A sensor assembly for use in an apparatus comprising at least one moving part and at least one stationary part is provided. The assembly comprises a probe and means for mounting the sensor to a stationary part of the apparatus. The probe comprises a portion of an incomplete circuit which, when completed, produces a signal. In use, when the probe is engaged by a moving part of the apparatus, a signal is produced. A vacuum pump or a compressor pump comprising the sensor and a method for preventing failure of an apparatus are also provided.

A method including: determining a cooling value; and comparing the cooling value to an activation point of a lead compressor. The lead compressor is in a tandem set of scroll compressors of a cooling system. The tandem set of compressors comprises a lag compressor. The method further includes: activating the lead compressor when the cooling value is greater than the activation point; activating the lag compressor subsequent to activating the lead compressor; and determining whether conditions exist including: an alarm associated with the lag compressor being generated, and the lead compressor being deactivated. The method further includes deactivating the lag compressor when at least one of the conditions exists in the cooling system.

A compressor is provided and includes a shell, a compression mechanism, a motor, a data module, and a compressor controller. The data module includes a data module processor and a data module memory. The compressor controller includes a controller processor and a controller memory distinct from the data module processor and the data module memory. The data module receives sensed data, stores the sensed data in the data module memory, determines a first diagnosis of the compressor based on the sensed data, and communicates the sensed data and the first diagnosis to the compressor controller. The compressor controller determines a second diagnosis of the compressor based on the sensed data and verifies the first diagnosis by comparing the first diagnosis to the second diagnosis.

Scroll compressor includes a shaft rotatably supported to a casing; an eccentric bush having a recess part into which one end portion of the shaft is inserted, an eccentric part eccentric to the shaft, and a balance weight disposed at the opposite side of the eccentric part with respect to the recess part; an orbiting scroll for performing the orbiting motion in interlock with the eccentric part; and a fixed scroll for forming a compression chamber together with the orbiting scroll. The casing has an orbiting groove in which the eccentric bush performs the orbiting motion, a buffer member is interposed between the orbiting groove and the balance weight. Rotation clearance is formed between the recess part and the shaft. The buffer member is compressed between the balance weight and the orbiting groove before the recess part and the shaft contact each other by the rotation clearance.

A motor-driven compressor includes an electric motor driven by a motor driver, which includes a switching element that converts DC voltage from a battery to AC voltage. A temperature detector detects the temperature of the switching element. A voltage detector detects DC voltage applied to the switching element from the battery. A control unit suspends the switching operation of the switching element when the detected temperature rises to a temperature threshold. The control unit reduces counter electromotive force generated by the electric motor. The controller changes the temperature threshold such that the temperature threshold gradually increases from when the detected DC voltage is the highest voltage in the applicable voltage range of the battery to when the detected DC voltage is the lowest voltage in the applicable voltage range.

A vacuum pumping system includes a plurality of positive displacement vacuum pumps, and more particularly a plurality of positive displacement vacuum pumps working in parallel. The vacuum pumping system includes a management unit that carries out a synchronized control of all the positive displacement vacuum pumps of the vacuum pumping system and thus allows to check possible risk of contamination of the vacuum pumping system and carry out, if needed, the necessary corrective actions without requiring any modification to the construction of the vacuum pumping system.

A safety device for an orbital pump has first and second interleaved parts which are operable to follow an orbital path with respect to each other, the safety device comprising: a first member fixable with respect to the first interleaved part; and a second member fixable with respect to the second interleaved part, the second member defining an aperture into which the first member is receivable, the aperture being dimensioned to prevent movement of the first interleaved part with respect to the second interleaved part beyond the orbital path. In this way, the members of the safety device help to prevent the moving components of the pump contacting, thereby preventing damage.

A system comprising: a liquid ring pump comprising a chamber and an impeller mounted within the chamber; a driver configured to drive the liquid ring pump so as to cause the impeller to move within the chamber; and a controller configured to, responsive to determining that a speed of the impeller relative to the chamber is below a threshold speed or is zero, control the driver to drive the liquid ring pump so as to cause the impeller to move within the chamber.

A compressor fault diagnostic apparatus including a current sensing unit to sense a current flowing through a motor of the compressor, a fault diagnostic unit to determine whether or not the motor performs a reverse rotation based on the current flowing through the motor, and a cut-off unit to remove power based on a determination of the fault diagnostic unit.

A system and method for coupling a temperature monitoring system within a progressive cavity pump to combat dry-running. A temperature monitoring system for use in a progressive cavity pump for monitoring the internal temperature of an elastomeric stator. The temperature monitoring system includes a sleeve and a temperature sensor disposed therein. The sleeve is inserted into a shell portion of the stator before vulcanizing the elastomeric stator so that the sleeve is vulcanized to the elastomeric stator.