Quite an important device for most residential or business premises that have a connection with gas or other fluids are leak detectors. They make it possible to detect leaks of these substances at an early stage and thereby minimize the economic losses from a leak and the risk of gas poisoning or explosion.
In total, there are several different types of leak detectors, among which it is worth highlighting helium, ultraviolet, freon.
However, ultrasonic leak detectors are considered the most sensitive and high quality. In many ways, this is achieved due to the specific principle of operation of these devices. In simple terms, it lies in the fact that the gas, passing through the holes and penetrating into the room, creates a certain turbulence in this place and creates additional fluctuations in the medium. This, in turn, gives rise to characteristic sounds of low frequencies from 5 Hz to 20 kHz.
Such sound vibrations are called ultrasound. Subsequently, the microphones located in the device recognize the appearance of such sounds and display on their display the threat of leakage and its probable location.
What does a visual-ultrasonic leak detector consist of?
To understand the principle of operation of any device, it is initially necessary to understand its components and their functions. So, The important components of any acoustic leak detector are:
- microphones;
- frequency filter;
- signal converter;
- sensitivity adjustment unit;
- amplifier;
- sensor;
- measuring devices.
As previously stated, in in the event of a gas leak or any other substance, passing through a small gap, it goes from a high pressure area to a low pressure area and, thereby, creates a characteristic spectrum of low-frequency sounds, which are called ultrasound. In the same way, leaks in certain bearings or valves can be detected.
This is due to the fact that they, unlike normal sealed parts, will create the so-called turbulent flow due to pressure changes in the media. From a physical point of view, having special equipment, it is not difficult to recognize ultrasound, because due to the low frequencies, the sound waves created by the gas have a relatively small length and therefore they are easy to distinguish from other waves of this medium.
Most modern visual-ultrasonic leak detectors have the function of sensitivity regulation and operation at different frequencies. Therefore, the greater the frequency range of the device, the more valuable it is in terms of its application. The sensors themselves are inside leak detectors allow not only to detect the leak itself, but also to determine the likely location of the leak and localization.
Expensive acoustic leak detectors have the function of suppressing extraneous noise, thereby minimizing the risks of all kinds of sound interference. Devices with such functions will be especially relevant for use in industrial enterprises, where it is quite noisy in all workshops and premises.
Among other things, some ultrasonic leak detectors allow you to record frequencies and the sounds themselves for later listening.
Despite the fact that sensors are better at capturing vibrations in the environment at the nearest points, progress also leads to the development of the field of leak detectors, which can now recognize ultrasound in a range of up to 100 meters.
In recent years, most manufacturers equip their products with high-capacity batteries. This is necessary so that the leak detectors can continuously perform their tasks for a long time. So, sometimes devices are simply left near a likely leak to monitor fluctuations for several hours.
Despite all of the above, the greatest attention today is paid to the convenience and manufacturability of ultrasonic leak detectors. So, for example, many such devices today have a color and clear interface. The most technologically advanced models contain their own software, which simplifies the work with the device. So, it is enough just to point the device at the intended place and interface, with the help of thermal imaging it shows possible leakage points.
Along with this, the diagnostics of certain valves allows you to immediately determine their tightness, the presence of a corona discharge. The results of the analysis can also be independently processed by the same software and presented to the user in the simplest and most understandable form.
Due to this principle of operation and the presence of a number of other useful functions, modern ultrasonic leak detectors are widely used on power lines, on factory floors to analyze tightness and leakage in valves, bearings, vacuum systems, gate valves and other pressure systems.
