Vacuum Pump Rotor Blade Replacement Timing Using Staged Load Data
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current vacuum pump systems, particularly turbo-molecular pumps, face challenges in accurately determining the need for rotor blade replacement due to the lack of quantitative fatigue assessment, as existing methods rely on cumulative operation time and temperature data without considering gas load variations, leading to potential rotor blade fatigue accumulation and increased CPU analysis load.
Innovation Solution
A vacuum pump system with sensors to measure physical quantities related to rotor blades, a physical quantity extraction means, a setting means for fluctuation range staging, a time acquisition means for total time calculation, and a display means to objectively and accurately determine the necessity for rotor blade replacement using totalized time and ratio data, along with an alarm generation mechanism for timely overhaul notifications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If cumulative operation time is used to determine rotor blade replacement timing, then the determination process is simple, but the accuracy of fatigue assessment is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the single parameter of cumulative operation time into multiple parameters including cumulative operation time, cumulative temperature, and cumulative load. By changing from one-dimensional to multi-dimensional parameter monitoring, the system achieves both operational simplicity and accurate fatigue assessment without requiring complex analysis.
2Measurement precision
If detailed temperature and operation data are collected for fatigue analysis, then the accuracy of rotor blade replacement timing is improved, but the CPU analysis load increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary accumulation of temperature and load data during normal operation, storing them as cumulative values in memory. When replacement timing needs to be determined, the pre-accumulated data is directly read and processed, eliminating the need for real-time complex analysis and significantly reducing CPU load while maintaining high accuracy.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If the base portion temperature is raised to prevent process gas deposition, then the deposition problem is solved, but the rotor blade temperature may exceed the limit temperature
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different temperature control strategies to different parts of the pump. The base portion is heated to high temperatures to prevent process gas deposition, while the rotor blade temperature is independently monitored and controlled to remain below the limit temperature. This localized quality control allows both objectives to be achieved simultaneously.
4Productivity
If the pump is operated continuously for one to five years without stopping, then productivity is maintained, but the rotor blade fatigue accumulates undetected
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors cumulative operation time, cumulative temperature, and cumulative load during pump operation, and provides feedback on the calculated replacement timing index. This allows continuous operation to be maintained while simultaneously tracking rotor blade fatigue accumulation, enabling proactive maintenance scheduling without interrupting productivity.
Data Source
AI summary
A vacuum pump and a control device are capable of accurately determining timing of rotor blade replacement by creating an index which allows a degree of fatigue of a rotor blade to be determined quantitatively and easily. A motor current value output from a motor drive control portion is input to a time count processing portion, and time in which a current value of a rotating body remains in a range of a stage is totalized for each stage of the current value in the time count processing portion. A rotor blade temperature value output from a rotor blade temperature measurement portion is also input to the time count processing portion. A one-minute average value of the rotor blade temperature value acquired by sampling is calculated. For each stage of the rotor blade temperature value, time in which the average value remains in a range of the stage is totalized.