Vacuum leak detector with multi-stage vacuum pump and integrated gas sensor for specific gas, and method for manufacturing vacuum leak detector
Patent Information
- Application Number
- JP2024532697
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Priority Date
- 2021-12-08
- Filing Date
- 2022-12-06
- Publication Date
- 2025-04-21
AI Technical Summary
Existing vacuum leak detectors for specific gases are often complex and costly, lacking an integrated and economical solution for detecting leaks using a gas sensor that is part of the vacuum pump.
A gas sensor for a specific gas is integrated into a multi-stage vacuum pump, allowing it to detect leaks directly within the pump and in the line path, with a selectively actuatable stop valve and various sensor types, including thin film and metal oxide sensors, housed within a common pump housing.
This integration provides a more economical and technically simple vacuum leak detector with enhanced sensitivity for detecting specific gases like hydrogen, helium, and hydrocarbons, while reducing complexity and cost.
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Abstract
Description
[Technical field]
[0001] The present invention relates to a vacuum leak detector for a specific gas that includes a multi-stage vacuum pump and a sensor for the specific gas. [Background technology]
[0002] In a typical vacuum leak detector, a test chamber is connected to a vacuum pump that draws gas from the test chamber. A test specimen is placed in the test chamber or the chamber itself is the test specimen. If the test specimen leaks, gas leaks from the test specimen into the test chamber and is supplied to a gas sensor connected to the test chamber. The gas sensor is generally a separate device from the vacuum pump, for example in the form of a total pressure vacuum gauge or a gas-specific sensor, such as a mass spectrometer, an optical sensor, an infrared absorption unit, a metal oxide sensor, etc.
[0003] In leak detection systems having multi-stage vacuum pumps, it is known to couple a separate gas detector to a port of the vacuum pump, such as a gas inlet, or a gas inlet intermediate between two adjacent pump stages. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]
[0004] It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved gas-specific vacuum leak detector which is more economical and technically simpler, as well as a corresponding method for manufacturing the gas-specific vacuum leak detector. [Means for solving the problem]
[0005] In the present invention, a specific gas sensor, i.e. a sensor that has a selective and possibly adjustable response to a specific gas species, is configured to detect the specific gas in the vacuum pump by being an integral part of the vacuum pump, i.e., the gas sensor detects the gas directly in the vacuum pump, as well as the gas in a test chamber or in a line path to the vacuum pump or to a pump stage of the vacuum pump.
[0006] In the manufacturing method of the vacuum leak detector for a specific gas of the present invention, a gas sensor for a specific gas is integrated with a multi-stage vacuum pump so as to become an integral part of the vacuum pump and to be configured to detect the specific gas within the vacuum pump.
[0007] Advantageously, the pumping stages of the vacuum pump are enclosed in a common housing in which the gas sensor is also arranged, the housing of the vacuum pump being different from the housing of the test chamber and / or the housing of the further gas detector, if present.
[0008] The vacuum pump may have a port to a test chamber or test specimen, preferably the port is provided in the housing.
[0009] Alternatively or additionally, the housing of the vacuum pump may have separate ports for separate gas detectors.
[0010] A branch connected to the gas sensor may be provided upstream of at least one of the pump stages in a conveying direction of the vacuum pump, which may be provided with a selectively actuable stop valve, which may be provided with a valve controller configured to actuate the valve depending on the speed or power consumption of the vacuum pump or at least one pump stage of the vacuum pump.
[0011] The sensors may be thin film type sensors, semiconductor or metal oxide type sensors, mass spectrometers, CO2 sensors, infrared absorption type sensors, or optical emission spectroscopy type gas specific sensors. Preferably, each sensor is capable of detecting with sufficient sensitivity at least one test gas, such as hydrogen and / or helium and / or CO2 and / or hydrocarbons, that are typically used in leak detection.
[0012] The vacuum pump may be a multi-stage scroll pump, a rotary vane pump, a roots pump, or a screw stage pump.
[0013] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. [Brief description of the drawings]
[0014] [Figure 1] FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0015] The multi-stage vacuum pump 12 is connected to a test chamber 16 by a connecting line 14 and evacuates the test chamber 16. The test chamber 16 may contain an object to be hermetically sealed or may itself be the object of hermetically sealed testing. The connecting line 14 is provided with an independently closable branch 18. The branch 18 has a port 20 to which a gas detector can be connected.
[0016] The vacuum pump 12 has a housing 22. The housing 22 is different from the housing 24 of the test chamber 16 and from the housing of another gas detector, if such a detector is connected to the port 20, for example. The vacuum pump 12 is a multi-stage vacuum pump having two pump stages 26, 28 each arranged in a common housing 22. The two pump stages 26, 28 are connected by a flow path 30 including a branching portion 32 to which a gas sensor 34 for a specific gas is connected. The branching portion 32 is provided with a stop valve 36 that can be closed by a valve controller (not shown). The valve 36 is provided between the two pump stages 26, 28 and the gas sensor 34, and gas-technically separates the gas sensor 34 from the two pump stages 26, 28.
[0017] The gas sensor 34 is a thin-film type sensor (e.g., a WISE Technology Sensor, etc.). The stop valve 36 is normally closed and automatically opens when the two pump stages 26, 28 exceed a predetermined speed or power consumption. The sensor 34, the stop valve 36, the branch 32 and the two pump stages 26, 28 are all integral parts of the vacuum pump 12 and are therefore provided in a common housing 22 that covers these components.
Claims
1. A vacuum leak detector for a specific gas, comprising a multi-stage vacuum pump (12) and a specific gas sensor (34), 11. A vacuum leak detector, comprising: a gas sensor (34) configured to detect a specific gas within the vacuum pump (12) by being an integral part of the vacuum pump (12).
2. 2. The vacuum leak detector of claim 1, wherein the pump stages (26, 28) of the vacuum pump (12) are enclosed within a common housing (22) in which the gas sensor (34) is also provided.
3. 2. The vacuum leak detector of claim 1, wherein the vacuum pump (12) has a port (20) to a test chamber (16) or a test specimen.
4. 2. The vacuum leak detector according to claim 1, characterized in that a branch (32) connected to the gas sensor (34) is provided upstream of at least one of the pump stages in the conveying direction of the vacuum pump (12).
5. 5. A vacuum leak detector as claimed in claim 4, characterised in that the branch (32) is provided with a selectively operable stop valve (36).
6. 6. A vacuum leak detector as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that the valve is provided with a valve controller configured to operate the valve in response to a speed or power consumption of the vacuum pump.
7. 2. The vacuum leak detector of claim 1, wherein the sensor is a thin-film type sensor, a semiconductor or metal oxide type sensor, a mass spectrometer, a CO ２ A vacuum leak detector characterized in that the vacuum leak detector is a specific gas sensor, an infrared absorption sensor, or an emission spectrometry sensor.
8. 2. The vacuum leak detector according to claim 1, wherein the vacuum pump is a multi-stage scroll pump, a rotary vane pump, a roots pump, a screw stage pump, or a turbomolecular pump.
9. 2. A method for manufacturing the vacuum leak detector for a specific gas according to claim 1, comprising the steps of: A manufacturing method comprising integrating a specific gas sensor (34) with a multistage vacuum pump (12) so as to become an integral part of the vacuum pump (12) and thereby to detect a specific gas within the vacuum pump (12).