Steam Jet Ejector:

Steam Ejector is the Traditional Equipment used in Manufacturing Plants for Generating Vacuum. Steam ejectors uses steam instead of moving parts to compress a gas.  In a jet or ejector, a relatively high-pressure gas, like steam or air, expands through a nozzle. However, they can be very sensitive to variations in process conditions and pressure. A single stage ejector can produce only a limited vacuum – not low enough for processing applications such as active ingredients production. Steam ejectors also suffer from low thermal efficiency, making them expensive to run. Multistage ejectors with direct or indirect interstage condensation can offer an alternative, but these require very large quantities of steam and cooling water. This makes for high energy bills and usually creates a condensate that is contaminated with process vapour, requiring appropriate, costly disposal

Dry Vacuum Pump :

Dry Vacuum Pump as the name suggests generate provides dry pumping of the gases. The functional area inside the pump (pumping chamber) is DRY/OIL FREE and does not use any fluids to create vacuum. This eliminates the risk of process contamination and the generation of effluent. Dry pumps usually also offer clear savings in maintenance and running costs. Dry pumps do not suffer from problems of compatibility with process gases as oil-sealed pumps do. Even though the pumps are made from ductile cast iron, there is no corrosion when operating in the vapour phase. This is because the pressure and temperature profile inside the pump is maintained above the dew point of the process media, ensuring reliable operation even while pumping highly corrosive media. Solvents can be recovered relatively easily by inlet and/or exhaust condensation and recycled without any need for further purification. Hence, the dry vacuum pump system is a particularly good solution for processing organic solvents and very corrosive vapours.

Case Study – Manufacturer of Flavours and Fragrances:

We had a Detailed discussion with the Customer about their Process and their Requirement of Vacuum equipment. The Customer was using Multi-stage Steam Ejector for Generating High vacuum in their Distillation Process. For their entire high vacuum process requirement the customer was using Steam Ejectors. The Customer had Close to 20 Steam Jet Ejectors Assembly installed in their Plant for their Vacuum needs.

Our Suggestion to the Customer:

We suggested the Customer to install our Vertical Multistage Dry Vacuum Pump for one of their Reactors in place of Ejector. We explained them the potential Benefits of our Dry Vacuum Pump against Ejectors. The Customer Decided to install one Dry vacuum Pump and Observe its Benefits first-hand. The Customer Used the Pump for Almost 1.5 years and Realised the following Benefits:

• Higher Vacuum Being Achieved in process (Shutoff Vacuum of our DP300/DP400T Pump is 0.05 mbar)
• Drastic Reduction in the Operating Cost. This is a ZERO DISCHARGE pump. Also Steam is not required for operating it. Hence it’s a direct saving in terms of Steam Cost and Effluent Treatment Cost
• Consistent Vacuum. Since the Vacuum is not dependant on any fluid(like in any wet Vacuum Technology), you get stable vacuum
• Significantly lower Life Cycle Cost. Initial cost is high but when the cost of the total installed package and the running costs are taken into account, dry vacuum systems are considerably more cost-effective. Typically as per our Observation, User Derives almost 60%-70% Savings in the Life cycle Cost when compared to the Steam Jet Ejector System
• Higher Vacuum derived at higher Throughput. Our Vertical Dry Vacuum Pump offers FAD capacity of 300m3/hr even at 1 torr.
• Not only does the dry system use significantly less energy when it is running but, unlike a steam ejector, it can be switched off between cycles so that it uses no energy at all when it is not required.

Outcome:

• The Customer Based on his Positive Experience with our Vertical Dry Vacuum Pump and Based on Significant savings realised compared to Steam Jet Ejector, Decided to Replace all the Steam Ejectors in their Plant. They Placed an order of 19 More Dry Vacuum Pumps in their Plant. Now all of their High Vacuum Needs are being serviced by our Vertical Dry Vacuum Pumps.