Leybold Vacuum Pump

Energy efficient Vacuum Systems for Furnace Industry and Metallurgy

The highest priority for vacuum pumps and systems certainly is the reliable delivery of the required vacuum levels. The trouble-free operation of the vacuum system is a must. The growing pressure to save energy is not allowed to restrict the productivity of the plant. Still, vacuum pumps and systems must be designed following the “state of the art” regulations. Fighting against global warming and increasing greenhouse gas concentrations, the regimentation of CO2 emission are the justification for the European Commission to set up the European Directive 2005/32/EC. This and several amending directives describe a framework of eco-design requirements for energy using products asking for increased efficiencies. New standards and norms have been written and others have been updated which now need to be considered in new product engineering projects. Furthermore, energy costs are rising constantly and will continue to rise in the future. Considering these aspects the design of modern furnaces has changed recently. New designed vacuum furnaces are operating much more efficient than older furnaces. Also modern steel degassing plants use more and more mechanical vacuum systems instead of energy-wasting steam ejector systems. Also here, modern vacuum pumps and pump systems, designed to support these energy saving attempts, have proven their capabilities. High reliability can be reached by using traditional technologies as e.g. oil-sealed rotary piston or rotary-vane pumps, roots blowers and diffusion pumps, but also also more modern technologies such as dry screw pumps already have a proven track record to work most reliable even under harshest conditions. Today’s standard dry pumps are screw pumps with variable pitch rotor design. Continues compression along the rotor length minimizes the energy demand. Older technologies with constant screw pitch or even dry pumps based on multiple stages of roots- or claw type rotors, have significantly higher power consumption due to design and pumping principle. But even the plurality of today’s screw-pumps with variable pitch differs a lot from each other. Most pumps of the 600 m3/h class demand app. 10 kW power at typical furnace operation pressures below 1 mbar, which is a clearly higher value as those of a comparable rotary-vane pump.

Oerlikon Leybold Vacuum's magnetically levitated turbo molecular pumps

Oerlikon Leybold Vacuum has launched a new magnetically levitated turbo molecular pump series that offers full system integration of all components, saving costs and space for manufacturing processes within coating and industrial applications in the rough, medium, high and ultra-high vacuum regimes. The Magintegra pumps are resistant against process particles and deposits. For research and development purposes and pilot production, the Univex line of universal experimentation PVD vacuum coating systems are available in a wide range of standard and multi-purpose configurations.

Problem

Today, full system integration of all components is one of the most important requirements for the design and operation of a vacuum system posed by engineers in industry, R&D and analytical business fields, avoiding complicated piping and superfluous cabling.

Solution

The new, magnetically levitated turbo molecular pumps Turbovac Magintegra from Oerlikon Leybold Vacuum can do without the space usually needed for a separate frequency converter and provide a compact, flexible design, excellent vacuum performance, and a standardized program of accessories. These offer maintenance-free operations in most industrial processes, such as display-, solar-, coating-, and R&D applications. The Magintegra pumps are resistant against process particles and deposits. Process-induced shock venting is tolerated to a high degree as well as assembly in any position and angle. The rotationally symmetrical and space saving housing is combined with a frequency converter which can be mounted flexibly as well.

Applications

Research and development purposes and pilot production.

Platform

The use of 5-axis magnetically levitated bearings means the pump requires little maintenance and shows a high degree of safety against hydrocarbons, especially when even low contamination of remaining bearing lubricants or greases are not compatible with sensitive manufacturing processes. Magintegra pumps also operate at extremely low vibration levels which are of high importance in some applications. The pumps are offered with communication interfaces and an intelligent monitoring of pump parameters, including self-protection functions in case of operational disturbances.

Availability

April 2011 onwards.

Leybold vacuum handbook

In oil-sealed mechanical pumps this free space is filled with oil for further reduction of its volume. High-vacuum Pumps. Diffusion pumps, getter-ion pumps, ...

Vacuum physics and technology

Fore-Vacuum Pumps' Pumps which can produce the necessary fore-pressure for other pumps not capable ... 3 K. Diels and R. Jaeckel, "Leybold Vacuum Handbook. ...

Measurement, instrumentation and experiment design in physics and engineering

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Liquid ring vacuum pumps, compressors and systems, conventional and hermetic design

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Vacuum science and technology, pioneers of the 20th century : history of vacuum science and technology

Therefore Leybold has listed vacuum pumps and demonstration equipment in their catalogs since 1878. The industrial application of vacuum, particularly for ...