Vacuum Booster Pumps: Cost Effective and Power Efficient

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Vacuum booster of capacity 800 m3/hr with 3 HP motor power was installed in series with the existing vacuum piston pump (ref. Fig. 3) to boost the system performance. Remarkable results that were obtained .

have been listed in the next few lines.

The booster pump improved the plant system vacuum, thereby the plant manager could easily regulate the column D.P. (Differential Pressure) to the desired limits, so as to get high purity product.

Rate of production increased substantially due to the high rate of evaporation and low reflux feed back.

The improved vacuum in the system prevented oxidation of residual products resulting in lower bottom product losses. œ Substantial saving in running cost was observed since the primary piston pump capacity requirement was reduced by 50 per cent, as major pumping at low pressures was done by the vacuum booster.

Practically zero vapour loss was achieved, since at the outlet of vacuum booster pump, vapour compression took place, and all the residual vapour could be condensed in the secondary condenser, which would earlier enter into the primary pump and affected its working performance.

Practically there was no contamination of primary pump oil demanding less frequent oil changes. This also resulted in savings of pump oil. The above advantages were made possible by merely introducing a booster in the existing system as no other major modification was required.

Low pressure compressor (Picture: Wikimedia Commons)

Vacuum Distillation Case Study

Booster installed for de-odourisation of vegetable oil In one of the existing vanaspati (Food & Beverage) units of batch capacity 10 MT, the plant was not getting the required product quality. Due to inadequate levels of vacuum, the total process of deodourisation was not taking place. A water ring pump of 7.5 HP was being used in the system with condenser to handle 100 Kg/hr of stripping steam load. The available steam was just sufficient for stripping, and no extra or surplus steam was available for installing additional steam ejector (ref. Fig. 4).

To get the required product quality, higher vacuum to the level of 740 mm of Hg was essential against the levels of 680-700 mm of Hg achieved. The available option was to install a steam ejector for which additional boiler and accessories were also required, since additional steam to the tune of 250-300 kg/hr was required. Also, additional steam would add to the condenser loading and hence need for a bigger condenser, cooling tower etc., were demanding a heavy capital investment.#

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