Vacuum pump elevation
Vacuum pump elevation
(OP)
Does A vacuum pump/compressor have any requirements for the elevation of the pump in relation to the source?
Im working on a project where a liquid ring pump shall provide a mild vacuum of 0.8 bara in a large vessel. The vessel is horizontal and half filled with crude oil.
I have now heard that the pump shall be place above the outlet nozzle from the pump in order to avoid liquid entrainment especially during strat up Im quite sure that the guy who says this thinks this must be so in relation to a vacuum destilation tower. How could the vacuum "lift" liquid from the surface and approx. 3 meters in the air (the vessel diameter is 6.7 m)? Condenstation is i believe less likely to occur when the pressure is reduced.
Any experience with (liquid ring) vacuum pumps in this aspect is welcome!
Best regards
Morten
Im working on a project where a liquid ring pump shall provide a mild vacuum of 0.8 bara in a large vessel. The vessel is horizontal and half filled with crude oil.
I have now heard that the pump shall be place above the outlet nozzle from the pump in order to avoid liquid entrainment especially during strat up Im quite sure that the guy who says this thinks this must be so in relation to a vacuum destilation tower. How could the vacuum "lift" liquid from the surface and approx. 3 meters in the air (the vessel diameter is 6.7 m)? Condenstation is i believe less likely to occur when the pressure is reduced.
Any experience with (liquid ring) vacuum pumps in this aspect is welcome!
Best regards
Morten





RE: Vacuum pump elevation
I faced problems in the past with oil ring vacuum pumps, used to evacuate pharmaceutical vacuum tray dryers and autoclaves, when kept at higher elevation than that of the equipment. We found oil mist carryover and subsequent product contamination during vacuum breaking. My initial idea was that it was better to keep the pumps at higher elevation as air floats up. But this thing put me down.
Regards,
RE: Vacuum pump elevation
Anyway - could you avoid this problem just by having a "reverse waterlock" - a 10 m high "pipe loop" instead of lifting the pump itself?
Best regards
Morten
RE: Vacuum pump elevation
Your solution is correct and that will avoid liquid entry into the pump by all means, but why to create some extra pressure drop with more length of piping? Further this looks odd physically. Just check the required height as shown above and add some safety factor.
Regards,
RE: Vacuum pump elevation
Best regards
Morten
RE: Vacuum pump elevation
Regards,