Vacuum Valve Tapered Flow Path for Pumping Speed
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vacuum pumping devices face a challenge in increasing effective pumping speed while minimizing device size, as turbo-molecular pumps with narrowed external cylinder diameters enhance pumping speed but increase device dimensions.
Innovation Solution
A vacuum valve design with a valve suction port flange and a valve exhaust port flange of different diameters, where the exhaust port flange has a greater opening diameter, and a gas flow path region with a changing sectional area, coupled with a vacuum pump configuration that allows uneven bolt distribution and engagement members to reduce movement and deformation, enabling a more compact device with improved pumping speed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a turbo-molecular pump with narrowed external cylinder diameter is used to increase pumping speed, then the pumping speed is improved, but the device size increases in the axial direction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the design approach from axial dimension (narrowed cylinder) to radial dimension (larger diameter pump). By using a pump with greater external cylinder diameter, the system achieves higher pumping speed through increased rotor blade diameter without the need for axial narrowing, thus avoiding the penalty of increased axial length.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the key parameter of pump diameter from small to large. By selecting a vacuum pump with a greater external cylinder diameter, the system achieves higher pumping speed through the relationship between rotor blade diameter and pumping speed, without requiring axial narrowing that would increase device length.
2Productivity
If a vacuum pump with greater opening diameter is used to improve effective pumping speed, then the pumping speed is enhanced, but the device size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs nested design where the valve body is positioned inside or adjacent to the pump structure. The valve suction port flange connects to the pump suction port flange, and the valve exhaust port flange connects to the pump exhaust port flange, allowing compact integration that reduces overall device volume while maintaining large opening diameters for high pumping speed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a tapered flow path that expands in the axial direction from the suction port to the exhaust port. This dimensional change allows the flow path cross-sectional area to increase without requiring proportionally larger radial dimensions, thus achieving high conductance while controlling device volume.
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 configuration reduces the size of the vacuum pumping device while enhancing effective pumping speed by utilizing a vacuum pump with a greater opening diameter and higher pumping speed, and improves conductance through coaxial and tapered flow paths.
Implementation Method 1
a gas flow path region including an opening of the valve exhaust port flange and having a changing flow path sectional area. In the gas flow path region, a flow path sectional area of an upstream region end is set to an opening sectional area of the valve suction port flange, and increases toward the opening of the valve exhaust port flange
Data Source
AI summary
A vacuum valve comprises a valve suction port flange; a valve exhaust port flange having a greater opening diameter than that of the valve suction port flange; a valve plate; a valve driver configured to slidably drive the valve plate between a closed position and an opening position; and a gas flow path region including an opening of the valve exhaust port flange and having a changing flow path sectional area. In the gas flow path region, a flow path sectional area of an upstream region end is set to an opening sectional area of the valve suction port flange, and increases toward the opening of the valve exhaust port flange.