Method of leak testing an assembled plate type heat exchanger
AssigneeThe A.P.V. Company Limited
InventorsJonathan Graham Shaw, Stephan Dall
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Abstract
A method of positively locating the source of leaks in the heat transfer surface area of the plate heat exchanger between separate product and service fluid paths arranged in an intimate heat exchange relationship is disclosed. The method comprises: circulating a solution through one fluid path of the exchanger, the solution consisting of solvent with appreciable vapor pressure under the chosen test conditions; providing a gas flow across the other fluid path of the exchange surface by means of forced or natural convection; applying a positive pressure differential between solution and gas stream; and detecting visually the location of deposited solutes on or around the other fluid path.
Claims14
A method of locating a source of leakage or a crack in a heat transfer surface area of a plate heat exchanger between separate product and service fluid paths arranged in an intimate heat exchange relationship, the method comprises:
- circulating a solution through one fluid path of the exchanger, the solution comprised of a solvent and a solute in the solvent which has an appreciable vapor pressure under the chosen test conditions;
- providing a gas flow across another fluid path of the exchange surface by means of at least one of forced and natural convection;
- applying a positive pressure differential between the solution and the gas flow;
- and
- detecting visually a leakage location from solute deposited at the leakage location upon evaporation of the solvent said solute undergoing an increase in amount deposited as the solvent evaporates and forming an increased surface area aiding in further deposition of said solute and the increased amount of said solute also acting to promote a wicking action to draw leaking solution through the crack.
A method of locating a source of leaks or a crack in a heat transfer surface area of a plate type heat exchanger between separate product and service fluid paths arranged in an intimate heat exchange relationship, the method comprising the steps of:
- circulating a first fluid through one fluid path side (A) of the exchanger;
- circulating a second fluid trough another fluid path side (B) and when the first fluid mixes with the second fluid at a leakage location, a chemical reaction occurs to form an insoluble product in the second fluid with said insoluble product undergoing an increase in amount deposited as the first and second fluid react and forming an increased surface area which assists in further deposition of insoluble product and the increased amount of insoluble product acting to promote a wicking action to draw through the crack the second fluid into contact with the first fluid, said insoluble product depositing around the leakage location;
- and
- detecting visually said insoluble product deposited around the leakage location.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.