A Vacuum Pump That Survives Freeze Dryer Applications

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This combination pump has proven to be quite effective in corrosive freeze dryer applications. ARUP Laboratories in Salt Lake City, Utah has been using the 72226-70 Rotary Vacuum Pump on one of their existing freeze dryer units for the past several months. This particular freeze dryer is in use nearly 24 hours a day, 7 days a week as they continuously process patient samples. As a result of the high usage, ARUP’s Bioengineering Department had to change the oil in their previous pump on a monthly basis; a four-to five-hour flushing and cleaning process that resulted in costly downtime for the freeze dryer. They have now been operating the new pump for over six months without needing a single oil change. Expectations for oil maintenance on the Combination Vacuum Pump in this application is once per year, greatly reducing the maintenance costs associated with the freeze dryer.

If we assume some very reasonable values for maintenance costs, we can calculate the savings ARUP has realized through the addition of the Combination Vacuum Pump versus the standard rotary vane pump they previously used.

Maintenance Costs
Standard Rotary Vane Pump:
Bioengineering Labor: $100 / Hour
Labor and Downtime: 4 Hours
Downtime Cost to Production: $150/Hour
Cost of Replacement Oil: $15
Cost of Oil Disposal: $10
Annual Number of Oil Changes: 12
(($100 x 4) + ($150 x 4) + $15 + $10) x 12 = $12,300 / yr
Pump (72226-70):
Bioengineering Labor: $100 / Hour
Labor and Downtime: 4 Hours
Downtime Cost to Production: $150/Hour
Cost of Replacement Oil: $15
Cost of Oil Disposal: $10
Annual Number of Oil Changes: 1
(($100 x 4) + ($150 x 4) + $15 + $10) x 1 = $1,025 / yr

With a purchase price of $5,031, the Rotary Vacuum Pump (72226-70) has a payoff of less than 6 months through the reduction in maintenance costs. The increased life of the oil also results in a longer lasting pump, which allows to safely offer a two year-warranty with the 72226-60, -65, -70, -75, -85 vacuum pumps.