3 Factors To Help You Choose The Right Vacuum Pump Oil

For anyone looking for a quick answer on which vacuum pump lubricant to use, adhere to this rule: follow the vacuum pump manufacturer's recommendation.

That begs the question, why do they make such a recommendation? If you want to make your own decision in purchasing the lubricant, there are a few things for you to note down.

The Purpose of Vacuum Pump Lubricants

While there are plenty of different lubricants out there in the market, they all serve a few general purposes. They are but not limited to:

●Reducing friction

●Limiting contamination

●Cooling the pump

●Creating seals

Generally, the lubricant of choice will be able to carry out these purposes as effectively and efficiently as possible. Not only does it allow the vacuum pump to perform better, but it lasts much longer as well.

With that said, here are three factors to keep in mind to be able to choose the right lubricant for your vacuum pump:

1. Viscosity

Different oils come in different viscosity, or how thick it is. When you're looking for which oil you want to lubricate the vacuum pump, viscosity is what you'll pay attention to the most.

Oils that aren't vicious enough will, obviously, not lubricate the pump's mechanisms effectively. Not only does this mean that the seal the pump needs to operate isn't met, but that the thinner oil doesn't keep the moving parts safe. As a result, the thinner oil can cause the metal bits to damage and, over time, end up requiring plenty of maintenance.

2. Volatility

Another factor when it comes to choosing a lubricant is the vapor pressure the oil tolerates. When a vacuum pump is in operation, the temperature within the equipment will increase. When that happens, oils that are high in volatility tend to vaporize faster than others with lower volatility.

While the pump itself may tolerate the buildup of heat and pressure, the vaporization of oil can cause the entire equipment to function inefficiently or even malfunction entirely. With that said, a lubricant with low volatility ensures that the oil will not vaporize and continue lubricating the pump for enhanced performance.

3. Additives

While there are many types of oils out there, most are made of the same base oil. The only reason they're different is from the additives added into the mix. Some can come with additives that are great at preventing oxidation, while others are meant to stop wear and tear more effectively.

With all these different traits, you must know what you need your oil to do precisely and weigh in which feature is more important to you. Only that way, can you choose the right oil with the right amount of additives to serve its purpose well.

Apart from the three factors we've mentioned in this article, there are few others as well, such as external variables like temperature and contaminants, to even the branding of the oil. By carrying out the proper research and figuring out exactly what kind of oil you need, you will be able to choose the right lubricant for the job.

If you are looking for the right vacuum pump lubricant, get in touch with us today to see how we can help.