Method and apparatus for warming up a vacuum pump arrangement
AssigneeEdwards Limited
InventorJack Raymond Tattersall
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for warming up a vacuum pump arrangement having a booster pump and a backing pump downstream of the booster pump for evacuating a process chamber includes setting the booster pump at a first speed higher than an idle speed of the booster pump when the same is in an idle mode; and controlling a backing pressure at an outlet of the booster pump within a range from 0.1 mbar to 10 mbar at least for a period of time from when the vacuum pump arrangement is activated from the idle mode to when the booster pump reaches a temperature equal to or exceeding a first predetermined threshold value. Such method is implemented in system where a controlled is configured to carry out the above-motioned actions.
Claims16
A method for warming up a vacuum pump arrangement having a booster pump and a backing pump downstream of the booster pump for evacuating a process chamber, comprising:
- setting the booster pump at a first speed higher than an idle speed of the booster pump when the booster pump is in an idle mode;
- and
- controlling a backing pressure at an outlet of the booster pump within a range from 0.1 millibar to 10 millibar at least for a period of time from when the vacuum pump arrangement is activated from the idle mode to when the booster pump reaches a temperature equal to or exceeding a first predetermined threshold temperature value.
An apparatus comprising:
- a process chamber;
- a booster pump having an inlet fluidly connected to an outlet of the process chamber;
- a backing pump having an inlet fluidly connected to an outlet of the booster pump for, together with the booster pump, evacuating the process chamber;
- and
- a controller electrically coupled with the booster pump and the backing pump, the controller being configured to control a backing pressure at the outlet of the booster pump within a range from 0.1 millibar to 10 millibar at least for a period of time from when the booster pump and the backing pump are activated from an idle mode to when the booster pump reaches a temperature equal to or exceeding a first predetermined threshold value.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.