Ipsen, Inc., manufacturer of vacuum and atmosphere furnaces, recently selected MHV Survivor model pumps for a vacuum furnace application. The Ipsen furnace is designed for heat treating parts at a major commercial heat treating plant operating on multiple shifts. The customer wanted longer pump life and specified an MHV Survivor pump.
The Ipsen HR54X48 chamber has a hot zone which is 36 in. wide x 48 in. deep x 36 in. tall. The HD-300 oil-sealed piston is the roughing pump working with a Stokes 615 vacuum blower pump with a capacity of 2,000 cfm (943 liters/sec). The Ipsen Furnace can operate at 2,400°F and 10(-6) Torr with heat exchanger for quenching.
Filtering Process Is Key
MHV Survivor™ vacuum pumps use an oil-sealed rotary piston design for excellent reliability even in demanding operating conditions such as those encountered in heat treating. Their pressurized oil lubrication increases pump life significantly by means of filters that clean the oil of particulates and acids. Clean oil is forced into the critical hinge bar/piston slide tang interface. The eccentric bearing bands are also pressure lubricated.
This pump design reduces the cost of ownership over the life of the pump, and helps to reduce periodic maintenance. A standard gear-type oil pump provides positive lubrication of bearings and all other moving parts. The heavy-duty roller bearing design on the main shaft extends life and gives better resistance to corrosion.
"The customer chose the MHV pumps for their longer life capabilities with positive pressure oil filtration in severe environments,” explains Geoff Humberstone, MHV president. "The HD300 provides longer life because of its robust construction and filtration that minimizes acids and contaminants that can kill other pumps. We look for future orders from heat treaters that want longer life and less downtime."
Humberstone adds, "We have 15 Survivor pumps with over 300,000 hours in operation. Their Smart Filters™ are soaking up the acids and particles that can kill standard pumps."
