Roughing pump

A roughing pump is any vacuum pump (typically mechanical) used to initially evacuate a vacuum
system, as a first stage towards achieving high vacuum or ultra high vacuum. The term "roughing
pump" derives from the vacuum range it works in, "rough vacuum", above 1x10−3 torr (0.1 Pa).
Pumps that operate in the high vacuum ranges typically don't operate, or only operate inefficiently,
at atmospheric pressures, whereas pumps that work efficiently at atmospheric pressure usually
cannot produce a vacuum lower than approximately 1x10−3 torr.

Types[edit]

Two main types of roughing pumps are oil-sealed roughing pumps and dry roughing pumps. Within
the two categories are various kinds of designs with differences among them based on maintenance
issues, initial costs, pump lifespan and vacuum level. Early in their manufacture, dry pumps were
significantly more expensive than oil-based pumps, however over time the cost gap has closed.

The advantages and disadvantages of each are as follow:

Oil Sealed Pumps

Type Advantages Disadvantages

Low ultimate pressure

Backstreams oil
Rotary Vane Low cost
Produce hazardous waste
Long pump life

Frequent maintenance
Requires a purge gas
Rootes Lobe Very high pumping speed Requires a backing pump
Must be absolutely
horizontal

Noise
Rotary High volume
Vibration
Piston Low cost
Safety valve

Dry Roughing Pumps

Clean
Limited bearing life
Low "dry" ultimate pressure
Limited scroll life
Easily servicable
Scroll Permeable to small gases
Quiet
Not hermetically sealed
Evolved from air conditioning compressor so
Clean applications only
technology is well known

Low cost Low pumping speed

Diaphragm Quiet High ultimate pressure
Easily serviced Frequent service required
Hook & No backstreaming
Expensive
Claw Low ultimate pressure

Low ultimate pressure

Screw Rotor Expensive
Less maintenance than Hook & Claw

Dry Piston Low ultimate pressure Expensive

Requires Liquid nitrogen
Clean
Sorption Requires regeneration
No moving parts
Limited capacity

Why Does Electron Beam Welding Need A

Vacuum ??? https://www.ebpglobal.com/why-
does-electron-beam-welding-need-a-vacuum/
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Welding-Need-A-Vacuum.jpg

The electron beam welding (EBW) process is a method of melting metals together

to form a joint. A powerful and highly accurate beam of electrons is fired at the
joint, causing the material to melt and then re-solidify to create the weld zone. If
there is one word that comes to mind when EB welding is mentioned, it’s vacuum.
There are three main reasons that a vacuum is used.

1) The Prevention Of Oxidisation

The combination of heat, atmosphere, and metal carries with it the risk of
oxidisation. Some metals – such as iron – are more at risk of oxidisation than
others, but any alloy is vulnerable. The result is metallurgical disturbance and a
weaker joint, rendering the weld unsuitable for many of the applications that EB
welding is traditionally used for.

2) Atmosphere Is Heavier Than Electrons

Atoms such as nitrogen and oxygen are heavy. Electrons weigh less than
1/10,000th as much. Firing electrons through a dense atmosphere leads to
collisions, interrupting the beam and wasting energy. This is realised as a loss of
heat, a softer beam, and a weaker weld.
 
3) Avoiding Electrical Arcs
Extremely strong electric charges are required to create a powerful electron
beam. Arc welding uses this – albeit on a much smaller scale – to its advantage.
However, the electric potential used in EB welding is so high that there is the risk
of generating an uncontrolled ‘lightning’ effect. These have the capacity to damage
both the weld and the electron gun.
Given that each of these are major considerations within the EB welding process,
the idea of removing the vacuum seems like a strange one. Despite this, if the
vacuum could be removed, the potential for single pass thick section welding of
large components becomes a possibility.

Non-Vacuum Welding
The development of non-vacuum welding (NVEB) has focused upon addressing
the problems – oxidisation, atmosphere, and arcing – that the vacuum traditionally
solves. However, to date, the technology is in an early stage of development.
The problem of the atmosphere causes inevitable scattering. As a result, both the
weld depth and the column distance have to be greatly reduced to achieve any kind
of reliable weld. To date, NVEB welding has only been successful at a maximum
column distance of 30mm and maximum penetration of 50mm. Various attempts
have been made to introduce features such as plasma control, but – ultimately –
laser welding offers a much more satisfactory result.
This does not mean the end of the road for NVEB. Experimentation continues, and
the industry is watching with interest.

The Verdict
Many of the features of electron beam welding are only possible because of the
vacuum. Precision, single-pass, and quality guarantee each require the removal of
interfering agents such as oxygen. The idea of non-vacuum welding is perhaps
plausible, but there is a long way to go. At Electron Beam Processes, we only ever
work with the tried-and-tested vacuum. To find out more, download our free
guide to best practice.