Tracer-gas leak testing

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A tracer-gas leak testing method is a nondestructive testing method that detects gas leaks. A variety of methods with different sensitivities exist. Tracer-gas leak testing is used in the petrochemical industry, the automotive industry, and in the manufacture of semiconductors, among other uses.

Contents

Types

Several tracer-gas leak testing methods exist, including:

Method selection

Typical leakage rates

The nature of the product or the process and the process gases will set the leak rate requirement:

SystemAllowed leak rate (mbar l/s)
Chemical process equipment10−1–1
Beverage can10−5 –10−6
Vacuum pumped system10−5–10−7
IC-package10−7–10−8
Airbag cartridge10−8
Pacemaker10−9
Closed vacuum system10−9

Sensitivity of methods

Based on the target leak rate, the table below will help to choose the most suitable method. [1]

MethodSensitivity (leak rate in mbar l/s)
Ultrasonics 10−1
Bubble test in water10−2
Pressure decay10−2
Vacuum decay10−2
Acoustic emission detectors 10−3
Bubble test in soapy water10−4
Gas-specific thermal conductivity detector10−5
Halogen detector10−5
Photoacoustic spectroscopy 10−6
Hydrogen sniffer10−6
Residual gas analyser 10−7
Dye penetrant 10−8
Radioactive tracer 10−10
Helium mass spectrometry vacuum testing10−11

Applications

Typical applications of tracer-gas leak testing include:

Standards

Several standards apply to leak testing and more specifically to tracer-gas leak testing methods, for example:

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References

  1. "Leak Detection Sensitivity Guide - VIC Leak Detection". VIC Leak Detection. Retrieved 2017-06-15.
  2. Townsend, Mark; correspondent, defence (2007-11-11). "MoD accused over spy plane deaths". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 2017-06-15.