Edwards nEXT240D-TurbomolecularPump-Manual 3
Edwards nEXT240D-TurbomolecularPump-Manual 3
Edwards nEXT240D-TurbomolecularPump-Manual 3
Issue C Original
Instruction Manual
declare under our sole responsibility, as manufacturer and person within the EU authorised to assemble
the technical file, that the product(s)*
to which this declaration relates is in conformity with the following standard(s) or other normative
document(s)
EN ISO 12100-2: 2003 Safety of Machinery. Basic Concepts, General Principles for
+ A1: 2009 Design. Technical Principals
EN1012-2:1996, A1: 2009 Compressors and Vacuum Pumps. Safety Requirements.
Vacuum Pumps
EN61010-1: 2001 Safety Requirements for Electrical Equipment for Measurement,
Control and Laboratory Use. General Requirements
EN 61326-1: 2006 Electrical equipment for measurement, control and laboratory
Use. EMC requirements. General requirements.
C22.2 61010-1-04: 2004 Safety requirements for electrical equipment for measurement,
Control and laboratory use – Part 1: General requirements
UL61010A: 2002 Safety requirements for electrical equipment for measurement,
Control and laboratory use – Part 1: General requirements
* The material numbers cover a family of pumps where the following component features may vary according to the
variant; ‘X’ denotes combinations of variants of the geometry of pump inlet ports, geometry or position of exhaust
port and the material and geometry of the pump casing.
†
The product(s) contain less than - 0.1wt% for hexavalent chromium, lead, mercury, PBB and PBDE; 0.01wt% for
cadmium - in homogeneous materials (subject to the exemptions allowed by the Directive). This information
relates only to products sold on or after the date of this certificate. Edwards has taken all reasonable steps to
confirm this statement, which is based mainly on information from our suppliers. Whilst the RoHS Directive does
not legally apply to this vacuum equipment, we recognize that component compliance is relevant to many of our
customers.
Note: This declaration covers all product serial numbers from the date this Declaration was signed
onwards.
P200-03-600 Issue C
9 December 2009
This product has been manufactured under a quality system registered to ISO9001
B800-00-880 Issue C
Contents
Contents
Section Page
1 Introduction ....................................................................................... 1
1.1 Scope and definitions ................................................................................................... 1
1.2 General description ..................................................................................................... 2
1.3 Pump controller .......................................................................................................... 3
1.4 Operational features .................................................................................................... 3
1.4.1 Power limit setting ...................................................................................................... 3
1.4.2 Standby speed ............................................................................................................ 4
1.4.3 Timer ...................................................................................................................... 4
1.4.4 Analogue output ......................................................................................................... 4
1.4.5 Automatic vent options ................................................................................................. 4
1.4.6 Normal speed setting .................................................................................................... 5
1.5 Logic interface ........................................................................................................... 5
1.5.1 Parallel control and monitoring ....................................................................................... 5
1.5.2 Serial control and monitoring .......................................................................................... 6
1.5.3 Serial control with parallel monitoring ............................................................................... 6
1.5.4 Parallel control with serial monitoring or serial configuration ................................................... 6
1.5.5 Controller configuration (serial configuration) ...................................................................... 6
3 Installation ....................................................................................... 29
3.1 Unpack and inspect .....................................................................................................29
3.2 Typical installation .....................................................................................................29
3.3 Connection to the vacuum system ................................................................................... 30
3.3.1 Inlet-screen (supplied fitted on CF only) ............................................................................ 31
3.3.2 Mechanical fixing .......................................................................................................31
3.3.3 Inlet-connection and orientation ..................................................................................... 31
3.3.4 Base mounting ...........................................................................................................32
3.3.5 Backing connection .....................................................................................................32
3.3.6 Interstage connection (variants only) ............................................................................... 33
3.4 Purge gas connection ...................................................................................................33
3.4.1 Connect the purge gas .................................................................................................33
3.4.2 Recommended purge gas flow ........................................................................................ 33
3.5 Electrical installation ..................................................................................................33
3.5.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................. 33
3.5.2 Earth (ground) connections ...........................................................................................34
3.5.3 Connect the logic interface to the TIC .............................................................................. 34
3.5.4 Connect the logic interface to your control equipment ..........................................................34
dcs/8831/12/10
4 Operation ........................................................................................ 51
4.1 Configuring the nEXT pump using serial commands ...............................................................51
4.1.1 Power limit setting .....................................................................................................51
4.1.2 Powering a fan from the Controller .................................................................................. 52
4.1.3 Controlled venting options ............................................................................................52
4.1.4 Standby speed setting ..................................................................................................53
4.1.5 Normal speed setting ...................................................................................................53
4.1.6 Timer setting and options .............................................................................................54
4.1.7 Analogue signal options ................................................................................................55
4.1.8 Factory settings ......................................................................................................... 55
4.1.9 Assigning a multi-drop address ....................................................................................... 55
4.2 Configuring the nEXT pump using a TIC ............................................................................. 56
4.3 Before starting the pump ..............................................................................................57
4.3.1 Close the vent valve ....................................................................................................57
4.3.2 Pre-start checks ......................................................................................................... 57
4.4 Operation with parallel control and monitoring ................................................................... 58
4.4.1 Start the pump ..........................................................................................................58
4.4.2 Running at standby speed .............................................................................................58
4.4.3 Stop the pump ...........................................................................................................58
4.4.4 Parallel monitoring .....................................................................................................58
4.5 Operation with serial control and monitoring ...................................................................... 58
4.5.1 Delayed start ............................................................................................................ 58
4.5.2 Start the pump ..........................................................................................................59
4.5.3 Standby speed ...........................................................................................................59
4.5.4 Stop the pump ...........................................................................................................59
4.5.5 Temperature readings .................................................................................................59
4.5.6 Link parameter readings ...............................................................................................60
4.5.7 Measured motor speed .................................................................................................60
4.6 Mixed parallel and serial operation .................................................................................. 60
4.7 Operation with a TIC ...................................................................................................62
4.8 Decelerating and venting ..............................................................................................62
4.9 Operation at extreme conditions ..................................................................................... 63
4.9.1 Operation with high inlet pressure ................................................................................... 63
4.9.2 Operation at high temperatures ...................................................................................... 63
4.9.3 Protection against over-speed ........................................................................................ 63
4.9.4 Electrical supply failure ...............................................................................................64
4.10 Bakeout ................................................................................................................... 64
5 Maintenance ..................................................................................... 67
5.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................. 67
5.2 Bearing and oil cartidge maintenance ............................................................................... 67
5.3 Rotor life ................................................................................................................. 67
Contents
5.4 Clean the external surfaces of the pump ........................................................................... 67
5.5 Fault finding ............................................................................................................. 68
5.5.1 Flashing service codes .................................................................................................71
5.5.2 Decoding service status words ........................................................................................ 71
5.5.3 Controller run time .....................................................................................................72
5.5.4 Pump run time ..........................................................................................................72
5.5.5 Pump cycles ............................................................................................................. 72
5.5.6 Bearing run time ........................................................................................................73
5.5.7 Oil cartridge run time ..................................................................................................73
5.5.8 Flashing error codes ....................................................................................................73
5.5.9 Decoding system status words ........................................................................................ 74
5.5.10 Useful service information ............................................................................................76
Index .............................................................................................. 87
For return of equipment, complete the HS Forms at the end of this manual.
Illustrations
Figure Page
1 nEXT240 performance curve .......................................................................................... 14
2 nEXT300 performance curve .......................................................................................... 14
3 nEXT400 performance curve .......................................................................................... 15
4 nEXT 240 dimensions (mm) ............................................................................................16
5 nEXT 300 dimensions (mm) ............................................................................................18
6 nEXT 400 dimensions (mm) ............................................................................................20
7 Max allowed rate of pressure rise during venting: pressure against time (pump initially at full speed) .. 22
8 Interface circuits for nEXT turbo pump controllers ...............................................................26
Tables
Table Page
1 Power limits .............................................................................................................. 3
2 General data .............................................................................................................. 9
3 nEXT 240 pumps technical data ...................................................................................... 10
4 nEXT 300 pumps technical data ...................................................................................... 11
5 nEXT 400 pumps technical data ...................................................................................... 12
6 nEXT pumps technical data ...........................................................................................13
7 Vent gas specification and vent control ............................................................................. 22
8 Purge gas specification ................................................................................................23
9 Cooling water specification ...........................................................................................23
10 Logic interface technical data ........................................................................................ 24
11 Logic interface connector pins ....................................................................................... 25
12 Controller technical data ..............................................................................................27
13 Indicator LED’s ..........................................................................................................28
14 Operating and storage environment ................................................................................. 28
15 Checklist of components ...............................................................................................29
16 Summary of commands that can be sent to the nEXT pump .....................................................42
17 Command abbreviations ...............................................................................................43
18 Error codes ............................................................................................................... 44
19 Vent options ............................................................................................................. 48
20 Vent-restrictor orifice diameter (with atmospheric pressure at the inlet of the vent-valve) ..............48
21 Power limit setting .....................................................................................................51
22 Analogue signal options ................................................................................................55
23 Serial enable matrix ....................................................................................................61
24 Behaviour of a pump when the power is re-instated after an electrical supply failure .....................65
25 Fault finding ............................................................................................................. 68
26 Flashing service codes .................................................................................................71
27 Service flags ............................................................................................................. 71
28 Flashing error codes ....................................................................................................73
29 Hexadecimal conversion table ........................................................................................ 74
30 Status flag ................................................................................................................ 75
31 Example decoding of system status words .......................................................................... 76
32 Service tool kits .........................................................................................................79
33 Service kits .............................................................................................................. 80
34 Inlet-screens ............................................................................................................. 80
35 Inlet-strainers ...........................................................................................................80
36 Inlet-flange seals and integrated inlet screens .................................................................... 80
37 NW16 and NW25 ports ..................................................................................................81
38 ACX air-cooler ...........................................................................................................81
39 WCX water-cooler ......................................................................................................81
Contents
40 BX bakeout band ........................................................................................................82
41 TAV vent-valve and vent-port adaptor .............................................................................. 82
42 Vent restrictors .........................................................................................................82
43 Vent-port adaptor ......................................................................................................83
44 PRX purge-restrictor ....................................................................................................83
45 C-clamp adaptor tool kit ..............................................................................................83
46 C-clamp adaptor port kit ..............................................................................................83
Introduction
1 Introduction
1.1 Scope and definitions
This manual provides installation, operation, maintenance and storage instructions for the Edwards nEXT
Turbomolecular Pumps. You must use the nEXT pumps as specified in this manual. If you do not, the protection
provided by the nEXT pumps may be impaired.
Read this manual before you install and operate the nEXT pump. Important safety information is highlighted as
WARNING and CAUTION instructions; you must obey these instructions. The use of WARNINGS and CAUTIONS is defined
below.
WARNING
Warnings are given where failure to observe the instruction could result in injury or death to
people.
CAUTION
Cautions are given where failure to observe the instruction could result in damage to the equipment, associated
equipment and process
The units used throughout this manual conform to the SI international system of units of measurement; where
appropriate US equivalent units of measurement are also given. When flow rates are specified, the abbreviation
‘sccm’ is used to mean standard cubic centimetres per minute. This is a flow of 1 cm3 min-1 at an ambient temperature
of 0 ºC and a pressure of 1013 mbar (1.013 x 105 Pa).
In accordance with standard EN61010, the following warning label appears on the nEXT pump:
WARNING
Improper use of the equipment could cause damage to it or injury to people. The user is
responsible for the safe operation, installation and monitoring of the system.
WARNING
The drive contains electrolytic capacitors and, under certain fault conditions, may emit dangerous
fumes. Ensure that the drive is operated in a well-ventilated area.
CAUTION
Do not attempt to separate the controller from the pump since this will cause damage to the electrical
connections.
The nEXT pumps consist of the turbomolecular pump with a permanently attached controller containing drive
electronics.
The controller controls the electrical supply to the pump with the exception of standby speed control. It has no
manual controls and can only be operated through the logic interface. To operate the nEXT pump you must connect
it to your own control equipment and power supply or alternatively use the Edwards TIC Turbo Instrument Controller
or TIC Turbo Controller.
z The ‘D’ or ‘Duplex’ variant contains turbomolecular blades and a drag mechanism allowing operation at
higher backing pressures than pure turbomolecular pumps.
z The ‘T’ or ‘Triplex’ variant contains turbomolecular blades, a drag mechanism and a regenerative
mechanism. The regenerative stage offers the option to utilise ‘boost’ mode.
Also available is an ‘iD’ or ‘iT’ interstage variant, which provides an interstage port between the turbomolecular
blades and drag mechanism. For SEM and TEM applications, an ‘L’ variant is available, which offers considerably lower
vibration and stray magnetic field emissions.
nEXT pumps are supplied with an inlet-screen fitted into the centering O-ring for ISO version pumps and into envelope
for CF version pumps. nEXT pumps with an NW25 interstage port are supplied with an inlet-strainer that fits into the
interstage-port. The inlet-screen and inlet-strainer protect the pump against damage that would be caused by debris
entering the pump.
The nEXT pumps have a vent-port for venting the pump and vacuum system to atmospheric pressure. The pump is
supplied with a manual vent-valve fitted; this can be replaced with a TAV5 or TAV6 solenoid-operated vent-valve
(available as accessories – refer to Section 7). The TAV valve can be directly controlled by the on-board controller.
The nEXT pumps have a purge-port: an inert purge gas can be introduced to protect the bearing and motor from
corrosion. An optional vent-port adapter and purge restrictor can be fitted to the purge-port to control the flow rate
of the purge gas and to filter the gas supply. (Refer to Section 7).
Air-coolers and a water-cooling block are available as optional accessories to cool the nEXT pumps. (Refer to
Section 7).
Introduction
1.3 Pump controller
The pump controller contains the drive electronics that control the pump operation and the TAV vent valve. There
is a connector socket on the side of the controller where the TAV vent valve can be plugged-in. (Refer to Section 2.9)
The controller has three indicator LED’s that signal the general status, operation and service status of the pump, that
can also be used for fault finding if a problem should occur. (Refer to Section 2.10)
The drive electronics system has a number of built-in safety features to protect the nEXT pumps from damage in the
event of sustained high pressure or temperature:
z The electronics constantly monitors the temperature inside the controller and the temperature of the motor
within the pump. If either part becomes too hot, the controller reduces the power supplied to the pump
motor and the pump speed will drop. If the pump rotational speed falls below 50% full speed, the electronics
may trip into a Fail condition, depending on how you have configured the system. (Refer to Section 1.4.3).
z If the nEXT pump's inlet pressure increases, the power supplied to the pump-motor increases to counteract
the gas frictional load. However, when the built-in maximum power limit is reached, the speed of the pump
will start to drop. If the pump rotational speed falls below 50% full speed, the electronics may trip into Fail
condition, depending on how the system has been configured. (Refer to Section 1.4.3).
z In the event of an electrical supply failure, the controller uses the motor within the pump as a generator.
This means the nEXT pumps have their own regenerative supply and do not require a separate battery for
emergency power back-up. The regenerated energy is used to maintain the electrical supply to the controller
and any vent valve or fan attached to the controller connector until the pump speed falls to below 50 % of
full rotational speed: this will ensure that the vent valve remains shut until below 50 % of full rotational
speed and will prevent the pump from venting at full speed. It also ensures that the serial link and signals on
the parallel interface remain active until the pump speed falls below 50 %.
OEM supplied pumps may have drive parameters and default user-selectable settings which differ from those stated
in this instruction manual in order to suit certain process requirements. Please contact the OEM in the first instance
for further information and advice.
You can select the maximum power that will be drawn by the pump (refer to Section 4.1.1). The more power you
supply, the quicker the pump will accelerate to reach full speed. Therefore if your application requires fast cycling,
you should set the power limit to the maximum value. If ramp time is not important in your application, you can use
a lower power limit, down to a minimum value, refer to Table 1.
Maximum value
Pump Standard default setting Minimum value setting
setting
nEXT240, nEXT300 and nEXT400 160 W 200 W 50 W
You must make sure that the power supply you use is capable of delivering sufficient power to the nEXT pump. By
choosing a lower power limit setting, you could use a smaller power supply. For more information, refer to
Section 2.7.
In standby mode the pump rotational speed is lower than the full rotational speed. The default setting for standby
speed is 70 % of full speed. Note that in order to run at standby speed, the pump must also be in the start condition.
If your application does not require the pump to be running at maximum speed at all times, you can use the standby
speed feature rather than switching the pump off. This feature can be used for vacuum system tuning or as a system
power saving option.
1.4.3 Timer
When the pump is started, an internal timer is automatically started within the drive electronics. The default timer
setting is 8 minutes. If the pump fails to reach 50% of full rotational speed within the timeout period, the controller
will signal a Fail and will decelerate the pump to rest. This feature prevents the controller from driving the pump at
maximum power for a long time. The pump may fail to reach 50% speed if the gas load is too high (for example if
there is a leak in the system), if the backing pump fails, or if the pump is too hot.
The timeout period is a user-selectable feature (refer to Section 4.1.6), so if your application requires the pump to
ramp up slowly, you can extend the timeout period. The timer is permanently enabled for ramp-up.
The timer has an additional function: if the pump rotational speed drops below 50 % full speed for any reason, you
may wish to allow the pump time to recover rather than trigger a fail condition. The timer starts as soon as the speed
drops to below 50 % full speed. If, during the timeout period, the pump recovers to above 50 % full speed then the
timer will be reset. If the pump rotational speed fails to recover by the end of the timeout period, the controller will
trigger a fail condition and will decelerate the pump to rest. When you receive the pump, the timer function will be
enabled, however you can disable it if you wish to. With the timer disabled, the pump will fail and decelerate to rest
as soon as pump rotational speed falls below 50 %.
The pump controller produces an analogue output that allows you to monitor four different system parameters:
The analogue output signal ranges from 0 to 10 V and is directly proportional to the system parameter (refer to
Section 2.8).
Connect the analogue output to a suitable meter or indicator to display the appropriate system parameter or connect
to your control equipment (for example, to operate other components in the pumping system at preset values).
You can only monitor one system parameter at a time using the analogue output. However, it is easy to configure the
controller to monitor a different system parameter (refer to Section 4.1.7).
An Edwards TAV vent valve can be connected directly to the nEXT pump’s controller. The controller is capable of
providing a number of different venting options.
The drive electronics can control the rate of venting. Using this feature the pump can be vented from full rotational
speed in a controlled manner that will not damage the pump bearings. Once the pump rotational speed has dropped
to below 50 % of maximum speed, it is safe to hard vent (open the vent valve fully).
Introduction
There are many venting options available to you, such as:
z Controlled vent when above 50 % speed and hard vent below 50 % speed
Controlled venting gives the benefit of a quicker ramp down time by controlling the vent rate through a single large
orifice across the pump speed range. A full list of the venting options is given in Section 3.9
In addition there is a feature that allows a delayed start of the nEXT pump. With this feature you can close the vent
valve before you start the nEXT pump. This allows the backing pump to reduce the pressure in the vacuum system
before starting the nEXT pump.
If you do not wish to use the controller to control a TAV vent valve, you could use it to run a fan instead. You can
configure the controller so that the fan is permanently enabled.
The normal speed is a user-selectable parameter that can be set anywhere from 50% to 100% of full rotational speed.
When the pump reaches normal speed, a signal is available on the Normal pin of the logic interface connector. You
can use this signal to control your application since it shows that pump speed, and therefore vacuum performance,
has reached a specific minimum level. The default setting is 80% of full rotational speed. Refer to Section 4.1.5 for
instructions on altering the normal speed setting.
z Control inputs: these are switch-type signals that are used to control the pump
The logic interface has been designed to support both serial and parallel control and monitoring, operating through
one connector. For serial control either RS232 (default) or RS485 can be selected using the RS485/RS232 slide switch
located on the controller (refer to Section 3.7).
The logic interface can be plugged directly into the Edwards TIC Turbo Controller or TIC Turbo Instrument Controller
and then use the functionality that they provide. Alternatively, the logic interface can be connected to a customers
own control system. The most useful arrangements are described in the sections below.
For more information about the logic interface, refer to Section 2.8.
The simple parallel interface is a quick and easy way to control the pump; this is the same interface used on existing
24 V Edwards Turbo Pumps. The controls that are available to use are start and standby. You can monitor the system
status using the normal, fail and analogue output signals.
Note: The serial enable switch MUST be open (no connection) and the slide switch must be in the RS232 position
(refer to Section 3.7).
Refer to Section 3.6 for more detailed instructions of how to use the parallel interface.
A system operating with only a parallel connection has no facility to adjust the configuration settings stored in the
controller (for example, power limit setting or controlled venting options). This would place a restriction in that all
these features would be at their factory default settings. It is possible to manually adjust the standby speed if standby
mode is selected. However, the controller could be configured separately before fitting the nEXT pump to the
system. This is covered in more detail in Section 1.5.5.
The serial communications link provides complete control and monitoring by using just three signal lines. The serial
data lines share the same connector pins as the parallel signals standby and fail. The serial data lines can be
configured to provide an RS485 compliant or RS232 compatible interface by setting the position of the slide switch
(refer to Section 3.7)
The serial enable signal MUST be linked to 0 V for the system to accept commands from the serial link. This is a safety
feature and acts as an interlock. For pure serial control the parallel start signal will be left unconnected.
The controller will still provide the normal and analogue signals on the logic interface connector even when operating
under serial control. The status of the normal signal and the value of the system parameter on the analogue output
can also be obtained by interrogating the system status via the serial link.
For more information about the serial interface, refer to Section 3.7.
Since normal and analogue signals remain available even using serial control, it is possible to control the pump via
the serial link whilst monitoring these signals in the parallel interface.
The serial link uses the same connector pins as the parallel signals standby and fail so these parallel control and
monitoring signals are not available. The serial enable signal MUST be linked to 0 V and the parallel start signal will
be left unconnected.
This method of control is best for users who normally wish to operate the pump in parallel control mode but
occasionally want to adjust the configuration settings stored in the controller or to monitor operational status of the
pump via the serial link.
The serial enable signal must be linked to 0 V for serial communications to take place. Whilst operating under parallel
control with the serial link active, the parallel start control signal is available (as described in Section 1.5.1.) but the
standby control line is not since it is used as a serial data line.
If the serial enable line is deactivated at any time whilst the RS485/RS232 slide switch is in the RS232 position, the
serial link should also be disconnected. We suggest that you make a special cable for serial communications that
includes a link between serial enable and 0 V. This way, serial enable is automatically activated when the cable is
connected and then deactivated when the cable is removed.
All the configuration settings stored within the controller are retained even when power to the nEXT pump is
removed. This means that it is possible to use a separate system to configure the controller before fitting the nEXT
pump to your application. This gives the benefit of tailoring the pump functionality to a customer application and
allows the pump to be operated using a simple parallel interface system.
To configure the nEXT pump, either use your own simple serial system or use the Edwards TIC Turbo Controller or
Turbo Instrument Controller. The TICs have a feature which allows storage of a nEXT pump’s configuration. The
configuration can then be downloaded to another nEXT pump. This is useful when configuring a number of nEXT
pumps with the same settings before they are fitted to a system.
Introduction
Note: The RS485/RS232 slide switch must be in the (default) RS232 position if the TIC is to be used to configure
the nEXT pump. Refer to Section 3.7.1.
The TIC is supplied with a WindowsTM based PC program which allows the nEXT pump to be configured from a single
PC. The program has a simple user interface which means that it is not necessary to use the ASCII message protocol
described in Section 3.7. The TIC PC program has a facility to save multiple nEXT pump configurations which can then
be downloaded into other nEXT pumps.
Technical data
2 Technical data
2.1 General
WARNING
Vent dangerous gases and gas mixtures safely, do not expose people to these gases. If pumping
hazardous gases or vapours, observe the safety recommendations of the supplier of the gas/
vapour.
WARNING
Do not use the nEXT pump to pump pyrophoric or explosive gas mixtures, as it is not suitable for
this purpose. The pump and its connections are not designed to contain an explosion.
WARNING
In the interstage and booster versions of the nEXT pumps, gas pumped through the interstage port
will mix with gas pumped through the pump inlet. Ensure that the gases will not react or combine
to form dangerous gases and substances.
WARNING
Do not exceed the maximum continuous operating pressure. Doing so can result in dangerous rotor
temperatures and will shorten the life of the pump.
WARNING
Do not expose any part of the human body to vacuum.
WARNING
Do not use a nEXT pump to pump mercury vapour and do not allow mercury (for example, from a
McLeod gauge) to come into contact with the pump. If you do, the pump rotor may corrode and fail.
The pumps are designed to pump the following residual gases normally used in high-vacuum systems:
You can use the pump to pump oxygen and water vapour, subject to the following conditions:
z Oxygen – when the pump is purged by an inert gas, oxygen can be pumped at concentrations above 20% by
volume. Refer to Section 2.4 for Purge gas specification. However, if the pump is not purged, the oxygen
concentration must be less than 20% by volume.
z Water vapour - you must ensure that vapour does not condense inside the pump; refer to Section 3.10.3.
If you wish to pump a gas not in the list above, contact your supplier for advice. If you do not contact your supplier,
you may invalidate the warranty on the pump. The pump is not suitable for pumping aggressive or corrosive gases.
Technical data
Table 3 - nEXT 240 pumps technical data (continued)
Ultimate pressure* <6 x 10-8 mbar <5 x 10-10 mbar <6 x 10-8 mbar <5 x 10-10 mbar
*
Ultimate pressure 48 hours after bakeout for CF version and without bakeout for ISO version with 2-stage
rotary vane backing pump.
Ultimate pressure* <1 x 10-8 mbar <1 x 10-10 mbar <1 x 10-8 mbar <2 x 10-10 mbar
* Ultimate pressure 48 hours after bakeout for CF version and without bakeout for ISO version with 2-stage
rotary vane backing pump.
Technical data
Table 6 - nEXT pumps technical data
Technical data
Figure 3 - nEXT400 performance curve
Technical data
Figure 4 - nEXT 240 dimensions (mm) - figure legend
Technical data
Figure 5 - nEXT 300 dimensions (mm) - figure legend
Technical data
Figure 6 - nEXT 400 dimensions (mm) - figure legend
Figure 7 - Max allowed rate of pressure rise during venting: pressure against time (pump initially at full speed)
Technical data
2.4 Purge gas specification
Aluminium alloys, stainless steels, fluoroelastomer and nitrile O-rings, hydrocarbon lubricant, rare earth
magnets, silicon nitride, carbon-fibre reinforced epoxy resin, fire retardant polypropylene, polyamide, PVC,
Titanium, Silicon, Torlon and Ceramic.
If you wish to use your own system, the size of the power supply required depends on your application. The power
limit setting determines how quickly you can ramp up the pump and dictates the size of power supply you will need.
If you have serial communications capability, or have access to an Edwards TIC, you can select the power limit setting
of the nEXT pump. Refer to Table 10 for the maximum power limit settings for nEXT pumps. If your application
requires rapid cycling of the pump, you can achieve faster ramp times if you use a power supply that delivers higher
current, up to a maximum in accordance with Table 10
If you do not have the facility to adjust the power limit setting, you must use a power supply capable of delivering
enough current to meet the Edwards factory default power limit setting, shown in Table 10.
If you intend to drive the nEXT pump using an Edwards TIC, be aware that there are several variants. Contact Edwards
to determine which is most suitable for your application.
Technical data
Table 10 - Logic interface technical data (continued)
Technical data
2.9 Controller connector socket
The nEXT pump has a 3-way controller connector socket in the side of the controller. When you receive the pump,
this connector will be concealed by a black protective cover. If you intend to use the connector, this cover should
be removed by levering with a small screwdriver. The mating plug for this connector is supplied with the pump.
The connector is intended to drive a vent valve or fan connected to the three pins. The connector mating plug is
shown in Figure 9, with the polarity of the pins marked when the vent valve/fan is energised.
The 24 Vdc output on the controller connector is protected against overload or short circuit to 0 Vdc/24 Vdc Rtn/
chassis. The output is guaranteed to supply the current given in Table 12, but for higher currents the output voltage
will be reduced and may turn off completely to limit current.
Description Data
Connector plug Phoenix part number FK-MC1881338
Voltage output 24 V d.c. -25%, +10% (18 V dc to 26.4 Vdc)
Current output 500 mA
LED Description
Normal LED This green LED remains on all the time that the pump
rotational speed is above the normal speed setting,
irrespective of whether the pump is accelerating or
decelerating.
Status LED This yellow LED flashes with a 50 % duty cycle at the
rotational frequency of the pump motor. At high speeds
it appears continuously on.
The LED switches off when the rotational speed is very
low or stopped.
If a service is due, this LED flashes in a sequence to
indicate which service operation is required. Refer to
Section 5.5.
Alarm LED This red LED flashes in a sequence to indicate an error
code if a fail condition is preventing pump operation.
The error codes can be used for fault finding as
described in Section 5.5.
Note: If an external electrical load is connected to the Normal output line, the normal LED may illuminate.
Range Data
Ambient operating temperature range 5 °C to 40 °C
Ambient operating humidity range 10 to 90 % RH (non-condensing)
Maximum operating altitude 3000 m
Ambient storage temperature range -30 °C to 70 °C
Installation
3 Installation
WARNING
The controller cable should not be used as a lifting device. Do not attempt to lift or support the
pump using the cable.
WARNING
Take care and use safe lifting practices when manually handling the pump.
WARNING
The inlet screen is a coarse filter for debris and should not be used as a finger guard.
Take care when you unpack the pump to avoid excessive shocks that could damage the bearings and reduce the life
of the pump. The pump is supplied with the inlet and outlet sealed to prevent entry of dust and vapour. Do not
remove these seals until you are ready to install the pump on your vacuum system.
Remove all packing materials and check the pump. If the pump is damaged, notify your supplier and the carrier in
writing within three days; state the Item Number of the pump together with your order number and your supplier's
invoice number. Retain all packing materials for inspection. Do not use the pump if it is damaged.
Check that your package contains the items listed in Table 15. If any of these items is missing, notify your supplier
in writing within three days.
If the pump is not to be used immediately, store the pump in suitable conditions, following the procedure described
in Section 6.1.
Do not discard the packing materials; retain them to re-package the pump should you need to return it for service.
The accessories available for the nEXT pumps are detailed in Section 7.4; the accessories are shown in Figure 20
and 21.
WARNING
Ensure that all wires and piping are routed appropriately to avoid the risk of tripping.
WARNING
Install the pump in the vacuum system before the logic interface cable is connected to the control
equipment and before the electrical supply is connected. This will ensure that the pump cannot
operate accidentally causing injury.
We recommend that the system is leak tested after installation has been completed.
Installation
3.3.1 Inlet-screen (supplied fitted on CF only)
WARNING
Removal of the inlet-screen will expose the risk of injury from sharp edges.
Do not remove the inlet-screen unless you can be sure that there is no danger that debris can fall into the pump. If
the inlet-screen is removed, the pumping speed will increase by up to 10 % for course and 20 % for fine inlet screens.
Do not remove the inlet-screen until you are ready to mount the pump onto your system, since the screen protects
the pump from contamination.
To remove the inlet-screen from a pump with CF inlet-flange, use a bent wire hook or small screwdriver to carefully
lever the inlet-screen out from the inlet-flange.
To replace an inlet-screen, locate it as centrally as possible over the CF inlet-flange and then, with your fingers
spread evenly around the edge of the screen, push it firmly downwards. If they are not already in place, the tangs
must be snapped into the locating groove in the inlet-flange using a suitable tool to press them into position. For ISO
flanged pumps, Edwards supply a combined inlet screen / trapped O-ring.
WARNING
Do not operate the pump until it is securely fixed. If the pump seizes, the stored energy of the
rotor can cause rapid movement of the pump, which may cause further damage and injury to
people.
WARNING
The inlet screen is a coarse filter for debris and should not be used as a finger guard.
WARNING
Position system viewports and vulnerable components away from the pump inlet to safeguard
against damage from possible ejected parts in the unlikely event of a pump rotar failure.
There are two ways in which the nEXT pumps can be securely fixed. The ideal fixing for a nEXT pump is via its inlet
flange to a rigid, firmly fixed vacuum system - refer to Section 3.3.3. If this is not possible because of the nature of
the vacuum system then the base of the pump must be fixed to a firm support, refer to Section 3.3.4 for instructions
on base mounting the pump.
The pump can be securely fixed to the vacuum system via the inlet-flange. The pump can be mounted in any attitude
from the vertical and upright through to horizontal (± 2 °).If the pump is mounted horizontally and you are using a
rotary vane backing pump, you should ensure a foreline trap is installed to prevent condensed oil in the backing line
from entering the turbo pump. If you are unable to fit a foreline trap you must mount the pump with the backing
port pointing vertically downward (+/- 45 °).
Make sure that the pump-inlet and all components fitted to the pump-inlet are clean and dust-free. If the pump-inlet
is not kept clean, the pump-down time may be increased.
The inlet connections for the nEXT pump are CF flange, ISO flange and VG flange.
z If the pump has a CF flange, use the copper compression gasket supplied with the pump and use a full
complement of bolts to connect the inlet-flange of the pump to the vacuum system.
z If the pump has an ISO flange, use the Edwards combined inlet screen and trapped O-ring supplied with the
pump and use a minimum of four claw clamps (each torqued to 30 Nm) to connect the inlet-flange of the
pump to the vacuum system. Alternatively, use a rotatable collar and the combined inlet screen and trapped
O-ring supplied with the pump to connect the inlet-flange of the pump to the vacuum system; use a full
complement of bolts with the rotatable collar.
z If the pump has a VG flange, use a full complement of 8x M10 bolts and washers to connect the pump to the
vacuum system. Flange fixings bolts must be a minimum of 700 MPa tensile strength and evenly tightened in
a cross-pattern in 3 tightening stages to a final torque of 30 Nm to ensure even compression of the O-ring and
clamping of the flanges.
All inlet flange bolts must be re-tightened once the system is under vacuum. Ensure that no torques or other forces
are transmitted to the pump from the vacuum system or the associated pipelines. If necessary, fit an inlet vibration
damper between the pump inlet and the vacuum system. In this case you must fix the base of your pump to a firm
support, as described in Section 3.3.4.
The base of the nEXT pump can be fixed to a firm support using the tapped fixing holes. Refer to Figure 4, 4 and 6
for fixing hole details.
Note: The four rubber feet must be removed from the four tapped fixing holes before the pump can be base
mounted.
We advise the following requirements should be met to ensure the pump remains secure in the event of a total pump
seizure:
This method of fixing must be used if your pump supports the weight of the vacuum system. The weight of the vacuum
system must be no more than 20 kg.
WARNING
Ensure safe ducting of the backing line if oil mist or hazardous substances are present.
WARNING
To avoid over pressurising the pump, the exhaust line should not be restricted when venting from
a positive pressure gas supply.
CAUTION
Do not use the nEXT pumps with a backing pressure below 5 x 10-4 mbar (5 x 10-2 Pa). Lower backing pressures
will increase the evaporation rate of the lubricating oil and so may reduce the life of the bearings.
Installation
Use suitable vacuum tubing and connectors to connect the NW flange of the backing-port to your backing-pump. If
necessary, use flexible pipe or bellows to reduce the transmission of vibration from the backing-pump to the nEXT
pump.
We recommend that you use an Edwards EM, RV or XDS Scroll backing-pump. The recommended size of backing-pump
required is indicated in Table . A larger or smaller backing-pump may also be suitable, depending upon the
application it is intended for.
The nEXT pumps are suitable for use with diaphragm backing-pumps although the effect of higher backing pressure
on the pump's performance and cooling requirements should be noted. Refer to Table 6 and Section 2.1.
Use suitable vacuum tube and connectors to connect the interstage-port to your vacuum system or to the outlet
flange of another turbo or compound turbomolecular pump (if using an ‘i’ nEXT pump to back another pump). Leave
the inlet-strainer in the interstage-port, unless you are sure that debris cannot be drawn into the interstage-port.
To supply a purge gas to the pump, remove the plug fitted in the purge-port, fit a vent-port adaptor (refer to
Section 7.4) and connect the purge gas supply to the vent-port adaptor. The purge gas must comply with the
specification given in Section 2.4.
The recommended purge gas flow for typical applications is 25 sccm (0.42 mbar l s-1, 42 Pa l s-1). This flow will protect
the pump when pumping oxygen in concentrations above 20 % by volume.
The flow rate of the purge gas must be limited to the allowed range, specified in Section 2.4. To limit the flow rate,
use a flow controller or a pressure regulator and calibrated flow restrictor. The PRX10 purge restrictor accessory
(refer to Section 7.4) is suitable for this purpose.
3.5.1 Introduction
WARNING
You must make sure that the pump is electrically bonded to earth. If you do not, the system could
become hazardous live in the event of a live conductor touching a metallic surface.
The electrical installation must be carried out by a suitably-qualified person. Always make the electrical connections
to the nEXT pump after the pump has been installed on your vacuum system. Always disconnect all electrical
connections from the nEXT pump before removing it from the vacuum system.
Earth the pump using the connection provided and refer to Section 3.5.2.
You can operate the nEXT pump using the Edwards TIC Turbo Instrument Controller or TIC Turbo Controller, refer to
Section 3.5.3. You can also control the nEXT pump using your own system, refer to Section 3.5.4 for information
about control and to Section 3.5.5 for instructions on how to connect your electrical supply.
We recommend that you fit a separate earth (ground) conductor to earth the nEXT pump. Use an un-insulated braid
or a separate insulated green/yellow conductor with a minimum 10 AWG (5.3 mm2) conductor to comply with US and
Canadian installation codes, and use the M5 x 10 screw and shake proof washer supplied (fitted to the earth hole on
the pump) to secure the earth conductor to the pump. The impedance between the pump-body and the earth
connection point must be < 0.1 Ohm.
If you are using the Edwards TIC Turbo Instrument Controller or TIC Turbo Controller to power and control your pump,
the nEXT pump logic interface cable connects directly into the back of the TIC. Refer to the TIC Instruction Manual
for further information.
The RS485/RS232 slide switch must be in the RS232 position if the TIC is to be used to control the nEXT pump. Refer
to Section 3.7.1. If the switch is in the RS485 position, the TIC will connect to the pump in parallel mode, indicating
the pump type as nEXTp. The serial connection will be disabled but start and stop will be possible.
If you wish to operate the nEXT pump using your own control system, use a suitable connector mating half (not
supplied), to connect your control equipment to the connector on the logic interface cable (refer to Table 10). When
you make the electrical connections to the nEXT pump described in the following sections, refer to Table 11 for full
details of the logic interface connector pins.
You can control the nEXT pump using a hardware parallel control interface and/or via commands sent over a serial
interface.
If you wish to control the nEXT pump using the hardware parallel interface, refer to Section 3.6 for more information.
If you wish to use the serial interface, see the instructions given in Section 3.7. The logic interface provides the
facility to work with a mixture of parallel and serial control, refer to Section 3.8.
WARNING
This product requires a separate power supply (not included). The power supply should be
adequately protected against a hazardous live condition (for example, in case of a short circuit).
WARNING
Incorporate a suitable isolation device in the electrical supply. Locate the switch in an easily
accessible position and mark it as the disconnecting device for the nEXT pump. If you do not, you
will not be able to switch off the nEXT pump in an emergency.
WARNING
Incorporate a suitable fuse as specified in Section 2.8, in the 24 - 48 V supply line to the nEXT
pump. To fully protect the pump in case of a fault, a suitable rated fuse should be used - refer to
Table 10. The power supply should have a current rating capable of blowing the fuse. If you do not
and a fault develops, the nEXT pump may develop a hazardous surface temperature or present a
fire hazard.
Installation
WARNING
Do not exceed the maximum supply voltage. Excessive supply voltage will cause permanent
damage to the control electronics and may result in a mechanical hazard in some failure
conditions.
WARNING
When connecting the nEXT pump to the power supply, ensure that all 3 pins for the 24 - 48 V
connection and all 3 pins for the 0 V connection on your connector mating half are connected to
the power supply.
The electrical supply you provide for the nEXT pump must meet the requirements of BS EN 61010-1 / C22.2 1010-1.
Ensure that hazardous voltages as defined in EN61010 cannot be present on the electrical interface to the nEXT pump.
The nEXT pump 0 V is not referenced to earth (ground). Ensure that there is only one path between 0 V and earth.
Multiple connections between 0V and earth must be avoided in order to avoid unexpected offset voltages on control
and status signals and possible problems with serial communications. If no other connection is present between 0 V
and earth, the connection should be made at the power supply. Be aware that other electrical equipment connected
to the system could introduce a connection between 0 V and earth, for example a personal computer or measuring
equipment.
Refer to Table 11 - logic interface connector pins when you connect the electrical supply to your connector mating
half.
Note: The pump controller may be supplied from voltages above 24 V as specified in Table 10, however the
circuitry connected to the normal and fail lines must still respect the maximum external pull up voltage
rating given in Table 10.
CAUTION
If you use the normal and fail lines to drive the coils of d.c. relays you must include a back EMF suppression
diode in parallel with each relay coil to protect the nEXT pump.
1. Connect your control equipment to the control input pins of your logic interface mating half. Refer to Table 11,
which identifies the logic interface connector pins. The control inputs are as follows:
z Start
z Standby speed
To activate either of these control inputs, you must connect the control input pin to the 0 V control reference.
To start the pump, connect pin 3 (Start / Stop) to pin 2 (0 V Reference). To stop the pump, break the connection
between pin 3 and pin 2. To put the pump into standby, connect both pin 4 (Standby) and pin 3 (Start/Stop) to pin 2
(0 V reference).
Notes: 1 Serial enable is also a control input but is not required in a system operating purely under parallel
control. Make sure that there is no connection to serial enable (pin 5).
2 The RS485/RS232 slide switch must be in the (default) RS232 position to use the standby or fail parallel
interface signals, refer to Section 3.7.1.
2. To monitor analogue output, connect your control equipment to the pump analogue output (pin 9) and to pin 2
of your logic interface mating half.
When you receive your pump, the analogue output will be configured to monitor pump rotational speed. If you wish
to monitor any other parameter you must re-configure your nEXT pump using commands over the Serial Interface.
Refer to Section 3.7 for further details.
3. To monitor the normal status output, connect your control equipment to the Normal status output (pin 15) and
to pin 2 of your logic interface mating half. You can use the output to control other devices in your pumping
system. The output can drive a low power relay of up to 24 V coil rating (up to 20 mA).
4. To monitor the fail status output, connect your control equipment to the fail output (pin 7) and to pin 2 of your
logic interface mating half. You can use the output to control other devices in your pumping system. The output
can drive a low power relay of up to 24 V coil rating.
The serial interface is available in RS485 or RS232 options which can be selected using the slide switch located above
the controller connector, shown in Figure 12. To adjust the slide switch simply remove the plastic connector cover
on the controller and toggle the slide switch using a small tool. Sliding the switch to the right will enable RS232 serial
interface and to the left will enable RS485 serial interface. The controller default setting is RS232 serial interface.
Installation
Figure 12 - Controller status information
CAUTION
When connecting the nEXT pump to a PC, remember that the 0 V pin on the RS232 connector may well be
connected to earth through the PC. If this is the case ensure that the 0 V rail of the 24 - 48 V supply is not also
connected to earth at some other point such as at the power supply. If you do not wish to have the 0 V rail of
the 24 - 48 V supply connected to earth at the PC an opto-isolated interface to the PC should be used.
The nEXT pump can connect directly to the RS485 or RS232 serial input on your control equipment or a PC as shown
in Figure 13 and 14. In this configuration the PC is the serial link master and the nEXT pump is the slave. The distance
over which the serial link will work is dependent on any difference in voltage between the 0 V at the sending and
receiving end. If the 0 V reference at the receiving end is within 0.3 V of the 0 V Control Reference pin on the nEXT
pump control connector then the serial link should be capable of operating at distances up to 6 m. An interface circuit
external to the nEXT pump may be required for longer distances.
The software in the nEXT pump is capable of operating with several pumps connected to a single serial link master.
This is referred to as multi-drop mode. The RS485 option is recommended for multidrop mode. With the RS232 option
selected, some additional hardware will be required to link several nEXT pump units to a single serial link master. A
concept drawing of one possible arrangement is shown in Figure 15. Conversely when the RS485 option is selected,
connecting several nEXT pumps to a single master becomes a simple wiring exercise as shown in Figure 16.
Installation
3.7.2 Serial Enable
To send a serial message you must first activate serial enable.This is achieved by linking the serial enable input signal
(pin 5) to pin 2 of your logic interface mating half. We recommend that you incorporate this link into your serial
communications cable so that the serial enable is only activated when the serial cable is connected. When you
subsequently remove the cable, serial enable will become inactive.
Serial Enable acts as an interlock for start commands sent over the Serial Interface. If the pump is running in serial
control mode (having been sent a Serial Start command) and the Serial Enable subsequently becomes inactive, the
pump will trigger a fail condition and will decelerate to rest. To clear this fail condition, you must re-activate the
serial enable and send a serial stop command.
The serial interface link is set to 9600 Baud, 8 bits, 1 stop, no parity with no handshaking. The commands are made
up from printable ASCII characters. The maximum message size you can send is 80 characters, including start and end
characters.
Note: All alphabetical characters must be sent in upper case format. Response may contain lower case characters.
Every complete command message you send will receive a response - either a status code or a data return. The nEXT
pump can only deal with one message at a time. It will only accept a new message once the response to the previous
message has been returned.
If the nEXT pump receives characters that are not framed inside start and stop characters, it will ignore them.
Messages with the stop character missing will be discarded with no response when a new start character is received.
If the nEXT pump receives an unrecognisable message between the start and stop characters, it will return an
appropriate error message.
Refer to Section 3.7.6 for more information about operating the nEXT pumps in multi-drop mode.
Installation
Figure 16 - RS485 multidrop connection
The message structure and command set are the same for RS485 and RS232 options. To communicate a message to
the nEXT pump you must send the characters in a specific order. If the message does not conform to the correct
structure it will be ignored and no reply will be sent.
z a valid start character, either a '!' character for a store operation or a '?' character for a query operation,
followed by
z for some commands only, a data field, comprising a sequence of characters separated from the object
number by a space, followed by
The message protocol in multi-drop mode is marginally different, refer to Section 3.7.6.
Table 16 shows a summary of the full set of commands available for controlling and monitoring the nEXT pump.
Table 17 shows the abbreviations that are used to define commands in the following sections and Table 18 shows the
error codes that might be returned.
Installation
Table 16 - Summary of commands that can be sent to the nEXT pump (continued)
Abbreviation Meaning
cr carriage return character
chars characters
d decimal ASCII character
Note: Fields showing multiple d characters are to indicate typical length. All
data fields have a maximum of 5 decimal characters (prefixed by a minus
number for negative numbers).
h hexadecimal ASCII character
r Returned error code - refer to Table 16
sp space character
string may have several ASCII characters
Abbreviation Meaning
X Multi-drop decimal ASCII character
Note: Fields showing multiple X characters are to indicate maximum length and
not fixed length.
Installation
Figure 17 - Logic interface connection - mixed parallel and serial operation
Note: The pump controller may be supplied from voltages above 24 V as specified in Table 10, however the
circuitry connected to the normal and fail lines must still respect the maximum external pull up voltage
rating given in Table 10.
Using multi-drop mode, a single computer system can communicate with more than one nEXT pump. Each nEXT pump
must be assigned its own individual address before it can be fitted into a multi-drop system. The command to assign
the multi-drop address is sent in standard nEXT message format (as detailed in Section 4.1.9).
The message protocol in multi-drop mode is marginally different to that described for serial messages in single pump
systems. The main differences in multi-drop message protocol are detailed below:
z All commands, queries and replies contain a header containing the address of the node that the message is
to, followed by the address of the node that the message is from.
z There is a delimiter character: (colon) which separates the two multi-drop addresses in the header.
z The remainder of the message (command, query or reply) follows the same protocol as already described for
single pump systems.
z The wild card address 99 is very useful and means ‘any’ node.
After a nEXT pump has been assigned a multi-drop address, it will ignore any messages in the format for single pumps.
An individual nEXT pump will remain silent and ignore all command messages unless the multi-drop address matches
its own address.
You cannot control the pump using both the parallel and serial interfaces simultaneously. For example, if you start
the pump by sending a start command over the serial interface you cannot then stop the pump by using the start /
stop switch on the parallel interface. The pump will ignore the state of the start / stop switch on the parallel
interface. To stop the pump you must send a serial stop command. Only when the serial stop command has been
received by the pump can any commands sent via the parallel interface be acted on.
Similarly, if you start the pump by using the start switch on the parallel interface you cannot then stop the pump by
sending a stop command over the serial interface. The pump will ignore any start or stop commands received over
the serial interface. To stop the pump, you must use the parallel stop switch. Only when the pump has been stopped
using the parallel interface switch will any start or stop commands be accepted via the serial interface.
CAUTION
If the pump is vented when it is at full rotational speed and the rate of pressure rise is too high, the pump could
be damaged and its life may be reduced. We therefore recommend that either the rate of pressure rise is limited
(refer to Figure 7) or that the vent valve is only opened after the nEXT pump speed has fallen to 50 % of full
rotational speed.
Installation
To maintain the cleanliness of your vacuum system, we recommend that, whenever you switch the pump off, you
vent the pump (or vacuum system) when the speed of the nEXT pump is between full rotational speed and 50 % of
full rotational speed. Over this speed range, the rotor spins fast enough to suppress any backstreaming of
hydrocarbon oil from your backing pump.
Do not connect the vent-valve to the backing pipeline, this may lead to contamination. Connect the inlet of the vent-
valve to the vent gas supply (refer to Section 2.3 for the vent gas specification).
Venting may be accomplished by using one of the following methods described in Section 3.9.1 to 3.9.4.
A manual vent-valve is supplied with the nEXT pump. It is not possible to accurately control the rate of pressure rise
using the manual vent valve so take care not to open it too quickly. We recommend that you open the manual vent-
valve only after the pump speed has fallen to 50 % of full rotational speed.
The TAV5 and TAV6 solenoid valves can be purchased as accessories – refer to Section 7.4. The solenoid valves can
be used in the following ways:
z Use a TAV5 or TAV6 solenoid valve in place of the manual vent valve on the pump
z Use a TAV5 or TAV6 solenoid valve connected to a convenient flange on your vacuum system
If you connect a vent valve to your vacuum system, select a point upstream of the nEXT pump to prevent
backstreaming of oil from the backing pump.
If using the TAV5 vent-valve, the pump may only be hard vented when it is at full speed if the vacuum system has a
volume of 5 litres or more. If using the TAV6 vent-valve, the pump may only be hard vented when it is at full speed
if the vacuum system has a volume of 10 litres or more.
If the volume of your vacuum system is less than 5 litres (when using a TAV5 vent-valve), or if the volume of your
vacuum system is less than 10 litres (when using a TAV6 vent-valve), you can incorporate a suitable vent-restrictor
and vent the pump when it is at full speed or you must use the controlled venting option. Table 20 gives an indication
of the appropriate orifice size to be fitted to the vent valve for given vacuum system volumes in order that the rate
of pressure rise remains within the limits shown in Figure 7.
Note: If you use a vent-restrictor, you may find that the time required to vent your vacuum system is unacceptably
long. You may be able to reduce the vent time if you use a vent-valve without a vent-restrictor and wait
until the pump speed has fallen to 50 % of full rotational speed before you open the vent-valve.
The TAV5 or TAV6 solenoid valve can be controlled by the controller electronics. To use this function, fit the
electrical connector supplied with the pump to the lead of the TAV5 or TAV6 solenoid valve. To ensure cable cores
and screen are wired correctly, follow the electrical connection instructions given in the Accessories Manual
(supplied with the TAV valve) and refer to Figure 9. Plug the connector into the socket at the side of the controller
(refer to Figure 12).
The controller is capable of controlling a number of different venting options, these are defined in Table 19.
When you receive your pump, the controller will be configured with the factory default vent option 0, as detailed in
Table 19. You can configure your controller to one of the other venting options provided you can send commands via
the serial interface or you have access to an Edwards TIC Turbo and Instrument Controller or Turbo Controller.
The controller only energises (‘shuts’) the TAV solenoid valve when it receives a start command. Prior to that, the
valve will be in the ‘open’ vent state. If you have a large vacuum system, you may wish to allow the backing-pump
to reduce the pressure in the system to an acceptable level before starting the nEXT pump. In this case, you can send
a command via the serial interface to close the vent valve before you send a start command - this is known as a
delayed start.
If you are controlling your nEXT pump with an Edwards TIC Turbo and Instrument Controller or TIC Turbo Controller,
you can drive your TAV solenoid valve from the TIC. Refer to the TIC Instruction Manuals for more information.
If using another vent-valve, ensure that a suitable vent-restrictor is fitted to your vacuum system to limit the rate of
pressure rise. Refer to Table 20 for information about vent-restrictor sizes. If you do not fit a suitable vent-restrictor,
you must open the vent-valve only after the speed of the pump has fallen to 50% of full rotational speed.
Table 20 - Vent-restrictor orifice diameter (with atmospheric pressure at the inlet of the vent-valve)
Installation
3.10 Cooling
3.10.1 Introduction
CAUTION
When using an alternative cooling arrangement other than a standard Edwards cooling accessory, please ensure
the cooling is NOT solely directed or ducted onto the pump controller.
CAUTION
You must ensure that the pump is adequately cooled to prevent damage to the rotor and bearing.
z Natural convection cooling: For some light pumping duties, with an ambient air temperature less than 30 °C,
natural convection cooling may be adequate to cool the nEXT pump.
z Forced air cooling: The ambient air temperature when using forced air cooling must be 5 °C to 35 °C. You
must ensure that there is an adequate supply of cooling-air to the pump.
z Water-cooling: You must use water-cooling with an ambient air temperature greater than 35 °C or when
using a bakeout band (CF variants only). When using water-cooling, ambient air temperature must be less
than 40 °C and the water temperature must be between 10 °C and 20 °C.
z We recommend that wherever possible, you cool the pump by forced air cooling or water-cooling. Refer to
Table 6 for further performance information.
Air-cooling accessories are available for nEXT pumps (refer to Section 7.4). Fit the air-cooler as described in the
instruction manual supplied with it. If you wish to use an alternative fan for air-cooling, ensure that the flow rate is
above 100 m3h-1 (60 cfm).
The air-cooler can be powered by your own external power supply, the Edwards TIC Turbo and Instrument Controller,
the TIC Turbo Controller or by the nEXT Controller. It cannot be powered by the controller if a TAV solenoid valve is
already connected to the controller. Follow the electrical connection instructions in the air-cooler manual to wire
the lead of the air-cooler into the controller connector supplied with the pump (refer to Figure 9). Plug the connector
into the socket at the side of the controller (refer to Figure 12).
You can only configure your controller to drive an air-cooler if you can send commands via the serial interface or you
have access to an Edwards TIC Turbo and Instrument Controller or Turbo Controller.
3.10.3 Water-cooling
CAUTION
You must turn off the cooling-water when you switch off the pump to prevent condensation inside the pump and
controller.
A WCX water-cooler accessory is available for the nEXT pumps (refer to Section 7.4). Fit it as described in the
instruction manual supplied with it. The cooling-water supply must comply with the specification given in
Section 2.5. Pipes in the water-cooling circuit may become blocked if the cooling-water contains too much calcium
carbonate or if it contains particles that are too large. Corrosion of the water-cooling circuit may occur if there is
too little calcium carbonate and oxygen in the water. Good quality drinking water is usually suitable. If in doubt,
check the quality of your cooling-water supply and, if necessary, provide treatment and filtration.
Connect the cooling-water supply to the water-cooler on the pump as described below. Either of the two push fit
connectors on the water-cooler can be used for the water supply or return connections.
Push nylon hose (approximately 10 mm outer diameter) into the ends of the hose connectors on the water-cooler
on the pump. Alternatively, remove the hose connectors from the water-cooler and make direct connections to
the 1/8 inch BSP female threaded fittings on the water-cooler.
If you want to remove the pump for maintenance, and you do not want to break the cooling-water circuit, unscrew
the two M4 fixing-screws and remove the water-cooler from the pump.
CAUTION
Condensation may occur if a water cooling block is used in high humidity environments. Protect the pump and
other equipment by considered design of the installation; refer to Figure 16 for recommendations.
Operation
4 Operation
WARNING
Do not operate the nEXT pump unless it is connected to your vacuum system. If you do, the pump
rotor can cause injury. The pump rotor rotates at very high speeds and the rotating blades might
not be visible.
Before operating the pump, it is worthwhile configuring the various controller settings so that they are suitable for
your application.
If your system is designed to operate with parallel control and monitoring, you will not have the facility to change
the majority of the controller settings once the nEXT pump is installed on your system. The pump is supplied with all
settings at factory default values, as shown in Table 16. If you wish to change any of the controller settings, make
sure you do this separately before installing the nEXT pump on your system.
To configure the nEXT pump you could use your own serial system. Section 4.1 details the commands that you will
need to configure the controller. Alternatively you could use the Edwards TIC Turbo and Instrument Controller or TIC
Turbo Controller. Further information regarding this is detailed in Section 4.2.
Note: The standby speed may be adjusted using the button on the controller as described in Section 4.1.4.
If you intend to operate the nEXT pump with parallel control and monitoring and you do not wish to reconfigure the
controller settings, go straight to Section 4.3.
Table 21 shows the power limit setting options for the nEXT pumps. The pump is supplied to you with a default power
limit as shown. If this limit is not suitable for your application, you can change it to any value between the maximum
and minimum shown.
Send the command as follows (where the 'd' characters represent the value in Watts that you are trying to set. For
example, if you want to set the limit to 90 W, type 90).
Command ! S 8 5 5 sp d d d cr
Reply S 8 5 5 sp r cr
The power limit setting is now stored in memory within the nEXT pump.
To check what power limit is set, you can send a query as follows:
Command ? S 8 5 5 cr
Reply = S 8 5 5 sp d d d cr
You can power a fan from the nEXT controller, provided that you are not already using the controller to control a
vent valve.
Command ! S 8 5 3 sp 8 cr
Reply * S 8 5 3 sp r cr
The permanently enabled fan setting is now stored in memory within the nEXT pump.
When you receive the pump, it will be set-up to run a vent valve. You can send a query to find out what the setting
is as follows:
Command ? S 8 5 3 cr
Reply = S 8 5 3 sp d cr
If the character 'd' is 8, then the fan is enabled. If it is anything else, you will need to configure the controller to run
the fan.
If you are using the controller to automatically control a vent valve, there are a number of varied venting options
you can choose from, refer to Table 19.
To set a vent option, send the following command, (where the character 'd' refers to the option number shown in
Table 19):
Command ! S 8 5 3 sp d cr
Reply * S 8 5 3 sp r cr
The venting option is now stored in memory within the nEXT pump.
To check what venting option is set, you can send a query as follows:
Command ? S 8 5 3 cr
Reply = S 8 5 3 sp d cr
Operation
4.1.4 Standby speed setting
The pump can be run at standby speed rather than full rotational speed. The standby speed is a user configurable
option and can be set to any value between 55 % and 100 % full rotational speed. When you receive the pump, it will
be configured with a standby speed of 70 % full rotational speed.
The standby speed setting can be changed using the STDBY+ and STDBY- push buttons located on the controller
(shown in Figure 12) or by using a serial command. If using the buttons, each button press will adjust the speed
by 10 Hz (1%).
To change the standby speed setting using a serial command, send the following command (where the characters 'd'
represent the value as a percentage of full rotational speed):
Command ! S 8 5 7 sp d d d cr
Reply * S 8 5 7 sp r cr
The standby speed is now stored in memory within the nEXT pump.
To check what standby speed is set, you can send a query as follows:
Command ? S 8 5 7 cr
Reply = S 8 5 7 sp d d d cr
The normal speed is a user-configurable setting and can be set to any value between 50 % and 100 % full rotational
speed. When you receive the pump, it will be configured with a normal speed of 80 % full rotational speed.
To change the normal speed setting, send the following command (where the characters 'd' represent the value as a
percentage of full rotational speed):
Command ! S 8 5 6 sp d d d cr
Reply * S 8 5 6 sp r cr
The normal speed is now stored in memory within the nEXT pump.
To check what normal speed is set, you can send a query as follows:
Command ? S 8 5 6 cr
Reply = S 8 5 6 sp d d d cr
The timeout period is a user-configurable option and can be set to any value from 1 to 30 minutes. When you receive
the pump, it will be configured with a default timeout period of 8 minutes.
To change the timer setting, send the following command (where the characters 'd' represent the timeout period in
minutes):
Command ! S 8 5 4 sp d d cr
Reply * S 8 5 4 sp r cr
The timer setting is now stored in memory within the nEXT pump.
To check what timeout period is set, you can send a query as follows:
Command ? S 8 5 4 cr
Reply = S 8 5 4 sp d d cr
The timer is permanently enabled during ramp-up, however it is optional whether you have it enabled at other times.
When you receive the pump, it will have the timer enabled by default.
If you wish to disable the timer, send the following serial command:
Command ! S 8 7 0 sp 0 cr
Reply * S 8 7 0 sp r cr
The state of the timer option is stored in memory within the nEXT pump.
Command ! S 8 7 0 sp 1 cr
Reply * S 8 7 0 sp r cr
To check whether the timer is enabled or disabled, send the following query:
Command ? S 8 7 0 cr
The reply you receive will be as follows (where d=0 means disabled and d=1 means enabled):
Reply = S 8 7 0 sp d cr
Operation
4.1.7 Analogue signal options
The analogue output can be used to monitor one of four different parameters, as detailed in Table 22.
To configure the analogue output, send the following command (where the character ‘d’ denotes the option number
detailed in Table 22):
Command ! S 8 7 1 sp d cr
Reply * S 8 7 1 sp d cr
The analogue output signal setting is now stored in memory within the nEXT pump.
To check which analogue output signal setting is enabled, you can send a query as follows:
Command ? S 8 7 1 cr
Reply = S 8 7 1 sp d cr
You can re-configure your nEXT pump back to its original factory settings with one serial command.
Command ! S 8 6 7 sp 1 cr
Reply * S 8 6 7 sp r cr
The factory settings are restored in the memory within the nEXT pump.
When you receive your nEXT pump it will have multi-drop mode disabled by default. Each individual pump must be
programmed with its own multi-drop address via a point-to-point connection before introduction into a multi-drop
network.
Send the following command to assign a multi-drop address (where the 'd' characters represent the address):
Command ! S 8 5 0 sp d d cr
Note: The address can be any decimal number from 1 to 98. The address number 0 is used to disable multi-drop
mode. The address number 99 is reserved as a wild card and is used in the query set up detailed later.
Reply * S 8 5 0 sp r cr
You can also send a query to the pump to find out whether it already has a multi-drop address. Send the following
command:
Reply ? S 8 5 0 cr
If you receive the reply shown below, your pump has multi-drop mode disabled:
Reply = S 8 5 0 sp 0 cr
If your pump already has a multi-drop address you will receive no reply and you must then communicate with your
pump in multi-drop message protocol. Refer to Section 3.7.6 for more information about multi-drop mode and multi-
drop message protocol.
Use the following query (using wild card address 99 which means ‘any’ node) to find out the multi-drop address of
the nEXT pump:
Command # 9 9 : 9 9 ? S 8 5 0 cr
The reply you receive will be as follows, where dd denotes the multi-drop address of the pump:
Reply # 9 9 : 9 9 = S 8 5 0 sp d d cr
You can disable multi-drop mode by assigning the pump an address 0. To do this, send the following command (where
dd denotes the multi-drop address of the pump and XX denotes the address of the node that is sending the command):
Command # d d : x x ! S 8 5 0 sp 0 cr
Reply # x x : d d * S 8 5 0 sp 0 cr
Once multi-drop mode is disabled, the pump will no longer respond to multi-drop commands.
It is possible to set the following parameters of the nEXT pump using the TIC:
z Timer settings - both enabling/disabling the timer AND setting the timeout period
Operation
For information on how to perform these settings, refer to the TIC Turbo and Instrument Controller or TIC Turbo
Controller Instruction Manuals.
Note: It is not possible to configure the analogue output options using the TIC. There is also no facility within the
TIC to assign a multi-drop address to the nEXT pump.
There is a further option of connecting the TIC to a PC and using the TIC PC program to configure the nEXT pump.
The TIC PC program allows you to configure all the settings shown in the list above as well as allowing configuration
of the analogue output options and assignment of a multi-drop address. Refer to the TIC PC program Instruction
Manual for more information.
z If you are using a manual vent valve, turn it clockwise to close it.
z If you are using your own control system to drive a vent valve, make sure that the vent valve is closed.
z If you are driving a TAV solenoid valve from the controller, the TAV valve will automatically shut when the
pump is started.
z If you are using the TIC to operate the vent valve, refer to Section 4.7.
Note: The backing pump and nEXT pump can be started at the same time, the nEXT pump will not be damaged
and can operate as an effective baffle. However, if the vacuum system is large (100 litres or larger) it will
be more efficient to allow the backing pump to reduce system pressure to 10 mbar before starting the nEXT
pump. In this case it will be necessary to close the vent valve in advance of starting the backing pump.
If you are using the controller to control a TAV solenoid valve but you are operating with parallel control and
monitoring, you will NOT be able to shut the valve in advance of starting the nEXT pump because you do not have
the facility to send the appropriate serial command. If you have the facility to send serial commands you can perform
a delayed start, refer to Section 4.5.1.
Note: If you have configured the controller to drive a fan, the fan will automatically start when power is supplied
to the nEXT pump.
3. Switch on the power supply to the pump. Check that the three LEDs on the controller light up for approximately
0.5 seconds and then extinguish.
If the LEDs do not light up as expected, or if the red or yellow LED begins to flash a repeated sequence or if the red
LED is lit, refer to Section 5.5.
Start the nEXT pump by linking the start/stop control input to the 0 V control reference on the logic interface
connector. The pump will then accelerate to full operating speed.
The green indicator on the controller will illuminate when the pump reaches normal speed (this is 80 % of full
rotational speed by default but you may have selected a different value to suit your application).
To run the nEXT pump at standby speed, link the standby control input to the 0 V control reference on the logic
interface connector. If the pump is currently below standby speed then it will accelerate until it reaches standby
speed. If it is running faster than standby speed, it will decelerate until standby speed is reached.
To return the pump to full speed, disconnect the standby control input from the 0 V control reference on the logic
interface connector.
Stop the nEXT pump by disconnecting the start/stop control input from the 0 V control reference on the logic
interface connector. The pump rotor will decelerate to rest.
z Analogue output
z Normal signal
z Fail signal
Refer to Section 3.6 for instructions on how to monitor these signals. The analogue output is described in Table 10.
If you are using a TAV solenoid valve controlled by the controller, you may wish to close it before starting the nEXT
pump. This will allow the backing pump to reduce the pressure in your vacuum system.
Command ! C 8 7 5 sp 1 cr
Reply * C 8 7 5 sp r cr
Note: This command overrides the current vent option and closes the vent valve. There is no open vent valve
command but when you send a stop command to the pump the override is cleared.
Operation
4.5.2 Start the pump
To start the pump, send the following command over the serial communications link:
Command ! C 8 5 2 sp 1 cr
Reply * C 8 5 2 sp 1 cr
The pump will then accelerate to full operating speed. The green indicator LED will illuminate when the pump
reaches Normal speed. (This is 80 % of full rotational speed by default but you may have selected a different value
to suit your application).
To run the nEXT pump at standby speed, send the following command over the serial communications link:
Command ! C 8 6 9 sp 1 cr
Reply * C 8 6 9 sp r cr
If the pump is currently below standby speed then it will accelerate until it reaches standby speed. If it is running
faster than standby speed, it will decelerate until standby speed is reached.
Command ! C 8 6 9 sp 0 cr
Reply * C 8 6 9 sp r cr
To stop the nEXT pump, send the following command over the serial communications link:
Command ! C 8 5 2 sp 0 cr
Reply * C 8 5 2 sp r cr
On successful receipt of the stop command, the pump rotor will decelerate to rest.
You can monitor the temperatures of both the pump motor and the internal electronics of the nEXT pump by sending
the following query:
Command ? V 8 5 9 cr
The reply you receive will be as follows, where the first number is the motor temperature and the second number
the internal controller temperature, both measured in °C:
Reply = V 8 5 9 sp d d d ; d d d cr
You can monitor the internal voltage, current and motor power of the nEXT pump by sending the following query:
Command ? V 8 6 0 cr
You will receive the following reply, where the first number refers to voltage (measured in 0.1 Volts – i.e. divide the
number by 10 to get an answer in Volts), the second number refers to current (measured in 0.1 Amps) and the third
number refers to motor power (measured in 0.1 Watts):
Reply = V 8 6 0 sp d d d ; d d d ; d d d d d cr
You can monitor the measured rotational speed of the motor inside the nEXT pump by sending the following query:
Command ? V 8 5 2 cr
You will receive the following reply, where the first returned number refers to motor rotational speed in revolutions
per second (Hz):
Reply = V 8 5 2 sp d d d d ; h h h h h h h h cr
Note: The second return number is a 32-bit system status word (set of 8 hexadecimal characters) which is useful
for fault-finding. Refer to Section 5.5.9 for advice on decoding the system status word.
The state of the serial enable line may be switched between active and inactive whilst in mixed parallel and serial
operation. The primary function of the serial enable line is to enable the serial link. It has no direct effect on the
control mode. The pump will receive and respond to serial commands whenever the serial enable line is active, and
conversely will not receive or respond to serial commands when the serial enable line is inactive.
Availability of the parallel standby and fail signals depends on the state of the serial enable line and the position of
the RS485/RS232 switch as described in Table 23.
Operation
Table 23 - Serial enable matrix
Serial enable
Active Inactive
Standby and fail lines are used for RS232 data. Standby and fail lines are used for parallel
RS485/RS232 Switch
Parallel standby control and fail indication are Serial communications are disabled.
disabled.
Standby and fail lines are used for RS485 data. Standby and fail lines are in (RS485) high
impedance state.*
RS485
Parallel standby control and fail indication are Serial communications are disabled.
disabled.
* Pump target speed will switch between run speed and standby speed in response to any data driven onto
the RS485 bus by other devices connected to the bus. Activation of the parallel start line not recommended
with the RS485/232 switch in RS485 position and serial enable Inactive. Deactivation of the serial enable
line is not recommended with the pump running following a start from the parallel start line when the
RS485/232 switch is in the RS485 position.
In parallel control mode, the pump will not accept serial stop commands but will accept all other serial commands.
When serial enable is active the pump will run at standby speed if it has been commanded to do so by a serial standby
command. When Serial Enable is inactive and the RS485/RS232 switch in RS232 position, the pump will run at standby
speed when the parallel standby line is active.
In serial control mode, the state of the parallel Start line will be ignored but the serial enable line provides an
interlock function as shown in Figure 19. This interlock function only operates with serial start commands and
therefore only in serial control mode. In serial control mode the pump cannot be commanded to standby speed by
the standby line, instead a serial standby command must be used.
The parallel normal and analogue output signals provide valid pump status information at all times under mixed
parallel and serial operation. The analogue output voltages are described in Table 10.
Operation
CAUTION
Do not open a manual vent valve until the pump rotational speed has fallen below 50 %, otherwise the rate of
pressure rise may be too high, which could damage the pump. In an emergency only, open the vent-valve quickly
to decelerate the pump rotor in the shortest possible time.
Note: If you are using the controller to control a TAV solenoid valve, there is a 2-second delay between either a
stop command being received or a fault condition being detected and the vent valve opening. This delay
allows time for gauges, valves and other equipment to be switched off before venting occurs.
The green indicator LED on the controller will extinguish as rotational speed drops below normal speed. At very low
speeds you will see the yellow indicator LED flashing – it will extinguish when the pump has stopped.
If the nEXT pump inlet pressure rises, the power supplied to the pump-motor will increase to counteract the gas
frictional load. The pump rotational speed will remain constant until the peak power level is reached; beyond this
level, the speed of the pump will start to reduce.
If the pump speed falls to below 50% of full rotational speed, the timer will start if it is enabled. If the speed does
not recover to above 50% speed before the timeout period expires, the pump will shut down and display a fail signal.
If the timer is disabled, the pump will immediately shutdown and display a fail signal if the speed drops below 50%
of full rotational speed. Refer to Section 2.7 for the maximum power delivered to the pump and to Table 6, for
maximum allowable inlet pressure.
Temperature sensors within the pump mechanism and electronics are monitored by an internal system. If the system
detects that any internal temperatures are too high, the power supplied to the pump-motor is reduced; the pump
may not therefore be able to maintain full rotational speed if it is too hot.
If the pump speed falls to below 50% of full rotational speed, the timer will start if it is enabled. If the speed does
not recover to above 50% speed before the timeout period expires, the pump will shut down and display a fail signal.
If the timer is disabled, the pump will immediately shutdown and display a fail signal if the speed drops below 50%
of full rotational speed. Refer to Section 2.11 for pump operating ranges and Section 3.10 for advice on pump-
cooling.
Control software within the controller regulates the pump rotational speed and prevents the pump operating above
its normal full rotational speed. In the unlikely event of a failure of this control software, the controller has a built-
in safety circuit that checks whether the pump is running at over-speed. If an over-speed condition is detected, the
controller automatically shuts down power to the pump-motor and slows it down to rest. The controller will signal a
fail condition if over-speed has been detected.
If you suspect that your pump may be running at over-speed you should switch it off and consult Edwards or your
supplier.
WARNING
If the power supply fails when the pump is running, the impeller could continue to spin for
approximately 30 minutes. The control circuit may not give any indication that the impeller is still
running.
WARNING
If the parallel start control signal on the logic interface connector is set to start, the pump may
automatically restart when the electrical supply is restored after an electrical supply failure.
Ensure that people cannot be injured by the rotating blades of the pump.
If the electrical supply to the nEXT pump fails when the pump is rotating, the motor of the pump is used as a
generator. The regenerated power is used to maintain the output signals on the logic interface (such as the normal
signal and serial communications), to power the three indicator LEDs on the controller and to maintain power at the
controller output (to control the vent valve, if fitted).
As the pump rotational speed decreases, the motor's ability to generate power also decreases until it is no longer
able to maintain power to the logic interface or LEDs. This will occur at speeds below 50 % full rotational speed.
Therefore you will not have any indication about pump rotational speed, yet the impeller may still be turning.
When the power is reinstated after a power failure, the behaviour of the pump will depend on the control mode at
the time of failure (parallel or serial) and the length of time the pump was without power. Table 24 shows a number
of scenarios.
4.10 Bakeout
WARNING
Do not touch the bakeout band or surrounding surfaces during the bakeout process as they will be
hot.
CAUTION
Pumps with ISO flanges are not suitable for bakeout, only pumps with CF flanges must be used. When baking the
pump to above 70 °C at the inlet-flange, the pump must be water-cooled to prevent damage to the bearing
lubricant.
If you heat your pump (and your vacuum system), you will speed up the degassing process so that the pump will reach
ultimate vacuum in the shortest possible time. If you heat the pump, this will also prevent condensation of vapours
inside the pump.
The Edwards BX bakeout band may be used to heat the pump (refer to Section 7.4). Fit the appropriate band around
the pump, just below the CF inlet-flange. When baking the pump or the system, make sure that the temperature of
the inlet-flange does not exceed the values specified in Table 2.
When baking your vacuum system, if the temperature of the system exceeds 200 °C, you must put a radiation shield
between the system and the pump. This radiation shield will reduce the heat radiated onto the pump rotor.
Typically, a bakeout of four hours is long enough to remove water condensation from the pump. However, the
bakeout time will depend on the amount of condensation in the pump and the vacuum system, and the ultimate
pressure you want to achieve.
Operation
Table 24 - Behaviour of a pump when the power is re-instated after an electrical supply failure
Maintenance
5 Maintenance
WARNING
When removing the pump ensure personal protective equipment is used to safeguard against
damage from failed components and possible accumulation of hazardous material that may have
been pumped. Check that the pump is vented to atmosphere and at a safe temperature. Be wary
of possible spillages, sharp edges and debris. Removal of the pump inlet screen will always expose
the risk of injury from sharp edges.
WARNING
Allow the pump-rotor to stop, then disconnect the logic interface cable from the power supply and
isolate any other power sources before you remove the pump from your vacuum system for
maintenance or fault finding procedures.
5.1 Introduction
Instructions for bearing maintenance and surface cleaning for the nEXT turbomolecular vacuum pump are described
in the following sections. The inlet-screens, inlet-strainer and inlet-flange seals are available as spares (refer to
Section 7.3).
When the oil cartridge and/or bearing need replacing, we recommend that you either,
z Send your pump to an Edwards Service Centre for a bearing and/or oil cartridge replacement
z Purchase a oil cartridge or bearing service kit and replace the bearing and/or oil cartridge on-site (refer to
Section 7.2)
WARNING
Clean the external surfaces of the pump in a well-ventilated location. When you use cleaning
solutions and solvents to clean the pump, observe all precautions specified by the manufacturer.
Avoid inhalation of any particulates that may be present in the pump.
CAUTION
Do not attempt to clean any parts of the pump other than external surfaces. Do not disassemble the pump or
remove the controller from the pump. Use of solvents may damage internal pump components.
If the nEXT pump is contaminated inside, it may not be possible to achieve the specified ultimate vacuum or pump-
down time may increase. The pump should be returned to an Edwards Service Centre where the pump will be
dismantled and cleaned.
You can use any organic solvent to clean the external surfaces of your pump. We recommend that you use non-CFC
solvents, such as isopropanol or ethanol. Use a cleaning solution that is suitable for the contaminants on the pump
surfaces.
For environmental reasons, keep wastage of cleaning solutions and solvents to a minimum.
CAUTION
Do not remove the controller from the pump as you may cause damage to the controller.
Refer to Table 25 for the possible causes of faults and the recommended actions to rectify faults.
Maintenance
Table 25 - Fault finding (continued)
The red alarm LED is flashing Note the position of the long flashes Look up the flashing error code in
within the series of 6 flashes to work Section 5.5.8 and follow the advice
out the error code. given.
Any other problems Contact your supplier or Edwards Contact your supplier or Edwards.
Maintenance
5.5.1 Flashing service codes
Whenever a service is required the standard once per revolution flash on the yellow status LED is replaced with a
service flash code. The service flash codes are specified in Table 26.
The service status may be accessed directly via the serial link. This method of accessing service status will give the
most complete picture of current and future service requirements and will allow preventative maintenance activities
to be scheduled.
A summary of the current pending service status is provided in response to the service status command:
Command ? V 8 8 1 cr
Reply = V 8 8 1 sp h h h h h h h h cr
The service status word is made up of 8 hexidecimal digits. To decode this word,you must convert each digit into a
4-digit binary number as described in Section 5.5.9.
Each binary digit (bit) represents a flag that is either active (state 1) or not active (state 0). To help decode the
service status word, each bit is numbered (starting with 0 for the least significant to 31 for the most significant) as
shown in Section 5.5.3. The meaning of each bit in the service status word is given in Table 27.
0 Oil cartridge service due Set when hours until oil cartridge service due = 0
1 Bearing service due Set when hours until bearing service due = 0
2 Pump service due Set when hours until pump service due = 0
or cycles until pump service due = 0
3 Controller service due Set when hours until controller service due = 0
4 Reserved -
5 Reserved -
6 Reserved -
8 - 31 Reserved -
You can monitor the run hours and recommended service time of the controller on the nEXT pump by sending the
following query:
Command ? V 8 8 1 cr
You will receive the following reply, where the first number is the hours run by the controller and the second is the
number of hours until service is recommended:
Reply = V 8 8 2 sp d d d d d d ; d d d d d d cr
Note that the number of hours until the next service is due is estimated by the controller based on the operating
conditions of the pump and therefore may reduce at more or less that 1 hour per hour. The dominant factor in
extending controller life is reduced pump temperature.
You can monitor the run hours and recommended service time of the impeller in the nEXT pump by sending the
following query:
Command ? V 8 8 3 cr
You will receive the following reply, where the first number is the hours run by the impeller and the second is the
number of hours until service is recommended:
Reply = V 8 8 3 sp d d d d d d ; d d d d d d cr
You can monitor the number of start-stop cycles completed and the number remaining until the next service is due
by sending the following query:
Command ? V 8 8 4 cr
You will receive the following reply, where the first number is the start-stop cycles completed by the pump and the
second is the number of start-stop cycles until service is recommended:
Reply = V 8 8 4 sp d d d d d d ; d d d d d d cr
Maintenance
5.5.6 Bearing run time
You can monitor the run hours and recommended service time of the bearing in the nEXT pump by sending the
following query:
Command ? V 8 8 5 cr
You will receive the following reply, where the first number is the hours run by the bearing and the second is the
number of hours until service is recommended:
Reply = V 8 8 5 sp d d d d d d ; d d d d d d cr
You can monitor the run hours and recommended service time of the oil cartridge in the nEXT pump by sending the
following query:
Command ? V 8 8 6 cr
You will receive the following reply, where the first number is the hours run by the oil cartridge and the second is
the number of hours until service is recommended:
Reply = V 8 8 6 sp d d d d d d ; d d d d d d cr
Whenever a fail condition becomes active the red alarm light continuously or shows a flashing sequence. If the error
light is on continuously this indicates a problem has been found with the embedded software. In this case try cycling
the power. If cycling the power does not clear the indication a software download will be required, contact your
supplier or Edwards. If the alarm LED is flashing, identify the error flash code and consult Table 28.
There is a sufficient off period between each subsequent cycle repetition to clearly mark the start of a new flash
sequence. The duration of a long flash (L) is equal to 3 times the duration of a short flash (0.5 s).
Note: The alarm LED error flash sequence is capable of signalling multiple fail conditions. For example, error flash
code sLssLs signifies both error 2 (controller failed internal configuration and calibration operation) and
error 5 (pump internal measurement system disconnected or damaged).
If you are using the serial communications link you will be able to access further information that may be useful for
fault finding. When you send a query to monitor measured motor speed, the pump also returns a system status word.
Command ? V 8 5 2 cr
You will receive the following reply, where the first returned number refers to motor rotational speed in revolutions
per second (Hz):
Reply = V 8 5 2 sp d d d d ; h h h h h h h h cr
The system status word returned is made up of 8 hexadecimal digits. To decode this word, you must convert each
digit into a 4-digit binary number. (Table 29 is provided as an aid.) Follow the example below:
2 2 8 3 0 0 2 2
Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï
0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0
Maintenance
Table 29 - Hexadecimal conversion table (continued)
Each binary digit (bit) represents a flag that is either active (state 1) or not active (state 0). To help decode the
system status word, each bit is numbered (starting with 0 for the least significant to 31 for the most significant) as
shown below.
Table 30 contains a list of the lower 16 status flags that will be useful for fault finding. The upper 16 status flags are
reserved by Edwards.
Binary digits
0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0
Ð Ð Ð Ð Ð Ð Ð Ð Ð Ð Ð Ð Ð Ð Ð Ð Ð Ð Ð Ð Ð Ð Ð Ð Ð Ð Ð Ð Ð Ð Ð Ð
3 3 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0
1 0 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0
Bit numbers
The system status word used in the example above was obtained with the pump at rest. By decoding the word, we
can learn more about the state of the pump. Refer to Table 31.
Status of bit
Bit number We can deduce
(in example)
0 0 The pump has not failed
1 1 The pump is at rest
2 0 Speed is below normal speed
3 0 The vent valve is open
4 0 There is no active start command
5 1 Serial enable is active
6 0 Standby is not active
7 0 Speed is below 50 % of full rotational speed
8 0 The pump is not in parallel control mode
9 0 The pump is not serial control mode
10 0 There is no controller internal software mismatch
11 0 Controller passed internal configuration and calibration
operation
12 0 The timer has not timed out
13 0 Overspeed and overcurrent trip not activated
14 0 Pump internal temperature measurement system is fine
15 0 Serial enable has not become inactive during serial control
If you are using the serial communications link, you can access information about your pump such as pump type and
internal controller software versions. This information is particularly useful for service personnel to determine what
model of pump you have.
Command ? S 8 5 1 cr
The reply you will receive is as follows, where string1 is the pump type, string2 is the DSP software version number
and string3 is the designated full speed of the pump (in revolutions per second):
Send the following query to find out the boot loader software version:
Command ? S 8 6 8 cr
The reply you will receive is as follows, where string1 is the boot loader software version number:
Reply = S 8 6 8 sp String 1 cr
6.1 Storage
Use the following procedure to store the pump.
1. Place protective covers over the inlet, outlet, interstage (for the ‘i’ nEXT only), purge, booster (for the ‘T’ nEXT
only) and vent ports.
2. Place the pump in its packing materials. For fastest pump-down when the pump is put back into service, seal the
pump inside a plastic bag together with a suitable desiccant.
3. Store the pump in cool, dry conditions until required for use. Refer to Table 14 for recommended storage
environment. When required, prepare and install the pump as described in Section 3.
4. Keep the pump upright at all times to prevent the drainage of oil from the bearing reservoir.
5. Avoid long-term storage if possible. When long-term storage is necessary, the pump should be set up and run for
at least eight hours every six months.
6.2 Disposal
WARNING
In the unlikely event of a failure of the pump rotor, use appropriate personal protective equipment
when handling and disposing of the pump and ensure that all pump inlets and outlets are capped
off before disposal.
Dispose of the nEXT pump and any components and accessories safely in accordance with all local and national safety
and environmental requirements.
Particular care must be taken with any components that have been contaminated with dangerous process substances.
Take appropriate action to avoid inhalation of any particles that may be present in the pump.
Do not incinerate the pump. The pump contains phenolic and fluorosilicone materials that can decompose to very
dangerous substances when heated to high temperatures.
Order spare parts and accessories from your nearest Edwards company or distributor. When you order, please state
for each part required:
7.2 Service
Edwards products are supported by a worldwide network of Edwards Service Centres. Each Service Centre offers a
wide range of options including: equipment decontamination; service exchange; repair; rebuild and testing to factory
specifications. Equipment that has been serviced, repaired or rebuilt is returned with a full warranty.
Your local Service Centre can also provide Edwards engineers to support on-site maintenance, service or repair of
your equipment.
For more information about service options, contact your nearest Service Centre or other Edwards company.
If you need to send your pump to a Service Centre, use the returns procedure included at the end of this manual.
The instruction in the returns procedure to drain all fluids does not apply to the lubricant in the pump oil-reservoirs.
Do not return your pump with the accessories fitted. Remove all accessories and retain them for future use.
If you have configured your pump to suit your application, make sure you make a record of the configuration before
returning your pump. All replacement pumps will be supplied with default factory settings. The TIC/nEXT PC monitor
program (available as an accessory) allows you to automatically download and save your configuration.
The oil cartridge and bearing of the nEXT pump can be serviced on-site by any service engineer trained by Edwards.
The following service tool kits and service parts are available,
Note: Both the oil cartridge and bearing tool kits are required when changing a pump bearing.
7.3 Spares
An inlet-screen is fitted to your CF pump as supplied to prevent damage from the entry of debris into the pump. The
Item Numbers of replacement inlet-screens are given below. Select the inlet-screen according to the pump inlet-
flange size. You cannot replace the inlet-screen on a pump with an NW inlet-flange.
Table 34 - Inlet-screens
7.3.2 Inlet-strainer
The interstage pumps are supplied with an inlet-strainer for the interstage-port. The Item Number for a replacement
inlet-strainer is given below.
Table 35 - Inlet-strainers
nEXT pumps are supplied with an inlet-seal. The Item Numbers of replacement seals are given in Table 36.
nEXT pumps are supplied with NW25 exhaust and booster ports. The item numbers of replacement ports are given
below,
7.4 Accessories
7.4.1 Installation
The accessories available for use with the nEXT pumps are described in the following section. Figure 20 and 21 shows
how the accessories are fitted to the pump.
An ACX air-cooler can be fitted to the nEXT pump, refer to Section 3.10 to check the suitability of air-cooling in a
particular application.
A water-cooler can be fitted to the nEXT pump refer to Section 2.5 to check the suitability of the cooling-water
supply.
A BX bakeout band accelerates the degassing of the pump to enable it to achieve lower pressures. It may also
be used to protect the pump from condensation of contaminants. The bakeout bands are available in 110 – 120 V
or 220-240 V versions.
Two solenoid-operated vent-valves are available for system venting. The valves are 24 V d.c., normally-open and can
be driven by the controller. The solenoid-valve is fitted in place of the manual-valve, or alternatively can be fitted
with an adaptor (supplied with the valve) and can be used with any suitable NW10 flanged port on your vacuum
system.
TAV5 is suitable for smaller vacuum systems. TAV6 has a higher conductance and is suitable for larger vacuum systems
(typically with volume greater than 10 litres).
Use a VRX fixed orifice vent-restrictor to restrict flow of vent gas into the pump. You can fit a VRX vent-restrictor to
the inlet of a TAV5 or TAV6 vent-valve or to a PRX10 purge-restrictor. Refer to Table 20 for information on the
selection of the correct VRX vent-restrictor and to Table 42 for the item numbers of the vent-restrictors available.
The vent-port adaptor has a 1/8 inch BSP male thread that can be screwed into both the vent-port and purge-port,
making them suitable for NW10 fittings.
The PRX10 is a modified DN10NW centring-ring that filters the purge gas and restricts its flow rate to the
recommended flow of 25 sccm. You must fit a vent-port adaptor to the purge-port in order to connect a purge-
restrictor to the pump.
The NW25 exhaust and booster port of the nEXT pump can be removed and replaced with a C-clamp connection.
An interface cable allows you to connect the nEXT pump to a PC. Serial commands are then used to control and
monitor the nEXT pump.
The TIC PC program is a piece of PC-based software that can be used fore retrieving and setting the user configurable
parameters in the pump. It also enables monitoring and data logging of the pumping system.
Index
Index
A Inlet-connection and orientation ..................... 31
Inlet-flange seals ........................................ 80
Accessories ............................................... 81
Inlet-screen (supplied fitted) ......................... 31
ACX air-cooler ............................................ 81
Inlet-strainer ............................................. 80
Alternative valve connected to the vacuum system 48
Installation .......................................... 29, 81
Analogue signal options ................................ 55
Interstage connection (iDX variants only) ........... 33
Assigning a multi-drop address ........................ 55
Introduction ................................................ 1
ISX inlet-screen .......................................... 80
B
Backing connection ..................................... 32 L
Bakeout ................................................... 64
Link parameter readings ............................... 60
Base mounting ........................................... 32
Logic interface connector .............................. 24
Bearing maintenance ................................... 67
BX bakeout band ......................................... 82
M
C Maintenance ............................................. 67
Manual vent valve ....................................... 47
Clean the external surfaces of the pump ............ 67
Materials exposed to gases pumped .................. 23
Close the vent valve .................................... 57
Measured motor speed ................................. 60
Command set ............................................. 42
Mechanical fixing ........................................ 31
Configuring the DX pump using a TIC ................. 56
Message protocol ........................................ 41
Connect the electrical supply ......................... 34
Multi-drop mode ......................................... 46
Connect the logic interface to the TIC ............... 34
Connect the logic interface to your control equipment
.............................................................. 34 N
Connect the purge gas .................................. 33 nEXT Turbomolecular Pumps ............................ 1
Connect the serial interface to your control equipment Normal speed setting ................................... 53
.............................................................. 36
Connection to the vacuum system .................... 30
Controlled venting ...................................... 47
O
Controlled venting options ............................. 52 Operating and storage environment .................. 28
Cooling water ............................................ 23 Operation ................................................. 51
Operation at extreme conditions ..................... 63
Operation at high temperatures ...................... 63
D Operation at over-speed ............................... 63
Decelerating and venting .............................. 62 Operation with high inlet pressure ................... 63
Decoding system status words ......................... 74 Operation with parallel control and monitoring .... 58
Delayed start ............................................. 58 Operation with serial control and monitoring ...... 58
Disposal ................................................... 77
P
E Parallel interface mode ................................ 36
Earth (ground) connections ............................ 34 Parallel monitoring ..................................... 58
Electrical data ........................................... 24 Power limit setting ...................................... 51
Electrical installation ................................... 33 Powering a fan from the podule ...................... 52
Electrical supply failure ................................ 64 Pre-start checks ......................................... 57
Electronic braking options ............................. 55 PRX purge-restrictor .................................... 83
Pumping media ............................................ 9
F Purge gas connection ................................... 33
Purge gas specification ................................. 23
Factory settings .......................................... 55
Fault finding .............................................. 68
Flashing error codes .................................... 71 R
Forced air cooling ....................................... 49 Recommended purge gas flow ........................ 33
Returning a pump for service ......................... 79
I Rotor life ................................................. 67
Running at standby speed .............................. 58
Indicator LEDs ............................................ 28
S
Scope and definitions .....................................1
Serial enable ............................................. 39
Serial interface mode ................................... 36
Serial protocol ........................................... 39
Service .................................................... 79
Shutdown ................................................. 79
Simultaneous parallel and serial operation .... 46, 60
Spares ..................................................... 80
Standby speed ........................................... 59
Standby speed setting .................................. 53
Start the pump ...................................... 58, 59
Start-up ................................................... 57
Stop the pump ...................................... 58, 59
Storage .................................................... 77
Storage and disposal .................................... 77
T
TAV vent-valve and vent-port adaptor ............... 82
TAV5 or TAV6 solenoid vent valve .................... 47
Temperature readings .................................. 59
The DPS pumps ............................................2
Timer setting and options .............................. 54
Typical installation ...................................... 29
U
Unpack and inspect ..................................... 29
Useful service information ............................. 76
V
Vent gas specification and vent control data ....... 22
Vent options, vent valve connection and control .. 46
Vent-port adaptor ....................................... 83
VRX vent-restrictor ...................................... 82
W
Water-cooling ............................................ 49
WCX water-cooler ....................................... 81