Gas Purges; How To Use The Pump Controls; Introduction - Edwards RV3 Instruction Manual

A652–01–880 Issue S
4.1.3

Gas purges

If you use inert gas purges to dilute dangerous gases to a safe level, ensure that the RV3, RV5, RV8
and RV12 rotary vane pump is shut down if an inert gas supply fails.
You must obey the instructions and take note of the precautions given below, to ensure that
pumped gases do not enter their flammable ranges.
Switch on the inert gas purge to remove air from the pump and the exhaust pipeline before the process starts. Switch
off the purge flow at the end of the process only after any remaining flammable gases or vapours have been purged
from the pump and exhaust pipeline.
If liquids that produce flammable vapours could be present in the pump foreline, then the inert gas purge to the RV3,
RV5, RV8 and RV12 rotary vane pump should be left on all the time this liquid is present. Flammable liquids could be
present in the foreline as a result of condensation, or may be carried over from the process.
When you calculate the flow rate of inert gas required for dilution, consider the maximum flow rate for the
flammable gases/vapours that could occur. For example, if a mass flow controller is used to supply flammable gases
to the process, you should assume a flow rate for flammable gases that could arise if the mass flow controller is fully
open.
Continually measure the inert gas purge flow rate: if the flow rate falls below that required, you must stop the flow
of flammable gases or vapours into the pump.
Note: We recommend that you obtain and read the Vacuum Pump and Vacuum System Safety manual (publication
number P300–20–000), available from Edwards or your supplier.
4.2

How to use the pump controls

4.2.1

Introduction

You can use the mode selector
performance of the RV pump for your application. The performance characteristics of the pump with the different
control settings are shown in Tables
gas-ballast control when the pump is off or when the pump is operating.
Page 28
WARNING
WARNING
(Figure 1, item 11) and the gas-ballast control
3 and 4. You can change the position of both the mode selector and the
Edwards and the Edwards logo are trade marks of Edwards Limited.
(Figure 1, item 5) to optimise the
© Edwards Limited 2007. All rights reserved.