Vacuum Adapter for Insulated Lines
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vacuum processing facilities face inefficiencies due to the sensitivity and unreliable vacuum-tightness of commercially available vacuum-insulated lines, which require significant maintenance for dismantling and re-evacuation.
Innovation Solution
A vacuum adapter with an intermediate volume connects vacuum-insulated feed lines to a vacuum pump, allowing for demand-driven or periodic evacuation of the insulation space, ensuring reliable vacuum insulation and minimizing maintenance through integration with existing system controls.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If commercially available vacuum-insulated lines are used, then vacuum insulation is provided, but reliability and vacuum-tightness deteriorate over time requiring frequent maintenance
Solution Approach 1:
The vacuum adapter segments the vacuum insulation system into a permanent adapter component with integrated pumping capability and replaceable feed lines. The adapter houses a vacuum pump that can independently maintain vacuum in the insulation space without requiring dismantling of the entire line, thus improving reliability while reducing maintenance complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The vacuum adapter acts as an intermediary device between the feed lines and the vacuum environment. It provides a sealed connection point and houses the vacuum pump that mediates the vacuum maintenance function, allowing the feed lines to remain connected while the adapter handles all vacuum-related operations independently.
2Reliability
If vacuum-insulated lines are dismantled and replaced, then vacuum-tightness can be restored, but operating efficiency deteriorates due to maintenance downtime
Solution Approach 1:
The vacuum adapter serves as a mediator that isolates the vacuum maintenance function from the feed lines. When vacuum-tightness is compromised, only the adapter needs attention while feed lines remain in place, eliminating dismantling and replacement operations that cause downtime and maintain operating efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The adapter is pre-equipped with a vacuum pump and sealing mechanisms that proactively maintain vacuum conditions. This preliminary preparation allows for continuous vacuum maintenance without requiring reactive dismantling and re-evacuation operations, thus preventing productivity losses.
3Loss of energy
If the intermediate space is evacuated, then heat loss is minimized, but system complexity increases due to additional vacuum pumping requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The adapter merges the vacuum pumping function with the insulation structure itself. The pump is integrated into the adapter housing, combining thermal insulation and vacuum maintenance into a single unified component, thereby reducing overall system complexity rather than increasing it.
Solution Approach 2:
The vacuum adapter performs multiple functions: it provides thermal insulation, maintains vacuum in the intermediate space, seals the connection between feed lines, and houses the vacuum pump. This multi-functionality consolidates what would otherwise be separate systems, reducing overall complexity while effectively minimizing heat loss.
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
The solution enhances the operational efficiency of vacuum processing facilities by maintaining reliable vacuum conditions and reducing maintenance needs, preventing damage to workpieces by monitoring vacuum levels and providing automatic control over insulation vacuum.
Implementation Method 1
The intermediate space between the coolant line itself and the external sleeve is evacuated so that the heat loss to the environment is minimized
Implementation Method 2
a Meissner trap constitutes a cooled condensation surface for trace gases respectively residual gases, primarily for water vapor under vacuum
Implementation Method 3
An adapter 4 has an intermediate volume 2 that is connected on the one hand with at least one insulation intermediate space 32, 33 of the vacuum-insulated feed lines 30, 31 and on the other hand with a vacuum pump 40
Data Source
AI summary
A vacuum adapter for feeding-through vacuum-insulated coolant lines (11, 12, 22, 23) from the surrounding atmosphere into a vacuum processing installation has an intermediate volume (2) which is connected firstly to at least one insulation intermediate space (32, 33) of the vacuum-insulated feed lines and secondly to a vacuum pump. The pump capacity is available at least temporarily for evacuating the insulation intermediate space around the coolant lines (22, 23).