阅读说明：本技术 干式真空泵和控制真空泵的同步马达的方法 (Dry vacuum pump and method of controlling synchronous motor of vacuum pump ) 是由 Y·格勒尼耶 D·皮埃尔让 J-M·佩吉 于 2018-12-05 设计创作，主要内容包括：本发明涉及一种干式真空泵(1；30),它包括：-分别支承至少一个泵送转子(8)的两个轴(6,7),该泵送转子(8)构造成反向同步旋转,以将从真空泵(1；30)的入口(4)泵送的气体输送到出口(5)；和-构造成使所述轴(6,7)之一旋转的同步马达(9),该同步马达(9)包括与该轴(6)联接的转子(10)以及具有绕所述转子(10)布置的绕组(13)的第一定子(12),其特征在于,该同步马达(9)包括具有绕所述转子(10)布置的绕组(15)的至少一个第二定子(14),这些定子(12,14)的绕组(13,15)能被单个地或同时地供电,以使同步马达(9)的功率适配于所述泵送负载。本发明还涉及一种用于控制真空泵的同步马达的方法。(The invention relates to a dry vacuum pump (1; 30) comprising: -two shafts (6, 7) each supporting at least one pumping rotor (8), the pumping rotors (8) being configured to rotate in opposite synchronizations to convey the gas pumped from the inlet (4) to the outlet (5) of the vacuum pump (1; 30); and-a synchronous motor (9) configured to rotate one of said shafts (6, 7), the synchronous motor (9) comprising a rotor (10) coupled with the shaft (6) and a first stator (12) having windings (13) arranged around said rotor (10), characterized in that the synchronous motor (9) comprises at least one second stator (14) having windings (15) arranged around said rotor (10), the windings (13, 15) of the stators (12, 14) being individually or simultaneously energizable to adapt the power of the synchronous motor (9) to said pumping load. The invention also relates to a method for controlling a synchronous motor of a vacuum pump.)

1. A dry vacuum pump (1; 30) comprising:

-two shafts (6, 7) each supporting at least one pumping rotor (8), said pumping rotors (8) being configured to rotate in opposite synchronizations in order to convey the gas pumped from the inlet (4) to the outlet (5) of the vacuum pump (1; 30); and

-a synchronous motor (9) configured to rotate one of the shafts (6, 7), said synchronous motor (9) comprising:

-a rotor (10) coupled with the shaft (6); and

a first stator (12) having a winding (13) arranged around the rotor (10),

characterized in that the synchronous motor (9) comprises at least one second stator (14) having windings (15) arranged around the rotor (10), the windings (13, 15) of the stators (12, 14) being individually or simultaneously energizable in order to adapt the power of the synchronous motor (9) to the pumping load.

2. Vacuum pump (1; 30) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the windings of the stators are configured to be supplied individually when the pumping load of the vacuum pump is below a load threshold and simultaneously when the pumping load of the vacuum pump is greater than or equal to the load threshold.

3. Vacuum pump (1; 30) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the power ratio between the power generated by the first stator (12) and the power generated by the second stator (14) is between 1 and 10.

4. Vacuum pump (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the vacuum pump (1) is a roughing vacuum pump (1) comprising a plurality of pump stages (T1-T5) mounted in series, the power ratio between the power generated by the first stator (12) and the power generated by the second stator (14) being between 1 and 5.

5. Vacuum pump (30) according to any of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the vacuum pump (1) is a Roots-type vacuum pump (30) intended to be connected in series to the chamber (2) upstream of a rough vacuum pump (31).

6. Vacuum pump (1; 30) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the rotor (10) comprises permanent magnets (11).

7. Vacuum pump (1; 30) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the at least one permanent magnet (11) of the rotor (10) is formed by a plurality of permanent magnet elements (25) arranged along the rotor (10).

8. Vacuum pump (1; 30) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the permanent magnet elements (25) of the rotor (10) extend in the rotor (10) only facing the stator (12, 14) with the windings (13, 15).

9. Vacuum pump (1; 30) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a first transmission (23) connected to a first stator (12) with windings (13) and a second transmission (24) connected to a second stator (14) with windings (15).

10. Vacuum pump (1; 30) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that it comprises a control unit (18) connected to the speed-change transmission (23, 24) and configured to supply the windings (13, 15) of the stators (12, 14) individually or simultaneously in order to adapt the power of the synchronous motor (9) to the pumping load according to at least one signal representative of the pumping load.

11. Vacuum pump (1; 30) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the signal representative of the pumping load is a current-limited output of one of the variators (23, 24) representative of the current consumed by the vacuum pump (1; 30).

12. Method for controlling a synchronous motor (9) of a dry vacuum pump (1; 30) according to any of the preceding claims, for pumping a chamber (2) connected to the vacuum pump (1; 30), characterized in that the windings (13, 15) of the stators (12, 14) are individually powered when the pumping load of the vacuum pump (1; 30) is below a load threshold, and the windings (13, 15) are simultaneously powered when the pumping load of the vacuum pump (1; 30) is above the load threshold, in order to adapt the power of the synchronous motor (9) to the pumping load in dependence on at least one signal representative of the pumping load.

13. Control method (100) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that at the start of the vacuum pump (1; 30) or in a purge step (101) starting from atmospheric pressure, the most powerful of the two stators (14) is powered or both stators (12, 14) are powered simultaneously.

14. The control method (100) according to claim 12 or 13, wherein the steps of evacuating (101) from atmospheric pressure and extreme vacuum pumping (102) occur cyclically within the chamber (2).

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a dry vacuum pump, and more particularly to a synchronous motor of the vacuum pump. The invention also relates to a method for controlling a synchronous motor of a vacuum pump.

Background

A roughing vacuum pump comprises one or more pumping stages mounted in series in which the gas to be pumped between an inlet and an outlet is circulated. Known roughing vacuum pumps can be distinguished as roughing vacuum pumps with rotating lobes, also known as "roots" pumps with two or three lobes, or roughing vacuum pumps with double jaws, also known as "claw" pumps, or even roughing vacuum pumps with twin screws. Vacuum pumps of the roots compressor (or "roots blower") type are also known, which are used upstream of rough vacuum pumps to increase the pumping capacity at high flow rates.

These vacuum pumps comprise two pumping rotors of identical profile, which rotate in opposite directions inside a stator. During rotation, the gas to be pumped is captured in the volume created by the rotor and stator and transported by the rotor to the next stage and then gradually to the outlet of the vacuum pump.

In some applications, the pumping load may vary significantly during use. This is particularly true between the step of pumping a high gas flow on the one hand (for example the step of applying a vacuum starting from atmospheric pressure) and the step of waiting at low load on the other hand (for example the step of maintaining a vacuum). It will be appreciated that the motor of the vacuum pump must be able to respond to distinct load levels. When it is subjected to a high pressure at the time of chamber evacuation, the motor will no longer be subjected to the lower extreme vacuum pressure load. It is therefore difficult to optimize the motor of the vacuum pump for these two extremes. As a result, optimizing the motor for the highest load results in significant ultimate vacuum pressure stator losses.

Disclosure of Invention

One of the objects of the invention is to propose a dry vacuum pump for which the motor can be optimally adapted to the pumping load.

To this end, the object of the invention is a dry vacuum pump comprising:

-two shafts each supporting at least one pumping rotor configured to rotate in opposite synchronizations in order to convey the gas to be pumped from the inlet to the outlet of the vacuum pump; and

-a synchronous motor configured to rotate one of the shafts, the synchronous motor comprising:

-a rotor coupled to the shaft; and

a first stator having windings arranged around the rotor,

characterized in that the synchronous motor comprises at least one second stator with windings arranged around the rotor, the windings of the stators being able to be supplied individually (individually, one by one) or simultaneously in order to adapt the power of the synchronous motor to the pumping load.

More specifically, for example, the windings of the stators are configured to be individually powered when the pumping load of the vacuum pump is below a load threshold, and to be simultaneously powered when the pumping load of the vacuum pump is greater than or equal to said load threshold.

It is thus possible to supply either one winding of the stator of the synchronous motor individually or to supply a plurality of windings simultaneously in order to adapt the power of the synchronous motor optimally to the variations in the pumping load by reducing the various stator losses (core losses, joule losses, etc.). The production of the synchronous motor can then be optimized for various operating points. Powering both stators with windings simultaneously allows for providing a temporary response to a request for a larger load, which may also reduce the time taken to apply vacuum.

A single (one) rotor is used and the two stators may be housed in the same housing of the synchronous motor of the vacuum pump. Therefore, the manufacturing and assembly costs of the vacuum pump are limited. Furthermore, the vacuum pump is compact.

Vacuum pumps are in particular referred to as "dry" pumps, since during operation at least one rotor rotates inside the stator without any mechanical contact with the stator, which can avoid the use of oil in the pumping stages.

The vacuum pump may include one or more of the features described below, taken individually or in combination.

Vacuum pumps comprising two rotating shafts are, for example, vacuum pumps with rotating lobes, for example "roots" type pumps or "claw" or screw type vacuum pumps.

In the case of a multi-stage vacuum pump, the rotating shaft supports a rotor that extends into each pumping stage.

The power ratio between the power generated by the first stator and the power generated by the second stator is for example between 1 and 10.

The vacuum pump is for example a rough vacuum pump comprising a plurality of pumping stages mounted in series, the power ratio between the power generated by the first stator and the power generated by the second stator being between 1 and 5.

The vacuum pump is, for example, a Roots (Roots) type vacuum pump, which is intended to be connected in series to the chamber upstream of the rough vacuum pump.

According to a first embodiment, the rotor comprises an electromagnet.

According to a second embodiment, the rotor comprises permanent magnets. The at least one permanent magnet of the rotor may be formed by a plurality of permanent magnet elements arranged (aligned) along the rotor. The permanent magnet elements of the rotor extend in the rotor only, for example, facing (with respect to) the stator with the windings.

The vacuum pump for example comprises a first variator connected to a first stator having windings and a second variator connected to a second stator having windings.

The vacuum pump comprises a control unit, for example connected to the transmission, configured to supply the windings of the stators individually or simultaneously, in order to adapt the power of the synchronous motor to the pumping load according to (a variation of) at least one signal representative of the pumping load.

The signal representative of the pumping load is, for example, a current limited output of one of the transmissions, which represents the current consumed by the vacuum pump.

A further object of the present invention is a method for controlling the synchronous motor of a dry vacuum pump for pumping a chamber connected to the vacuum pump, as described above, characterized in that the windings of the stators are individually powered when the pumping load of the motor is below a load threshold and simultaneously powered when the pumping load of the vacuum pump is above said load threshold, in order to adapt the power of the synchronous motor to the pumping load according to (a change in) at least one signal representative of the pumping load.

For example, at the start of the vacuum pump or in the evacuation step starting from atmospheric pressure, the most powerful of the two stators is supplied with power or both stators are supplied with power.

For example, an exhaust step from atmospheric pressure and an extreme vacuum pumping step may be cycled within the chamber.

Drawings

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description, given by way of example and not in any way limiting, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a dry vacuum pump according to a first embodiment connected to a chamber;

FIG. 2 shows a partially schematic longitudinal sectional view of a synchronous motor of the vacuum pump of FIG. 1;

figure 3 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a synchronous motor of the vacuum pump of figure 1;

FIG. 4 shows a flow chart of a method for controlling a synchronous motor of a dry vacuum pump;

FIG. 5 shows a partially schematic longitudinal section of a synchronous motor of a vacuum pump according to a second embodiment;

FIG. 6 shows a partially schematic longitudinal sectional view of a synchronous motor of a vacuum pump according to a third embodiment;

FIG. 7 shows a schematic view of a dry vacuum pump according to another embodiment connected to a chamber.

In all of these figures, like elements are given like reference numerals. The following embodiments are examples. Even if the description refers to one or more embodiments, this does not necessarily mean that each reference is made to the same embodiment, or that the features are applicable to only a single embodiment. Simple features of the various embodiments may also be combined or interchanged to provide further embodiments.

Detailed Description

The "ultimate pressure" is defined as the minimum pressure achieved by the vacuum pump without introducing a gas stream.

A rough vacuum pump is defined as a positive displacement vacuum pump which uses two rotors to suck, transport and then evacuate the gas to be pumped at atmospheric pressure.

A roots vacuum pump (also known as a "roots blower" or "roots compressor") is defined as a positive displacement vacuum pump that uses a roots-type pumping rotor to suck, transport, and then expel the gas to be pumped. The roots type vacuum pump is installed at the upstream and is connected with the vacuum pump in series.

The rough vacuum pump and the roots vacuum pump are dry vacuum pumps.

"upstream" is to be understood as meaning an element which is placed before another element with respect to the direction of circulation of the gas. In contrast, "downstream" is understood to be an element placed after another element with respect to the circulation direction of the gas to be pumped, wherein the element located upstream is at a lower pressure than the element located downstream and at a higher pressure.

Fig. 1 shows a first example of a dry vacuum pump 1 connected to a chamber 2 via an isolation valve 3.

Pumping load variations may occur in the chamber 2. For example, an evacuation step starting from atmospheric pressure and an extreme vacuum pumping step are carried out in succession in the chamber 2. The succession of these two steps may occur cyclically.

The chamber 2 is for example a load lock chamber. In a manner known per se, the load lock chamber comprises a first door connecting the interior of the chamber with an area, such as a clean room, at atmospheric pressure for loading at least one substrate and a second door for unloading the substrate into the processing chamber after a vacuum has been applied. Each operation for loading or unloading a substrate requires alternating lowering and then raising the pressure within the load lock chamber. The load lock chamber allows an acceptable throughput to be maintained and prevents the presence of any impurities and any contamination in the atmosphere surrounding the substrate. The load lock chamber is particularly useful for the manufacture of flat display screens or photovoltaic substrates or for the manufacture of semiconductor substrates.

In a first embodiment shown in fig. 1, the vacuum pump 1 is a multi-stage rough vacuum pump. A roots vacuum pump or a turbo-molecular vacuum pump may be interposed between the vacuum pump 1 and the chamber 2.

The vacuum pump 1 of this first embodiment comprises a plurality of pump stages T1-T5, for example five stages, mounted in series between the inlet 4 and the outlet 5 of the vacuum pump 1. Each pump stage T1-T5 includes a respective input and output. Successive pump stages T1-T5 are connected in series one after the other by respective interstage passages that connect the output (or outlet) of a preceding pump stage to the input (or inlet) of a subsequent stage.

The vacuum pump 1 further comprises two shafts 6, 7, i.e. a drive shaft 6 and a driven shaft 7, each supporting a pumping rotor 8 extending into a pumping stage T1-T5.

The vacuum pump 1 further comprises a synchronous motor 9 configured to rotate the drive shaft 6. The driven shaft 7 is rotated by the synchronizing means of the vacuum pump 1.

The pumping rotor 8 has, for example, lobes of the same profile, for example of the "roots" type ("8" or "bean" shaped cross section) or of the "claw" type. According to another example, the pumping rotor 8 is of the "screw" type.

The shafts 6, 7 rotate in opposite directions in synchronism. During rotation, the gas sucked in from the input is captured in the volume created by the pumping rotor 8 and then conveyed by the rotor 8 to the next stage (the direction of circulation of the gas is shown by the arrows in fig. 1). The vacuum pump 1 is in particular called a "dry" pump, since during operation the rotor 8 rotates inside the stator without any mechanical contact with the stator, which avoids the use of oil in the pump stages T1-T5.

As is more clearly visible in fig. 2 and 3, the synchronous motor 9 comprises a rotor 10 coupled with the drive shaft 6 (for example, it is screwed on the shaft 6, or attached to the shaft 6 by an elastic coupling, or the rotor and the shaft form a single part), a first stator 12 having windings 13 arranged around the rotor 10, and at least one second stator 14 having windings 15 also arranged around the rotor 10.

The second stator 14 is arranged alongside the first stator 12 along the rotor 10 around a different part of the rotor 10. The stators 12, 14 are mounted adjacent, coaxial and in series. The stators 12, 14 are received in a housing 16 of the synchronous motor 9.

According to a first embodiment, the rotor comprises an electromagnet. Thus, the first stator 12 with the windings 13 is arranged around the rotor facing the electromagnets of the rotor, and the at least one second stator 14 with the windings 15 is also arranged around the rotor facing the electromagnets of the rotor.

According to the second embodiment, the rotor 10 includes the permanent magnet 11. Thus, the first stator 12 with the windings 13 is arranged around the rotor 10 facing the permanent magnets 11 of the rotor 10, and the at least one second stator 14 with the windings 15 is also arranged around the rotor 10 facing the permanent magnets 11 of the rotor 10.

The permanent magnet 11 is integrated in the rotor 10, for example. They are also called "IPM" (internal permanent magnet).

In the example of fig. 2, the permanent magnet 11 positioned facing the first stator 12 and the second stator 14 is a single component. Which extend at least along the rotor 10 from the first stator 12 to the second stator 14.

The windings 13, 15 of the stators 12, 14 can be supplied individually or simultaneously in order to adapt the power of the synchronous motor 9 to the variations in the pumping load.

The vacuum pump 1 may comprise a control unit 18 and two variators, a first variator 23 dedicated to the supply of the windings 13 of the first stator 12 and a second variator 24 dedicated to the supply of the windings 15 of the second stator 14.

The control unit 18 includes one or more controllers or processors adapted to control either or both of the transmissions 23, 24 individually. The control unit 18 is formed, for example, by an electronic control card (circuit board).

During operation, the supply of the windings 13, 15 of the stators 12, 14 of the synchronous motor 9 of the vacuum pump 1 is modified as a function of at least one signal representative of the pumping load to adapt the power to at least one load threshold. When the pumping load exceeds the load threshold, the control unit 18 increases the electromotive force (electromotive force) of the synchronous motor 9 by simultaneously powering the plurality of windings 13, 15; when the pumping load is below the load threshold, the control unit 18 reduces the electromotive force by individually powering either of the windings 13, 15 of the stators 12, 14 of the synchronous motor 9.

The signal indicative of the pumping load may comprise a signal originating from a sensor 21, e.g. a pressure sensor, of the chamber 2 or may originate from a device 22 controlling the sequence of operations of the method in the chamber 2. The signal originating from the device 22 may be a signal for closing the contacts, for example due to opening/closing the door of the chamber 2. The load threshold is exceeded when the pressure inside the chamber 2 exceeds a predetermined threshold or when the contacts change state.

The signal representative of the pumping load is, for example, a signal originating from a sensor of the vacuum pump 1, such as a pressure sensor 19 configured to measure the pressure at the outlet 5 of the vacuum pump 1 or a power or current sensor configured to measure the power or current consumed by the vacuum pump 1. The load threshold is crossed when the discharge pressure of the vacuum pump 1 or the power or current consumed by the vacuum pump 1 exceeds a respective predetermined threshold.

According to one embodiment, the signal representative of the pumping load is a current-limited output of one of the variators 23, 24 representative of the current consumed by the vacuum pump 1. In fact, current thresholds may already be provided in the transmissions 23, 24 to prevent them from surge that may occur, for example, during the start-up phase of the vacuum pump 1.

According to the first embodiment, the power ratio between the power generated by the first stator 12 and the power generated by the second stator 14 is equal to 1. In other words, the windings of the first stator 12 and the second stator 14 generate equal electromotive forces when they are supplied with equal current supplies. Supplying both stators 12, 14 simultaneously doubles the electromotive force.

According to the second embodiment, the power ratio between the power generated by the first stator 12 and the power generated by the second stator 14 is greater than 1. In other words, the windings 13, 15 of the stators 12, 14 generate different electromotive forces when they are supplied with equal currents. Thus, there are three possible powers available.

For example, for a multi-stage rough vacuum pump (fig. 1), the power ratio is also below 5.

For example, stators having windings generating different powers may be obtained by increasing the number of turns of the windings 13, 15 of one of the stators 12, 14 or by increasing the wire diameter of the windings 13, 15 of one of the stators 12, 14. The number of turns of the winding 15 of the second stator 14 is, for example, greater than the number of turns of the winding 13 of the first stator 12.

The synchronous motor 9 may also comprise more than two stators with windings, for example three or four stators with windings. Various stators with windings have, for example, an increased corresponding electromotive force.

A description will now be provided of an example of a method 100 for controlling a synchronous motor 9 connected to a vacuum pump 1 such as the load lock shown in figure 1, by considering that the pressure inside the chamber 2 is initially atmospheric and that the isolation valve 3 is closed.

For example, when the device 22 commands the opening of the valve 3, a signal originating from the device 22 is received at the control unit 18 of the vacuum pump 1. The control unit 18 then supplies power to both stators 12, 14 of the synchronous motor 9 simultaneously in order to provide maximum power.

The pressure in the chamber 2 starts to decrease (venting step 101, fig. 4).

When the pressure in the chamber 2 exceeds a predetermined low pressure threshold, the pumping load is considered to be low enough to power only one of the two stators 12, 14 (extreme vacuum pumping step 102, fig. 4).

After unloading the substrate from the chamber 2, the isolation valve 3 is closed and the pressure in the chamber 2 is raised to atmospheric pressure so as to load a new substrate.

A new cycle can then begin.

It is then possible to supply either one of the windings 13, 15 of the stators 12, 14 of the synchronous motor 9 individually or a plurality of them simultaneously, in order to adapt the power of the synchronous motor 9 optimally to the variations in the pumping load, while reducing the various stator losses (iron losses, joule losses, etc.). The production of the synchronous motor 9 can then be optimized for the respective operating point. Thus, powering both stators 12, 14 with windings 13, 15 simultaneously allows for providing a temporary response to a larger load request and for reducing the time taken to apply vacuum. A single rotor 10 is used and the two stators 12, 14 may be received in the same housing 16 of the synchronous motor 9 of the vacuum pump 1. Thus, the cost is reduced, assembly is facilitated, and the vacuum pump 1 remains compact.

Fig. 5 shows a second embodiment, in which each permanent magnet 11 of the rotor 10 comprises a plurality of permanent magnet elements 25.

The permanent magnet elements 25 are arranged along the rotor 10. They are placed end-to-end along the rotor 10 and extend between the first stator 12 and the second stator 14. Permanent magnet 11 produced from a plurality of separate elements placed end-to-end is easier to manufacture than permanent magnet 11 as a single component. The permanent magnet elements 25 are inserted, for example, one after the other into grooves provided in the rotor 10.

Fig. 6 shows another embodiment, in which each permanent magnet 11 of the rotor 10 comprises a plurality of permanent magnet elements 25. The permanent magnet elements 25 are arranged along the rotor 10, but in this case they extend in the rotor 10 only in the region of the rotor 10 opposite the stators 12, 14 with the windings 13, 15. A filler element, for example made of plastic, can be inserted in the groove between the permanent-magnet element 25 facing the first stator 12 with windings 13 and the permanent-magnet element 25 facing the second stator 14 with windings 15. Therefore, the cost is limited by avoiding the provision of unnecessary permanent magnets.

Figure 7 shows an example of a "roots blower" type vacuum pump 30 connected to the chamber 2. The vacuum pump 30 is installed in series upstream of the rough vacuum pump 31.

The vacuum pump 30 comprises a single pump stage T1 having an inlet 4 and an outlet 5, two shafts 6, 7 each supporting a pumping rotor 8, and a synchronous motor 9 configured to rotate the drive shaft 6.

The pumping rotor 8 includes lobes of identical roots-type profiles that are angularly offset and driven for counter-synchronous rotation in the pump stage T1.

The main differences between the roots vacuum pump 30 and the roughing vacuum pump 1 are the greater pumping capacity, the greater clearance tolerances and the fact that the roots vacuum pump 30 is not evacuated at atmospheric pressure and must be installed in series upstream of the roughing vacuum pump 31.

As in the first embodiment, the synchronous motor 9 comprises a rotor 10 with permanent magnets 11 mounted on the drive shaft 6, a first stator 12 with windings 13 arranged around the rotor 10, and at least one second stator 14 with windings 15 also arranged around the rotor 10.

The windings 13, 15 of the first stator 12 and the second stator 14 may generate equal or different electromotive forces. The power ratio between the power generated by the first stator 12 and the power generated by the second stator 14 is for example between 1 and 10.

For example, in the case of a "roots blower" vacuum pump 30 connected to a load lock, it is envisaged that the power generated by the first stator 12 is approximately 1.5kW, while the power generated by the second stator 14 is approximately 8.5 kW.

During operation, the supply of power to the windings 13, 15 of the stators 12, 14 of the synchronous motor 9 of the vacuum pump 1 is modified as a function of at least one signal representative of the pumping load to adapt the power to at least one load threshold.

When the device 22 commands the opening of the valve 3, the two stators 12, 14 of the synchronous motor 9 are powered. The available power is then about 10kW (discharge step 101).

When the pressure in the chamber 2 crosses the predetermined load threshold, the pumping load has dropped sufficiently that the control unit 18 powers only one of the two stators 12 (extreme vacuum pumping step 102, fig. 4). The available power is then about 1.5 kW.