Vacuum conditions in foundry installations are generated using electric-driven vacuum pumps. The purpose of the experiment is to evaluate the performance of a vacuum-assisted system for compaction of moulding sand basing on registered plots of selected electric power parameters of the power-supplying system of the pumps. Model testing done on an experimental vacuum system installation, power-supplied from a system incorporating the recorders of instantaneous current and voltage values. Following the numerical procedure, the experimental data are analysed to yield mathematical relationships between the variations of the generated vacuum pressure levels and variations of selected electric power parameters. Registered and computed values of selected parameters: instantaneous and RMS voltage and current values, active, reactive and apparent power levels and power coefficient allow for diagnosing the adequacy and reliability of the system operation. According to the authors, the applied monitoring of the power parameters of a vacuum-assisted installation may become an effective and easy practical method of evaluating the performance of such installations, used also in foundry plants.

In this article the main problems related with the proper choice of the design and operation parameters of vacuum installation in vacuum moulding system have been discussed. In such system a vacuum are generated using electric-driven vacuum pumps. The aim of the experiment is to evaluate the performance of a vacuum system basing on registered plots of selected electric power parameters of the power-supplying system of the pumps with parallel measurements instantaneous values of pressure in selected points of model stand. The measurements system for power-supply unit has incorporated the recorders of instantaneous current and voltage values. Following the suitable numerical procedure, the experimental data are analysed to yield mathematical relationships between the variations of the generated vacuum pressure levels and variations of selected electric power parameters. According to the authors, the applied measurements system of the parameters of a vacuum-assisted installation may become an effective and easy practical method of evaluating the performance of such installations, used also in industry.