How to replace a broken vacuum pump in a degasser
Modern inline degassers are highly robust equipment with a long lifetime, so if their internal vacuum pumps eventually fail, there is a good chance the original part is no longer available from the manufacturer. Adding to the complexity is the fact that the stepper motor driven ZHCR® vacuum pumps, which are designed specifically for inline vacuum degassers, do come in a range of variants for different degasser assemblies. The vacuum pumps may, for example, differ in capacity for analytical or preparative flow rate ranges, in the vacuum setpoint, in the control board design, or in the mounting orientation.
Fortunately, Biotech Fluidics has extensive experience replacing obsolete vacuum pumps and control boards in inline vacuum degassers from many different brands. Naturally, we have a complete coverage of all the DEGASi® stand-alone degassers, but Biotech Fluidics can also upgrade and replace vacuum pumps in inline degassers from IDEX, Agilent, Waters, Thermo, Shimadzu, Knauer, etc. Consult our degasser vacuum pump selector list or use our vacuum pump replacement finder (both in the link below), to learn the recommended substitute when you need to exchange a malfunctioning unit in your present degasser. Alternatively, contact Biotech Fluidics and share detailed photos of your unit, to help us guide you to a suitable replacement for your particular instrument.
The physical replacement process of a vacuum pump is straightforward and can be completed within a few minutes once the degasser unit has been opened. Note, however, that in cases where there has been a leakage from the fluidic line into the vacuum line, there is a high risk that the vacuum sensor on the control board has been damaged. In these situations, there are often so many damaged components that one should consider exchanging the entire degasser.
