marcoreps
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Got a t̶h̶e̶r̶m̶o̶n̶u̶c̶l̶e̶a̶r̶ turbomolecular pump
🕑 Added 2018-05-15 11:14:02 +0000 UTC The upper rotor seems seized, maybe because it uses air bearings and needs to be operated correctly? Or is it dead and eligible for a destructive teardown?
Comments
John McCormick
A poor attempt at removing your finger prints.
Marco Reps
Yes, took it apart and it has some ugly wear and tear. But it makes for a decorative sculpture :)
Volodymyr Babchuk
Are you sure that you tried to rotate rotor? Maybe that was stator blades?
Uwe Zimmermann
we use them in a lot of our equipment here. They only work at low pressure but the rotor always rotates freely as long as they are in working condition. The pump itself is not capable of generating a vacuum, but it is very efficient in getting from a rough vacuum into a real good high vacuum. It's a multistage turbine design and it works by kicking the remaining gas molecules in the correct direction, not by creating a drag as one might think.
Uwe Zimmermann
rotor not rotating easily - it's dead...
Theodore W. Mathews IV
Mike's Electronics got into a turbo molecular pump a few years ago and it appears it free spins when not under vacuum. <a href="https://youtu.be/NuaVkf2E9oo?t=434" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">https://youtu.be/NuaVkf2E9oo?t=434</a>
Marco Reps
Indeed that sounds like a good source! I am itching to take this thing apart though, because chances of me getting into high vacuum stuff are pretty low rn
Marco Reps
I know almost nothing about it yet :) Maybe your GF knows if the rotor is supposed to be moving freely?
my girlfriend told my about this type of magic. Show me more..
Dillon Nichols
Turbo pumps need to be at a low pressure before they are turned on. I used to work with them but never put my finger in one to see if they spin at atmospheric pressure. I bet Sam Zeloof would know ;)
