VACUUM SCIENCE BLOG

How does a turbomolecular pump work? 

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.