Though the rotary screw vacuum pump may not have been around for as long as other vacuum technologies (such as liquid ring vacuum pumps), it nevertheless has become one of the most frequently used technologies in industrial vacuum applications today.
How Do Screw Pumps Work?
Rotary screw pumps are positive displacement pumps that consist of two mating screw rotors that rotate in opposite directions; this rotation is what moves the trapped air/gas along the length of the screws. As the trapped gas moves along the screws, it becomes compressed and is eventually discharged on the opposite end. It’s important to note that these vacuum pumps are designed to have no metal-to-metal contact within the pump housing, which results in minimal wear on the pump and less equipment overhauls.
Screw pumps can be either oil-sealed or dry. Oil-sealed screw pumps use oil for lubrication, sealing, and cooling purposes; they are ideal for rough vacuum applications that have no clean vacuum requirements, including woodworking and plastics. Dry screw pumps do not use oil/lubricant in the chamber. Rather, these are typically air-cooled and are free of any oil emissions, and can also achieve higher vacuum than oil-sealed screw pumps.
A variety of applications can benefit from using screw pumps, including woodworking, packaging, cleaning and drying, and pick and place.
Think a rotary screw pump could be the right fit for your process? Get in touch with an Atlas Copco Vacuum specialist today!
