Circulation pump for high purity gases at high pressures and a novel linear motor positioning system

Abstract

A clearance‐sealed piston pump has been developed which can be used to move high pressure gases in a closed loop for the purpose of purification, mixing, or phase equilibration. It has been designed primarily with the former role in mind, so that inert gases may be used in the preparation of high purity intermetallic compounds to suppress the evaporation of volatile constituents without introducing contamination. To this end, the device is made in such a way as to minimize outgassing, leakage, the formation of dead volumes, and the creation of debris. The pump is intended for use at pressures of up to 200 bar. Its structural materials are highly resistant to corrosion, and this should enable the device to be used with a wide variety of reactive gases. Flow rates of between 4.3 and 0.043 l min−1 can be sustained without difficulty using realistic loads, although larger and smaller ones are possible. The pump is capable of producing a head of 0.23 bar. A novel system has been developed for sensing and controlling the position of the piston. This makes it possible to monitor and vary the instantaneous flow rate while minimizing wear and vibration. The arrangement does not require the presence of a transducer or any kind of feedthrough in the clean, high pressure environment. It may find applications in other areas where positioning is needed under hostile or demanding conditions, such as inside ultrahigh vacuum apparatus.