What is the best way to check for leaks ?
There is no ‘best way’ as such. Like most problems, leak detection solutions will vary according to the scenario. Techniques such as pressure decay are good for small volume enclosures where the measurement of the leak rate is not important. Flow measurement techniques are good where adjustments to the product can be made during the test. The flow measurement technique is used extensively to test gas appliances for example. Trace gas leak detectors will detect leaks, find the location of the leak and quantify it (something pressure decay instruments cannot do), and the technique can be used for relatively large volume enclosures. Time and cost of the trace gas, typically SF6 or Helium, will be a limiting factor when the enclosure is very large. Ultrasonic leak detectors can be very useful to search for leaks in very large enclosures.Unlike trace gas methods, because no gas permeation is involved, the ultrasonic detector can locate leaks quickly. Ai QUALITEK’s Q180 is a two part instrum
