June 23, 2008
Course
Objectives
·
Introduction to vacuum
·
Explanation and examples of the three gas flow
regimes
·
Viscous flow pumps, high vacuum pumps, and picking
the right pump for the job
·
Guide for selecting a pressure gauge
·
Cleaning and conditioning of vacuum components and
systems
·
Dealing with water, gas permeation and outgassing
·
Care and maintenance of pumps and vacuum systems
including both compressible ‘rubber’ gasket and metal gasket systems
·
System pumpdown,
performance, and pumpdown rate and leak-up rate
·
Leak detection and correction
·
Operation of vacuum systems - crossover pressure,
interlocks, safety, and documentation
Course Description
This course is designed to teach the basic fundamentals
of vacuum technology, and addresses how to use and maintain an existing vacuum
system effectively, not how to design a system.
The introduction consists of a basic explanation of what a vacuum is and
how it is attained and proceeds to an explanation of the three gas flow
regimes, i.e. viscous, transition, and molecular flow. The many variations of
units of pressure and flow are discussed. This is followed by a description of
the types of pumps used in the viscous flow region, e.g., mechanical displacement
pumps, venturi/suction pumps, sorption pumps and dry
pumps. Types of high vacuum pumps are next discussed; these include diffusion
pumps, turbopumps, and cryopumps. Selection and use of vacuum gauges is
discussed next.
The next section deals with the care and
maintenance of pumps and vacuum systems including both compressible ‘rubber’
gasket and metal gasket systems.
Included in this section is a review of vacuum pump fluids and greases,
their uses and how to make effective choices for pump fluids for the many
various applications. Continuous
filtering and treatment of pump fluids is presented along with techniques to
determine when pump fluid should be changed. Cleaning and conditioning of
vacuum components and system is discussed with emphasis on metal and insulator
materials. The unique role that water
plays in both pumpdown from atmosphere and in outgassing is addressed and techniques to ameliorate its
harmful effects are presented. The
effects of other unique gases, i.e. bad actors, are discussed.
In addition, system pumpdown
from air is discussed and techniques to evaluate system performance, i.e. pumpdown rate and leak-up rate, are presented. Techniques for detection of system leaks and
their correction are discussed as well as outgassing
and permeation.
Finally operation of vacuum systems is discussed
with emphasis on determining crossover pressure, interlocks, safety, and
documentation. Many useful charts and tables are presented and their use
explained.
Who Should
Attend?
Technicians,
equipment operators, line process operators, and maintenance personnel who are
interested in a review of vacuum basics or anyone entering the fields of vacuum
technology would find this course valuable.
Instructor:
Robert A.
Course
Materials: Course Notes
Cost: $495.00
(Lunch
included)