Oils & Fluidsfor Vacuum Pumps
Vacuum pump oils for every major brand and duty — Edwards Ultragrade, Leybold LVO 100/120/130, Busch VM and R-series, Welch DuoSeal Direct-Torr, plus Fomblin and Krytox PFPE for chemistry duty. NSF H1 food-grade options. Next-day UK delivery.
Vacuum pump oil is a specially refined hydrocarbon (mineral) or perfluoropolyether (PFPE) fluid that lubricates rotating parts, seals the vane-to-cylinder gap, dissipates heat, and absorbs condensable vapours from the process gas — selected to match the pump's duty cycle.
What's included in oils & fluids
- Mineral oil (hydrocarbon) — standard for clean industrial duty, e.g. Edwards Ultragrade 19/20, Leybold LVO 100, Busch VM 100
- Synthetic / esters — higher thermal stability than mineral, longer life in hot duty
- PFPE / Fomblin / Krytox — perfluorinated oils, inert and non-flammable, essential for oxygen-rich and aggressive-chemistry duty
- NSF H1 food-grade — registered for incidental food contact, used in food and beverage packaging
- Oil quantities — typically 1L to 20L containers; bulk drums available for high-volume users
When should oils & fluids be replaced?
Manufacturer's scheduled hour interval
Oil change every 2,000–4,000 hours for clean industrial duty; every 500–2,000 hours for food packaging or high-vapour duty.
Oil discoloration
Discoloured oil indicates contamination or thermal breakdown. Per Welch's DuoSeal manual, oil must be changed whenever it shows discoloration.
Cloudy or milky oil (emulsification)
Emulsification means water has entered the oil — common in heat-treat or food-packaging duty. Drain, flush, and refill; consider gas ballast use.
Process change to chemistry duty
Switching from mineral oil to PFPE requires complete drain and flush. The two are not compatible.
How to spot a problem
- Discoloration — golden/clear becoming brown or black
- Cloudy, milky appearance (water emulsification)
- Burnt smell — thermal breakdown
- Sediment or particulates on the oil sight glass
- Higher oil consumption (carry-over) than baseline
Oils & Fluids by manufacturer
Edwards
Ultragrade 15, 19, 20, 70 mineral oils plus Fomblin Y for chemistry duty. Edwards-branded packs from 1L to 20L.
Leybold
LVO 100 (standard), LVO 120 (higher temp), LVO 130, plus genuine Fomblin PFPE for DRYVAC and chemistry-duty TRIVAC.
Busch
VM 100, R 530, R 580, R 590 (high-temp), R 570; plus NSF H1 food-grade for packaging duty.
Pfeiffer / Adixen
P3 mineral oil, F4/F5 PFPE for Pascal C2 chemistry duty, plus Alcatel 100/120 for legacy pumps.
Welch
DuoSeal Direct-Torr oil and Welch Gold pump oil for higher-temperature lab duty.
Need oils & fluids?
Tell us your pump model, part number, or just describe the symptom — we aim to come back within 24 hours with a quote and confirmed lead time.