Abstract: A vacuum system non-return valve includes a baffle for extending across a flow path in the vacuum system and a valve member. The baffle has an aperture, a perimeter of the aperture has a valve seat. The valve member has a curved sealing surface configured to mate with the valve seat. The valve member and aperture are configured such that the valve member obscures the aperture and seals with the valve seat to impede a flow of fluid in a closed position and is displaceable in use to move away from the valve seat and allow a fluid flow in an open position; at least a portion of the surface of the baffle surrounding the aperture slopes towards the inlet end of the valve such that the aperture is smaller at the inlet end than it is at the outlet end.

Abstract: A twin-shaft pump comprising: a pumping chamber; two rotatable shafts each mounted on bearings is disclosed. Each of the two rotatable shafts comprises at least one rotor element, the rotor elements being within the pumping chamber and the two rotatable shafts extending beyond the pumping chamber to a support member. The support member comprises mounting means for mounting the bearings at a predetermined distance from each other, the predetermined distance defining a distance between the two shafts. A thermal break between the pumping chamber and the support member is provided for impeding thermal conductivity between the pumping chamber and the support member, such that the pumping chamber and support member can be maintained at different temperatures. The support member and the rotor elements are formed of different materials, a coefficient of thermal expansion of a material forming the support member being higher than a coefficient of thermal expansion of a material forming the rotor elements.

Abstract: Aspects of the present invention relate to a stator component for a pump housing. The stator component has a plurality of fluid inlet channels for conveying fluid to respective pumping chambers. The fluid inlet channels each have an inlet port for conveying fluid into the pumping chamber. A plurality of fluid transfer channels are provided for conveying fluid to a respective one of the fluid inlet channels. The fluid transfer channels each have an inlet for receiving pumped fluid. The stator component is adapted to receive at least one sealing member for inhibiting the conveyance of fluid into an associated one of the pumping chambers. Aspects of the present invention relate to a pump housing, a cover plate and a pump. Aspects of the present invention also relate to a method of converting a stator component.

Abstract: A vacuum system non-return valve has a baffle for extending across a flow path The baffle has an aperture, a perimeter of the aperture having a valve seat. The valve also has a valve member having a protrusion extending from a surface configured to mate with the valve seat, the protrusion extending through the aperture; wherein the protrusion includes a retaining portion extending outwardly from the protrusion and configured such that the retaining portion cannot pass through the aperture. The valve member and aperture are configured such that the valve member obscures the aperture and seals with the valve seat to impede a flow of fluid from an outlet end to an inlet end in a closed position and is displaceable in use to move away from the valve seat and allow a fluid flow from the inlet end to the outlet end in an open position.

Abstract: A multi-stage positive displacement vacuum pump and a method of differentially pumping multiple vacuum chambers using such a pump is disclosed. The pump comprises a housing for housing at least one rotor mounted for rotation on a corresponding at least one shaft and for pumping gas through the multiple stages for output through an exhaust. The housing comprises a first inlet configured to admit gas to an inlet stage of said vacuum pump, and a further inlet configured to admit gas to an intermediate stage of said vacuum pump. The pump is configured such that gas admitted through each of the first and further inlets is pumped together as a combined gas flow by at least one stage of said vacuum pump downstream of said intermediate stage.

Abstract: A pump cooling system may include a cooling body configured to be fitted to a pump housing to receive heat from the pump housing via a heat conducting path between the cooling body and pump housing. The cooling body may have a passage through which, in use, a cooling fluid is passed to conduct heat away from the cooling body. The pump cooling system includes a cooling control mechanism configured to provide a gap in the heat conducting path at pump operating temperatures below a predefined temperature so heat conduction from the pump housing to the cooling body is interrupted.

Abstract: An improved purge gas supply that is less susceptible to the shortcomings of known systems. The disclosure aims to reduce backflow or recirculation of pumped gases into the purge supply apparatus by providing an arrangement where the purge ports on a multistage vacuum pump contains purge gas at sufficient pressure to resist the backflow, particularly when the vacuum pump is operating outside of its ultimate pressure regime. Embodiments of the purge supply apparatus described herein do not necessarily need a non-return valve to resist the unwanted pump gas back-flow.

Abstract: A dry vacuum pump may include a stator which defines an internal chamber in which a rotor is rotationally mounted. A sensor is mounted to the stator and has an output connected to a processing circuit arranged to analyse the output of the sensor to determine the absolute distance between a point on the surface of the rotor and internal stator surface. The rotor to stator clearance can thus be accurately determined in real time during operation of the pump, so that the pump performance can be optimised over its serviceable life.

Abstract: A multi-stage positive displacement vacuum pump and a method of differentially pumping multiple vacuum chambers using such a pump is disclosed. The pump comprises a housing for housing at least one rotor mounted for rotation on a corresponding at least one shaft and for pumping gas through the multiple stages for output through an exhaust. The housing comprises a first inlet configured to admit gas to an inlet stage of said vacuum pump, and a further inlet configured to admit gas to an intermediate stage of said vacuum pump. The pump is configured such that gas admitted through each of the first and further inlets is pumped together as a combined gas flow by at least one stage of said vacuum pump downstream of said intermediate stage.

Abstract: A pump cooling system may include a cooling body configured to be fitted to a pump housing to receive heat from the pump housing via a heat conducting path between the cooling body and pump housing. The cooling body may have a passage through which, in use, a cooling fluid is passed to conduct heat away from the cooling body. The pump cooling system includes a cooling control mechanism configured to provide a gap in the heat conducting path at pump operating temperatures below a predefined temperature so heat conduction from the pump housing to the cooling body is interrupted.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method includes providing a graphical user interface (GUI) that allows a user working in a notebook computing system environment to generate a source notebook that includes a plurality of cells, each containing code, for the one or more visualizations each including a chart. The GUI allows the user to run the cells before creating the marketing analytic dashboard. The code used to generate the one or more visualizations into a custom dataframe is strung together into a custom dataframe, which is then paired with chart properties. Processing the pairs in an engine creates a preview of each visualization of the dashboard using campaign data of the customer. The marketing analytic dashboard is made available to the customer through a customer-facing marketing analytics application which performs the same processing as the engine to create visualizations on the dashboard using updated campaign data of the customer.

Abstract: A twin-shaft pump comprising: a pumping chamber; two rotatable shafts each mounted on bearings is disclosed. Each of the two rotatable shafts comprises at least one rotor element, the rotor elements being within the pumping chamber and the two rotatable shafts extending beyond the pumping chamber to a support member. The support member comprises mounting means for mounting the bearings at a predetermined distance from each other, the predetermined distance defining a distance between the two shafts. A thermal break between the pumping chamber and the support member is provided for impeding thermal conductivity between the pumping chamber and the support member, such that the pumping chamber and support member can be maintained at different temperatures. The support member and the rotor elements are formed of different materials, a coefficient of thermal expansion of a material forming the support member being higher than a coefficient of thermal expansion of a material forming the rotor elements.

Abstract: A dry vacuum pump may include a stator which defines an internal chamber in which a rotor is rotationally mounted. A sensor is mounted to the stator and has an output connected to a processing circuit arranged to analyse the output of the sensor to determine the absolute distance between a point on the surface of the rotor and internal stator surface. The rotor to stator clearance can thus be accurately determined in real time during operation of the pump, so that the pump performance can be optimised over its serviceable life.

Abstract: An improved purge gas supply that is less susceptible to the shortcomings of known systems. The disclosure aims to reduce backflow or recirculation of pumped gases into the purge supply apparatus by providing an arrangement where the purge ports on a multistage vacuum pump contains purge gas at sufficient pressure to resist the backflow, particularly when the vacuum pump is operating outside of its ultimate pressure regime. Embodiments of the purge supply apparatus described herein do not necessarily need a non-return valve to resist the unwanted pump gas back-flow.

Abstract: A system (100) for supplying an inert purge gas to a pumping arrangement (106) includes a plurality of flexible capillary tubes (102) each for conveying the gas from a respective outlet of a manifold (12) to a respective port (104) of the pumping arrangement (106). The internal diameter and length of each tube (102) control the gas flow rate to the respective port (104).

Abstract: A system (100) for supplying an inert purge gas to a pumping arrangement (106) includes a plurality of flexible capillary tubes (102) each for conveying the gas from a respective outlet of a manifold (12) to a respective port (104) of the pumping arrangement (106). The internal diameter and length of each tube (102) control the gas flow rate to the respective port (104).

Abstract: A conduit supplies a flow of gas to a sealed chamber surrounding the swept volume of a pump. The conduit comprises a flow impedance for limiting the rate of flow of the gas to the sealed chamber. Signals output from pressure transducers provided on either side of the flow impedance are used to detect leakage of gas from the sealed chamber into the pump swept volume, thus indicating the state of the seal surrounding the swept volume.

Abstract: A seal assembly comprising a main O-ring seal element for engaging in a fluid tight manner opposed surfaces of two objects to be sealingly connected together and a barrier element positioned to protect all or a substantial portion of the surface of the main O-ring seal element against contact by the fluid when passing through the seal assembly from one object to the other object.