2010 R&D 100 Winner
Typical helium leak detectors require costly and complex high-vacuum chambers or pumps. INFICON’s (Koeln, Germany) T-Guard Leak Detection Sensor consists of a small, evacuated volume with its walls partially manufactured from a very thin quartz membrane. Helium test gas penetrates quartz. If helium is contained in the atmosphere surrounding the sensor, it will permeate into the evacuated volume and create an increase in pressure that is measured by a total pressure sensor.
The sensor offers a low-price helium leak test, which is 100 times more sensitive than pressure decay—and temperature independent—and up to 1,000 times more sensitive than the water bath bubble test.
Unlike traditional detectors, the T-Guard sensor does not use a turbomolecular pump to measure the helium partial pressure; it uses a patented helium permeable membrane chip combined with a penning gauge. It does not need high vacuum to measure tiny concentrations of helium accurately.
Technology
Helium leak detector
Developers
INFICON
Development Team
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| (l-r): Norbert Rolff; Hjalmar Bruhns, Jochen Puchalla, Daniel Wetzig, Michael Dauenhauer |
The T-Guard Leak Detection Sensor Development Team from INFICON:
Thomas Böhm
Hjalmar Bruhns
Michael Dauenhauer
Ulrich Döbler
Werner Große Bley
Jochen Puchalla
Norbert Rolff
Daniel Wetzig
.
