operating characteristics of these two

Factors Influencing Choice instruments. The mass spectrometer is

designed for operation under vacuum
between Detector Probe conditions, whereas the halogen leak
and Tracer Probe Tests detector is designed for operation in air at
atmospheric pressure.
One of the most difficult and important
As another example, a helium mass
decisions is the choice of which leak
spectrometer leak detector may have a
testing method should be used. A correct
leakage sensitivity of 10–12 Pa·m3·s–1
choice will optimize sensitivity, cost and
(10–11 std cm3·s–1) during routine leak
reliability of the leak testing procedure.
testing with dynamic leakage
Choice of an incorrect test method makes
measurement techniques. On very small
leak testing less sensitive and less reliable,
systems, this optimum sensitivity may be
while adding to the difficulty of testing.
increased to 10–15 Pa·m3·s–1
One simplified way to choose is to rank
(10–14 std cm3·s–1), a gain of 1000×, by
various leak testing methods by means of
using the static accumulation leakage
their leakage sensitivity. If this were
measurement technique. However, the
sufficient, the test engineer would only
static leakage measurement technique is
need to decide what degree of sensitivity
not the standard method of using the
is required and then to select the test
mass spectrometer leak detector.
method from among those offering
Therefore, the last sensitivity stated above
adequate sensitivity for the specific test
is subject to some question. It must be
application. However, each leak testing
recognized that each method of leak
technique can have a different test
detection or measurement is usually
sensitivity under different operating
optimized for one particular type of leak
conditions. For example, a mass
testing. Therefore, it can be a mistake to
spectrometer leak detector is 10 000 times
compare sensitivities of various leak
more sensitive than a heated anode
testing methods under the same
halogen vapor detection instrument when
conditions, if each test is not designed to
used for leak location in the tracer probe
operate under these same conditions.
leak location test of an evacuated vessel.
However, if these two instruments are
used for leak detection on a pressurized Leak Location Technique with
test system, the halogen leak detector is Detector Probe Operating at
100 times more sensitive. The reason for Atmospheric Pressure
this apparent discrepancy becomes
obvious on close examination of the When testing a pressurized system that is
leaking into the atmosphere, the next
decision point is whether or not the
leaking fluid can be used as a tracer (this
FIGURE 4. Tracer gas probing for locating leaks with sensitive decision point lies along the top branch
electronic leak detection instruments; (a) tracer probe of the tree of Fig. 3). For example, most
technique; (b) detector probe technique. refrigeration and air conditioning systems
are charged with a refrigerant gas
(refrigerant-22 or -134a) that is a
(a) Probe
fluorocarbon to which the heated anode
halogen vapor detector is specifically
System
under
highly sensitive. When searching for leaks
test in operating systems of this type, the
Leak
detector inherent tracer dictates the use of the
halogen leak testing method. Because of
potential environmental effects from
fluorocarbons, some current systems are
Source of
being charged with refrigerant-134a gas or
tracer gas sulfur hexafluoride for use, respectively,
with modified residual gas analyzer
halogen leak detectors or electron capture
(b) Probe
halogen leak detectors.
If the pressurized test system contains
ammonia gas, a chemical type of leak
System detector might prove to be optimum. In
under
test
certain cases where the mass spectrometer
Leak leak detector is to be used, the presence of
detector a specific gas (such as argon, helium or
neon) within the system provides an
excellent inherent tracer. Alternative
procedures involve pressurizing the test
Source of system with such a tracer gas or a mixture
tracer gas
of air with tracer gas.

Introduction to Leak Testing 15

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