Reactors and Synthesis Applications

In development and process-scale settings, vacuum pumps support a wide variety of pharmaceutical applications, including:

• Distillation: Essential for solvent removal, purification, and product recovery, especially under reduced pressure for heat-sensitive compounds.
• Degassing: Removing dissolved gases from liquids before reactions or packaging.
• Solvent Recovery: Capturing and recycling valuable or hazardous solvents to improve sustainability and reduce emissions.
• Reaction Control: Maintaining precise pressure levels during syntheses, crystallizations, and extractions.
• Inert Processing: Evacuating reaction vessels before backfilling with nitrogen or argon to protect air-sensitive compounds.
• Drying: Removing moisture from intermediates or final products, often under vacuum to prevent thermal degradation.

These processes are particularly common in kilo labs and pilot plants, where small-to-medium quantities (hundreds of grams to several kilograms) are produced for formulation development, safety studies, and early-stage clinical trials. Each process demands a carefully matched vacuum pump that can withstand aggressive chemicals and support both routine and long-duration runs.

Process Requirements

Chemical and pharmaceutical synthesis environments pose several technical challenges for vacuum systems. Processes often involve:

• A wide range of chemicals and operating conditions, including acids, bases, and reactive intermediates—common in the broader chemical processing industry.
• Long runtimes, with pumps required to operate for hours or days without interruption.
• Medium to high vacuum requirements, depending on the solvent, product sensitivity, and regulatory needs.
• High vapor loads, especially during solvent-heavy steps like distillation or drying.
• Flammable or potentially explosive atmospheres created by volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
• The need for controlled and repeatable pressure profiles to ensure reproducibility and safety.

Without the right vacuum setup, labs risk inconsistent performance, slow cycle times, pump contamination, and even safety hazards.

A vacuum pump for chemical or pharmaceutical synthesis needs to do more than just pull vacuum; it must deliver consistent performance under demanding conditions. Here’s what to look for:

• High Chemical Resistance: Materials like PTFE, PEEK, and FFKM are critical for wetted parts to resist aggressive or corrosive vapors. This prevents premature wear and extends pump lifespan.
• Strong Performance Across Pressure Ranges: Processes like degassing, distillation, and drying each demand different pressure levels. Your pump must maintain high pumping speeds over a wide range, from atmospheric down to deep vacuum.
• Low Ultimate Vacuum, Even with Gas Ballast: Many solvents condense easily and require a gas ballast to prevent buildup inside the pump. A quality system should still reach low vacuum levels even with the ballast open.
• High Pumping Speed: To keep up with vapor-heavy processes, such as those involving large solvent volumes or heated vessels, you need fast evacuation and recovery times.
• Integrated Vacuum Control: Automated control systems (like VARIO® technology) allow dynamic adjustment of vacuum levels throughout a process, enabling better reproducibility and reducing product loss from bumping or foaming.
• Explosion Protection: In potentially explosive environments, pumps should offer ATEX compatibility or be designed for safe handling of flammable vapors.
• Oil-Free Operation: Diaphragm and dry vacuum pumps that run without oil or water seals minimize contamination risk, reduce maintenance needs, and simplify cleanup in GMP-compliant environments.