Vacuum Pump Heating Control for In-Situ Deposit Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vacuum pumps face challenges in efficiently removing side reaction products deposited inside the pump and piping, leading to prolonged downtimes and maintenance, as existing temperature control methods struggle to prevent deposition completely.
Innovation Solution
A vacuum pump system with a temperature and rotation number control mechanism, allowing for a cleaning operation mode with higher temperatures and lower rotation speeds to efficiently remove deposited side reaction products without requiring overhaul, utilizing a sheath or cartridge heater and electromagnetic induction heater for temperature control, and a rotor blade for gas transport.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If temperature is raised to prevent deposition of side reaction products, then deposition prevention is improved, but component swelling or deformation occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically switches between normal operation mode (lower temperature to prevent component deformation) and cleaning operation mode (higher temperature to remove deposits). The temperature is not statically fixed but adjusted based on operational needs, resolving the contradiction between preventing deposition and avoiding component damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The vacuum pump alternates between normal operation and cleaning operations periodically. During normal operation, temperature is kept low to protect components. During scheduled cleaning periods, temperature is raised to remove deposits. This periodic switching allows both deposition prevention and component protection to be achieved at different times.
2Stability of the object's composition
If temperature is controlled to avoid component deformation, then component stability is improved, but deposition of side reaction products occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The temperature control system is dynamic rather than static. It switches between maintaining low temperature for component stability and raising temperature for cleaning. The control mechanism adapts temperature based on operational mode, allowing both component stability and deposition removal to be achieved at different times.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the temperature parameter between two distinct states: a lower temperature range during normal operation that maintains component stability, and a higher temperature range during cleaning operation that removes deposits. This parameter switching resolves the contradiction by allowing both conditions to be satisfied sequentially.
3Productivity
If vacuum pump operates continuously to maintain production, then productivity is improved, but side reaction products accumulate and block exhaust passage
Solution Approach 1:
The vacuum pump operates in periodic cycles alternating between normal exhaust operation and cleaning operation. During normal operation, productivity is maintained. During periodic cleaning intervals, the exhaust passage is cleared of accumulated deposits. This periodic switching allows continuous production while preventing blockage.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary cleaning before complete blockage occurs. By periodically raising temperature to remove deposits during operation, the exhaust passage is kept clear in advance, preventing the harmful effect of blockage while maintaining continuous productivity.
4Ease of repair
If vacuum pump is halted for cleaning or repair, then removal of side reaction products is improved, but production efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The vacuum pump cleans itself by raising its own temperature during cleaning operation mode, causing deposited side reaction products to sublime and be removed through the exhaust passage. This self-cleaning capability eliminates the need for external overhaul operations that would halt production, thereby maintaining productivity while achieving effective cleaning.
Solution Approach 2:
The mechanical cleaning or repair process is replaced by a thermal cleaning process. Instead of physically disassembling and cleaning the pump during overhaul, the system uses temperature elevation to sublime deposits and remove them through the existing exhaust system. This substitution allows cleaning to occur without halting production.
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
Enables efficient removal of side reaction products, reducing downtime and maintenance, and enhancing production efficiency by minimizing the need for overhauls and maintaining continuous operation.
Implementation Method 1
a heater and a cooling pipe for properly controlling a temperature in the pump
Implementation Method 2
utilizing a sheath or cartridge heater and electromagnetic induction heater for temperature control
Implementation Method 3
a rotor blade is rotated by energizing a motor inside a pump main body, and a gas is exhausted by flipping gas molecules of a gas (process gas) sucked into the pump main body
Implementation Method 4
a heater and a cooling pipe for properly controlling a temperature in the pump
Implementation Method 5
side reaction products might be deposited inside the vacuum pump or a piping due to a condition under which a temperature in an exhaust passage falls under a sublimation temperature
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2(a)~2(b)
Figure 3
AI summary
A vacuum pump capable of removing side reaction products without overhaul is provided. The vacuum pump includes A motor for rotating a rotor, a heater capable of raising a temperature, a base spacer for holding the heater, a controller capable of controlling the heater by switching an operation mode between a normal operation mode and a cleaning operation mode, and a storage portion storing information on a set temperature relating to the heater, the storage portion stores at least first temperature information for the normal operation mode, or more specifically, set temperature information capable of using the pump without nonconformity, second temperature information for the cleaning operation mode, or more specifically, set temperature information capable of re-gasifying side reaction products generated during the normal operation mode, and the temperature represented by the second temperature information is higher than the temperature represented by the first temperature information.