Method for performing a leak test on a test object
AssigneeInficon GmbH
InventorsVladimir Schwartz, Boris Chernobrod
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
For leak testing, a tracer gas is advanced to the outer wall (11) of the hollow test object (10) while the test object (10) is in an evacuated state. The tracer gas is discharged from a blower device (14) in the form of soap bubbles (21). When contacting the outer wall (11), the soap bubbles will burst, thus forming a cloud (27) of tracer gas immediately on the outer wall (11). By the invention, it is made easier to localize the invisible tracer gas in the ambient air. Further, the tracer gas can be used more effectively so that the costs for performing the testing process are reduced.
Claims9
A method for performing a leak test on a test object, said test being of the type wherein a cloud of a tracer gas is generated on an outer wall of the test object and a vacuum is generated in the interior of the test object, the removed gas volume being tested for the presence of the tracer gas,
- wherein the tracer gas is moved toward the test object while being enclosed within soap bubbles, said soap bubbles bursting upon contact with the test object for advancing the tracer gas in concentrated form to the outer wall of the test object.
A blower device for performing a leak test on a test object, said test being of the type wherein a cloud of a tracer gas is generated on an outer wall of the test object and a vacuum is generated in the interior of the test object, the removed gas volume being tested for the presence of the tracer gas, wherein said blower device comprises a tank for a liquid, soap-like polymer, a tank for a tracer gas, a bubble generator for generating bubbles of said soap-like polymer in which said tracer gas is enclosed, and a blowing source operative to generate an air flow containing said tracer gas enclosed within said bubbles of said soap-like polymer, so that said bubbles burst upon contact with the test object for advancing the tracer gas in concentrated form to the outer wall of the test object.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.