Degassing - Getting the air out of stuff.

The process of degassing is used in a variety of end applications and for a mix of purposes.  HyVac vacuum pumps are often used to degas epoxies, silicones, rubbers, plaster of Paris and a wide variety of viscous materials.  If a user is looking to degas a compound they usually put it in a container that can withstand a vacuum pressure put a lid on it and pull a vacuum to roughly 29" Hg vacuum.  HyVac single stage pumps are very good choices for this application.  They will reach 29.9" mercury vacuum and for the most part, fully degas a compound.  Consideration in pump selection needs to be given to the tightness of the system, size of the system and cure rate of the material to be degassed.  Some applications need to happen fast, some can take time.  We can size pumps for your application but need the following parameters.

1. Size of air space to be evacuated.  Your tank less how much material in it for degassing.

2. Starting pressure usually atmospheric.

3. Ending pressure usually 29" Hg thereabouts

4. Time for process to take place in minutes

5. Other mitigating factors.
         a. Solvents or water coming off the mix.
         b. Leaks

The process is required when compounds are mixed or agitated in preparation and air becomes entrained in the end product.  By putting the compound under vacuum the air that is entrained expands as the pressure reduces allowing the entrained air to break the surface of the compound and be released.  The pump then ejects it from the system (compound). 

Care should be taken in the application to try and identify those items in the mix with a vapor pressure that could also be pumped under vacuum.  These kinds of products should be trapped out of the system before they reach the vacuum pump, to assure a long trouble free pump life.  Typical byproducts that can cause difficulties can be either solvents or water.