Pico test leak

Abstract

Test leak device including a gas-filled container and a capillary extending through a container wall. The gas including at least 10% of atmospheric air.

Claims

1. A method of using a gas-filled container as a test leak device for testing and calibrating a gas leak detector, the method comprising: providing a capillary having a known predetermined leakage rate by which a gas penetrates to outside of the container, the capillary penetrating a container wall of the gas-filled container and extending into the interior of the gas-filled container; providing at least a 10% volumetric proportion of atmospheric air in the gas within the gas-filled container; and measuring the gas escaping through the capillary with the gas leak detector, thereby testing a functionality or a precision of the gas leak detector.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the capillary has a leakage rate of at most 10.sup.6 mbar.Math.l/s.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the atmospheric air has a relative humidity of less than 50%.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the atmospheric air has a relative humidity of less than 40%.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein a proportion of helium in the atmospheric air is in a range from 3 to 7 ppm.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the proportion of helium in the atmospheric air is in a range from 4.5 to 5.5 ppm.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein a proportion of argon in the atmospheric air is about 0.5% to 2%.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the proportion of argon in the atmospheric air is about 0.8% to 1.2%.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the container is cylindrical with a removable end cap through which the capillary is guided.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the cylinder is made of glass.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the removable end cap is made of a metal.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the container has a length of 5 cm at most and a diameter of 1 cm at most.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the container has a length of about 4 cm and a diameter of about 0.8 cm.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

(1) An embodiment will be explained hereunder with reference to the drawing.

(2) FIG. 1 shows a longitudinal cross-section through a test leak device according to the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(3) The test leak device 10 includes a cylindrical container 12 of glass with a closed bottom 14 at one end face and an open end at the opposite end face. The open end is tightly closed with an end cap 16 of metal. A capillary 18 is guided through the metal cap 16 along the longitudinal central axis of the cylinder 12.

(4) The container 12 is filled with atmospheric air 20 having a proportion of helium of 5 ppm and a proportion of argon of 1%. The capillary 18 has a leakage rate of 10.sup.6 mbar.Math.l/s. The humidity of the air is about 40%. For the test leak device 10, this results in an effective gas flow of:
1.Math.10.sup.6 mbar.Math.l/s.Math.5 ppm=5.Math.10.sup.12 mbar.Math.l/s for helium and
1.Math.10.sup.6 mbar.Math.l/s.Math.1%=1.Math.10.sup.8 mbar.Math.l/s for argon.

(5) While an embodiment of the test leak device 10 is provided in the foregoing description, those skilled in the art may make modifications and alterations to this embodiment without departing from the scope and spirit of the disclosure. Accordingly, the foregoing description is intended to be illustrative rather than restrictive. The invention described hereinabove is defined by the appended claims and all changes to the invention that fall within the meaning and the range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.