It is inevitable that equipment will eventually sustain damage after prolonged use. Vacuum pumps are widely employed across many industrial sectors, so what should be done if one breaks down? What are the methods for repairing them? Today, let’s explore the essentials of vacuum pump repair.
Vacuum Pump Maintenance – Issue 1: Vacuum pump fails to start. This typically manifests as the pump failing to operate after power is applied. First, inspect the electrical circuitry—check for blown fuses or burnt-out components. Once electrical faults have been ruled out, consider the following two factors:
1. Motor burnout: This is primarily caused by the burning out of the motor stator coils. There are various causes for this, such as excessive instantaneous current or bearing wear resulting from prolonged use. Worn bearings increase frictional resistance, forcing the motor to draw more power and causing temperatures to rise, ultimately leading to motor burnout. In this case, inspect the motor bearings first, followed by the motor coils. Replace the bearings if they are damaged; repair the motor and rewind the stator coils if the coils are burnt out. If both the bearings and coils are severely damaged, the motor must be replaced.
2. Vane binding: This primarily manifests as excessive frictional resistance between the vanes and the inner surface of the pump chamber, preventing the motor from driving the vanes. Causes include vane deformation, failure of the rotor springs to retract after expanding, or excessive combined force from spring pressure and centrifugal force, resulting in high friction against the pump chamber wall. In such cases, the vanes and springs should be repaired promptly; if repair is not possible, they must be replaced.
Vacuum pump maintenance—Issue 2: Failure to reach the pump's ultimate vacuum level. First, check the vacuum system for airtightness to see if there are any minor leaks. Next, open the gas ballast and run the pump for approximately 30 minutes to evacuate condensable vapors (those not caused by pump oil contamination) and eliminate their impact on the ultimate vacuum level.
After ruling out the above two factors, other potential causes include: pump oil contamination (requiring an oil change); a clogged internal oil filter, which restricts the oil supply in the compression/injection system—leading to insufficient oil flow and poor sealing of the pump body (requiring the internal oil filter to be cleaned); deformation, wear, or damage to the oil distributor valve, which can also cause insufficient oil supply (requiring inspection and replacement of the valve); and wear on the rotary vanes or insufficient spring tension within the rotor due to prolonged use, which compromises the isolation between the intake and exhaust chambers and degrades vacuum performance (requiring replacement of the vanes and springs, as well as cleaning of the rotor and pump chamber). Additionally, inspect the exhaust valve...Check whether the mechanism is malfunctioning, causing poor exhaust flow; replace the exhaust valve if necessary.
Vacuum Pump Maintenance – Issue 3: Oil Leakage. This is one of the most common faults in rotary-vane mechanical vacuum pumps, typically occurring at three locations: the oil sight glass, the oil reservoir gasket, and the motor shaft seal. The primary cause is the aging of these components due to prolonged use, leading to seal failure and subsequent oil leakage. Solution: Replace the aged oil sight glass, shaft seal, gasket, and any felt pads saturated with pump oil. After repairs are completed—and before adding new oil—flush the pump with Edwards vacuum pump oil and clean the filter screen at the oil inlet with solvent to ensure the oil reservoir remains clean.
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