Patent ID: 7021888

Claim:
A vacuum pump evacuation system comprising: (a) a first stage comprising a turbofan comprising: (1) a fluid-containing housing having a fluid stream inlet and a fluid stream outlet; (2) a shaft rotatably mounted within said housing, said shaft having a longitudinal axis; (3) a plurality of fixed stator blades extending from said housing toward the longitudinal axis of said shaft, said stator blades longitudinally spaced between said turbofan fluid stream inlet and said turbofan fluid stream outlet; (4) a plurality of rotor blades extending radially from said shaft, said rotor blades rotatable about said shaft longitudinal axis, said rotor blades longitudinally spaced between said turbofan fluid stream inlet and said turbofan fluid stream outlet; and (b) a second stage comprising a turbomolecular pump having a fluid stream inlet and a fluid stream outlet, said turbomolecular pump inlet fluidly communicating with said turbofan outlet; whereby, upon rotation of said shaft about its longitudinal axis, said stator and rotor blades cooperate to impart an axial velocity to a fluid stream drawn into said turbofan fluid stream inlet, thereby directing a pressurized fluid stream from said turbofan fluid stream outlet to said turbomolecular pump fluid stream inlet.