Liquid Ring Vacuum Pumps in Industrial Process Applications

This chapter begins with a discussion on the design and functional principle of liquid ring vacuum pumps (LRVPs). The main components of an LRVP are a cylindrical casing, casing cover discs, and an impeller with radial blades. The following requirements for the operating liquid result from the principle of operation and the design: (1) transfer of energy from the impeller to the medium to be compressed; (2) sealing of the cells in radial direction; (3) sealing of the gap between the impeller and the casing components; and (4) cooling and lubricating of the shaft sealing. The chapter also discusses vibration and noise emission, and selection aspects of LRVPs. It presents aspects that should be considered without fail in the interest of as long a running time as possible. The most frequent cause of failure by incorrect installation is the too high or even total flooding of the LRVP.