U.S. patent application number 11/513769 was filed with the patent office on 2008-03-06 for vacuum pumps with improved pumping channel cross sections.
This patent application is currently assigned to Varian, S.p.A.. Invention is credited to Marsbed Hablanian.
Application Number | 20080056886 11/513769 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39033904 |
Filed Date | 2008-03-06 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080056886 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Hablanian; Marsbed |
March 6, 2008 |
Vacuum pumps with improved pumping channel cross sections
Abstract
A vacuum pump includes a housing having an inlet port and an
exhaust port, at least one molecular drag stage within the housing,
the molecular drag stage including a rotor in the form of a
molecular drag disk and a stator that defines a tangential flow
channel which opens onto a surface of the disk, the rotor having an
axis of rotation, and a motor that rotates the rotor so that gas is
pumped from the inlet port to the exhaust port. The channel has a
cross-section in a plane that contains the axis of rotation which
varies in dimension as a function of distance from the axis of
rotation. The channel cross-section is selected to limit the
tendency for backflow in viscous or partially viscous flow
conditions.
Inventors: |
Hablanian; Marsbed;
(Wellesley, MA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Varian Inc.;Legal Department
3120 Hansen Way D-102
Palo Alto
CA
94304
US
|
Assignee: |
Varian, S.p.A.
|
Family ID: |
39033904 |
Appl. No.: |
11/513769 |
Filed: |
August 31, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
415/90 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F04D 29/403 20130101;
F04D 23/008 20130101; F04D 17/168 20130101; F04D 19/04
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
415/90 |
International
Class: |
F01D 1/36 20060101
F01D001/36 |
Claims
1. A vacuum pump comprising: a housing having an inlet port and an
exhaust port; at least one molecular drag stage located within the
housing and disposed between the inlet port and the exhaust port,
the molecular drag stage including a rotor comprising a molecular
drag disk and a stator, the stator defining a tangential flow
channel which opens onto a surface of the disk and a baffle that
blocks the channel at a circumferential location, the disk having
an axis of rotation defining a radial direction and having a
peripheral velocity, the channel having a dimension between the
disk and the stator that varies in the radial direction according
to local pumping effects of the peripheral velocity of the disk;
and a motor to rotate the rotor of the molecular drag stage about
the axis of rotation so that gas is pumped from the inlet port to
the exhaust port.
2. The vacuum pump as defined in claim 1, wherein the dimension of
the channel between the disk and the stator increases with
increasing distance from the axis of rotation.
3. The vacuum pump as defined in claim 1, wherein the dimension of
the channel between the disk and the stator increases linearly with
increasing distance from the axis of rotation.
4. The vacuum pump as defined in claim 1, wherein the stator
includes a circumferential divider that extends into the channel
and defines inner and outer subchannels.
5. The vacuum pump as defined in claim 4, wherein the inner and
outer subchannels have different axial dimensions.
6. The vacuum pump as defined in claim 1, wherein the dimension of
the channel between the disk and the stator various continuously in
the radial direction.
7. The vacuum pump as defined in claim 1, wherein an outer
periphery of the disk extends into the channel and wherein outer
corners of the channel are beveled or rounded.
8. The vacuum pump as defined in claim 1, wherein the channel has
beveled or rounded corners.
9. The vacuum pump as defined in claim 1, wherein the stator
includes two or more circumferential dividers that divide the
channel into subchannels.
10. The vacuum pump as defined in claim 1, wherein an axial
dimension of the channel between the disk and the stator is
configured to produce in the channel a substantially uniform
pressure gradient as a function of distance from the axis of
rotation.
11. The vacuum pump as defined in claim 1, further comprising one
or more additional vacuum pumping stages to define a multistage
vacuum pump.
12. A vacuum pump comprising: a housing having an inlet port and an
exhaust port; at least one molecular drag stage located within the
housing and disposed between the inlet port and the exhaust port,
the molecular drag stage including a rotor and a stator, the stator
defining a tangential flow channel which opens onto a surface of
the rotor and a baffle that blocks the channel at a circumferential
location, the stator including a circumferential divider that
extends into the channel and defines inner and outer subchannels;
and a motor to rotate the rotor of the molecular drag stage so that
gas is pumped from the inlet port to the exhaust port.
13. The vacuum pump as defined in claim 12, wherein the inner and
outer subchannels have different axial dimensions.
14. The vacuum pump as defined in claim 12, wherein the stator
includes two or more circumferential dividers that divide the
channel into subchannels.
15. A vacuum pump comprising: a housing having an inlet port and an
exhaust port; at least one molecular drag stage located within the
housing and disposed between the inlet port and the exhaust port,
the molecular drag stage including a rotor and a stator, the stator
defining a tangential flow channel which opens onto a surface of
the rotor and a baffle that blocks the channel at a circumferential
location, the rotor having an axis of rotation, the channel having
a channel cross-section in a plane that contains the axis of
rotation which varies in dimension as a function of distance from
the axis of rotation, over at least part of the channel
cross-section; and a motor to rotate the rotor of the molecular
drag stage about the axis of rotation so that gas is pumped from
the inlet port to the exhaust port.
16. The vacuum pump as defined in claim 15, wherein the dimension
of the channel cross-section increases with increasing distance
from the axis of rotation.
17. The vacuum pump as defined in claim 15, wherein the dimension
of the channel cross-section increases linearly with increasing
distance from the axis of rotation.
18. The vacuum pump as defined in claim 15, wherein an outer
periphery of the disk extends into the channel and wherein outer
corners of the channel are beveled or rounded.
19. The vacuum pump as defined in claim 15, wherein the channel
cross-section has beveled or rounded inner corners.
20. The vacuum pump as defined in claim 15, wherein the channel
cross-section is configured to avoid a region of zero gas flow
velocity in the channel.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates to turbomolecular vacuum pumps and
hybrid vacuum pumps and, more particularly, to vacuum pumps having
pumping channel configurations which assist in achieving improved
performance in comparison with prior art vacuum pumps.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Conventional turbomolecular vacuum pumps include a housing
having an inlet port, an interior chamber containing a plurality of
axial pumping stages and an exhaust port. The exhaust port is
typically attached to a roughing vacuum pump. Each axial pumping
stage includes a stator having inclined blades and a rotor having
inclined blades. The rotor and stator blades are inclined in
opposite directions. The rotor blades are rotated at high
rotational speed by a motor to pump gas between the inlet port and
the exhaust port. A typical turbomolecular vacuum pump may include
nine to twelve axial pumping stages.
[0003] Variations of the conventional turbomolecular vacuum pump,
often referred to as hybrid vacuum pumps, have been disclosed in
the prior art. In one prior art configuration, one or more of the
axial pumping stages are replaced with molecular drag stages, which
form a molecular drag compressor. This configuration is disclosed
in the U.S. Pat. No. 5,238,362, issued Aug. 24, 1993 and assigned
to Varian, Inc. Varian, Inc. sells hybrid vacuum pumps including an
axial turbomolecular compressor and a molecular drag compressor in
a common housing. Molecular drag stages and regenerative stages for
hybrid vacuum pumps are disclosed in Varian, Inc. owned U.S. Pat.
No. 5,358,373, issued Oct. 25, 1994. Other hybrid vacuum pumps are
disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,221,179, issued Jun. 22, 1993; U.S.
Pat. No. 5,848,873, issued Dec. 15, 1998 and U.S. Pat. No.
6,135,709, issued Oct. 24, 2000. Improved impeller configurations
for hybrid vacuum pumps are disclosed in Varian, Inc.'s own U.S.
Pat. No. 6,607,351, issued Aug. 19, 2003.
[0004] Molecular drag stages include a rotating disk, or impeller,
and a stator. The stator defines a tangential flow channel and an
inlet and an outlet for the tangential flow channel. A stationary
baffle, often called a stripper, disposed in the tangential flow
channel separates the inlet and the outlet. The momentum of the
rotating disk is transferred to gas molecules within the tangential
flow channel, thereby directing the molecules toward the outlet.
Molecular drag stages were developed for molecular flow conditions.
In molecular flow, pumping action is produced by a fast moving flat
surface dragging molecules in the direction of movement.
[0005] When viscous flow is approached, the simple momentum
transfer does not work as well, because of increased backward flow
due to the establishment of a pressure gradient rather than a
molecular density gradient. As a result, the molecular drag stage
may not achieve the desired pressure difference in viscous flow
conditions.
[0006] Accordingly, there is a need for improved molecular drag
stages for vacuum pumps.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] According to a first aspect of the invention, a vacuum pump
comprises a housing having an inlet port and an exhaust port, at
least one molecular drag stage located within the housing and
disposed between the inlet port and the exhaust port, the molecular
drag stage including a rotor comprising a molecular drag disk and a
stator, the stator defining a tangential flow channel which opens
onto a surface on the disk and a baffle that blocks the channel at
a circumferential location, the disk having an axis of rotation
defining a radial direction and having a peripheral velocity, the
channel having a dimension between the disk and the stator that
varies in the radial direction according to local pumping effects
of the peripheral velocity of the disk, and a motor to rotate the
rotor of the molecular drag stage about the axis of rotation so
that gas is pumped from the inlet port to the exhaust port.
[0008] According to a second aspect of the invention, a vacuum pump
comprises a housing having an inlet port and an exhaust port, at
least one molecular drag stage located within the housing and
disposed between the inlet port and the exhaust port, the molecular
drag stage including a rotor and a stator, the stator defining a
tangential flow channel which opens onto a surface of the rotor and
a baffle that blocks the channel at a circumferential location, the
stator including a circumferential divider that extends into the
channel and defines inner and outer subchannels, and a motor to
rotate the rotor of the molecular drag stage so that gas is pumped
from the inlet port to the exhaust port.
[0009] According to a third aspect of the invention, a vacuum pump
comprises a housing having an inlet port and an exhaust port, at
least one molecular drag stage located within the housing and
disposed between the inlet port and the exhaust port, the molecular
drag stage including a rotor and a stator, the stator defining a
tangential flow channel which opens onto a surface of the rotor and
a baffle that blocks the channel at a circumferential location, the
rotor having an axis of rotation, the channel having a channel
cross-section in a plane that contains the axis of rotation which
varies in dimension as a function of distance from the axis of
rotation, over at least part of the channel cross-section, and a
motor to rotate the rotor of the molecular drag stage about the
axis of rotation so that gas is pumped from the inlet port to the
exhaust port.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] For a better understanding of the present invention,
reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which are
incorporated herein by reference and in which:
[0011] FIG. 1 is a simplified cross-sectional schematic diagram of
a vacuum pump suitable for incorporation of the invention;
[0012] FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of an axial flow
stage that may be utilized in the vacuum pump of FIG. 1;
[0013] FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view of a vacuum pump
utilizing molecular drag vacuum pumping stages;
[0014] FIG. 4 is a plan view of a molecular drag stage, taken along
the line 4-4 of FIG. 3;
[0015] FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view of the molecular
drag stage, taken along the line 5-5 of FIG. 4;
[0016] FIGS. 6, 6A, 6B, 6C, 6D, 7, 8 and 9 are partial
cross-sectional views of molecular drag stages in accordance with
embodiments of the invention;
[0017] FIG. 10 is a schematic plan view of a molecular drag stage
in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; and
[0018] FIGS. 11-14 are partial cross-sectional views of molecular
drag stages in accordance with embodiments of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0019] A simplified cross-sectional diagram of a high vacuum pump
in accordance with an embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG.
1. A housing 10 defines an interior chamber 12 having an inlet port
14 and an exhaust port 16. The housing 10 includes a vacuum flange
18 for sealing the inlet port 14 to a vacuum chamber (not shown) to
be evacuated. The exhaust port 16 may be connected to a roughing
vacuum pump (not shown). In cases where the vacuum pump is capable
of exhausting to atmospheric pressure, the roughing pump is not
required.
[0020] Located within housing 10 are vacuum pumping stages 30, 32,
. . . , 46. Each vacuum pumping stage includes a stationary member,
or stator, and a rotating member, also known as an impeller or a
rotor. The rotating member of each vacuum pumping stage is coupled
by a drive shaft 50 to a motor 52. The shaft 50 is rotated at high
speed by motor 52, causing rotation of the rotating members about a
central axis 54 and pumping of gas from inlet port 14 to exhaust
port 16. The embodiment of FIG. 1 has nine stages. It will be
understood that a different number of stages can be utilized,
depending on the vacuum pumping requirements.
[0021] The vacuum pumping stages 30, 32, . . . , 46 may include one
or more axial flow vacuum pumping stages and one or more molecular
drag stages. In some embodiments, one or more regenerative vacuum
pumping stages may be included. The number and types of vacuum
pumping stages are selected based on the application of the vacuum
pump.
[0022] An example of an axial flow vacuum pumping stage is shown in
FIG. 2. Pump housing 10 has inlet port 12. The axial flow stage
includes a rotor 104 and a stator 110. The rotor 104 is connected
to shaft 50 for high speed rotation about the central axis. The
stator 110 is mounted in a fixed position relative to housing 10.
The rotor 104 and the stator 110 each have multiple inclined
blades. The blades of rotor 104 are inclined in an opposite
direction from the blades of stator 110. Variations of conventional
axial flow stages are disclosed in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No.
5,358,373.
[0023] An example of a molecular drag vacuum pumping stage is
illustrated in FIGS. 3-5. In the molecular drag stage, the rotor,
or impeller, comprises a molecular drag disk and the stator is
provided with one or more tangential flow channels in
closely-spaced opposed relationship to the disk. Each channel has
an open side that faces a surface of the disk. When the disk is
rotated at high speed, gas is caused to flow through the tangential
flow channels by molecular drag produced by the rotating disk. The
impeller may have different configurations for efficient operation
at different pressures.
[0024] Referring to FIGS. 3-5, a molecular drag stage includes a
molecular drag disk 200, an upper stator portion 202 and a lower
stator portion 204 mounted within housing 10. The upper stator
portion 202 is located in proximity to an upper surface of disk
200, and lower stator portion 204 is located in proximity to a
lower surface of disk 200. The upper and lower stator portions 202
and 204 together constitute the stator of the molecular drag stage.
The disk 200 is attached to shaft 50 for high speed rotation about
the central axis 54 of the vacuum pump.
[0025] The upper stator portion 202 is provided with an upper
channel 210. The channel 210 is located in opposed relationship to
the upper surface of disk 200. The lower stator portion 204 is
provided with a lower channel 212, which is located in opposed
relationship to the lower surface of disk 200. In the embodiment of
FIGS. 3-5, the channels 210 and 212 are circular and are concentric
with disk 200. The upper stator portion 202 includes a blockage
214, also known as a baffle or a stripper, which blocks channel 210
at a circumferential location between a channel inlet and a channel
outlet. The channel 210 receives gas from the previous stage
through a conduit 216 (channel inlet) on one side of blockage 214.
The gas is pumped through channel 210 by molecular drag produced by
rotating disk 200. At the other side of blockage 214, a conduit 220
(channel outlet) formed in stator portions 202 and 204
interconnects channels 210 and 212 around the outer peripheral edge
of disk 200. The lower stator portion 204 includes a blockage 222
of lower channel 212 at one circumferential location. The lower
channel 212 receives gas on one side of blockage 222 through
conduit 220 from the upper surface of disk 200 and discharges gas
through a conduit 224 on the other side of blockage 222 to the next
stage or to the exhaust port of the pump.
[0026] In operation, disk 200 is rotated at high speed about shaft
50. Gas is received from the previous stage through conduit 216.
The previous stage can be a molecular drag stage, an axial flow
stage, or any other suitable vacuum pumping stage. The gas is
pumped around the circumference of upper channel 210 by molecular
drag produced by rotation of disk 200. The gas then passes through
conduit 220 around the outer periphery of disk 200 to lower channel
212. The gas is then pumped around the circumference of lower
channel 212 by molecular drag and is exhausted through conduit 224
to the next stage or to the exhaust port of the pump. Thus, upper
channel 210 and lower channel 212 are connected such that gas flows
through them in series. In other embodiments, the upper and lower
channels may be connected in parallel. Two or more concentric
pumping channels can be used, connected in series. While the
molecular drag stage of FIGS. 3-5 includes upper and lower
channels, other embodiments may include only a single channel. In
further embodiments, a peripheral portion of the disk may extend
into a channel that includes channel regions above and below the
disk and at the outer edge of the disk. Additional embodiments of
molecular drag stages are disclosed in the aforementioned U.S. Pat.
No. 5,358,373.
[0027] When the pressure level in a molecular drag vacuum pumping
stage increases from molecular flow to viscous flow, the
compression ratio may decrease significantly, thereby degrading
performance. According to an aspect of the invention, the
tangential flow channel in the stator of the molecular drag stage
is configured to increase the pressure level at which the decrease
in compression ratio occurs.
[0028] Generally speaking, compression ratios in molecular flow are
higher than in viscous flow because the molecules are not subject
to a reverse pressure gradient due to the absence of
intercollisions. When viscous flow conditions are reached,
instability develops. Instead of having reasonably uniform density
distributions across the channel and along the length of the
channel, the flow may separate, find paths of least resistance and
may develop backward streamers, or backward flow. This is the
phenomenon which reduces the compression ratio.
[0029] Depending on the geometry of the pumping channel and the
geometric relationship between the moving and stationary surfaces,
the backward streamers may develop in different areas of the cross
section. For example, in a tube of circular cross section with a
moving wall, the backward streamer may develop in the center. In a
configuration where the rotating disk extends into the channel, the
backward streamers may develop in corners of the channel farthest
from the rotating disk. In a channel that faces a surface of a
rotating disk, the backward streamer may develop at the position of
lowest peripheral velocity.
[0030] It has been recognized that the tendency for backward flow
is greater in areas of the channel where the velocity of the
adjacent rotating disk is relatively low. In addition, the tendency
for backward flow is greater in areas of the channel that are
spaced from the rotating disk. Thus, for example, backward flow may
develop in an area of the channel, such as a corner of the channel,
that is closest to the axis of rotation and that is spaced from the
rotating disk. These principles are applied to provide channel
configurations having improved performance under viscous or
partially viscous conditions.
[0031] The cross-sectional shape of the channel in a conventional
molecular drag stage is rectangular, as shown for example in FIG.
3, and is uniform around the circumference of the molecular drag
stage. In accordance with embodiments of the invention, the
cross-sectional configuration of the channel in a plane that
contains the axis of rotation is selected to provide improved
performance under viscous or partially viscous flow conditions. The
channel configurations are selected to avoid regions of low gas
velocity.
[0032] A partial cross-sectional view of a molecular drag vacuum
pumping stage in accordance with a first embodiment of the
invention is shown in FIG. 6. The molecular drag stage includes a
stator 300 and a rotor in the form of a molecular drag disk 302.
Disk 302 rotates about an axis of rotation 304. Stator 300 defines
a tangential flow channel 310 having a shape that is configured to
limit the tendency for backward flow of the gas being pumped.
Channel 310 has an open side that faces an upper surface of disk
302. A dimension h of channel 310 between disk 302 and stator 300
varies in a radial direction r over all or part of the channel. In
particular, the dimension h may increase with increasing distance
from axis of rotation 304. In the embodiment of FIG. 6, the
dimension h between disk 302 and stator 300 is measured parallel to
axis 304, i.e. in the axial direction.
[0033] In the embodiment of FIG. 6, the increase in dimension h is
linear as a function of radius. However, other variations in
dimension h may be utilized, including, for example, parabolic
curves and arbitrary curves. The channel shape shown in FIG. 6 is
based on the fact that the velocity of disk 302 increases as a
function of distance from axis of rotation 304. Thus, the tendency
for backward flow in channel 310 is greater in areas of lower disk
velocity closer to axis of rotation 304. Accordingly, the dimension
h of channel 310 is made smaller in areas of relatively in low disk
velocity and is made larger in areas of relatively high disk
velocity. The actual dimensions of a particular channel 310 depend
on the required operating parameters of the vacuum pump, including
the rotational velocity of disk 302 and the required pumping
capacity and pressure difference. In areas of the molecular drag
stage other than channel 310 a spacing s between stator 300 and
disk 302 is made as small as is practical for a given machining
tolerance to avoid contact between stator 300 and disk 302 during
operation.
[0034] Variations of the shape of tangential flow channel 310
within the scope of the present invention are shown in FIGS. 6A-6D.
In a second embodiment shown in FIG. 6A, a channel 320 includes a
portion 322 where dimension h is constant and a portion 324 where
dimension h is variable in a radial direction. In a third
embodiment shown in FIG. 6B, a channel 330 has a rounded corner 332
in an area of lower disk velocity. In a fourth embodiment shown in
FIG. 6C, a channel 340 has a dimension h that is a nonlinear
function of distance from the axis of rotation. In a fifth
embodiment shown in FIG. 6D, a channel 350 has a beveled corner 352
in an area of lower disk velocity. In portions of channel 350 other
than beveled corner 352, the dimension h maybe constant or variable
as a function of distance from the axis of rotation.
[0035] A partial cross-sectional view of a molecular drag stage in
accordance with a sixth embodiment of the invention is shown in
FIG. 7. A stator 370 includes a channel 372. In the embodiment of
FIG. 7, disk 302 extends into channel 372 so that channel 372 opens
onto an upper surface of disk 302, a lower surface of disk 302 and
the outer periphery of disk 302. A dimension h.sub.1 of channel 372
between an upper surface of disk 302 and stator 370 varies in the
radial direction, and a dimension h.sub.2 between a lower surface
of disk 302 and stator 370 varies in the radial direction. In the
embodiment of FIG. 7, the dimensions h.sub.1 and h.sub.2 increase
linearly as a function of distance from axis of rotation 304. As
discussed above, the variation in the dimension between disk 302
and stator 370 is not necessarily linear. In addition, dimensions
h.sub.1 and h.sub.2 may be the same or different for a given radial
position.
[0036] In the embodiment of FIG. 7, outer corners 374 and 376 of
channel 372 are rounded in order to reduce the tendency for
backward flow in these regions. Although the outer edge of disk 302
is the region of highest peripheral velocity, backward flow may
occur in the outer corners of channel 372.
[0037] A partial cross-sectional view of a molecular drag stage in
accordance with a seventh embodiment of the invention is shown in
FIG. 8. A stator 380 includes a channel 382. Disk 302 extends into
channel 382 such that channel 382 opens onto an upper surface of
disk 302, a lower surface of disk 302 and the outer periphery of
disk 302. The embodiment of FIG. 8 differs from the embodiment of
FIG. 7 in that outer corners 384 and 386 of channel 382 are beveled
rather than rounded in order to reduce the tendency for backward
flow in these regions.
[0038] A partial cross-sectional view of a molecular drag stage in
accordance with an eighth embodiment of the invention is shown in
FIG. 9. A stator 390 includes a channel 392. Disk 302 extends into
channel 392 such that channel 392 opens onto an upper surface of
disk 302, a lower surface of disk 302 and the outer periphery of
disk 302. Channel 392 includes regions 394 and 396 of increasing
dimension h between disk 302 and stator 390 and regions 398 of
constant dimension between disk 302 and stator 390. It will be
understood that regions 394 and 396 of increasing dimension h may
be gradual or abrupt and may be linear or nonlinear as a function
of distance from axis of rotation 304. In addition, the embodiment
of FIG. 9 includes beveled outer corners 400 and 402 at the outer
periphery of channel 392.
[0039] A schematic cross-sectional plan view of a molecular drag
stage in accordance with a ninth embodiment of the invention is
shown in FIG. 10. A cross-sectional side view of the ninth
embodiment is shown in FIG. 11. A stator 420 defines a channel 422
that opens onto an upper surface of disk 302. Stator 420 includes a
blockage 424 that defines an inlet and an outlet of channel 422.
Channel 422 receives gas to be pumped through an inlet conduit 426
on one side of blockage 424. Gas is pumped through channel 422 by
molecular drag produced by rotating disk 302 and is discharged
through an exhaust conduit 428 to the next stage or to the exhaust
port of the pump.
[0040] As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, stator 420 includes a
circumferential rib or divider 430 that extends into channel 422
and defines an inner subchannel 432 and an outer subchannel 434.
The divider 430 functions as a dividing wall that separates a
region of slower flow in inner subchannel 432 from a region of
faster flow in outer subchannel 434. The depth, the radial position
and the circumferential extent of the divider 430 around the
periphery are chosen such that more or less equal pressure
differentials are developed in each subchannel. As further shown in
FIG. 11, the dimension h between disk 302 and stator 420 in each
subchannel 432, 434 may be variable as a function of radius from
axis of rotation 304. Divider 430 is preferably spaced from disk
302 and does not fully isolate subchannels 432 and 434 from each
other.
[0041] A partial cross-sectional view of a molecular drag stage in
accordance with a tenth embodiment of the invention is shown in
FIG. 12. The embodiment of FIG. 12 is similar to the embodiment of
FIGS. 10 and 11. A stator 450 defines a channel 452. Stator 450
includes a rib or divider 454 that separates channel 452 into an
inner subchannel 456 and an outer subchannel 458. In the embodiment
of FIG. 12, subchannels 456 and 458 have unequal cross-sectional
areas, and the dimension h between disk 302 and stator 450 is
constant as a function of radius.
[0042] A partial cross-sectional view of a molecular drag stage in
accordance with an eleventh embodiment of the invention is shown in
FIG. 13. A stator 470 defines an upper channel 472 that opens onto
an upper surface of disk 302 and a lower channel 474 that opens
onto a lower surface of disk 302. The upper and lower channels may
be connected in series or in parallel. Each of channels 472 and 474
is separated into subchannels by a divider 476. Thus, divider 476
separates upper channel 472 into an inner subchannel 480 and an
outer subchannel 482. The dimensions h.sub.1 and h.sub.2 of the
subchannels between disk 302 and stator 470 in each of channels 472
and 474 may be the same or different. In the embodiment of FIG. 13,
subchannels 480 and 482 have beveled corners 484 to limit the
tendency for backward flow in these regions.
[0043] A partial cross-sectional view of a molecular drag stage in
accordance with a twelfth embodiment of the invention is shown in
FIG. 14. A stator 500 defines a channel 502 that is separated into
multiple subchannels 510 by dividers 512. The configurations of the
dividers 512 are selected to produce substantially uniform pressure
gradients in each of the subchannels 510 and to reduce the tendency
for backward flow.
[0044] Various channel cross-sections and configurations have been
shown and described to limit the tendency for backward flow in the
channel. The shape and/or dimensions of the channel cross-section
may be selected depending on the expected operating pressure of the
molecular drag stage in the vacuum pump. In a vacuum pump having
two or more molecular drag stages, the shape and/or dimensions of
the channel cross-section in each stage may be selected according
to the expected operating pressure of the respective stage.
Therefore, different stages of the same vacuum pump may have
different channel cross-sections.
[0045] Having thus described several aspects of at least one
embodiment of this invention, it is to be appreciated various
alterations, modifications, and improvements will readily occur to
those skilled in the art. Such alterations, modifications, and
improvements are intended to be part of this disclosure, and are
intended to be within the spirit and scope of the invention.
Accordingly, the foregoing description and drawings are by way of
example only.
* * * * *