Sealed Process Chamber

The demands for cleanliness of the process environment in the chemical industry, for biotechnology and medical engineering and especially in the semiconductor industry have increased significantly over the last years. Hermetically sealed process chambers fulfil these strict requirements. Moreover the process environment (concerning e.g. the processed media, temperature, pressure or vacuum) can be provided relatively simply and cost-efficiently. With the depicted hermetically sealed rotational system, additional advantages such as unmatched tightness, wear-free operation and mechanical durability are obtained. A contamination of the probes by evaporating lubricants of the bearings or by abraded particles is completely avoided in the shown setup.

The Linz Center of Mechatronics (LCM) and Levitronix GmbH work together to provide innovative solutions for such industrial problem statements. Especially the high demands concerning the smooth and vibration free movement of the rotor together with relatively large necessary air gaps (up to 1cm) make these research unique. Additionally, high acceleration of the rotor is necessary for high process output. The foto shows the bearingless segment motor developed at LCM. This magnetically levitated drive is characterized by its unique stator setup. The stator consists of single segments, which each hold a coil that generates both the bearing forces and the motor torque. These segments can be manufactured cost-effectively, they are easy to assemble and (especially in large scale machines) save space and weight.  

Research conducted at LCM in Cooperation with Levitronix GmbH and the Institute for electric drives and power electronics, Johannes Kepler University Linz.

Contact:
Wolfgang Gruber, Johannes Kepler University Linz