Rotary vane pumps are the gold standard for powering the vacuum system on most septic service trucks. But power limitations can sometimes mean some jobs are off-limits. The Powervac Mini from Presvac, however, puts more power in the hands of the service provider.
“It is a step-up from a vacuum truck that uses a rotary vane pump,” says David Sipkema, vice president of operations at Presvac. “It has a similar layout as a traditional vacuum truck, including the same tank size, but instead of a rotary vane pump, it uses a positive displacement blower to generate vacuum.”
According to Sipkema, typical trucks using rotary vane pumps have a cfm range of 100 to 1,000 depending on the pump used, while the positive displacement blower gives the Powervac Mini a cfm range of 500 to 1,650.
“The higher cfm of the blower allows you to also perform light vacuum excavation jobs, such as potholing, keyholing, mud removal from directional drilling jobs, and slot trenching,” he says. “A blower doesn’t require oil for sealing like a rotary vane pump. Pound for pound, the blowers generate a higher cfm, and can run continuously at full vacuum.”
While they both generate vacuum, the method differs. Rotary vane pumps create vacuum through a friction seal. The vanes are pushed out against the housing as the rotor spins. To prevent seizing, oil lubrication has to be fed into the pump, and is exhausted. However, the blower uses lobes, which never contact the housing, to create vacuum, so as a result, no oil has to be injected into the blower to create a seal.
“Customers appreciate the extra performance a blower offers,” says Sipkema. “When you are operating a rotary vane pump at the top end of its performance, a more skilled operator is required to prevent overheating. Because the blower can run continuously at full vacuum you don’t have this issue.”
Build options for the Powervac Mini include custom toolboxes, lighting, pressure wash, jetting and hydrovac water systems as well as transfer pump unloading options. Sipkema says customers appreciate that the system is designed to eliminate downtime and keep them on the job.
“Because of the high cfm of the blower, recovery times are quicker, making the system more efficient,” he says. “The tougher jobs become easier.” 800-387-7763; www.presvac.com
