Key Applications

Drying :Pharmaceuticals, Biological, Food, Fine Chemicals, Battery Materials
Vacuum drying allows moisture removal at lower temperatures than conventional methods, preserving active compounds and molecular structures. This shortens drying cycles and reduces energy consumption-ideal for moisture contents below 10%.

As shown in the graph, conventional hot-air drying cannot achieve complete dryness, while vacuum drying can theoretically reach 0% moisture content. In actual operations, vacuum-dried materials typically contain less than 3% residual moisture. This residual level occurs because the dried material absorbs ambient moisture the moment it is removed from the vacuum chamber.

Thermal Treatment :Ceramics, Metal Powders, Semiconductors, Optical & Advanced Materials
Heat treatment under vacuum prevents oxidation by eliminating the presence of oxygen, making it ideal for materials prone to surface reactions. In semiconductor processes, precise oxygen injection under vacuum is used for controlled oxide layer formation on wafers.

Vacuum thermal processing is also widely used in polymer and biotechnology fields because it enables low-temperature heating without thermal deformation during volatilization or reactions. Additionally, high-performance vacuum pumping facilitates effective removal of impurities and solvents embedded within materials.

Vacuum ovens are well-suited for atmospheric heat treatment processes due to their ability to maintain a saturated environment of inert or reactive gases.

Essential System Components

A complete vacuum drying or heat treatment process requires more than just a vacuum chamber with heating and control functions-it also necessitates a properly selected vacuum pump and, depending on the application, appropriate auxiliary components such as vapor condensation units.

When moisture or organic solvents are evaporated under vacuum, it is critical to protect the vacuum pump from contamination. This is achieved by installing a glass condenser and a cold trap between the vacuum oven chamber and the pump. These devices not only protect the pump but also enable efficient solvent recovery, forming a complete solvent recovery system.

You can explore SH Scientific’s turnkey vacuum oven packages complete with all required components for drying and thermal processing-by visiting the link below:

SH Scientific Co., Ltd.

All vacuum pumps are vulnerable to moisture or liquid-phase substances, although the degree of vulnerability varies depending on the pump type. Water ring pumps are not affected by this issue; however, they have a major drawback in that the vacuum level fluctuates based on the temperature of the supplied cooling water. For this reason, they are rarely used in laboratories.

Therefore, when moisture or organic solvents are expected to evaporate during vacuum processes, a vapor condensation system must be installed between the vacuum oven chamber and the vacuum pump.

In laboratory settings, such vapor condensation devices are commonly referred to as cold traps. 

You can explore SH Scientific's Cold Trap Bath models by visiting the link below;

SH Scientific Co., Ltd. 

When a large amount of vapor is generated, a cold trap alone may not have sufficient capacity. In such cases, an additional glass condenser and a dedicated chiller should be incorporated into the system.

The diagram below shows the equipment configuration required for a large-scale vacuum evaporation turn-key process. 

This type of setup is typically used in the drying of food, bio, pharmaceutical, and chemical powders containing a significant amount of solvent. 

SH Scientific Vacuum Drying Oven Selection Guide

SH Scientific's Vacuum Drying Ovens are broadly classified into three types based on their opeating temperature. 

SH Scientific Vacuum Oven Lineup