Helium Mass Spectrometer
The Helium Mass Spectrometer (HMS) enables our industrial valve repair team to find extremely small leaks during valve testing. The minimum detectable leakage rate for our equipment is 1 · 10-13 Pa m³/s.
Helium functions as an exceptionally effective tracer gas for leak detection due to its unique combination of physical and chemical properties. Its most significant advantage lies in its tiny atomic size and low molecular weight. This allows helium atoms to diffuse rapidly and pass through even the most minute leaks or imperfections in a system or enclosure, which larger molecules would be unable to penetrate.
Beyond its penetrative ability, helium’s natural properties make it an ideal and safe choice for leak detection across a wide range of applications:
- Inert and Non-Reactive: Helium is a noble gas, meaning it has a full outer electron shell and does not readily react chemically with any other substances. This ensures that the tracer gas will not corrode materials, contaminate processes, or interfere with the system being tested.
- Non-Toxic: Helium poses no inherent health hazard to personnel in the vicinity of a leak test when used in well-ventilated areas. It is not poisonous or carcinogenic. However, it’s crucial to note that in confined spaces, high concentrations of helium can displace oxygen, leading to asphyxiation. Therefore, proper ventilation and safety procedures are essential.
- Non-Flammable and Non-Combustible: Helium is inherently safe to use in environments where flammable materials or ignition sources may be present, eliminating any risk of fire or explosion.
- Ubiquitous yet Low Background Concentration: While helium is the second most abundant element in the universe, its concentration in the Earth’s atmosphere is very low (around 5 parts per million). This low background level makes even trace amounts of helium leaking from a tested system easily detectable by sensitive instruments, providing a high signal-to-noise ratio for accurate leak identification.
- Ease of Detection: Specialized and highly sensitive helium leak detectors are readily available. These instruments are designed to specifically detect the presence of helium, even in extremely small quantities, allowing for precise pinpointing of leak locations.
These combined characteristics make helium leak testing a preferred method in various industries, including aerospace, automotive, refrigeration, semiconductor manufacturing, pharmaceutical, and vacuum technology, where even the smallest leaks can have significant consequences.
Furthermore, this chemically inert element is present in the atmosphere in negligible quantity i.e. 5 ppm. The Helium particles coming out of a leak are ionized using a beam of electrons and accelerated using high voltage. Once out of the leak, a magnetic field produced by the detector separates Helium’s ionized particles based on their mass to charge ratio. Once collected these particles are converted into an electrical signal. The strength of the signal indicates the concentration of Helium particles or the amount of leak.
If you’re looking for industrial valve testing and repair, or are interested in Helium Mass Spectrometer Testing, contact us!
