Innovations in Leak Detection Presented by

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Innovations in Leak DetectionPresented by

• Mike Ryan
• Leak Detection Market Manager
• INFICON
• Two Technology Place
• East Syracuse, NY 13057
• 315-434-1100
• E-mail mryan_at_inficon.com

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Innovations in Leak Detection

• Outline
• Production Leak Detection
• Current Practices
• Advances
• Future Trends
• Field Leak Detection (On-Site Service)
• Current Practices
• Advances
• Future Trends

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Leak Detection

• Many Leak Detection Methods
• Some better than others

• If a System Leaks
• You Have a Problem

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Production Leak Detection

• Current Situation
• System Integrity Test
• Pressure Decay for Gross Leak Test
• Pressure Burst Test
• Helium Mass Spectrometry Testing
• Final Test
• Charged System Tested under Operation Conditions
• Heated Diode, Quadrupole Mass Spectrometry or new
  IR Sensor Detection

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Production Leak Testing

• System Integrity - Pressure Decay Testing
• Pressurize system to high pressure and look for
  ability to hold pressure
• Pressure decrease indicates large leak
• Inability to reach high pressure indicates gross
  leak
• Finds gross leaks
• Prevents helium contamination of work station

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Production Leak Testing

• System Integrity - Helium Leak Detection
• Helium is used as a tracer gas to locate leaks
• Primary method is Sniffer Leak Detection
• Unit is evacuated and backfilled with Helium
• Operator scans product with Sniffer Wand to find
  and locate leaks
• Sensor Helium Mass Spec

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Production Leak Testing

• System Integrity - Helium Leak Detection
• Good Sensitivity
• Detects and Locates Leaks
• Environmentally Friendly
• Results Dependent on Operator and Environment

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Production Leak Testing

• Final Test Refrigerant Leak Detection
• Refrigerant charge used as tracer gas
• Primary method is Sniffer Leak Detection
• Unit evacuated, charged with refrigerant and
  typically goes through Run Test
• Operator scans product with Sniffer Wand to find
  and locate leaks
• Good Sensitivity
• Detects and Locates Leaks
• Tests performed under operating conditions
• Results Dependent on Operator and Environment

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Production Leak Testing

• Final Test Refrigerant Leak Detection
• Sensors for Refrigerant Sniffer Leak Detection
• Heated Diode Sensor
• Older technology still in use today
• Quadrupole Mass Spectrometer
• State of the art in gas detection
• Employed today and long into the future
• Extremely sensitive and extremely selective
• IR Sensor
• New sensor technology
• Technical advantages over the Heated Diode

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Advances In Production TestingIR Sensors

• Technology to displace Heated Diode Sensors
• Greater selectivity less false alarms
• Equal Sensitivity to Large Range of Refrigerants
• Longer sensor life
• Adaptable to many refrigerants
• Halogenated Refrigerants, CO2, Ammonia, etc
• Better platform for new refrigerants and blends
• Consistent sensor sensitivity throughout life
• Better Cost of Ownership

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The Infrared Cell functionality, pt 1
The filtered infrared energy passes through the
sampling cell, striking the infrared detector.
Only the specific wavelengths that are absorbed
by refrigerants are present in the cell. The IR
Sensor based leak detector is ready to sense any
refrigerant that enters the sampling cell.
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The Infrared Cell functionality, pt 2
The filtered infrared energy is absorbed by the
refrigerant present in the sampling cell and no
longer strikes the infrared detector. This leads
to a drop in temperature on the surface of the
infrared detector, causing the IR Sensor based LD
to alarm.
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Advances in Production TestingHLD5000 Dual Inlet
Sampling

• Gas is drawn alternately from two inlets,
  alternating 3 times each second.
• Any Refrigerant in either of the two gas streams
  absorbs Infrared Light, as it fills the cell.
• The signal from ambient is subtracted from the
  signal from the leak.

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Future Trends In Production

• Removal of Operator Influence
• Advances in Probe Designs to Facilitate Testing
• Angled Probe Tip
• Lights in Probes to Illuminate area under test
• Displays in Probe Handle
• Leak rate
• Concentration bar graph indicator
• Pass/Fail Indicator
• Gas Display
• Vibrator and Alarm in Probe Handle

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Future Trends In Production

• Removal of Operator Influence
• Advances in Probe Designs to Facilitate Testing
• Increased Sample Flow with Same Sensitivity
• Compensates for operator error
• Increase Probability of Finding Leaks at Greater
  Distance
• Increase Probability of Finding Leaks at Higher
  Scan Rates
• Faster Response
• Computer Aided Test Stations
• Motion Sensors in Probe
• Transponder Technology to Track Proper Probe
  Movement
• Vacuum Leak Testing

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Field Service Leak Detection

• Current Situation
• A Number of Technologies are Employed
• Each has its Advantages and Disadvantages
• Current Leak Detection Technologies In Use
• Halide Torch
• Soap Bubbles
• Fluorescent Dye (UV Light)
• Ultrasonic
• Fluorescent Dye (UV Light)
• Electronic Leak Detectors
• Surface Reaction Sensor
• Corona Suppression (Corona Discharge)
• Heated Sensor (Heated Diode)

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Advances In Field Leak Detection

• Heated Diode Sensors
• Numerous Models Available
• Improved Performance over other Methods
• Faster and More Reliable Detection
• Halogen Selective
• Reduces, but does not Eliminate False Alarms
• Sensitivity greater than 0.25 oz/yr for all
  refrigerants (including blends)
• Humidity Immune

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Advances In Field Leak Detection

• Heated Diode Sensors
• Disadvantages
• More Expensive Sensor and Support Electronics
• Sensor is a Consumable Item
• Effects Cost of Ownership
• Sensor Life Dependent on Refrigerant
• Exposure to Large Leaks Reduces Life
• Slower Recovery after Large Leak Exposure
• Platform not Fully Adaptable to New Refrigerants

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The Future of Field Leak Detection

• IR Sensor Technology
• The Future is Here
• Miniaturization of Production IR Sensors
• Many Benefits
• Improved Sensitivity (approaching 0.04 oz/yr)
• Pick-Up Lower Refrigerant Concentrations
• Selective Sensor Technology
• Reduced Cross Sensitivity
• Fast and Accurate Leak Detection
• Greater Efficiency and Effectiveness when Leak
  Testing
• Time is Money

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The Future of Field Leak Detection

• IR Sensor Technology
• Benefits (continued)
• Better Confidence in Results
• Long Sensor Life
• Better Cost of Ownership
• Detects New Refrigerants/Blends that Other
  Technologies cannot.
• Adaptable Platform for Future Refrigerants and
  Blends
• Halogen and Hydrocarbon based gases
• CO2, Ammonia, and others.
• Need to Educate the Industry of the Benefits

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Innovations in Leak Detection
Presented by Mike Ryan Leak Detection Market
Manager INFICON Two Technology Place East
Syracuse, NY 13057 315-434-1100 E-mail
mryan_at_inficon.com
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