Vacuum Engineering Services Ltd,
St. Modwen Road, Stretford,
Manchester, M32 0ZE
Other Offices:

& training standard parts
& accessories protecting
the environment
Application Finder
| Description | Method | Leak Rate (mbar .l/sec) | Typical Application | Time for one 2mm bubble to form |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pressure Decay | Charge product with gas, allow time to stabilise and check for pressure drop. Simple and cost effective for small components with relatively high leak rates which are not temperature sensitive. |
|
Charge Air Coolers, Exhaust Systems, Injector Tips, Pneumatics | 24 bubbles per second - bubble stream |
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|
2.4 bubbles per second - slow bubble stream | |||
| Accumulation | New technique using helium tracer gas but inside an enclosure so that the accumulation of helium is measured. The advantages of non temperature dependence and better sensitivity of hard vacuum system at a much lower cost. |
|
4 seconds per bubble, sporadic bubbles can be identified with care | |
|
|
50 seconds per bubble, technician only with lighting | |||
| Sniff Testing | Using a sniff test probe to measure leak rates at specific joints or connections. Ideal for checking assembled systems where components have already been tested or products with defined leak points. Helium or multi-gas systems offered. |
|
8.49 bubbles per hour - in practise the hole usually blocks | |
|
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0.85 bubbles per hour - in practise the hole usually blocks | |||
| Hard Vacuum Helium Leak Testing | The part is tested inside a hard vacuum chamber with a helium mass spectrometer. Checks all joints with very high levels of sensitivity and reliability - the standard method for all leaks below 1.0E-3 mbar.l/s |
|
2.04 bubbles per day | |
|
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Nuclear fuel rods, battery cells | 6.11 bubbles per month | ||
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High vacuum components, high integrity valves for toxic media | 7.44 bubbles per year |
