Dual-Inlet Rotary Vane Vacuum Pump for Multi-Chamber Evacuation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vacuum pumps, particularly rotary vane vacuum pumps, are inefficient and costly when used in applications requiring multiple vacuum chambers due to the need for multiple pumps or multi-stage designs, leading to increased installation space, maintenance, and operational costs.
Innovation Solution
A rotary vane vacuum pump with two inlets and one outlet is designed to efficiently evacuate multiple vacuum chambers by alternating the connection of each chamber to the inlets, allowing for flexible pumping speed and pressure adaptation without significant size or complexity increase, using a method that ensures equal evacuation times and minimal pressure deviations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple vacuum pumps or multi-stage pumps are used to evacuate multiple vacuum chambers, then the pumping speed and vacuum capability are improved, but the device complexity, installation space, and maintenance costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The single pump is segmented into multiple independent inlet channels, each capable of evacuating a separate vacuum chamber. The pump body is divided into multiple pumping chambers (first pumping chamber, second pumping chamber, etc.), with each chamber having its own inlet connection. This allows one pump to function as multiple independent pumping units, eliminating the need for multiple separate pumps while maintaining the ability to evacuate multiple chambers simultaneously or independently.
Solution Approach 2:
The vacuum pump is designed with multi-functionality by providing multiple inlets that can connect to different vacuum chambers. A single pump can serve multiple purposes: evacuating one chamber at a time, evacuating multiple chambers simultaneously, or providing different pumping speeds to different chambers. The controller enables flexible allocation of pumping capacity across multiple chambers, making the pump universally applicable to various vacuum chamber configurations.
2Productivity
If multiple vacuum pumps are used to evacuate multiple vacuum chambers, then the evacuation capability is improved, but the installation space and operational costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple pumping functions are merged into a single integrated pump unit. Instead of installing separate pumps for each vacuum chamber, the invention combines multiple inlet channels and pumping chambers into one pump body. This consolidation reduces the total installation space required, as one compact multi-inlet pump replaces what would otherwise require multiple separate pump installations, each with their own space requirements for the pump unit, connections, and support infrastructure.
3Area of stationary object
If a single large pump is used to evacuate multiple vacuum chambers, then the installation space is reduced, but the pump-down time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The pump is segmented into multiple independent pumping chambers, each capable of operating independently to evacuate different vacuum chambers. This segmentation allows parallel operation where multiple chambers can be evacuated simultaneously by different pumping chambers within the same pump unit, significantly reducing the total pump-down time compared to a single large pump that would have to service all chambers sequentially.
Solution Approach 2:
The controller enables continuous and coordinated operation of multiple pumping chambers to maintain optimal pumping action across all connected vacuum chambers. By intelligently managing the operation of each inlet and pumping chamber, the system ensures that pumping action is continuously applied to all chambers that require evacuation, minimizing idle time and reducing overall pump-down duration.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design achieves shorter pump-down times, reduced costs, and improved efficiency by minimizing installation space and maintenance, while maintaining high pumping speed and pressure control across multiple chambers.
Implementation Method 1
an eccentrically mounted and slotted rotor is arranged in a cylindrical interior, in whose slots arranged vanes are pressed outwards by centrifugal and possibly spring forces when the rotor rotates
Implementation Method 2
a vacuum pump, in particular a rotary vane vacuum pump, which has two inlet connections (1, 2) and one outlet connection (3)
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a method for evacuating at least two external vacuum chambers i and j (20, 20′) with a vacuum pump (10), in particular a rotary vane vacuum pump (10), whereby the vacuum chamber i (20) is evacuated from the initial pressure p02(i) to a final pressure p12(i) via the second inlet (2) during an evacuation time tp2(i) and at the same time the vacuum chamber j (20) is evacuated via the first inlet (1) from the initial pressure p01(j) to a final pressure p11(j) during an evacuation time tp1(j).A rotary vane vacuum pump (10) designed for this purpose is characterized in that it has two inlets (1, 2) and one outlet (3), the two inlets (1, 2) being arranged offset at an angle to one another, and is also subject matter of the present invention, as is its use in the method according to the invention and a vacuum packaging machine which comprises a rotary vane vacuum pump (10) designed in this way.