The Six Most Common Mistakes When Using Vacuum Boosters And How To Avoid Them

Vacuum boosters are essential in applications where high pumping speeds and low pressures are required, such as food packaging, coating, metallurgy, and leak detection. However, even small mistakes in their setup or operation can lead to costly downtime, equipment damage, or complete failure. In this article, we will explore the six most common mistakes made when operating a vacuum booster and how to overcome them.

Not allowing cooling time before reaching ultimate pressure
It is always recommended to allow a vacuum booster to cool down between running at maximum differential pressure and ultimate pressure. Maximum differential pressure occurs during the evacuation cycle and generates the most heat. As a result, the temperature rises suddenly, decreasing the clearance between the rotor and housing. At ultimate pressure, almost all gases have been removed. The rotary lobes spin at very high speeds, but there is minimal – or even zero – gas throughput. This means that heat cannot dissipate quickly through the gas and the surface of the casing. If repeated cycles are undertaken with insufficient cooling time, the lobes no longer have enough space to turn due to the decreased clearance, and the booster will seize. In extreme cases, this can lead to a total failure.

Improper temperature fluctuations
Sudden strong reductions in the ambient temperature during operation, especially at ultimate pressure, can be critical to a booster. The thermal shock causes the housing to contract while the lobes are still hot. Just like if insufficient cooling time is allowed, the necessary clearance between housing and lobes is reduced, with the result that the vacuum booster seizes. To prevent thermal shocks, the operator should...

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