Vacuum equipment and its operating method

Abstract

To provide a vacuum device and a method of operating the same which avoid or at least delay wear-based trouble of the vacuum device.SOLUTION: A vacuum device comprises: a wear recognition device 620 configured to acquire a set of operating quantities of the vacuum device and, based on the acquired operating quantities, determine at least one wear indicator for the vacuum device, which indicates the wear of at least one component 610 of the vacuum device; and a protective device 630 configured to take means of reducing the wear of the vacuum device when the at least one wear indicator assumes a predetermined state.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vacuum device, such as a vacuum pump or measuring tube, and to a method for operating such a vacuum device.

[0002] Most vacuum pumps have moving parts that are subject to wear. Measuring tubes used in vacuum equipment also have parts that are subject to wear due to strong physical loads. The wear of such vacuum equipment depends on the operating conditions and ambient conditions of the respective vacuum equipment and the deterioration of the vacuum equipment components that are subjected to loads.

[0003] When components of vacuum equipment wear, certain functions of the vacuum equipment may not be performed or may no longer be performed to the required degree. Turbomolecular vacuum pumps, for example, may have rolling bearings and / or safety bearings for the rotor, in which case a certain degree of wear may ultimately lead to failure of the vacuum pump. Wear may further lead to pre-failure of certain components of the vacuum equipment, which may be exacerbated by continued uncontrolled operation of the vacuum equipment and may lead to complete failure of the vacuum equipment. This may occur, for example, if a vacuum pump continues to operate at rated conditions in terms of temperature, power, and rotational speed despite some degree of pre-failure in the bearings. For example, if pre-failure in the bearings is not detected, operation at rated conditions shortens the time to failure of the pump.

[0004] To prevent wear-related breakdowns of vacuum equipment, maintenance recommendations or similar settings are often provided, for example, specifying inspection of the vacuum equipment for a predetermined operating period or under specific other conditions. Furthermore, breakdowns of the vacuum equipment can occur before the expiration of such maintenance intervals if wear of certain components of the vacuum equipment is not recognized, for example, based on the operating method of the respective vacuum pump. Conversely, the set operating intervals until maintenance may be selected too conservatively, resulting in unnecessarily premature maintenance. This results in unnecessary costs for the operation of the vacuum equipment. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a vacuum device and a method for operating the same, in which wear-induced failures of the vacuum device are avoided or at least delayed. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] This problem is solved by a vacuum device and a method having the features set forth in the independent claims. Advantageous developments of the invention are set forth in the dependent claims, the description and the drawings.

[0007] The vacuum equipment, in particular a vacuum pump, comprises a wear recognition device and a protection device, the wear recognition device being configured to acquire a set of operating quantities of the vacuum equipment and to determine at least one wear indicator for the vacuum equipment, the wear indicator being indicative of wear of at least one component of the vacuum equipment, based on the acquired operating quantities, and the protection device being configured to execute measures to reduce wear of the vacuum equipment or wear of one or more components of the vacuum equipment when the at least one wear indicator assumes a preset state.

[0008] The set of operating quantities of the vacuum equipment includes at least one operating quantity, such as the number of operating hours of the vacuum equipment. In this case, the wear recognition device may be configured to obtain the previous operating hours of the vacuum equipment. Additionally or alternatively, the wear recognition device may be configured to detect specific predetermined fault events and assign the detected fault events to specific wear. In both cases, i.e., based on the total number of operating hours of the vacuum equipment and / or the identified fault events, the wear recognition device can assign specific numerical values ​​as wear indicators to these obtained operating quantities.

[0009] Alternatively or additionally, the wear recognition device can acquire specific operating variables of the vacuum equipment, such as the temperature and rotational speed of the vacuum pump. The respective values ​​of the operating variables can be acquired over a preset period of time, and the wear indicator can be associated with the values ​​of the operating variables acquired in this way. The values ​​of the operating variables acquired over the preset period of time can be, for example, summed, integrated, or recalculated to each other to obtain, for example, an average value for the operating variable, and the wear indicator can be determined based on the average value. Furthermore, alternatively or additionally, the wear recognition device can detect the condition of a specific operating medium of the vacuum equipment and assign this condition to a wear indicator. Such operating medium conditions can include, for example, the temperature of the coolant of the vacuum equipment and / or the quality of a specific lubricant.

[0010] The wear indicator can therefore assume a specific numerical value that is derived, for example, based on the operating time of the vacuum equipment, based on fault events and / or based on acquired operating variables. A preset state of the wear indicator that triggers the protective device to activate the means for reducing wear in the vacuum equipment may in this case include the numerical value of the wear indicator exceeding a preset threshold. Alternatively, the wear indicator may be directly assigned to a specific state of the operating medium of the vacuum equipment, so that a state of the operating medium that, for example, exceeds a specific temperature of the coolant of the vacuum equipment directly activates the means for reducing wear.

[0011] Measures for reducing wear in vacuum equipment may include adapting certain operating parameters of the vacuum equipment so that wear on at least one component of the vacuum equipment is reduced: in a vacuum pump, for example, the maximum achievable rotational speed can be reduced, which allows the vacuum pump to continue operating without causing damage to, for example, rolling bearings or safety bearings.

[0012] Thus, the vacuum equipment according to the present invention is characterized in that wear of one of the vacuum equipment's components is not only detected, for example, by counting the operating time, but also that appropriate measures for reducing the wear are activated based on the wear indicator. By determining the wear indicator based on the operating volume of the vacuum equipment, a thorough diagnosis of the vacuum equipment is also performed. This makes it possible, for example, to issue a warning before actual damage or even failure of the vacuum equipment and thus the installation in which the vacuum equipment is integrated occurs. By activating measures for reducing the wear of the vacuum equipment, it is possible to prolong the operation of the vacuum equipment or extend its operating period, even if the measures impose limitations on the operation of the vacuum equipment that are acceptable under certain circumstances. Overall, failures of the vacuum equipment due to wear of its components are avoided by early recognition of the wear and the implementation of countermeasures that reduce or even prevent further wear of this component.

[0013] According to one embodiment, the set of operating quantities may include the operating duration of the vacuum equipment, and at least one wear indicator may include a numerical value derived from the operating duration of the vacuum equipment. For example, when a part or component of the vacuum equipment that is subject to wear is repaired or replaced during a previous maintenance, the operating duration of the vacuum equipment since this maintenance can be obtained. Alternatively, the entire operating duration of the vacuum equipment may be obtained. Specifically, the operating hours of the vacuum equipment can be counted, and the numerical value of the operating hours represents the wear indicator. The number of operating hours can be compared with a preset threshold assigned to a certain probability that wear of a component of the vacuum equipment may lead to failure or even breakdown of the vacuum equipment within a relatively short period of time. Such a threshold may be configurable, i.e., the threshold may be adaptable to a particular type of vacuum equipment and the environment in which the vacuum equipment is used. Furthermore, obtaining the operating duration of the vacuum equipment may involve little effort, since, for example, in many vacuum pumps, the operating hours are counted anyway.

[0014] Additionally or alternatively, the set of operating quantities may include operating variables of the vacuum equipment. The wear recognition device may be configured to determine the wear indicator by acquiring values ​​of the operating variables over a predetermined period of time and associating them with a wear indicator. The operating variables may include, for example, a preset temperature of an area of ​​the vacuum equipment and / or vibration of the vacuum equipment. For example, a period of time during which the temperature of the vacuum equipment exceeds a preset threshold may be acquired. Additionally or alternatively, the strength, frequency, and / or amplitude of the vibration of the vacuum equipment may be acquired over a preset period of time. If the amplitude of the vibrations cumulatively exceeds a preset threshold over a predetermined period of time and / or if a preset characteristic of the frequency of the vibrations can be acquired, this may lead to increased wear of one or more components of the vacuum equipment. Thereby, measurements of the vibration of the vacuum equipment may be assigned to a corresponding wear indicator.

[0015] If the vacuum equipment is a vacuum pump, then additionally or alternatively, the pressure, rotational speed, one or more rotational speed / pressure cycles and / or gas flow rate within the vacuum pump may be acquired as part of the set of operating variables of the vacuum pump, while acquisition of these operating variables over a pre-set period may identify whether particular areas or particular components of the vacuum pump are experiencing increased wear.

[0016] Additionally or alternatively, the set of operating quantities may include the state of at least one operating medium of the vacuum equipment. In this case, the wear recognition device may be configured to determine a wear indicator based on the state of the at least one operating medium. The state of the operating medium may include, in particular, the temperature of the coolant and / or the quality of the lubricant for at least one component of the vacuum equipment. Thus, in such a configuration, wear of a component of the vacuum equipment can be indirectly detected based on the interaction of the component with the operating medium. Since an increase in wear of a specific component of the vacuum equipment is, in other words, accompanied by a change in the state of at least one operating medium, this change in the state of the operating medium can be used as a wear indicator. For example, a change in the temperature of the coolant and / or a decrease in the quality of the lubricant (which can be evidenced, for example, by turbidity of the lubricant in a vacuum pump) may represent an indicator of wear of a component of the vacuum equipment (for which the coolant or lubricant is provided).

[0017] As already mentioned above, the set of operating quantities of the vacuum equipment may include only one operating quantity, such as the operating time of the vacuum equipment. Moreover, to ensure timely detection of wear of one or more components of the vacuum equipment, the set of operating quantities may advantageously include multiple operating quantities acquired simultaneously. For example, the set of operating quantities may include the operating period of the vacuum equipment, one or more operating variables, such as the temperature and / or vibration of the vacuum equipment, and the state of a coolant or lubricant. Each of these operating quantities may be assigned a respective wear indicator. The protection device may be configured to execute one or more measures to reduce wear of the vacuum equipment as soon as at least one of the wear indicators reaches a preset state, i.e., exceeds a certain threshold, for example. In such a configuration, if the set of operating quantities includes multiple operating quantities, it can be ensured that measures to reduce wear of the vacuum equipment are executed in a timely manner, while at the same time, maintenance of the vacuum equipment is not performed unnecessarily early.

[0018] According to another configuration, the protection device may be configured to implement measures to reduce wear on the vacuum equipment, such that the power consumption of the vacuum equipment is limited. By limiting the power consumption of the vacuum equipment, for example, the temperature, vibration and / or mechanical loads of the vacuum equipment can be limited, so that additional wear on one or more components of the vacuum equipment is eliminated or at least reduced. When the vacuum equipment is a vacuum pump, limiting the power consumption can reduce the maximum possible rotation speed of the vacuum pump.

[0019] A process performed in a vacuum installation incorporating vacuum equipment may be limited by a reduction in the vacuum equipment's power consumption. Such a limitation may be acceptable, allowing the process to continue running even with reduced power consumption. Furthermore, measures to reduce wear on the vacuum equipment may extend the available operating period of the vacuum equipment, allowing the process to continue running even with reduced power consumption. Conversely, a reduction in the vacuum equipment's power consumption may allow the process to continue running to completion precisely because of the extension of the available operating period of the vacuum equipment. This may not be guaranteed in some cases without a reduction in the vacuum equipment's power consumption, due to additional wear on the vacuum equipment. However, a power consumption limitation may increase the pressure in a vacuum chamber connected to the vacuum pump, for example, due to a reduction in the rotational speed of the vacuum pump, and a warning may be issued when the process can no longer be run correctly. This allows the operator of the process or vacuum installation to recognize that correct execution of the process is no longer guaranteed and that the process should be terminated.

[0020] Measures to reduce wear on the vacuum equipment can also be implemented by limiting the use of pre-operational functions that are not taken into account during normal operation of the vacuum equipment and generally only play a role during transitions between operating states of the vacuum equipment. For example, when a vacuum pump must transition from a previous operating point to a new operating point in relation to the pressure in a recipient connected to the vacuum pump, a reduction in the maximum power consumption of the vacuum pump means that the vacuum pump requires a longer period for the transition phase between the two operating points, i.e., compared to the period required when the maximum power consumption is not limited. In such cases, the corresponding process carried out in the vacuum installation with the recipient is not affected by the limitation on the maximum power consumption of the vacuum pump, or only individual process steps are extended by the limitation on the maximum power consumption of the vacuum pump. This is acceptable as long as the process itself can be fully carried out.

[0021] The protection device may further be configured to implement measures for reducing wear of the vacuum equipment such that at least one threshold value for outputting a warning and / or error notification for at least one of the operating quantities is lowered. In other words, based on wear of components of the vacuum equipment, which is detected using the wear indicator, a warning and / or error notification is output earlier, i.e. at a lower threshold value, than during normal operation. In this case, the wear indicator indicates that the load-bearing capacity of the vacuum equipment is reduced based on wear of at least one component and that it should be switched off, for example when a preset threshold value of a reduced threshold value of the operating quantity is reached.

[0022] The protection device may additionally or alternatively be configured to implement measures to reduce wear of the vacuum equipment by adapting the condition of at least one operating medium of the vacuum equipment, for example, the amount of operating medium, e.g., coolant and / or lubricant, utilized may be increased or decreased depending on the temperature of the vacuum equipment to accommodate additional wear of components of the vacuum equipment.

[0023] Another aspect of the present invention relates to a method for operating vacuum equipment, particularly a vacuum pump, including: acquiring a set of operating quantities of the vacuum equipment using a wear recognition device; and determining at least one wear indicator for the vacuum equipment, the wear indicator representing wear of at least one component of the vacuum equipment, based on the acquired operating quantities. When the at least one wear indicator attains a preset state, a protection device executes measures to reduce wear of the vacuum equipment. The preset state may include the wear indicator having a value greater than a preset threshold value or the wear indicator directly reflecting the state of one or more operating quantities.

[0024] The vacuum device described above is therefore provided for carrying out the steps of the method by means of the wear recognition device and the protection device, and therefore the above statements regarding the vacuum device according to the invention also apply mutatis mutandis to the method according to the invention, in particular with regard to the disclosure, advantages and preferred configurations.

[0025] The set of operating quantities may include an operating period of the vacuum equipment, and the numerical value of the at least one wear indicator may be derived from the operating period of the vacuum equipment. Determining the operating period of the vacuum equipment may, for example, include counting the operating hours of a vacuum pump, for example within the vacuum pump.

[0026] Alternatively or additionally, the set of operating quantities may include at least one operating variable of the vacuum equipment. In this case, the wear indicator can be determined by obtaining values ​​of the operating variable over a predetermined period of time and correlating them with the wear indicator. The operating variables may include, for example, the temperature of the vacuum equipment and / or the amplitude or frequency characteristics of vibrations of the vacuum equipment, which can be cumulatively obtained. When the vacuum equipment is a vacuum pump, the operating variables may include the pressure, the rotational speed of the rotor of the vacuum pump, one or more rotational speed / pressure cycles, and / or the gas flow rate in the vacuum pump.

[0027] Additionally or alternatively, the set of operating quantities may include a condition of at least one operating medium of the vacuum equipment, in which case the wear indicator may be determined based on the condition of the at least one operating medium, which may include, for example, a temperature of a coolant for the vacuum equipment and / or a quality of a lubricant for at least one component of the vacuum equipment.

[0028] The measures for reducing wear of the vacuum equipment may further be implemented by limiting the power consumption of the vacuum equipment using a protection device. Alternatively or additionally, the measures for reducing wear of the vacuum equipment may be implemented by lowering at least one limit value for outputting a warning and / or error notification for at least one of the operating quantities. Alternatively or additionally, the measures for reducing wear of the vacuum equipment may be implemented by adapting the condition of at least one operating medium of the vacuum equipment. Adapting the condition of the operating medium may include increasing or decreasing the amount of operating medium available for a component of the vacuum equipment, thereby reducing wear of the component.

[0029] The invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0030] [Figure 1] 1 shows a perspective view of a known turbomolecular pump; [Figure 2] FIG. 2 shows a bottom view of the turbomolecular pump of FIG. [Figure 3] 3 shows a cross-sectional view of a turbomolecular pump taken along the section line AA shown in FIG. 2. [Figure 4] 3 shows a cross-sectional view of the turbomolecular pump taken along the section line BB shown in FIG. 2. [Figure 5] 3 shows a cross-sectional view of the turbomolecular pump taken along the section line CC shown in FIG. 2. [Figure 6] 1 shows a block diagram of a vacuum device according to the present invention; [Figure 7] 1 shows a flow chart of a method according to the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0031] The turbomolecular pump 111 shown in Figure 1 has a pump inlet 115 surrounded by an inlet flange 113. A recipient (not shown) may be connected to the pump inlet 115 in a manner known per se. Gas coming from the recipient can be drawn in from the recipient via the pump inlet 115 and pumped through the pump to a pump outlet 117. An auxiliary vacuum pump, such as a rotary vane pump, may be connected to the pump outlet 117.

[0032] The inlet flange 113 forms the upper end of a housing 119 of the vacuum pump 111 in the orientation of the vacuum pump according to Fig. 1. The housing 119 has a lower part 121. Arranged laterally on the lower part 121 is an electronics housing 123. The electronics housing 123 accommodates electrical and / or electronic components of the vacuum pump 111, for example for operating an electric motor 125 (see also Fig. 3) arranged in the vacuum pump. The electronics housing 123 is provided with a number of connections 127 for accessories. Furthermore, a data interface 129 (for example according to the RS485 standard) and a current supply connection 131 are arranged on the electronics housing 123.

[0033] There are also turbomolecular pumps that do not have this type of attached electronics housing, but are connected to external drive electronics.

[0034] The housing 119 of the turbomolecular pump 111 is provided with a ventilation inlet 133, particularly in the form of a ventilation valve. The vacuum pump 111 can be vented via the ventilation inlet 133. A seal gas connection 135 (also called a purge gas connection) is also arranged in the region of the lower part 121. A purge gas can be introduced into a motor chamber 137 via the seal gas connection 135 to protect the electric motor 125 (see, for example, FIG. 3 ) from the gas pumped by the pump. The electric motor 125 is accommodated in the motor chamber 137 of the vacuum pump 111. Two coolant connections 139 are also arranged in the lower part 121. One coolant connection serves as a coolant inlet and the other as an outlet. A coolant can be introduced into the vacuum pump for cooling purposes. The other turbomolecular vacuum pump present (not shown) is operated exclusively air-cooled.

[0035] The underside 141 of the vacuum pump can be used as a base, so that the vacuum pump 111 can be operated in a vertical position relative to the underside 141. Moreover, the vacuum pump 111 can be fixed to the recipient via the inlet flange 113 and thus operated in a suspended state, so to speak. Furthermore, the vacuum pump 111 can be configured so that it can be operated even when oriented in a different direction than that shown in FIG. 1. Vacuum pump configurations in which the underside 141 can be arranged not only facing downwards, but also facing sideways or upwards are also possible. In this case, any angle is conceivable in principle.

[0036] In particular, other turbomolecular vacuum pumps (not shown) that exist, which are larger than the pump shown, cannot be operated in a vertical position.

[0037] 2 further comprises various screws 143. These screws 143 secure components of the vacuum pump, not specifically identified here, to one another. For example, a bearing cover 145 is secured to the lower surface 141.

[0038] Further fastening holes 147 are arranged in the underside 141. Via the fastening holes 147, the pump 111 can be fixed, for example, to a mounting surface. This is not possible with other existing turbomolecular vacuum pumps (not shown), in particular those larger than the pump shown.

[0039] 2 to 5 show a coolant line 148 in which a coolant can be circulated, the coolant being introduced and withdrawn via the coolant connection 139.

[0040] As shown in the cross-sectional views of Figures 3-5, the vacuum pump has multiple process gas pumping stages for pumping process gas acting on a pump inlet 115 to a pump outlet 117.

[0041] A rotor 149 is disposed within the housing 119. The rotor 149 has a rotor shaft 153 that is rotatable about a rotation axis 151.

[0042] The turbomolecular pump 111 has multiple turbomolecular pump stages connected in series to provide a pumping action. Each turbomolecular pump stage has multiple radially extending rotor blades 155 fixed to the rotor shaft 153 and multiple stator vanes 157 arranged between the rotor blades 155 and fixed within the housing 119. In this case, each rotor blade 155 and its adjacent stator vane 157 form one turbomolecular pump stage. The stator vanes 157 are held at a desired axial distance from each other by spacer rings 159.

[0043] The vacuum pump further comprises Holweck pump stages arranged radially inside and outside one another and connected in series to provide a pumping action. There are alternative turbomolecular vacuum pumps (not shown) that do not have Holweck pump stages.

[0044] The rotor of the Holweck pump stage includes a rotor hub 161 disposed on the rotor shaft 153 and two cylindrically sided Holweck rotor sleeves 163, 165 fixed to and supported by the rotor hub 161. The Holweck rotor sleeves 163, 165 are oriented coaxially with respect to the rotation axis 151 and engage radially with one another. Two cylindrically sided Holweck stator sleeves 167, 169 are also provided. The Holweck stator sleeves 167, 169 are likewise oriented coaxially with respect to the rotation axis 151 and engage radially with one another.

[0045] The pumping surfaces of the Holweck pump stages are formed by the side surfaces, i.e., the radially inner and / or outer surfaces of the Holweck rotor sleeves 163, 165 and the Holweck stator sleeves 167, 169. The radially inner surface of the outer Holweck stator sleeve 167 faces the radially outer surface of the outer Holweck rotor sleeve 163, forming a radial Holweck gap 171, and together with this outer surface forms the first Holweck pump stage following the turbomolecular pump. The radially inner surface of the outer Holweck rotor sleeve 163 faces the radially outer surface of the inner Holweck stator sleeve 169, forming a radial Holweck gap 173, and together with this outer surface forms the second Holweck pump stage. The radially inner surface of the inner Holweck stator sleeve 169 opposes the radially outer surface of the inner Holweck rotor sleeve 165, forming a radial Holweck gap 175, and together with this outer surface forms the third Holweck pump stage.

[0046] A radially extending channel may be provided at the lower end of the Holweck rotor sleeve 163. The radially outer Holweck gap 171 is connected to the central Holweck gap 173 via the channel. A further radially extending channel may be provided at the upper end of the inner Holweck stator sleeve 169. The central Holweck gap 173 is connected to the radially inner Holweck gap 175 via the channel. This allows multiple Holweck pump stages that engage with each other in series. A connecting channel 179 that leads to the exhaust port 117 may be provided at the lower end of the radially inner Holweck rotor sleeve 165.

[0047] The pumping surfaces of the Holweck stator sleeves 167, 169 each have a plurality of Holweck grooves that extend axially and spirally around the rotation axis 151. On the other hand, the opposing sides of the Holweck rotor sleeves 163, 165 are smoothly formed and pump gas for operating the vacuum pump 111 forward in the Holweck grooves.

[0048] For the rotatable support of the rotor shaft 153, a rolling bearing 181 is provided in the region of the pump outlet 117 and a permanent magnetic bearing 183 is provided in the region of the pump inlet 115.

[0049] In the region of the rolling bearing 181, the rotor shaft 153 is provided with a conical splash nut 185. The splash nut 185 has an outer diameter that increases towards the rolling bearing 181. The splash nut 185 is in sliding contact with at least one scraping element of the working medium reservoir. In other existing turbomolecular vacuum pumps (not shown), a splash screw may be provided instead of a splash nut. This allows for various configurations to be realised, so that the term "splash tip" is also used in this context.

[0050] The operating medium reservoir comprises a number of absorbent discs 187 stacked one above the other, which are impregnated with an operating medium for the rolling bearings 181, for example a lubricant.

[0051] During operation of the vacuum pump 111, the working medium is transferred by capillary action from the working medium reservoir via the scraping element to the rotating splash nut 185 and is then forced by centrifugal force along the splash nut 185 towards the increasing outer diameter of the splash nut 185 towards the rolling bearing 181, where it performs, for example, a lubrication function. The rolling bearing 181 and the working medium reservoir are enclosed in the vacuum pump by a trough-like insert 189 and a bearing cover 145.

[0052] The permanent magnet magnetic bearing 183 has a rotor-side bearing half 191 and a stator-side bearing half 193. Each half has a ring stack, which consists of multiple rings 195, 197 of permanent magnets stacked axially one above the other. The ring magnets 195, 197 face each other, forming a radial bearing gap 199, with the rotor-side ring magnet 195 positioned radially outward and the stator-side ring magnet 197 positioned radially inward. The magnetic field present in the bearing gap 199 generates a magnetic repulsion force between the ring magnets 195, 197. This repulsion force provides radial support for the rotor shaft 153. The rotor-side ring magnet 195 is supported by a support portion 201 of the rotor shaft 153. The support portion 201 surrounds the ring magnet 195 radially outward. The stator-side ring magnet 197 is supported by a support portion 203 of the stator shaft 153. The support part 203 extends through the ring magnet 197 and is suspended on radial struts 205 of the housing 119. The rotor-side ring magnet 195 is fixed parallel to the rotation axis 151 by a cover element 207 connected to the support part 203. The stator-side ring magnet 197 is fixed in one direction parallel to the rotation axis 151 by a fixing ring 209 connected to the support part 203 and a fixing ring 211 connected to the support part 203. A disc spring 213 may further be provided between the fixing ring 211 and the ring magnet 197.

[0053] An emergency or safety bearing 215 is provided within the magnetic bearing. During normal operation of the vacuum pump, the emergency or safety bearing 215 runs free and only engages if the rotor 149 is displaced excessively radially relative to the stator, thereby forming a radial stop for the rotor 149 so that collisions between rotor-side and stator-side structures are prevented. The safety bearing 215 is configured as a non-lubricated rolling bearing and forms a radial gap with the rotor 149 and / or the stator. This gap prevents the safety bearing 215 from engaging during normal pump operation. The radial displacement that the safety bearing 215 engages is dimensioned to be sufficiently large so that the safety bearing 215 does not engage during normal operation of the vacuum pump, and at the same time is sufficiently small so that collisions between rotor-side and stator-side structures are prevented under all circumstances.

[0054] The vacuum pump 111 includes an electric motor 125 that rotates a rotor 149. The armature of the electric motor 125 is formed by the rotor 149. A rotor shaft 153 of the rotor 149 extends through a motor stator 217. A permanent magnet assembly may be disposed radially outward or embedded on the portion of the rotor shaft 153 that extends through the motor stator 217. An intermediate chamber 219 is disposed between the motor stator 217 and the portion of the rotor 149 that extends through the motor stator 217. The intermediate chamber 219 defines a radial motor gap. Through the motor gap, the motor stator 217 and the permanent magnet assembly may magnetically interact to transmit a driving torque.

[0055] The motor stator 217 is fixed in the housing in a motor chamber 137 provided for the electric motor 125. A seal gas connection 135 allows a seal gas (also called purge gas, which may be, for example, air or nitrogen) to reach the motor chamber 137. The seal gas protects the electric motor 125 against process gases, for example corrosive parts of the process gas. The motor chamber 137 may be evacuated via the pump outlet 117, i.e., a vacuum pressure is applied to the motor chamber 137 at least approximately, which is achieved by an auxiliary vacuum pump connected to the pump outlet 117.

[0056] A so-called labyrinth seal 223, known per se, may further be provided between the rotor hub 161 and the wall 221 that defines the motor chamber 137. This achieves better sealing of the motor chamber 217, in particular with respect to the radially outer Holweck pump stages.

[0057] 6 shows a schematic block diagram of a vacuum equipment 600, for example the turbomolecular pump 111 shown in FIGS. 1 to 5. The vacuum equipment 600 comprises components 610 that are known to be subject to wear during operation of the vacuum equipment 600. In the case of the turbomolecular pump 111, the components 610 include the rolling bearings 181 (see FIGS. 3 to 5), the emergency or safety bearings 215 (see FIG. 3), and all the aforementioned parts of the turbomolecular pump 111 that are movable during operation. The components 610 further include, on the one hand, the movable parts of the electric motor 125 (see FIG. 3), and, on the other hand, the electrical and electronic elements of the electric motor 125, which are subject to special loads during operation of the turbomolecular pump 111, such as elevated temperatures and / or high voltages and / or high current intensities.

[0058] The vacuum equipment 600 further includes a wear recognition device 620 that is connected to the components 610 of the vacuum equipment 600 to obtain a set of operating quantities of the vacuum equipment and to determine at least one wear indicator for the vacuum equipment 600, which is indicative of wear of at least one component 610 of the vacuum equipment 600, based on the obtained operating quantities. If the vacuum equipment 600 is a turbomolecular pump 111, the wear recognition device 620 is communicatively connected to the electric motor 125 to obtain the operating duration of the vacuum equipment 600 or the turbomolecular pump 111 as a first element of the set of operating quantities. Based on the operating duration of the vacuum equipment 600, the wear recognition device 620 derives a numerical value to be used as a wear indicator for the vacuum equipment 600.

[0059] The wear recognition device 620 further acquires operating variables of the vacuum equipment 600, which in the case of the turbomolecular pump 111 include the temperature of the turbomolecular pump 11, the pressure on the high vacuum side of the turbomolecular pump 11, the rotational speed of the rotor 149, one or more rotational speed / pressure cycles, and vibrations of the turbomolecular pump 111, the latter being measured using a vibration sensor (not shown). Based on these acquired operating variables of the vacuum equipment 600 or the turbomolecular pump 111, the wear recognition device 620 determines one or more wear indicators that are specific to and assigned to the aforementioned one or more operating variables. The values ​​of each operating quantity are acquired over a preset period and compared with respective threshold values, thereby determining whether one or more components 610 of the vacuum equipment 600 are experiencing increased wear. A wear indicator is then associated with the acquired value of the operating variable. The values ​​of the operating variables obtained over a preset period of time are, for example, summed, integrated or otherwise calculated relative to one another to obtain an average value for the operating variable, and a wear index is determined based on this average value.

[0060] The wear recognition device 620 further obtains the condition of at least one operating medium of the vacuum equipment 600, for example, in the case of the turbomolecular pump 111, the quality of the lubricant for components of the turbomolecular pump 111 that require lubrication. The quality of the lubricant can be obtained, for example, by monitoring one or more physical and / or chemical properties of the lubricant, such as the presence of certain substances in the lubricant, its viscosity and / or its optical properties.

[0061] The vacuum device 600 further includes a protection device 630 configured to execute measures to reduce wear on the vacuum device 600 when at least one wear indicator assumes a preset state. The wear recognition device 620 is communicatively connected to the protection device 630 and transmits wear indicators of various operating variables of the vacuum device 600 to the protection device 630. Based on the state of each wear indicator, the protection device 630 activates measures to reduce wear on the vacuum device 600. In the case of an operating period or an operating variable, the state of each wear indicator is determined by their values ​​exceeding respective preset thresholds. For an operating medium of the vacuum device, a predetermined state of the operating medium is assigned to a wear indicator state that activates the measures to reduce wear on the vacuum device 600.

[0062] In the case of the turbomolecular pump 111, this involves limiting the power consumption of the turbomolecular pump 111, thereby limiting the maximum achievable rotational speed of the rotor 149 of the turbomolecular pump 111. Such limitation of the maximum rotational speed of the rotor 149 reduces wear on the rolling bearings 181 (see Figures 3 to 5) and the emergency or safety bearings 215 (see Figure 3) that would otherwise occur if the turbomolecular pump 111 continued to operate at its rated rotational speed.

[0063] 7 shows a schematic flow chart of a method 700 for operating a vacuum equipment 600, and in particular a turbomolecular pump 111. At 710, a set of operating quantities of the vacuum equipment 600, respectively assigned to various components 610 of the vacuum equipment 600, is obtained using a wear recognition device 620. In the case of the turbomolecular pump 111, the operating quantities include, among others, the number of operating hours of the turbomolecular pump 111, the temperature, the rotational speed of the rotor 149, and the pressure within the turbomolecular pump 111.

[0064] At 720, based on the obtained operating quantities, the wear recognition device 620 is used to determine for the vacuum equipment 600 respective wear indicators indicative of wear of one or more components 610 of the vacuum equipment 600. At 730, it is checked whether at least one of the wear indicators occupies a preset state, for example by exceeding a preset threshold value. If not, the method returns to step 710, whereby the operating quantities of the vacuum equipment 600 continue to be monitored and a new set of operating quantities is obtained.

[0065] However, if at least one of the wear indicators determined in 720 occupies a preset state that indicates increased wear of one or more of the components 610, then in 740 measures are implemented by the protection device to reduce wear of the vacuum equipment 600. In the case of the turbomolecular pump 111, one of these measures consists in limiting the power consumption of the turbomolecular pump 111, thereby limiting the maximum rotational speed of the rotor 149 and protecting the rolling bearings 181 (see Figures 3 to 5) and the emergency or safety bearings 215 (see Figure 3). The present application relates to the invention described in the claims, but also includes the following as other aspects. 1. In a vacuum device (600), in particular a vacuum pump (111), a wear recognition device (620) configured to acquire a set of operational quantities of the vacuum equipment (600) and determine at least one wear indicator for the vacuum equipment (600) based on the acquired operational quantities, the wear indicator representing wear of at least one component (610) of the vacuum equipment (600); a protection device (630) configured to implement measures to reduce wear on the vacuum device (600) when at least one wear indicator assumes a preset state; A vacuum device (600). 2. The vacuum device (600) of claim 1, wherein the set of operating quantities includes an operating period of the vacuum device (600), and the at least one wear indicator includes a numerical value derived from the operating period of the vacuum device (600). 3. The vacuum device (600) of claim 1 or 2, wherein the set of operating quantities includes operating variables of the vacuum device (600), and the wear recognition device (620) is configured to determine the wear index by obtaining values ​​of the operating variables over a predetermined period of time and associating them with the wear index. 4. 4. The vacuum equipment (600) of any one of 1 to 3 above, wherein the set of operating quantities includes a condition of at least one operating medium of the vacuum equipment (600), and the wear recognition device (620) is configured to determine a wear indicator based on the condition of the at least one operating medium. 5. 10. The vacuum equipment (600) of claim 4, wherein the operating medium condition includes a coolant temperature and / or a lubricant quality for at least one component (610) of the vacuum equipment (600). 6. 6. The vacuum equipment (600) of any one of 1 to 5 above, wherein the protection device (630) is configured to implement measures to reduce wear on the vacuum equipment (600) so that power consumption of the vacuum equipment (600) is limited. 7. 7. The vacuum equipment (600) of any one of 1 to 6 above, wherein the protection device (630) is configured to implement measures to reduce wear on the vacuum equipment (600) so that at least one threshold value for outputting a warning and / or error notification for at least one of the operating quantities is lowered. 8. 8. The vacuum equipment (600) of any one of 1 to 7 above, wherein the protection device (630) is configured to implement a measure to reduce wear of the vacuum equipment (600) by adapting the condition of at least one operating medium of the vacuum equipment (600). 9. A method (700) for operating a vacuum device (600), in particular a vacuum pump (111), comprising: The method is: using a wear recognition device (620) to acquire a set of operational quantities of the vacuum equipment (600); and determining at least one wear indicator for the vacuum equipment (600) based on the acquired operational quantities, the wear indicator representing wear of at least one component (610) of the vacuum equipment (600); A method (700) in which, when at least one wear indicator assumes a preset state, a protective device (630) implements measures to reduce wear on the vacuum equipment (600). 10. 9. The method (700) of claim 9, wherein the set of operating quantities includes an operating period of the vacuum device (600), and the numerical value of the at least one wear indicator is derived from the operating period of the vacuum device (600). 11. The method (700) of claim 9 or 10, wherein the set of operating quantities includes at least one operating variable of the vacuum equipment (600), and the wear index is determined by obtaining values ​​of the operating variable over a predetermined period of time and correlating them with the wear index. 12. 12. The method (700) of any one of claims 9 to 11, wherein the set of operating variables includes a condition of at least one operating medium of the vacuum equipment (600), and the wear indicator is determined based on the condition of the at least one operating medium. 13. 13. The method (700) of any one of claims 9 to 12, wherein the means for reducing wear on the vacuum equipment (600) by the protective device (630) is implemented so as to limit the power consumption of the vacuum equipment (600). 14. 14. The method (700) of any one of claims 9 to 13, wherein the means for reducing wear on the vacuum equipment (600) is implemented such that at least one threshold value for outputting a warning and / or error notification for at least one of the operating quantities is lowered. 15. 15. The method (700) of any one of claims 9 to 14, wherein the means for reducing wear on the vacuum equipment (600) is implemented by adapting the condition of at least one operating medium of the vacuum equipment (600). [Explanation of symbols]

[0066] 111 Turbomolecular pump 113 Intake flange 115 Pump intake 117 Pump exhaust port 119 Housing 121 Lower part 123 Electronics Housing 125 electric motor 127 Accessory Connection 129 Data Interface 131 Current supply connection 133 Ventilation intake 135 Seal gas connection 137 Motor Room 139 Coolant Connection 141 Bottom surface 143 Screw 145 Bearing cover 147 Fixed hole 148 Coolant line 149 Rotor 151 Rotation axis 153 rotor shaft 155 Moving blade 157 Stator blade 159 Spacer ring 161 rotor hub 163 Holbeck Rotor Sleeve 165 Holbeck Rotor Sleeve 167 Holbeck Sterling Sleeve 169 Holbeck Sterling Sleeve 171 Holbeck Gap 173 Holbeck Gap 175 Holbeck Gap 179 Connection Channels 181 Rolling bearings 183 Permanent magnet type magnetic bearing 185 Splash Nut 187 discs 189 Insert 191 Rotor side bearing half 193 Stator side bearing half 195 Ring Magnet 197 Ring Magnet 199 Bearing clearance 201 Support part 203 Support part 205 Radial Struts 207 Cover Elements 209 Support Ring 211 Fixing ring 213 Disc spring 215 Emergency bearings or safety bearings 217 Motor Stator 219 Intermediate Room 221 Wall section 223 Labyrinth Seal 600 Vacuum equipment 610 Vacuum Equipment Components 620 Wear Recognition Device 630 Protective device 700 How to operate vacuum equipment 710-740 Method Steps

Claims

1. In a vacuum device (600), a wear recognition device (620) configured to acquire a set of operational quantities of the vacuum equipment (600) and determine at least one wear indicator for the vacuum equipment (600) representative of wear of at least one component (610) of the vacuum equipment (600) based on the acquired operational quantities, wherein the set of operational quantities includes an operating period of the vacuum equipment (600), and the at least one wear indicator includes a numerical value derived from the operating period of the vacuum equipment (600), and the set of operational quantities includes at least one operating variable of the vacuum equipment (600), the operating variable including a temperature of the vacuum equipment (600), a vibration of the vacuum equipment (600), and / or a pressure within the vacuum equipment (600), and wherein the wear recognition device (620) is configured to acquire values ​​of the operational variables over a preset period of time and associate them with the wear indicator to determine the wear indicator; a protection device (630) configured to implement measures to reduce wear on the vacuum equipment (600) when at least one wear indicator assumes a preset state; A vacuum device (600) comprising:

2. A vacuum equipment (600) as described in claim 1, wherein the protection device (630) is configured to implement measures to reduce wear on the vacuum equipment (600) so that the power consumption of the vacuum equipment (600) is limited and the maximum rotational speed is reduced.

3. The vacuum equipment (600) of claim 1 or 2, wherein the set of operating quantities includes a state of at least one operating medium of the vacuum equipment (600), and the wear recognition device (620) is configured to determine a wear indicator based on the state of the at least one operating medium.

4. The vacuum equipment (600) of claim 3, wherein the operating medium condition includes a coolant temperature and / or a lubricant quality for at least one component (610) of the vacuum equipment (600).

5. 3. The vacuum equipment (600) of claim 1 or 2, wherein the protection device (630) is configured to implement measures to reduce wear on the vacuum equipment (600) such that at least one threshold value for outputting a warning and / or error notification for at least one of the operating quantities is lowered.

6. 3. The vacuum equipment (600) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the protection device (630) is configured to implement measures to reduce wear of the vacuum equipment (600) by adapting the condition of at least one operating medium of the vacuum equipment (600).

7. A method (700) of operating a vacuum device (600), comprising: The method is: using a wear recognition device (620) to acquire a set of operational quantities of the vacuum equipment (600); and determining at least one wear indicator for the vacuum equipment (600) based on the acquired operational quantities, the wear indicator representing wear of at least one component (610) of the vacuum equipment (600), wherein the set of operational quantities includes an operating period of the vacuum equipment (600), and the at least one wear indicator is derived from the operating period of the vacuum equipment (600); and the set of operational quantities includes at least one operating variable of the vacuum equipment (600), the operating variable including a temperature of the vacuum equipment (600), a vibration of the vacuum equipment (600), and / or a pressure within the vacuum equipment (600); and the wear recognition device (620) determines the wear indicator by acquiring values ​​of the operating variables over a preset period and associating them with the wear indicator; A method (700) in which, when at least one wear indicator assumes a preset state, a protective device (630) implements measures to reduce wear on the vacuum equipment (600).

8. The method described in claim 7, wherein the protective device (630) implements measures to reduce wear on the vacuum equipment (600) such that the power consumption of the vacuum equipment (600) is limited and the maximum rotational speed is reduced.

9. 9. The method (700) according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the set of operating variables comprises a condition of at least one operating medium of the vacuum equipment (600), and the wear indicator is determined based on the condition of the at least one operating medium.

10. 9. The method (700) according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the measures for reducing wear on the vacuum equipment (600) are implemented such that at least one threshold value for outputting a warning and / or error notification for at least one of the operating quantities is lowered.

11. 9. The method (700) according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the step of reducing the wear of the vacuum equipment (600) is carried out by adapting the condition of at least one operating medium of the vacuum equipment (600).

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