LEAK TESTING

FORM OF NDT FOR DETECTION AND

LOCATION OF LEAKS AND MEASUREMENT
OF LEAKAGE IN DIFFERENT PRESSURISED
OR VACUUM SYSTEM
LEAK - PHYSICAL HOLE OR CREVICE
LEAKAGE - FLOW RATE OF FLUID
THROUGH THE LEAK

LEAK TESTING - WHY?

PREVENTION OF MATERIAL LEAKAGE SPACE CRAFTS

PREVENTION OF ENVIRONMENTAL
CONTAMINATION - NUCLEAR
DETECTION OF UNRELIABLE
COMPONENTS - PICTURE TUBES

LEAK TESTING

UNIT FOR LEAKAGE IS Std CC/sec OF AIR

ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS FOR

CONDUCTING LEAK TESTING
PRESSURE GRADIENT ACROSS
THE LEAK
LEAK MEASURING SYSTEM ON
THE LOW PRESSURE SIDE BASED
ON LEAKING MEDIUMS PROPERTY
SYSTEM 1 AT
HIGH PRESSURE

SYSTEM 2 AT
LOW PRESSURE

LEAK IN METAL
WALL

LEAK TESTING

LEAK IN THE METAL WALL IS

MEASURED BY MEASURING THE
RATE OF FLOW OF FLUID
THROUGH THE LEAK - LEAKAGE
THIS IS ACHIEVED BY
ACTUAL FLOW RATE
DROP IN PRESSURE OR
VACUUM LEVEL
CHANGE IN VOLUME TO
MAINTAIN THE PRESSURE CONSTANT

LEAK TESTING

CLASSIFICATION OF LEAK TESTING METHODS

PRESSURE CHANGE METHOD
LEAK RATE = dP.V/t or P.Dv/t
SENSITIVITY = 1 X 10-1StdCC/sec OF AIR
BUBBLE TESTING METHOD
VISIBLE OBSERVATION OF BUBBLES DUE TO
LEAKING GAS FROM HIGH PRESSURE SIDE
TO LOW PRESSURE SIDE
SENSITIVITY = 1 X 10-3 StdCC/sec OF AIR
HALOGEN DIODE METHOD
USE OF HALOGENATED GASES AND EQUIPMENT
SENSITIVITY = 1 X 10-9StdCC/sec OF AIR
HELIUM LEAK TESTING METHOD
SENSITIVITY = 1 X 10-11StdCC/sec OF AIR

AIR LEAK TESTING

PRESSURE DIFFERENCE - 1KG/SQCM TO
MAXIMUM 1.25 TIMES DESIGN PRESSURE
PROBING MEDIUM - GAS - NITROGEN / AIR
DETECTION LIQUID - SOAP SOLUTION
THREE TYPES OF BUBBLE TESTING
LIQUID IMMERSION TECHNIQUE - IT
HAS SENSITIVITY 10-5 TO 10-4 StdCC/sec
LIQUID FILM APPLICATION - IT
HAS SENSITIVITY 10-3 TO 10-2 StdCC/sec
FOAM APPLICATION - VERY GROSS TESTBLOW HOLES ARE REVEALED - VISIBLE
ILLUMINATORS AND MAGNIFIERS ARE USED
FOR ENHANCING SENSITIVITY

AIR LEAK TESTING

OTHER WAYS OF IMPROVING
TEST SENSITIVITY
TIME INCREASE FOR BUBBLES
OBSERVATION
PRESSURE GRADIENT INCREASE
REDUCTION OF PRESSURE ON
THE SOAP SOLUTION SIDE
DECREASE OF SURFACE TENSION
OF DETECTION LIQUID
HEATING OF THE JOB
NORMAL SPEED - 75CM/MIN

AIR LEAK TESTING

RADIUS OF LEAK = r = 2 /dP
= SURFACE TENSION
dP = PRESSURE DIFFERENCE
REDUCTION MEANS r IS ALSO
REDUCED - SENSITIVITY IS
INCREASED
dP INCREASE MEANS r IS
REDUCED - SENSITIVITY IS
INCREASED

AIR LEAK TESTING

IMMERSION LIQUIDS - WATER,

SILICONE OIL, MINERAL OIL.
DETERGENTS ARE ADDED FOR
REDUCING SURFACE TENSION AND
THIS INCREASES SENSITIVITY
TYPICAL COMPOSITION OF SOAP FILM
1 PART OF LIQUID SOAP
1 PART OF GLYCERINE
4.5 PARTS OF WATER
GLYCERINE - FOR INCREASING THE
STABILITY OF BUBBLES BY REDUCING
AIR DRYING OF BUBBLES

AIR LEAK TESTING

VACUUM BOX METHOD OF LEAK TEST

VACUUM BOX
1

ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE SIDE

TOP SURFACE OF WELD - SOAP APPLIED

DESIRABLE FEATURES OF VACUUM BOX

VIEWING WINDOW
ABILITY TO ADMIT LIGHT
PORTABLE AND VACUUM TIGHT
PROVISION OF VACUUM GAUGE

HELIUM LEAK TESTING

MOST SENSITIVE LEAK TESTING METHOD

WHY HELIUM IS USED?

LIGHTEST GAS NEXT TO

HYDROGEN-CAN PASS
THRO CREVICES EASILY
INERT GAS
NON TOXIC
NON FLAMMABLE
PRESENCE IN ATMOSPHERE
IS 4 PPM ONLY

TWO BASIC METHODS OF

HELIUM LEAK TESTING
SYSTEM
PRESSURISED
WITH
HELIUM

HOOD FOR
HELIUM

SYSTEM
EVACUATED

VALVE

SNIFFER PROBE
MSLD

PRESSURE METHOD

VACUUM PUMP
MSLD

VACUUM METHOD

TWO METHODS OF HLT

PRESSURE METHOD GO/NOGO TYPE - IDEAL
FOR LEAK LOCATION
THAN QUANTIFICATION
VACUUM METHOD DYNAMIC TEST TO
QUANTIFY THE LEAKS.
LEAK LOCATION TAKES
MORE TIME

METHODS OF HLT
THREE TYPES OF PRESSURE METHOD
NORMAL SNIFFING METHOD
ENCAPSULATOR MEHOD - FOR TUBE WELDS
SNIFFING AFTER ACCUMULATION METHOD
TWO TYPES OF VACUUM METHOD
NORMAL SPRAY - 10 % CONCENTRATION
SPRAY INTO HOOD - 80% CONCENTRATION
VARIABLES AFFECTING SENSITIVITY
SCANNING SPEED AND PROXIMITY OF PROBE
TO LEAK IN PRESSURE METHOD
CLEANLINESS AND VACUUM LEVEL IN
VACUUM METHOD

235MW NUCLEAR STEAM GENERATO

FACTORS AFFECTING
SENSITIVITY IN VACUUM TESTS
LEVEL OF VACUUM
CLEANLINESS OF
VACUUM SIDE VOLUME
HELIUM CONCENTRATION ON
SPRAYING SIDE

FACTORS AFFECTING
SENSITIVITY IN SNIFFER TESTS
PRESSURE GRADIENT
CLEANLINESS OF
BOTH SIDE VOLUMES
HELIUM CONCENTRATION ON
PRESSURISING SIDE
PROXIMITY OF PROBE TIP
TO JOINT UNDER LEAK TEST
TESTING TIME PER JOINT IN
RELATION TO RESPONSE TIME

DETAILS OF 235MW NUCLEAR

STEAM GENERATOR

STEAM OUT
FEED WATER IN

U TUBES - 183

TUBE
SHEET

HEAVY
WATER OUT

PARTITION PLATE

HEAVY
WATER IN

TUBE TO TUBE SHEET JOINTS

406
CLADDING

TUBESHEET
2-4

50
SECONDARY SIDE

EXPANSION

50
PRIMARY SIDE

EXPANSION

TUBE

TUBE

WELD
12

TUBE

TUBE TO TUBE SHEET WELD - 3660

EXPANSION REGIONS ON PRIMARY &
SECONDARY SIDES OF TUBE SHEET
3660 X 2 EXPANSIONS

3-5
CONE
ROLL

3660

DETAILS OF TUBE TUBE SHEET JOINTS IN

235MW PHWR NUCLEAR
SGSPASS TUBE - TUBE SHEET WELDS
SINGLE

MADE USING SINGLE PASS BY SEMI

AUTOMATIC
PULSED TIG PROCESS - 3660 NUMBERS
PRIMARY SIDE EXPANSION FOR 50MM LENGTH
SECONDARY SIDE EXPANSION FOR 50MM
LENGTH
X ARE
2 EXPANSION
JOINTS)
THESE(3660
JOINTS
CRITICAL AS
THEY GET EXPOSED TO
BOTH PRIMARY SIDE HEAVY WATER FROM
ATOMIC REACTOR
AND SECONDARY SIDE CONVENTIONAL WATER

HELIUM LEAK TEST SET UP

FOR TUBE WELDS
POLYTHENE HOOD FOR HELIUM SPRAY
POLYTHENE HOOD
FOR He SPRAYING

TUBE
WELD-ONE
JOINT
PER
TUBE END
STD. LEAK
CALIBRATOR

STANDARD HELIUM
LEAK CALIBRATORSTD.

LEAK
CALIBRATOR

VACUUM
PUMP

He

HELIUM

MSLD

TUBE TO TUBE SHEET WELD JOINT

406
CLADDING

TUBESHEET
2-4

50
SECONDARY SIDE

50
PRIMARY SIDE

TUBE

TUBE

WELD
12

TUBE

TUBE TO TUBE SHEET WELD - 3660

3-5
CONE
ROLL

HERE TUBE EXPANSIONS ARE NOT CARRIED OUT

3660

HELIUM LEAK TEST FOR TUBE WELDS

MSLD

TUBE TO TUBE SHEET JOINTS

LEAK TESTING AT FINAL STAGE
PRESSURISED HELIUM ATMOSPHERE BEHIND THE JOINTS
406
CLADDING

TUBESHEET
2-4

50
SECONDARY SIDE

EXPANSION

50
PRIMARY SIDE

EXPANSION

TUBE

TUBE

WELD

VACUUM INSIDE THE TUBES VOLUME

TUBE

12

TUBE TO TUBE SHEET WELD - 3660

EXPANSION REGIONS ON PRIMARY &
SECONDARY SIDES OF TUBE SHEET
3660 X 2 EXPANSIONS

3-5
CONE
ROLL

3660

HELIUM LEAK TEST SETUP

FOR TUBE JOINTS - FINAL STAGE
STANDARD
LEAK CALIBRATOR
PRESSURE
GAUGE

STANDARD
LEAK CALIBRATOR

STD. LEAK
CALIBRATOR

He

He

EACH TUBE END HAS

ONE WELD JOINT PLUS
TWO EXPANDED JOINTS

MSLD

VACUUM
PUMP

COMPLETE LACK OF FUSION OF TUBE

TUBE
SHEET
LIGAMENT
TUBE TO
TUBE SHEET
WELD
TUBE

ONLY TUBE SHEET IS FUSED

TUBE IS NOT FUSED

TUBE
SHEET
LIGAMENT
TUBE TO
TUBE SHEET
WELD
406

TUBE
2-4

CLADDING

TUBESHEET
50
SECOND ARY SIDE

50
PRIMARY SIDE

TUBE

T UBE

WELD
12

TUBE

TUBE TO TUBE SHEET WELD

HERE TUBE EXPANSIONS ARE NOT CARRIED OUT

ANNULAR SPACE SURROUNDING THE TUBE FOR THE
CREATION OF VACUUM BEHIND THE WELDS

HE LIUM
SPRAY

3-5
CONE
ROLL

DEFECT IN THE LIGAMENT

TUBE
SHEET
LIGAMENT
TUBE TO
TUBE SHEET
WELD
TUBE

DEFECT ON THE LIGAMENT

BETWEEN TUBES GETS OPENED
INTO THE HOLE

DEFECT IN THE LIGAMENT - OPENS IN TO THE ANNULAR

SPACE SURROUNDING THE OD OF TUBE (VACUUM) HELIUM FLOW AND FAILURE IN HELIUM LEAK TEST
TUBE
SHEET
HELIUM
SPRAY
ON TUBE
WELDS/
TUBE
SHEET
FACE
TUBE

DEFECT ON THE LIGAMENT

BETWEEN TUBES GETS OPENED
INTO THE HOLE

SPECIAL SNIFFING

SPECIAL CUP
ATTACHED TO
SNIFFER PROBE MOVED AS PER
ARROWS ON
TUBE SHEET
WELD FACE FOR
LEAK LOCATION
IDENTIFICATION

MASS
SPECTROMETER
LEAK DETECTOR