Vacuum, Vacuum Pump

Vacuum systems can be negatively impacted by leaks and materials which have high levels of outgassing. Lubricants and other materials should be selected with these aspects in mind to enable good vacuum system performance. Vacuum pumps are similar to compressors in that they are a mechanical device used to move a gas stream, however in the case of vacuum pumps, they are designed to create negative pressure. An added difficulty is that the ingestion of contaminants from the process stream can negatively effect the quality of the lubricant and rapidly degrade it. The contaminants can also work to damage the internal components of the vacuum pump exposed to the gas stream. It is the job of a quality lubricant with the correct viscosity, to stand up to the gas stream and also protect the internal components, to maximize long term reliability of the vacuum pump.