Key Helium Leak Detection Industries
Helium leak detection impacts product development and system maintenance for a plethora of globally released products. Even as helium prices begin to soar, it is an (almost) irreplaceable element that is used in leak detection for countless industries. In this blog, we will focus on helium leak detection's use in four of the most notable industries. In addition, we will also cover the standards these leak tests satisfy in their given industry.
- Aerospace & Aviation
- Automation & Transportation
- Defense & Military
- Semiconductor & Electronics Manufacturing
- Energy & Power Generation
- Food & Beverage Packaging
- HVAC & Refrigeration
- Oil & Gas / Petrochemical
- Pharmaceutical & Medical Device Manufacturing
- Research & Development (R&D) & Laboratories
Aerospace & Aviation
High sensitivity helium leak detection is vital for improving the efficiency of aircraft components and systems. Components such as fuel tanks, hydraulic systems, and air conditioning
systems all require leak detection (and different methods of leak detection) to confirm aircraft(s) comply with their necessary regulations and standards.As an example, the Challenger space shuttle disaster was caused by a leak between two rubber O-rings that allowed liquid hydrogen and oxygen to flow into the orbiter engines, ultimately causing the shuttle to explode just a minute after launch. This is also a potential problem for the average person since airplanes require the same level of diligence to make sure their flights run smoothly as well. Notable recent examples of spacecraft that have had issues with helium are the Boeing Starliner and Space X’s Polaris Dawn.
As with many of these industries, there are a plethora of testing standards these helium leak tests have to adhere to. A couple examples of these tests are ASTM E498/E498M-11 and ARP1176.
Automotive & Transportation
Helium leak testing is usable for almost every component of automotive vehicles and systems that need to be leak-free. The easiest example to imagine is finding leaks in your tires,
but leak testing is important for many other vehicle components. Fuel storage, engines, brakes, transmissions, and more can all affect other areas of the vehicle in potentially dangerous ways if left untested, so they can all benefit from checking for leaks beforehand.
Some examples of automotive standards that relate to helium leak detection are ISO 16247:2004 and SAE J2522_202312.
Pharmaceutical & Medical Device Manufacturing
If contaminants, such as moisture, oxygen, or microorganisms enter medicinal containers, a firestorm of issues could arise. Not only could certain drugs degrade when exposed to air
, rendering them ineffective or harmful, but they could also cause microbial growth or reduced shelf life in those products. Pharmaceutical cartridges rely heavily on high sensitivity helium leak detection to make sure any medicine or pill is safely being stored or transported. Helium leak tests can find leaks as small as 10^-10mbar L/s, which is crucial for the small vials and containers used to deliver medicine to patients.
Some standards commonly used in the pharmaceutical industry are ASTM F2391 and USP 1207.
HVAC & Refrigeration
Refrigeration systems tend to utilize small, more complex components due to the industry’s recent push for energy efficiency. As a result, it can be difficult to find leaks in components such as compressors, condensers, and evaporators. Helium leak detectors find the tiny leaks that may occur in these systems while not damaging the system.While leaking areas of HVAC and refrigeration can also be dangerous, unlike the previous industries, the chemicals from refrigerants can also be detrimental to the environment. Some gases from refrigerants are known to damage the earth’s ozone layer, while others are greenhouse gases.
Some standards commonly used in these industries include SAE 2970_202305 and ASTM F2391-05.