Patent ID: 6189176
Filing Date: 2001-02-20
Classification: B08B,C30B

Abstract:
A pump cleaning system for cleaning a dry vacuum pump on a crystal grower, the pump cleaning system comprising:a first gas valve for controlling a flow of a first gas into an inlet of the dry vacuum pump, the first gas valve permitting the first gas to flow into the inlet of the dry vacuum pump when the first gas valve is in an open position and preventing the first gas from flowing into the inlet of the dry vacuum pump when the first gas valve is in a closed position;a high pressure gas connection injecting a flow of high pressure gas to the inlet of the dry vacuum pump;a high pressure gas valve for controlling the flow of high pressure gas into the inlet of the dry vacuum pump, the high pressure gas valve permitting the high pressure gas to flow into the inlet of the dry vacuum pump when the high pressure gas valve is in an open position and preventing the high pressure gas from flowing into the inlet of the dry vacuum pump when the high pressure gas valve is in a closed position; anda controller that controls the first gas valve and the high pressure gas valve such that, during operation of the pump cleaning system and when the high pressure gas valve is in the open position, the first gas valve is in the closed position.