Helium testing procedure

Subject

Ref. No.

Page

Specification of He-testing procedure

Issued by Department Date

03
Approved by

1 /3

Thomas Jeppsson
Recipient

Quality

2010-02-11

Gjalt van Reeden

Description of Pressure- and Leak Testing Equipment (He5)

1. General data
1.1 Basics Pressure test with air. Maximum test pressure is 100 bar. All hole combinations possible on front and backside of the Heat exchanger. Connection positions are standard positions. The leakage test equipment shall detect internal and external leakage at a maximum leak rate of Freon R22 (Fluorocarbon) according to 2.8 grams/Year. Definition of leak rate value according to Alfa Laval standard policy. 1.2 Approvals CE-marked machine.

2. Function
2.1 General The heat exchanger is loaded and unloaded in the machine by the operator. Tightening between machine and the heat exchanger is manually controlled. After start command from operator, the automatic sequence controlled process starts and ends with an information about accepted or rejected heat exchanger.

BHE Manufacturing Ronneby Alfa Laval Lund AB Box 38 SE-372 21 Ronneby

Subject

Ref. No.

Page

2/3

2.2 Control System The machine is controlled by a PLC-system and actual running parameters are selected from a HMI (Human Machine Interface) by the operator. The HMI is a PCprogram from which the operator can operate the entire machine with its different operating systems. During the testing process, the operator can follow the process step by step on the PC screen and this opportunity increases the reliability and security of the complete process. All running parameters such as pressure values, vacuum values, helium concentration values and other usable information can easily be read on the PC screen. If the testing process is interrupted by any reason or disturbances is present, the HMI is showing an alarm message. 2.3 Pressure Test (Air) The BHE unit is semi automaticly loaded on the pressure tester table and the machine adapters are checked by the operator to be the right fittings for the actual heat exchanger type. The operator put the machine adapters on the heat exchanger. The protective cover is closed over the testing table. The closed cover allows the overpressure to be evacuated in a safe way in case of a big leakage or a burst of the tested unit. A pressure valve is opened and the primary channel according to selected testing sequence is opened and pressurises the heat exchanger unit up to a level over design pressure according specification. Test pressure to be specified (first order) for actual application. A pressure gauge placed in the opposite end of the channel will indicate pressure drop in the channel and if the value of the pressure drop exceeds set value during the measuring time, the unit will be rejected. Measuring time (holding time) can be set in the HMI program. The actual test pressure to be whithin the tolerence of +/- 0,3 bar from the applicable test pressure for the actual unit to be tested. Holding time is 10 sec on each channel. After test cycle, the channel will be refilled to atmospheric pressure. Next channel will be tested in accordance with the first channel. If all channels are accepted, the complete unit is accepted and the leak test vill start.
www.alfalaval.com

Subject

Ref. No.

Page

3/3

2.4 Leakage Test (Helium) The chamber is refilled with a Helium gas mixture stored in a separate recovery tank. Used Helium gas from earlier tests are stored in the recovery tank and an acceptable level of Helium concentration is controlled in the tank. The Helium concentration level is continuously measured by a measuring instrument and the result of the measuring is transferred to the Mass Spectrometer and used as a control parameter for reaching the best quality during the measuring performance. The evacuated heat exchanger is connected to the Mass Spectrometer for measuring of Helium occurrence. The measured value must not be greater than 4,0 x 10-4 mbarl/s (Water proof) and 4,0 x 10-5 mbarl/s (Gas proof). Pressure difference between the chamber and the interior of the heat exchanger in this stage of the process is one (1) bar. After a short stabilisation time, the Mass Spectrometer starts measuring for a time of 10 sec and after that the measuring time is extended continuously by an integrated derivative test function for reaching a stabilised measuring curve. The Mass Spectrometer will send either a reject signal or an accept signal to the control system after performed measuring. If an accept signal is registered, the unit is accepted in the external test. One of the internal channels are filled with Helium gas from the chamber and a new measuring procedure is performed as an internal leak test between the internal channels. If an accept signal is registered, the unit is accepted in the internal test. If the heat exchanger has more than two (2) channels, a new measuring is performed in the third channel. If all channels are accepted, the complete heat exchanger is accepted. After performed test, the Helium gas is pumped back to the Helium recovery tank, to be used in the next test cycle, and after that the BHE unit is refilled to atmospheric pressure with Nitrogen to avoid internal air condensation. After refilling the tested heat exchanger with Nitrogen, the connections are sealed with plastic plugs. The HMI system will give all necessary information about performed test to the operator.

www.alfalaval.com