
1.0
DESCRIPTION
1.1
GENERAL
(Principle
of
Operation)
..
The Stokes Model
412..:11
Microvac Pump
is
a self-contained, rotary, oil sealed piston type unit. The piston
is
driven
by an eccentric mounted on the drive shaft and the piston slided
is
guided by two floating hinge bars that are free to
oscillate in the pump housing. Facing the drive
end:the
piston assembly rotates clockwise. Air enters the pump through
the intake and then through the piston slide until the piston completes its stroke. At this point all air previously en-
trapped
is
in front
of
the piston as it begins another stroke. As the piston continues to rotate, the air in front
of
it
is
compressed and discharged through the exhaust valve and fmally out the exhaust outlet. As the piston nears the top
center position the intake port
is
closed, separating the system from the pump (See Figure
I).
The exhaust valves are
of
the corrosion-resistant, heavy duty, poppet type. When the pump
is
in operation, lubrication
of
the internal parts
is
completely automatic. Oil
is
forced by atmospheric pressure from the reservoir through the oil lines to the shaft
bearings. The oil
is
then fed into the pump to provide the necessary piston-to-cylinder oil seal. Finally, the oil
is
forced out through the exhaust valve with the air and returns
to
the reservoir. A solenoid valve automatically prevents
oil from flooding the pump
in
the event
of
a power failure, or when the pump
is
shutdown without vacuum being
broken.
EXHAUST
I-i.+---
OIL
SEPARATOR
OIL
POPPET
VALVE
PISTON
Ell
SLICE
HINGE
BARS
eCCENTRIC
FiQ I
1.2
GAS
BALLAST
The pump
is
provided with a manually operated gas ballast valve to overcome the adverse affect on vacuum resulting
from oil contamination. Contamination occurs when water vapor or other gaseous components enter the pump and
condense within the pump mixing with the oil
as
emulsified droplets.
The
condensate will mix with the oil and "flash"
. into vapor again as the oil circulates into high vacuum in the pump cylinder limiting the vacuum to the Vapor pressure
of
the condensed water. Gas Ballast
is
a controlled bleed
of
air from the atmosphere. This air caries the water vapor
through the compression cycle without it condensing to liquid and mixing with oil. Thus, the water vapors are ex-
hausted without contaminating the pump oil. Other contaminates are also removed by ballasting except those that
dissolve in the oil.
NOTE:
Never use gas ballast when pumping gases
or
gas mixtures that
are
explosive
or
flammable.
1-1