Patent · US Expired

Detecting leaks

US4577489A · kind A · utility

1Cited by

3References

12Claims

0Family size

Assignee

BL Technology Limited · GB

Inventors

Peter E. G. Marshall · Stratford-upon-Avon, GB
Francis R. Piper · Evesham, GB
John F. Wilson · Waterloo, CA

Key dates

Filing date	Jan 17, 1984
Grant date	Mar 25, 1986
Priority date	—
Expiry date	Jan 17, 2004

Classification

Technology area (CPC G)Physics
CPC primaryG01M3/04
WIPO fieldMeasurement
WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

The leak detector comprises an annular chamber 11 which leads to a circumferential orifice 14 which in turn leads to an annular duct 21 which is symmetrical about the axis of the detector. Barrier gas is fed to the annular chamber 11, for example from an annular chamber 18 and emerges from the opening 20 to form a substantially laminar flow. Leaks are detected by means of a signal gas within an enclosure at a pressure slightly in excess of ambient, and the signal gas is detected from leaks via a probe 2 which is connected for example to a mass spectrometer. The curtain 1 is stable and enables uneven surfaces to be tracked.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.