Composite air suction pump

Abstract

The invention relates to the field of getter pumps, and discloses a composite getter pump which comprises a getter pump part and an ion pump part which share the same shell. The getter pump part comprises a getter pump core arranged in the air suction cavity of the shell; the ion pump part comprises an anode barrel, a pair of magnets, a pair of cathode plates, a pair of bottom plates and shielding iron; the anode barrel is arranged in the shell and is electrically connected with an electrode arranged on the shell; the pair of magnets, the pair of cathode plates, the pair of bottom plates and the shielding iron are arranged on the periphery of the anode barrel to form an ion pump air exhaust cavity; and the air suction cavity is communicated with the ion pump air exhaust cavity. The structure is compact, the integration degree is high, and the size and the weight are obviously reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of suction pumps, and more particularly to a composite suction pump. Background Technology

[0002] Existing getter-ion pump combination pumps typically have a pre-drilled mounting hole on the ion pump housing for installing a separate getter pump; or an additional pipe section is added to the getter pump to house the ion pump unit, thus forming a combination pump; or the getter pump and ion pump are arranged on opposite sides of a standard flange.

[0003] The above-mentioned solutions are complex in structure, large in size and weight, and are only suitable for large vacuum chambers, not for maintaining vacuum in aerospace or small instruments. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The main objective of this invention is to solve the technical problems of complex structure, large size, and heavy weight of existing composite suction pumps. A composite suction pump includes: The system comprises a getter pump section and an ion pump section sharing the same housing; the getter pump section includes a getter pump core disposed within the getter chamber of the housing; the ion pump section includes an anode barrel, a pair of magnets, a pair of cathode plates, a pair of base plates, and a shielding iron; the anode barrel is installed inside the housing and electrically connected to electrodes disposed on the housing; the pair of magnets, the pair of cathode plates, the pair of base plates, and the shielding iron are disposed around the anode barrel to form an ion pump suction chamber; the getter chamber communicates with the ion pump suction chamber.

[0005] As an optional technical solution, the housing is provided with a welding interface for direct connection with the vacuum chamber, and the gas passes through the welding interface, the ion pump extraction chamber, and the suction chamber in sequence.

[0006] As an optional technical solution, the pair of magnets are housed within the groove of the shielding iron.

[0007] As an optional technical solution, the axial direction of the anode barrel is perpendicular to the axial direction of the welding interface.

[0008] As an optional technical solution, the pair of cathode plates are respectively welded and fixed to the ion pump extraction chamber of the housing via a pair of base plates.

[0009] As an optional technical solution, the pair of cathode plates are located on both sides of the anode barrel.

[0010] As an optional technical solution, the pair of magnets are arranged coaxially with the anode barrel and the cathode plate.

[0011] As an optional technical solution, the getter pump core is welded and fixed to the inner wall of the housing via a pump core base.

[0012] As an optional technical solution, the getter pump core includes a pump core base, multiple getter plates, multiple spacer pads, and a fastening nut.

[0013] As an optional technical solution, the plurality of getter tablets and spacer pads are alternately stacked and sleeved on the column of the pump core base, and are pressed and fixed by the fastening nut.

[0014] The present invention has the following beneficial effects: It has a compact structure, high integration, and significantly reduced size and weight.

[0015] This invention innovatively integrates the getter pump unit and the sputtering ion pump unit into a single common housing, eliminating the need for connecting flanges, seals, and additional piping structures required for two separate pump bodies in existing technologies. This integrated design greatly simplifies the overall construction, overcoming the limitations of traditional bulky and heavy composite pumps, making it particularly suitable for applications with stringent space and weight requirements, such as aerospace vehicles and portable scientific instruments.

[0016] This invention employs external heating to activate the getter pump, with the heating element located outside the vacuum environment. This completely avoids the pollution and unreliability risks caused by the heating element releasing gas, evaporating, or burning out in the vacuum chamber, greatly improving the reliability of the activation process and the stability of long-term operation.

[0017] The gas flow channel design of this invention is "ion pump first, getter pump later". The two work together. The ion pump can effectively remove inert gas and pre-treat the gas, while the high-speed getter pump is mainly responsible for removing active gas, forming a complementary function and improving the overall gas extraction efficiency. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 This is an overall structural diagram of the composite suction pump provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] Figure 2 This is an exploded view of a composite pump.

[0020] Figure 3 This is an exploded view of the getter pump core structure.

[0021] The attached figures are labeled as follows: Housing 1, getter pump section 100, ion pump section 200; 2. Getter pump core; 21. Pump core base; 22. Getter plate; 23. Spacer; 24. Fastening nut; 3. Magnet; 4. Base plate; 5. Cathode plate; 6. Shielding iron; 7. Anode barrel; 8. Electrode; Inhalation chamber 11, ion pump extraction chamber 12; Detailed Implementation

[0022] The terms “first,” “second,” “third,” “fourth,” etc. (if present) in the specification, claims, and accompanying drawings of this invention are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such data can be interchanged where appropriate so that the embodiments described herein can be implemented in orders other than those illustrated or described herein. Furthermore, the terms “comprising” or “having,” and any variations thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion; for example, a process, method, system, product, or apparatus that comprises a series of steps or units is not necessarily limited to those steps or units explicitly listed, but may include other steps or units not explicitly listed or inherent to such processes, methods, products, or apparatus.

[0023] getter pump The working principle of a getter pump is based on chemisorption and surface adsorption, with its core being an active material called a "getter." The core component is the getter material: typically a highly chemically reactive metal or alloy, such as titanium, zirconium, barium, or their alloys. These materials have a strong affinity for reactive gases. Before or during use, the getter material needs to be heated to a certain temperature.

[0024] When gas molecules diffuse onto the surface of a heated, active getter, an irreversible chemical reaction occurs, forming stable compounds (such as titanium dioxide (TiO2) and titanium nitride (TiN)). Some reaction products diffuse into the getter material, freeing up active sites on the surface to continue capturing new gas molecules, significantly increasing the pump's pumping capacity. For some gases, in addition to forming compounds, they may dissolve into the crystal lattice of the getter metal, similar to a sponge absorbing water. With use, the getter surface gradually becomes covered by reaction products, and the pumping speed decreases. At this point, reheating is required to "reactivate" it and restore its pumping capacity.

[0025] Ion pump The working principle of an ion pump combines ionization, electromagnetic field drive, and burial, enabling the effective removal of various gases, including inert gases. The working process is as follows: A very small number of free electrons are always present in the residual gas molecules within the pump. These electrons, attracted by the high positive voltage of the anode cylinder, accelerate towards the anode. Simultaneously, the strong magnetic field forces the electrons to spiral around the magnetic field lines, greatly increasing the probability of collisions with gas molecules during this spiral motion. Upon collision, the electron transfers energy to the gas molecule, ionizing it into a positively charged gas ion and a secondary electron. The secondary electron then participates in the ionization process, forming a chain reaction that generates and maintains a high-density electron cloud within the anode cylinder. The positively charged gas ions are accelerated by the anode electric field and fly at high speed towards the negatively charged titanium cathode plate. The ions bombard the titanium plate surface with high energy, "sputtering" titanium atoms from the cathode plate. When the active gas ions bombard the cathode surface, they react chemically with the fresh titanium atoms to form stable compounds.

[0026] For ease of understanding, the specific process of the embodiments of the present invention is described below. Please refer to [link / reference]. Figure 1 The first embodiment of the composite suction pump in this invention includes: The getter pump section 100 and the ion pump section 200 share the same housing; this structure achieves structural integration, serving as the mechanical support and vacuum-sealed cavity for the entire pump. By integrating two pumps with different pumping principles into a single physical unit, sharing a single vacuum boundary, this eliminates the connecting pipes and flanges between the two independent pump bodies, significantly shortening the pumping path, reducing the risk of false leaks and air leaks, and forming the basis for miniaturization and weight reduction.

[0027] The getter pump section 100 includes a getter pump core 2 disposed within the getter chamber 11 of the housing 1; The getter pump section 100 constitutes a non-evaporative getter pump with extremely high pumping speed for active gases (especially hydrogen).

[0028] Getter tablet 22: For example, it can be made of a special zirconium-vanadium-iron (Zr-V-Fe) alloy. After activation by external heating at 450-500°C, the oxide layer on its surface is dissolved into the body, exposing a fresh metal surface with extremely high chemical activity.

[0029] Active gas molecules diffuse into the interior of the getter material and react chemically with it to form stable compounds or solid solutions, thus being irreversibly captured.

[0030] Alternating stacking and spacer 23: This design greatly increases the effective suction surface area and ensures that the airflow can flow fully between the pieces, so that all getter surfaces can participate in the reaction and maximize pumping speed.

[0031] External heating activation: The heating element is located outside the vacuum chamber and heats the pump core via heat conduction. This avoids the risks of contamination and failure caused by the built-in heater venting, evaporating, breaking down, or burning out in a vacuum, resulting in extremely high reliability. After activation, the heating element can be removed, further reducing weight.

[0032] The ion pump part 200 includes an anode barrel 7, a pair of magnets 3, a pair of cathode plates 5, a pair of base plates 4, and a shielding iron 6; the anode barrel 7 is installed inside the housing 1 and is electrically connected to the electrodes 8 provided on the housing 1; the pair of magnets 3, the pair of cathode plates 5, the pair of base plates 4, and the shielding iron 6 are arranged around the anode barrel 7 to form an ion pump suction chamber 12. Together they form a sputter ion pump capable of removing various gases, and its working principle is based on Penning discharge.

[0033] Anode barrel 7: Connected to a positive voltage of several kilovolts, forming a strong electric field with the grounded cathode plate 5.

[0034] Magnet 3: Provides a strong magnetic field perpendicular to the direction of the electric field. The magnetic field causes electrons to move in a spiral motion within the anode barrel, greatly extending their path and thus increasing the probability of collision and ionization with gas molecules.

[0035] Cathode plate 5: Made of active metals such as titanium. Positive ions accelerated by the electric field bombard the surface of the cathode plate, producing two effects: ① Sputtering: The bombarded titanium atoms are deposited on the anode barrel and other surfaces to form a fresh titanium film, which chemically adsorbs active gases; ② Burial: Inert gas ions are bombarded into the surface of the cathode plate or buried by the subsequently sputtered titanium film, thereby achieving physical removal.

[0036] Shielding iron 6: Forms a magnetic circuit, constrains the magnetic field, and enhances the magnetic field strength and uniformity inside the anode barrel; prevents strong magnetic fields from leaking outward and avoids interference with surrounding equipment.

[0037] Base plate 4: mainly used to fix and position the cathode plate and weld it to the shell to ensure the structural integrity and conductivity.

[0038] The air intake chamber 11 is connected to the ion pump extraction chamber 12.

[0039] The housing 1 is provided with a welding interface 300 for direct connection to the vacuum chamber. The gas passes sequentially through the welding interface 300, the ion pump evacuation chamber 11, and the getter chamber 12. The welding interface 300 provides a connection method to an external vacuum system. Direct welding eliminates the need for bulky flanges, further reducing the overall weight and size, allowing the pump to be directly integrated into a larger vacuum system as a modular component. The gas first enters the ion pump chamber (12). The ion pump has a certain pumping speed for all gases and can effectively remove inert gases (such as argon and helium). The remaining gas and the gas that was not removed after ionization (mainly reactive gases) continue to flow forward into the getter pump chamber (11). The getter pump has an extremely high pumping speed for reactive gases (especially hydrogen). This series sequence allows the two pumps to complement each other and work together, achieving efficient and comprehensive evacuation from rough pumping to high vacuum maintenance.

[0040] The pair of magnets 3 are housed in the groove of the shielding iron 6.

[0041] The axial direction of the anode barrel 7 is perpendicular to the axial direction of the welding interface 300. This arrangement makes the direction of the magnetic field (along the axial direction of the anode barrel) perpendicular to the direction of the mainstream gas flow (along the axial direction of the welding interface). Gas molecules moving perpendicular to the magnetic field lines are more likely to collide with and be ionized by electrons in helical motion, thereby improving ionization efficiency. At the same time, this arrangement helps to reduce the length of the pump body in the gas flow direction, making the structure more compact.

[0042] The pair of cathode plates 5 are respectively welded and fixed to the ion pump extraction chamber 12 of the housing 1 via a pair of base plates 4, and the pair of cathode plates 5 are respectively located on both sides of the anode barrel 7. The pair of magnets 3 are coaxially arranged with the anode barrel 7 and the cathode plates 5.

[0043] The getter pump core 2 is welded to the inner wall of the housing 1 via a pump core base 21. Welding provides mechanical stability, ensuring the pump core will not loosen under harsh environments (such as vibrations during launch). More importantly, welding ensures good metal-to-metal contact between the pump core and the housing, which is crucial for external heating activation: heat from the external heater can be efficiently conducted through the housing to the entire pump core, achieving uniform and rapid temperature rise activation.

[0044] The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, and are not intended to limit it. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A composite suction pump, characterized in that, The composite aspirator pump includes: a getter pump section (100) and an ion pump section (200) sharing the same housing (1). The getter pump section (100) includes a getter pump core (2) disposed in the getter chamber (11) of the housing (1). The ion pump part (200) includes an anode barrel (7), a pair of magnets (3), a pair of cathode plates (5), a pair of base plates (4), and a shielding iron (6); the anode barrel (7) is installed inside the housing (1) and electrically connected to the electrodes (8) provided on the housing (1); the pair of magnets (3), the pair of cathode plates (5), the pair of base plates (4), and the shielding iron (6) are arranged around the anode barrel (7) to form an ion pump suction chamber (12). The air intake chamber (11) is connected to the ion pump extraction chamber (12).

2. The composite suction pump according to claim 1, characterized in that, The housing (1) is provided with a welding interface (300) for direct connection with the vacuum chamber, and the gas passes through the welding interface (300), the ion pump extraction chamber (11), and the suction chamber (12) in sequence.

3. The composite suction pump according to claim 1, characterized in that, The pair of magnets (3) are housed in the groove of the shielding iron (6).

4. A composite suction pump according to claim 1, characterized in that, The axial direction of the anode barrel (7) is perpendicular to the axial direction of the welding interface (300).

5. A composite suction pump according to claim 1, characterized in that, The pair of cathode plates (5) are respectively welded and fixed to the ion pump extraction chamber (12) of the housing (1) by a pair of base plates (4).

6. A composite suction pump according to claim 1, characterized in that, The pair of cathode plates (5) are located on both sides of the anode barrel (7).

7. A composite suction pump according to claim 1, characterized in that, The pair of magnets (3) are arranged coaxially with the anode barrel (7) and the cathode plate (5).

8. A composite suction pump according to claim 1, characterized in that, The getter pump core (2) includes a pump core base (21), multiple getter plates (22), multiple spacer pads (23), and a fastening nut (24).

9. A composite suction pump according to claim 1, characterized in that, The multiple getter tablets (22) and spacer pads (23) are alternately stacked and sleeved on the column of the pump core base (21), and are pressed and fixed by the fastening nut (24).

10. A composite suction pump according to claim 1, characterized in that, The getter pump core (2) is welded and fixed to the inner wall of the housing (1) via the pump core base (21).

Images