communities and can service your vacuum pump system without a problem. And they have staff members who are skilled in using advanced technology on a daily basis.
Key Takeaways
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- Industrial vacuum pumps are used in a wide range of industries and applications not only picking up fluids, powders and other materials but also holding products in place or evacuating chambers.
- When selecting the right industrial vacuum pump, it’s important to focus on the needs of your application first rather than diving into the features and benefits of a particular product.
- Instead of having small, fractional-horsepower vacuum pumps throughout your facility, it may be more efficient and reliable to have a larger centralized vacuum pump with a backup.
- Kaishan advocates use of oil-lubricated rotary screw pumps because of their outstanding efficiency and longevity.
Let us Help
Obtaining and operating industrial vacuum pumps within your facility can be absolutely critical to a number of applications. If you need help with the selection, design and operation of a vacuum pump system, get in touch with the experts at Kaishan. Contact us today.
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Industrial vacuum pumps are some of the most widely used tools in the commercial and industrial landscape with applications as varied as semiconductor, oil and gas