Helium Leak Testing (LT)

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•  Bubble Leak Test (Direct pressure and Vacuum Box Technique)
•  Helium Mass spectrometer Test - Vacuum method
  •  Techniques outlined with the Hood Test and the Tracer Probe Test
•  Helium Mass spectrometer Test - Overpressure Method
  •  Techniques Outlined with the Hood test, the Bombing test, and the Finder Probe or Sniffer test.

•  Oil & Gas (On & Offshore)
•  Chemical plants (Valves & pipeline joints)
•  Power plants (Valves, boilers shell & tube weld joints)
•  Marine sector (RIG and Ships)
•  Pipeline transaction Valves, Vacuum chambers
•  Automobiles (Engine blocks, heat exchanger, fuel tankers, closed vessel containers)
•  Underground pipelines (Pipe body leak test)
•  Valve Leak Detection
•  Flange leak detection
•  New production products
•  Inservice products

•  Automobile industries
•  Shipbuilding and repair yards
•  Oil and Gas refinery
•  On and offshore pipeline projects

•  ARIES GROUP’s qualified NDT technicians (Helium Leak testing) are educated and trained to work with Helium detectors and will quickly locate even the smallest condenser vacuum leaks around valve packing, steam seals, rupture disks, condensate pumps, vacuum pipelines in the processing industry as well as underground Pipelines.
•  ARIES helium leak detection services for steam turbines and condensers and all other facilities save our customers time, and money during the start-up of new power plants or other facilities.

Bubble leak test – Direct Pressure

The part is pressurised with gas and submerged in a liquid (global test) or sprayed with a surfactant solution (local test). The leak is shown by the the regular appearance of bubbles or foam in line with the through-wall defect.

Bubble leak test – Vacuum box technique

The outside surface of the part is exposed to a surfactant Solution. The vacuum box is applied to the surface and a vacuum is created; foam or bubbles appear in line with the leak.

Helium Mass Spectrometer - Vacuum method — Hood test

 The Hood Test is an overall leak test. The evacuated test objects is covered with a (plastic) hood. The space between the test object and the hood is filled with Helium from the search gas reservoir so, the total outer surface of the test object is exposed to the Helium search gas. The helium enters through all leaks present at the evacuated test object and thus the detector connected to it. The detector now indicates the total leak rate.

 The hood test can, for instance, be utilized for the assessment of little vessels.

Helium Mass Spectrometer - Vacuum method — Tracer probe test

 The tracer probe tests the same set-up as used for the hood test is applied, but without the hood. A spray gun is used to spray a fine jet of helium search gas at areas, suspected of leaking. Again, the helium enters through leaks present at the evacuated test object and the detector connected to it. The detector indicates if a leak is present at the area the helium search gas is exposed to

 The tracer probe test can, for instance, be utilized on seals, spine associations, weld creases, etc.

Helium Mass Spectrometer - Overpressure method — Hood test

 The overpressure hood test is an overall leak test. A test set-up similar to the vacuum test is used. A vacuum chamber is used for the hood, which can be evacuated by an auxiliary pump to which the leak detector is connected. The helium search gas which is escaping through leaks in the test object is indicated by the leak detector.

 The utilization of a helium leak locator permits the identification of tiny leaks and is reasonable for programmed leak recognition in modern hardware

 The hood test can, for instance, be utilized for the assessment of vessels, heat exchangers etc

Helium Mass Spectrometer - Overpressure method — Bombing test

 The bombing test is a pressure/vacuum method of leak detection used for testing of hermetically sealed components containing a cavity which can be helium gas-filled or evacuated. The objects to be tested, are in a pressure chamber exposed, to the helium search gas. During an exposure time of up to several hours at a high helium pressure, the helium will penetrate through any leaks present in the test object. This is the part referred to as the "bombing". After the pressurisation or bombing the objects are tested for helium emission in a vacuum vessel, following the same procedure as in the hood test.

 The bombing test can, for instance, be utilized for the assessment of semiconductors, ampoules, etc.

Helium Mass Spectrometer - Overpressure method — Sniffer test

 The suspected areas of the test object are carefully explored using a detector probe, a "sniffer", which is connected to the helium leak detector. The objects to be tested are under helium search gas overpressure. The sensitivity of the method and the accuracy of localising any leaky points depend on the nature of the search gas (Helium), the design of the sniffer and the time constant of the actual leak-testing device.

 The sniffer test can for instance be utilized for the assessment of vessels, heat exchangers, seals, rib associations,weld creases.

•  "Vacuum method" - the object to be examined for leaks is evacuated and sprayed from the outside with a search gas, in this case, Helium. The gas enters through any leaks present in the object and is detected by a sensor connected to the leak test instrument
•  "Overpressure method" - the object to be examined for leaks is filled with a search gas, Helium, under slight overpressure. The search gas escapes through any leaks present to the outside and is detected by a detector probe. This detector probe is in most cases called a "sniffer" acting as a gas sampling probe.

•  Fast leak detection due to relatively short reaction times
•  Selective measurement – no malfunction signals due to other gases or water vapour
•  Easy localization of leaks that’s to high detection sensitivity
•  Reproducible – and documentable results
•  Low concentration in the normal atmosphere (5ppm)
•  Easy to detect with a standard mass spectrometer.
•  Helium's exceptionally small size, its use as a tracer gas enables the detection of even the most minuscule leaks.
•  Helium is one of the smallest and inert gas molecules, not toxic and flammable.
•  Helium will not interact with the materials within the test subject.
•  Helium is a colourless and odourless gas in its natural state. It gives off a blue neon colour when burned. When an electric current runs through it, helium is a pale peach to orange colour.