Vacuum pumping system
AssigneeThe BOC Group, Inc.
InventorsDarren Mennie, Ron Clark Lee, Robert Bruce Grant, Barrie Dudley Brewster, Joanne Rachel Greenwood
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A vacuum pumping system comprises a first gas supply for supplying a first gas, such as xenon, to a vacuum chamber. A pump receives the gas output from the chamber. A second gas supply supplies a purge gas, such as nitrogen or helium, for pumping with the first gas. A gas separator receives the pumped gases exhausted by the pump, and recovers the first gas and the purge gas from the stream. The recovered first gas is recirculated through the vacuum chamber, and the recovered second gas is recirculated through at least the pump.
Claims45
A vacuum pumping system comprising a pump having an inlet for receiving from a vacuum chamber at least a first gas to be pumped;
- means for supplying a second, purge gas to be pumped with the first gas;
- the pump having an outlet for exhausting a gas stream comprising the first gas and the purge gas;
- and gas separating means for receiving the gas stream and recovering the purge gas from the stream, the supply means being arranged to receive from the gas separating means the recovered purge gas.
A vacuum pumping system, comprising first gas supply means for supplying a first gas to a vacuum chamber;
- a pump arranged to receive at least the first gas from the chamber;
- second gas supply means for supplying a second gas for pumping with the first gas;
- and gas separating means for receiving a gas stream output from the pump, recovering the first and second gases from the gas stream, outputting the recovered first gas to the first gas supply means for recirculation through at least the chamber and outputting the recovered second gas to the second gas supply means for recirculation through at least the pump.
A method of vacuum pumping, comprising receiving at a pump at least a first gas from a vacuum chamber, and a second, purge gas for pumping with the first gas;
- exhausting from the pump a gas stream comprising the first and second gases;
- recovering the second gas from the stream and recirculating the recovered second gas through at least the pump.
A vacuum pumping system comprising:
- a vacuum pump having an inlet and an outlet;
- a vacuum chamber connected to the vacuum pump inlet;
- a process fluid inlet connected to the vacuum chamber;
- a purge fluid inlet connected to the vacuum pumping system upstream of the vacuum pump;
- a separator connected to the vacuum pump outlet, wherein the separator comprises a process fluid outlet and a purge fluid outlet;
- a recirculating means for pressurizing the process fluid recovered before returning the process fluid to the vacuum chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.