Regeneration Best Practices

Brooks CTI Cryo-Torr Cryopump Regeneration Best Practices

Background

With the evolution of technology and the high cost of ownership, manufacturing companies are not upgrading their capital equipment to the latest cryogenic systems. Therefore, the methods and practices of regenerating a Cryo-Torr cryopump are significantly lagging the automated regeneration cycles present in newer cryogenic technologies. Incomplete or inadequate regeneration may not have liberated all of the gasses (O2, N2, Ar, H2, He, Ne) from the 15K adsorbing arrays resulting in higher vacuum pressures and/or increase in second stage temperature.

Recommendation

In order to effectively liberate all the absorbed and condensable gasses that are captured on the 15K array a dilution phase is added during the extended purge cycle. The dilution phase continues to rough the pump while the purge valve is cycled. The cycling of the purge valve allows the gasses to be thawed and removed from the 15K array gradually versus the traditional method of purging for an extended period of time and then roughing to a base pressure.

Referenced in Figure 1 is a process flow diagram of a typical regeneration cycle with the dilution phase integrated in the extended purge.

Figure 1 - Regeneration Process Flow

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