LEAK DETECTION FOR COMPRESSED AIR AND GASES
Leaks are the leading cause of wastage of a significant part of electric energy in the compressed air systems, which cause an energy loss of about 15 – 20 percent every year. Therefore, finding, monitoring, and fixing up the leaks present in a compressed air system is essential in becoming a better energy-efficient compressed air consumer.
SUTO offers ultrasonic leak detectors that are easy to use and an easy-to-operate cloud-based software system to monitor leaks and offer audit reports for better energy management.
THE IMPORTANCE OF COMPRESSED AIR LEAK DETECTION
So, the leakages are a vital factor to cause the electric energy loss in industrial and domestic compressed air systems. This wastage can sometimes account for about twenty to thirty percent of the total output of the compressor. Also, these leakages in a compact air system can cause other specific issues such as the pressure drop in the design and compel the compressor to keep running for a longer than required time.
A conventional way of leakage detection in these compressed air or other gas systems is spraying the pipes with soapy water and then detect the leakages with the help of the bubbles formed due to the soapy water. However, this old practice is not functional in today’s era of advanced technology due to its time-consuming operation and less efficiency of leakage detection.
In the following, we have collected all the important information about leak location in compressed air systems.
Where can leakages occur?
Although leakage can occur in any part of the system, generally, the most common problem areas are:
Fittings, tubes, hoses, and coupling: Push-to-lock and tubes are among various typical problems.
Open condensate traps: Improperly operating dirty seals and solenoids are often major problem areas.
Regulators, lubricators, and filters: Improper installation can also cause such leakage.
Disconnects: Maybe O-rings are missing to complete the sealing.
Shut-off and control valves: Worn packing of the stem can also cause leakage.
Point of use devices: Poorly maintained or old tools can have several internal leaks.
Thread sealants: Improperly applied or incorrect thread sealants can result in leaks.
Flanges: Missing welds are among a common problem.
Consider using the highest quality materials besides applying them according to the instructions.
- Pipe joints: If welds are missing, they can also trigger this kind of leakage.
- Cylinder rod packing: If packing materials are worn out, they can cause leakage.
Why ultrasonic detectors for leakage detection?
Ultrasonic leakage detection is nowadays the most predominant form of leakage detection. Due to its efficient built-up, it adapts to several leakage detection situations. The principle of this leak detection is more than superficial. The leak moves from a high-pressure laminar flow towards low-pressure turbulence in a vacuum or pressure leak. This disturbance causes a noise that usually has inaudible frequencies; hence the human ears cannot detect them. The ultrasonic leakage detector converts these inaudible noise signals to audible ones while ignoring the loud background noise with the help of audio filters. So, you can hear leakages with the use of wireless headsets even at the noisiest places.
What are the advantages of ultrasonic leak detection?
Because of the nature of ultrasound, it is directional in transmission. Due to this reason, signals are loudest near the source. By scanning the test area, it is straightforward to pinpoint the exact location. Hence, it is a very accurate and fast process.
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