US Patent:
20130180596, Jul 18, 2013
Inventors:
Graham Thomas Legge - Philadelphia PA, US
Michael Andrew Galtry - Worthing, GB
Assignee:
EDWARDS LIMITED - CRAWLEY
International Classification:
F04F 3/00
Abstract:
The present invention relates to a vacuum system for evacuating a chamber of a metallurgical processing system. The system comprises a vacuum pumping arrangement for evacuating gas from the chamber, a foreline connecting the vacuum pumping arrangement to the chamber, a filter volume located in the foreline for filtering gas evacuated from the chamber along the foreline, and a by-pass line connecting the vacuum pumping arrangement to the chamber and arranged to by-pass the filter volume selectively dependent on monitored characteristics of the degassing chamber or the vacuum system.