Technical Information

Basic Principles for the Design of

Liquid Ring Vacuum Pumps and Compressors





Editor VTF - Dr. J nemann Replaces No. ---
Date August 1998 No. 120.70004.52.21E

4.3 Gas/Vapour Mixtures in General
The condensation effect occurs with all gas/vapour mixtures.
The cited equations for calculating influence factors
I
,
II
and
III
only apply, however, for
the compression of dry or water-vapour saturated air with water as the service liquid.



5 Service Liquid and Service Liquid Flow Passages

The liquid ring vacuum pump requires a continuous supply of service liquid to maintain its
liquid ring. The gas which is drawn in and compressed expels part of the service liquid
from the pumps discharge nozzle.
Since the intensive contact between the service liquid and pumped gas provides good
heat transfer, the liquid ring vacuum pump ensures virtually isothermal compression.
The drive power (coupling power) absorbed passes as compression heat into the service
liquid.

Q P
comp
= 3600 (27)
Q
kJ
h
comp
compression heat
P kW absorbed drive power

When vapour is drawn in, the service liquid also absorbs the corresponding compression
heat.

Q m r
cond K
= (28)
Q
kJ
h
cond
condensation heat flow rate
m
kg
h
K
mass flow of condensing vapour
r
kJ
kg
evaporation heat

Technical Information
Basic Principles for the Design of
Liquid Ring Vacuum Pumps and Compressors





Editor VTF - Dr. J nemann Replaces No. ---
Date August 1998 No. 120.70004.52.22E

When hot gases or vapours are pumped, it is important to take account of cooling to the
service liquids outlet temperature.

( ) Q m c t t
cool A p A V
= (29)
Q
kJ
h
cool
cooling heat flow rate
m
kg
h
A
mass flow rate of aspirated gas
c
kJ
kg K
p

specific heat of the gas

t
A
C temperature of the aspirated gas
t
V
C outlet temperature of the service liquid

The cooling heat flow rate can generally be ignored as the example calculation (section
8.5) shows.
If the aspirated gas is colder than the service liquid, Q
cool
becomes negative, i.e. heat is
extracted from the service liquid.
The situation is analogous if dry gas is drawn in and becomes saturated with the service
liquid. Q
cond
is then negative.
The heat balance for the liquid ring vacuum pump is:

Q Q Q Q
in comp cond cool
= + + (30)
The heat flow Q
in
is released when the pumped medium is drawn in and compressed
and must be discharged via the service liquid Q
out
.

Q Q
out in
= (31)
( ) Q m c t t
out B pB V B
=
t
B
C temperature of the service liquid at the pump
inlet
t
V
C temperature of the service liquid at the outlet
m
B
kg/h mass flow rate of the service liquid
c
pB

kJ
kg K
specific heat of the service liquid

Technical Information
Basic Principles for the Design of
Liquid Ring Vacuum Pumps and Compressors





Editor VTF - Dr. J nemann Replaces No. ---
Date August 1998 No. 120.70004.52.23E

The service liquid is generally fed to the pump under discharge pressure. As the suction
pressure decreases, the service liquid flow increases since the pump possesses an
approximately constant hydraulic resistance.
The catalogue sheets specify the volumetric flows for water as the service liquid as a
function of the suction pressure.
If the service liquid flow through the pump is known, the temperature of the service liquid
at the outlet can be calculated. The medium being pumped exists the pump at the same
temperature.
Liquid ring vacuum pumps offer various options for handling the service liquid.

5.1 Once Through Liquid Operation
The simplest but most expensive form of handling the service liquid used in liquid ring
vacuum pumps is once through liquid operation (Fig. 9).
Different versions are listed in the Vacuum Catalogue, Sheet A1, Figs. 1, 2 and 3.



Fig. 9: Once Through Liquid Operation

With this version, the temperature of the added service liquid t
F
is the same as that of the
service liquid at the inlet to the pump t
B
(t
B
=t
F
).

Technical Information
Basic Principles for the Design of
Liquid Ring Vacuum Pumps and Compressors





Editor VTF - Dr. J nemann Replaces No. ---
Date August 1998 No. 120.70004.52.24E

5.2 Combined Liquid Operation
Combined liquid operation (Fig. 10) is preferable to once through liquid operation since it
saves significant quantities of liquid. Various versions are included in the Vacuum
Catalogue, Sheet A1, Fig. 4, 5 and 6.




Fig. 10: Combined Liquid Operation


With this operating mode, part of the service liquid extracted from the gas in the separator
is routed back and mixed with cold service liquid in front of the pump. The service liquid
temperature t
B
is a mixture of the temperature at the discharge nozzle t
V
and the once
through liquid temperature t
F
.

Technical Information
Basic Principles for the Design of
Liquid Ring Vacuum Pumps and Compressors





Editor VTF - Dr. J nemann Replaces No. ---
Date August 1998 No. 120.70004.52.25E

The following apply:
V V
t t
t t
F B
V B
V F
=

(32)
V
m
h
F
3
once through liquid requirement in combined
operation
V
m
h
B
3
service liquid flow rate of the pump
(FB in catalogue sheets)
t
F
C temperature of the once through liquid
t
B
C temperature of the service liquid at the service
liquid connection
t
V
C temperature of the service liquid at the discharge
nozzle
5.3 Recirculation Flow Operation
Fig. 11 shows that the service liquid is routed around a closed circuit in recirculation flow
operation. After passing through the liquid ring vacuum pump, the service liquid travels
through a heat exchanger. 2 possible solutions for the system design are set out in the
Vacuum Catalogue, Sheet A1, Figs. 7 and 8.


Fig. 11: Recirculation Flow Operation
Technical Information
Basic Principles for the Design of
Liquid Ring Vacuum Pumps and Compressors





Editor VTF - Dr. J nemann Replaces No. ---
Date August 1998 No. 120.70004.52.26E

Depending on the circumstances, any condensate must either be removed from the
circuit or liquid which has evaporated through saturation of the pumped gases must be
replaced. The service liquid does not come into contact with the cooling medium. As a
result, this is a particularly environmentally-friendly operating mode for the liquid ring
vacuum pump.
The heat exchanger must be of adequate design to discharge the heat of compression
and, where appropriate, the condensation and cooling heat.

Note: An additional liquid pump is required for the service liquid circuit if the flow
resistance of the heat exchanger, including the pipes, exceeds 0.2 bar.



6 Special Applications for Liquid Ring Vacuum Pumps

SIHI liquid ring vacuum pumps are robust and are designed to handle even the most
arduous operating conditions.
Liquid ring vacuum pumps need not necessarily pump at atmospheric pressure. The
discharge pressure can be smaller or, to some extent, even larger. Where discharge
pressures are higher than atmospheric pressure, the shaft load will need to be
recalculated (absorded power).
The range of application of liquid ring vacuum pumps can be extended to handle smaller
pressures by connecting a gas ejector ahead of the pump.
SIHI gas ejector pumps can be used over a suction pressure range from 4 to 80 mbar.
SIHI lobular pumps can be used as an alternative to or in addition to the gas ejector pump
to extend the range further.
SIHI lobular pump assemblies, consisting of e.g. liquid ring vacuum pump, gas ejector
pump and lobular pump(s) can achieve suction pressures of 100 to 10
-3
mbar.
Liquid ring vacuum pumps are particularly popular in chemical process engineering
applications where they are used for a wide range of pumped gases and service liquids.
The physical properties of these substances (e.g. density, viscosity, solubility and vapour
pressure) must be taken into consideration when designing the pumps.