Adapter for vacuum-insulated lines
View Patent ↗A vacuum adapter for feeding-through vacuum-insulated coolant lines ( 11, 12, 22, 23 ) from the surrounding atmosphere into a vacuum processing installation has an intermediate volume ( 2 ) which is connected firstly to at least one insulation intermediate space ( 32, 33 ) of the vacuum-insulated feed lines and secondly to a vacuum pump. The pump capacity is available at least temporarily for evacuating the insulation intermediate space around the coolant lines ( 22, 23 ).
1. Vacuum processing installation with a vacuum room ( 1 ) and a vacuum adapter ( 4 ), wherein the vacuum adapter ( 4 ) is connected to a vacuum room ( 1 ), to coolant lines ( 11 , 12 , 22 , 23 ) in vacuum-insulated feed lines ( 30 , 31 ) and a vacuum pump, the vacuum adapter ( 4 ) comprising:
an enclosure defining an intermediate volume ( 2 ), the intermediate volume ( 2 ) being configured to fluidly connect to an insulation intermediate space ( 32 , 33 ) of the vacuum-insulated feed lines ( 30 , 31 ),
sealing devices ( 13 , 14 ) disposed in openings in the enclosure, the sealing devices ( 13 , 14 ) being adapted to fluidly isolate the intermediate volume ( 2 ) from the vacuum room ( 1 ), wherein the sealing devices ( 13 , 14 ) are configured to allow the coolant lines ( 11 , 12 ) to extend through the sealing devices ( 13 , 14 ), and
a pump neck ( 5 ) formed in the enclosure and configured to fluidly communicate with the intermediate volume ( 2 ), the pump neck being adapted to be connected with the vacuum pump ( 40 ),
wherein the sealing devices ( 13 , 14 ) are configured to provide a thermal barrier between the coolant lines ( 11 , 12 ) and the enclosure by preventing a direct contact between the coolant lines ( 11 , 12 ) and the enclosure, and at least one of the sealing devices is a bushing ( 14 ) attached to the enclosure and having a projection portion extending into the intermediate volume ( 2 ) to define an area around the coolant lines ( 11 , 12 ) that extends into the intermediate volume ( 2 ), the area configured to hinder heat conduction between the coolant lines ( 11 , 12 ) and the enclosure.
2. Vacuum processing installation according to claim 1 , characterized in that the enclosure has a pressure sensor in the intermediate volume ( 2 ) that is capable of displaying a drop in the insulation vacuum.
3. Vacuum processing installation according to claim 1 , wherein the vacuum-insulated feed lines ( 30 , 31 ) consist of an outer sleeve ( 20 , 21 ) in the form of a rigid or flexible conduit, a corrugated tube, an envelope or hose, and have an inner line as coolant line ( 22 , 23 ).
4. Vacuum processing installation according to claim 1 , wherein the vacuum adapter ( 4 ) is mounted on a wall of the vacuum processing installation by means of wall connectors ( 6 , 7 ) or is integrated in the wall of the vacuum processing installation.
5. Vacuum processing installation according to claim 1 , wherein the vacuum pump is a backing pump.
6. Vacuum processing installation with a vacuum room ( 1 ), coolant lines ( 11 , 12 , 22 , 23 ) and a vacuum adapter ( 4 ), wherein the vacuum adapter ( 4 ) is connected to the vacuum room ( 1 ), to the coolant lines ( 11 , 12 , 22 , 23 ) in vacuum-insulated feed lines ( 30 , 31 ) and to a vacuum pump, the vacuum adapter ( 4 ) comprising:
an enclosure defining an intermediate volume ( 2 ), the intermediate volume ( 2 ) being configured to fluidly connect to an insulation intermediate space ( 32 , 33 ) of the vacuum-insulated feed lines ( 30 , 31 ),
sealing devices ( 13 , 14 ) disposed in the enclosure, the sealing devices ( 13 , 14 ) being adapted to fluidly isolate the intermediate volume ( 2 ) from the vacuum room ( 1 ), wherein the sealing devices ( 13 , 14 ) are configured to allow the coolant lines ( 11 , 12 ) to extend through the sealing devices ( 13 , 14 ), and
a pump neck ( 5 ) formed in the enclosure and configured to fluidly communicate with the intermediate volume ( 2 ), the pump neck being adapted to be connected with the vacuum pump ( 40 ),
wherein the sealing devices ( 13 , 14 ) are configured to provide a thermal barrier between the coolant lines ( 11 , 12 ) and the enclosure by preventing a direct contact between the coolant lines ( 11 , 12 ) and the enclosure, and at least one of the sealing devices is a bushing ( 14 ) attached to the enclosure and having a projection portion extending into the intermediate volume ( 2 ) to define an area around the coolant lines ( 11 , 12 ) that extends into the intermediate volume ( 2 ), the area configured to hinder heat conduction between the coolant lines ( 11 , 12 ) and the enclosure.