Vacuum pump

A vacuum pump removes gas from a sealed space to create or maintain pressure below that of its surroundings. Different pump designs reach different pressure ranges and handle different gases.

Positive-displacement pump: A pump that traps a volume of fluid and moves it from an inlet to an outlet. Many vacuum pumps lower pressure by repeatedly trapping and expelling gas.
Vacuum: A region containing gas at a pressure below atmospheric pressure. A pump creates or maintains this reduced-pressure condition.
Vacuum distillation: A separation process that distills liquids at reduced pressure to lower their boiling temperatures. Pumping reduces pressure so heat-sensitive compounds can be distilled at lower temperatures.
Venturi vacuum pump: A vacuum generator that uses a high-speed compressed-gas jet to entrain gas from a connected space. It creates vacuum without moving parts, unlike many mechanical vacuum pumps.
Vacuum chamber: A sealed enclosure designed to withstand a pressure difference between its interior and surroundings. The pump evacuates this enclosure, whose strength must resist external atmospheric pressure.
Rotary vane pump: A positive-displacement pump in which sliding vanes rotate inside an offset cylindrical chamber. Its rotating chamber traps gas and carries it to the exhaust.
Pressure: The force exerted per unit area by particles or other matter. Vacuum performance is specified by the pressure remaining in the chamber.
Freeze-drying: A preservation process that removes ice from frozen material by sublimation under low pressure. A pump maintains the low pressure needed for ice to sublime.
Water aspirator: A device that uses flowing water to create suction through a narrowed passage. It is a simple, low-vacuum alternative where water and modest suction are acceptable.
Vacuum flange: A mechanical joint designed to connect vacuum components while limiting gas leakage. Reliable seals let a pump maintain low pressure across connected components.

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