Vacuum system design: in-depth analysis from principle to practice

In the field of modern industrial production and scientific research, vacuum system welding, heat treatment, coating and other processes, as well as semiconductor manufacturing, aerospace experiments and other scenarios can not be separated from the support of the vacuum system. A reasonably designed, excellent performance of the vacuum system is to ensure stable operation of the equipment, the key to achieve the process objectives. xvacuum technology (jiangsu) co., ltd. has been deeply engaged in the field of vacuum technology for many years, in the design of the vacuum system has accumulated a wealth of experience and advanced technology. In this paper, we will start from the basic principle of vacuum system, gradually penetrate into the practical design link, combined with the technical achievements of Principal Vacuum Technology, to bring you an in-depth analysis on the design of vacuum system.

I. Basic Principle of Vacuum System

(I) Definition and classification of vacuum

Vacuum refers to the thin gas state in which the gas pressure is lower than one standard atmospheric pressure (101325Pa) in a given space. Depending on the gas pressure, vacuum can be categorized into rough vacuum (101325 - 100Pa), low vacuum (100 - 0.1Pa), high vacuum (0.1 - 10-⁶Pa) and ultrahigh vacuum (< 10-⁶Pa). Different industrial applications and scientific research needs have different vacuum requirements, for example, vacuum drying can usually be accomplished in a rough or low vacuum environment, while semiconductor chip manufacturing requires a high-vacuum or even ultra-high-vacuum environment.

(ii) Working principle of vacuum system

The core task of vacuum system is to pump out the gas in the confined space by vacuum pump, so as to reduce the gas pressure in the space and achieve the required vacuum degree. Its working process mainly includes gas inhalation, compression and discharge. Take the commonly used mechanical vacuum pump as an example, it will continuously inhale the gas into the pump cavity through the periodic change of the pump cavity volume, and then compress and discharge it. In the actual vacuum system, it is often necessary to use a variety of vacuum pumps in combination to form a multi-stage vacuum pumping system to meet the needs of different vacuum levels. For example, when obtaining high vacuum, the system is usually pumped to a low vacuum state by mechanical pumps, and then further pumped to a high vacuum by diffusion pumps or molecular pumps, etc. XVACUUM Technology (Jiangsu) Co., Ltd. has deeply researched the working characteristics of all kinds of vacuum pumps, and is able to scientifically and reasonably select and combine the pumps according to different application scenarios to ensure the vacuum system to operate efficiently and stably.

Key components of vacuum system

(I) Vacuum pump

Vacuum pump is the “heart” of the vacuum system, and its performance directly determines the pumping capacity of the vacuum system and the vacuum degree it can reach. Common types of vacuum pumps include mechanical pumps, Roots pumps, diffusion pumps, molecular pumps and so on. Mechanical pump is the most basic vacuum pump, commonly used in rough vacuum and low vacuum acquisition, it has the advantages of simple structure, low cost, easy maintenance, etc.; Roots pump is often used in combination with mechanical pump, which can improve the pumping rate and expand the pumping range of the vacuum system; Diffusion pump and molecular pump are mainly used in the acquisition of high vacuum and ultra-high vacuum, which are obtained through different principles, such as the diffusion pump carries the gas through high-speed vapor flow and the molecular pump discharges the gas through high-speed vapor flow, and the molecular pump carries the gas through high-speed vapor flow. They are mainly used for obtaining high vacuum and ultra-high vacuum through different principles, such as diffusion pumps use high-speed vapor flow to carry the gas to be discharged, and molecular pumps achieve pumping by colliding with gas molecules through the high-speed rotor. xvacuum technology (jiangsu) co., ltd. has a deep technical accumulation in the selection and optimization of vacuum pumps, and is able to provide high-performance and high-reliable configuration of vacuum pumps according to the needs of customers.

(II) Vacuum Valve

Vacuum valves are used to control the flow direction, flow rate and on-off of the gas in the vacuum system. There are many types of valves, including globe valves, angle valves, butterfly valves, cartridge valves and so on. Different types of vacuum valves are suitable for different working conditions, for example, globe valves have good sealing, commonly used in parts that need strict sealing; butterfly valves have simple structure and large circulation capacity, which are suitable for rapid opening and closing of large-diameter pipelines. In vacuum system design, reasonable selection and layout of vacuum valves is crucial, which not only affects the system's operating convenience, but also relates to the system's sealing and reliability. vacuum valves produced by XVACUUM Technology (Jiangsu) Co., Ltd. are made of high-quality materials and advanced manufacturing technology, with excellent sealing performance, flexible operation, long service life and other characteristics, which are able to meet the needs of various complex vacuum systems. The valves can meet the needs of various complex vacuum systems.

(iii) Vacuum piping

Vacuum pipeline is the channel for gas transmission, and its design and material have an important influence on the performance of vacuum system. When choosing vacuum pipeline, it is necessary to consider the pipe diameter, length, material and connection method. The size of the pipe diameter directly affects the gas flow resistance, too small a pipe diameter will increase the gas flow resistance and reduce the pumping efficiency; too long a length will increase the gas transmission time and pressure loss in the pipeline. Common vacuum piping materials include stainless steel, glass, plastic, etc. Stainless steel piping has the advantages of high strength, corrosion resistance, good sealing, etc., which is the commonly used material in industrial vacuum systems. In the design of vacuum piping, Principal Vacuum Technology (Jiangsu) Co., Ltd. adopts professional fluid dynamics calculation methods to optimize the piping layout and reduce piping resistance, and at the same time, strictly controls the processing and installation quality of piping to ensure the system's gas transmission efficiency and hermeticity.

(IV) Vacuum Measuring Instrumentation

Vacuum measuring instruments are used to monitor the vacuum degree in the vacuum system in real time, which is an indispensable part of the vacuum system. Common vacuum measuring instruments include heat conduction vacuum gauge, ionization vacuum gauge, capacitance thin film vacuum gauge and so on. Heat conduction vacuum gauge is suitable for rough vacuum and low vacuum measurement, it uses the relationship between gas heat conduction and pressure to measure the vacuum degree; Ionization vacuum gauge is used for high vacuum and ultra-high vacuum measurement, through ionization of gas molecules to produce ion flow, according to the size of the ion flow to measure the vacuum degree; Capacitance thin film vacuum gauge has the advantages of high measurement accuracy, fast response speed, etc., it can be used for the measurement of vacuum degree of wide range. Ltd. equips the vacuum system with high-precision and high-stability vacuum measuring instruments and develops an intelligent monitoring system, which can accurately display and record the vacuum data in real time and provide a reliable basis for the operation and control of the system.

Third, the vacuum system design process

(I) Demand analysis

Before carrying out vacuum system design, it is necessary to first carry out a detailed demand analysis. This includes clarifying the application scenario of the system, whether it is used in industrial production, scientific research or other fields; determining the range of vacuum degree to be achieved, different processes and experiments have great differences in vacuum degree requirements; understanding the system's processing gas volume, i.e., the amount of gas that needs to be pumped out per unit of time, which will affect the selection and configuration of vacuum pumps; and at the same time, the working environment of the system should also be taken into account, such as temperature, humidity, corrosiveness, etc., so as to select suitable materials and equipment. In order to choose suitable materials and equipment. Ltd. has a professional technical team, in the project will be in-depth communication with customers, a comprehensive understanding of customer needs, for the subsequent design work to lay a solid foundation.

(II) System program design

According to the results of the demand analysis, the program design of the vacuum system. First of all, the selection and combination of vacuum pumps, according to the required vacuum degree and processing gas volume, select the appropriate type and specification of vacuum pumps, and determine their connection and working order. Then design the vacuum pipeline layout, reasonably plan the pipeline direction, minimize the elbow and unnecessary length, and reduce the gas flow resistance. At the same time, select suitable vacuum valves, and determine the type, number and installation position of the valves according to the operational requirements and sealing needs of the system. In addition, it is also necessary to design the vacuum measurement and control system, select the suitable vacuum measurement instrument and determine its installation position, and design the automation control program to realize the automatic pumping, inflation, pressure adjustment and other functions of the vacuum system. With rich design experience and advanced technical means, Principal Vacuum Technology (Jiangsu) Co., Ltd. is able to provide customers with a variety of optimized system solutions, and through professional simulation and analysis software, performance evaluation and optimization of the program to ensure the feasibility and reliability of the program.

(C) Parts selection and calculation

After determining the system program, enter the parts selection and calculation stage. For the vacuum pump, according to its pumping rate, ultimate vacuum, power and other parameters for accurate calculation and selection to ensure that it can meet the performance requirements of the system. For the vacuum pipe, according to the gas flow, flow rate and pressure loss and other factors, calculate the pipe diameter and wall thickness, and select the appropriate material and connection method. The selection of vacuum valves should consider its diameter, pressure level, sealing performance and other parameters. At the same time, it is also necessary to select and calculate vacuum measuring instruments, connections, seals and other components to ensure that they are well matched with the whole system. Ltd. has established a perfect parts selection database and calculation model, which can quickly and accurately complete the parts selection and calculation work and improve the design efficiency and quality.

(D) System assembly and commissioning

After the completion of parts selection and procurement, the system assembly stage. According to the design program, each component is installed and connected, and in the installation process, the installation specifications and requirements should be strictly followed to ensure that the components are correctly installed and firmly connected to ensure that the system is sealed. After the assembly is completed, the vacuum system is debugged. First of all, carry out leakage detection, use helium mass spectrometer leak detector and other professional equipment to detect whether there is any leakage point in the system, and repair the leakage point found in time. Then carry out the performance test, start the vacuum pump, observe whether the system can achieve the vacuum degree and pumping rate required by the design, and test the accuracy of the vacuum measuring instrument and the stability of the control system. Through debugging, the system is optimized and adjusted to ensure that the system can operate normally. Ltd. has a professional installation and commissioning team, which can provide customers with one-stop installation and commissioning services to ensure that the vacuum system is put into use smoothly.

IV. Practical points of vacuum system design

(I) Sealing design

Sealing is one of the key points of vacuum system design, any small leakage may lead to the system can not achieve the required vacuum degree. In the design, the sealing of the system should be ensured from several aspects. Firstly, select high-quality sealing materials, such as fluorine rubber and metal sealing ring, etc. According to different working environments and vacuum degree requirements, select suitable sealing materials and sealing structures. Secondly, optimize the processing precision and surface quality of the parts to reduce the leakage caused by uneven surface. In the parts of pipe connection and valve installation, adopt reliable sealing methods, such as welding, flange connection, etc., and ensure the sealing performance of the connection parts.XVACUUM Technology (Jiangsu) Co., Ltd. has strict standards and rich experience in sealing design, and ensures that the sealing performance of the vacuum system reaches the leading level in the industry through the advanced manufacturing process and testing methods.

(II) Energy-saving design

With the rising energy cost, the energy-saving design of vacuum system is getting more and more attention. In the design, energy saving can be realized in many ways. Reasonably choose the type and specification of vacuum pump, avoid choosing too high-power vacuum pump, resulting in energy waste; use frequency conversion control technology to adjust the speed of vacuum pump according to the actual demand of the system to reduce energy consumption; optimize the layout of vacuum pipeline to reduce the resistance of gas flow and reduce the working load of vacuum pump. In addition, waste heat recycling can also be considered, the heat generated during the operation of vacuum pumps and other equipment for recycling, improve energy utilization. xvacuum technology (jiangsu) co., ltd. continues to innovate in energy-saving design, and has developed a series of energy-saving vacuum system solutions to help customers to reduce operating costs, and achieve sustainable development.

(III) Safety Design

The safety design of the vacuum system is crucial, which is related to the normal operation of the equipment and the safety of the operators. In the design, perfect safety protection devices should be set up, such as vacuum pressure protection, overheating protection, overload protection, etc., so that when the system is in an abnormal situation, it can automatically shut down in time to avoid equipment damage and safety accidents. At the same time, it is necessary to ensure the electrical safety of the system and adopt reliable electrical insulation measures to prevent leakage accidents. For the vacuum system which may produce dangerous gas, it is also necessary to design corresponding gas emission and treatment devices to ensure environmental safety. xvacuum Technology (Jiangsu) Co., Ltd. always puts safety design in the first place, and its designed vacuum system has passed a number of safety certificates to provide users with safe and reliable products and services.

V. Technical Advantages and Practical Achievements of XVACUUM Technology (Jiangsu) Co.

XVACUUM Technology (Jiangsu) Co., Ltd. has significant technical advantages in the field of vacuum system design. The company has a research and development team composed of senior engineers and technical experts, who have profound professional knowledge and rich practical experience in the fields of vacuum technology, fluid mechanics, automation control and so on. The company continuously invests R&D resources and actively carries out technological innovation, and has achieved a number of core technological achievements in the optimized design of vacuum systems, intelligent control, energy-saving technology and other aspects. In practice, XVACUUM Technology (Jiangsu) Co., Ltd.'s vacuum system design solutions have been widely used in many industries and achieved good results. In the semiconductor manufacturing industry, the high vacuum system designed for customers meets the strict requirements of chip manufacturing process on vacuum degree and stability, and improves the production quality and yield rate of chips; in the aerospace field, the ultra-high vacuum experimental system designed for scientific research institutes provides a reliable vacuum environment for spacecraft material performance testing and space environment simulation experiments; in the vacuum coating industry, the designed vacuum system has fast pumping speed, fast coating speed and high vacuum stability. In the vacuum coating industry, the designed vacuum system has the advantages of fast pumping speed and good coating uniformity, which helps enterprises to improve the coating quality and production efficiency of their products.

Vacuum system design is a comprehensive and professional work, from the basic principles to the practical application, involving a variety of knowledge and technology. xvacuum technology (jiangsu) co., ltd. with its deep technical strength, rich practical experience and innovative spirit, in the field of vacuum system design continues to explore and make progress, and provides customers with high quality vacuum system design solutions and products and services for the various industries. With the continuous development of science and technology and the increasing demand for vacuum technology in various industries, vacuum system design will also continue to innovate and improve, in the future, XVACUUM Technology (Jiangsu) Co. The above article provides an in-depth analysis of vacuum system design from multiple dimensions.