In our latest interview we spoke to Peter Lambertz, a Business Development Manager in the R&D Market, and one of the contributors to the Vacuum Science World knowledge platform.
With over ten years of experience in the field of vacuum science research, we discussed his background, specific interests and the challenges he has encountered in the vacuum industry over the years.
In another addition to our expert interview series, we spoke to Dr Andrew Chew, who is a Global Applications Manager in the Scientific Vacuum Sector.
In his role, he is developing customised solutions for a large number of R&D applications such as Surface Analysis, Electron Microscopy, Mass Spectrometry, and many more. Find out more about his background and involvement with vacuum technology by reading our Q&A below.
Turbomolecular pumps (TMPs) are kinetic vacuum pumps which operate using a very fast spinning rotor (usually rotating at between 24,000 and 90,000 RPM). Their typical operating pressures are in the high to ultra-high pressure range between 10-3 and 10-11 mbar, employing pumping speeds of between 10 and 4,000 l/s.
Laboratory technicians and scientists regularly use vacuum pumps (frequently of the bench-top variety) for a range of tasks including aspirating/filtering, controlling or inducing solvent evaporation in concentrators, as well as in gel driers, vacuum ovens, desiccators and rotary evaporators.
Rotary vane pumps are considered wet, positive displacement pumps, with the term “wet” denoting that the gases being pumped are exposed to oil. The significant characteristic of oil sealed rotary vane (OSRV) pumps is the use of oil as a sealant, which is not found in ‘dry’ pumps.
Of course, this is an extreme case, but as vacuum pressures get lower and lower, even the most seemingly secure and pristine of systems will soon show themselves to be less than tight. Tightness (or “the absence of leaks”) is required for numerous reasons, including: to ensure and maintain the pressure/vacuum; for product safety; for environmental standards; and for process efficiency. There are two aspects of leak technology worth examining: leak detection and leak measurement.
We are interviewing one of our contributors, Dr Saim Memon, Senior Lecturer in Electrical Engineering at London South Bank University.
With over eight years of experience in the field of vacuum science research, we discuss his background, interest and work in the industry as well as how vacuum science has evolved over the years.
Described as ‘a space in which the pressure is below surrounding atmospheric pressure’, vacuum science is a subject and concept that has stimulated many great minds for millennia.
The origins of vacuum science can be traced back to as early as the 4th century when Aristotle stated that ‘nature abhors a vacuum’.
The study of particle physics is conducted in machines known as particle accelerators (or particle colliders). These machines use huge electromagnetic fields to accelerate proton particles to velocities approaching the speed of light, focus them into a fine beam, and then monitor the matter that results from their collision with other particles.
