AVS 52nd International Symposium
    Vacuum Technology Tuesday Sessions
       Session VT-TuP

Paper VT-TuP15
Results of Vacuum Pump Oil Testing to Minimize Oil Waste After More Than Two Years of Evaluation at the National Synchrotron Light Source

Tuesday, November 1, 2005, 4:00 pm, Room Exhibit Hall C&D

Session: Vacuum Technology Poster Session
Presenter: E-P. Hu, Brookhaven National Laboratory
Authors: C.L. Foerster, Brookhaven National Laboratory
E-P. Hu, Brookhaven National Laboratory
E. Haas, Brookhaven National Laboratory
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This oil-testing project was established two and a half years ago to determine if synthetic vacuum pump oil could be used effectively to reduce some of oil waste produced during normal operation of the National Synchrotron Light Source (NSLS) at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL). More than two hundred oil-sealed rotary vane pumps are currently used at the NSLS facility, such that a longer oil change interval would greatly reduce maintenance costs as well as oil waste. Prior to this project the mechanical vacuum pump oil waste was approximately 75 gallons per year. Two basic types of vacuum pump oils, mineral and synthetic, are being tested for a direct comparison. Three two-stage mechanical pumps were set up and run simultaneously. Convectron gauges, cold cathode gauges, and isolation valves were connected to a central vacuum chamber with a common inlet pressure control and an RGA sampling valve. To simulate long-term mechanical pump operation, the system gas load was controlled at an inlet pressure of 500 mTorr using an air bleed valve. Vacuum pump oil suppliers to expedite the oil viscosity change, acid buildup, and pump-wear debris production suggested the inlet pressure. At this inlet pressure any oil back streaming is minimized. After two and a half years of running there have been no significant changes in either of the oil types. The detailed test data for the resulting oil properties, oil degradation, visual comparison, vacuum conditions, and pump characteristics will be presented for comparison of the pump oils used at NSLS and for estimation of the resulting oil waste reduction. @FootnoteText@ @footnote 1@ Work performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy, under contract DE-AC02-98CH10886.