What’s an Ultrasonic Leak Detector?

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Ultrasonic leak detectors detect steam or gas leaks in inaccessible areas. They are used in industrial and domestic settings and use heterodyning to convert sound waves into electronic pulses. They reduce downtime and hazardous exposure to chemicals and increase the ability of technicians to detect leaks.

An ultrasonic leak detector is a specialized instrument used to detect steam or gas leaks in places where they cannot be seen or heard by hearing or smelling them. Ultrasonic leak detectors are often used in industrial applications where they can be used to detect refrigerant leaks from a large industrial chiller or cooler, or poisonous or flammable gas leaks from a storage tank or other repository. Many ultrasonic leak detectors are small and portable enough to be used in service vans by plumbers and heating and air conditioning technicians, who have used them to detect natural gas leaks or refrigerant leaks in home air conditioning systems that they can be quite complex and difficult to diagnose otherwise.

An ultrasonic leak detector can detect vibrations created in the air by tiny pressurized gas or vapor leaks and turn them into an audible hiss or alarm that can be easily detected by the leak detector operator. Using the same technology that can detect a baby’s heartbeat while inside the womb, the Ultrasonic Leak Detector uses waves traveling above the frequency humans can hear to bounce off breaks in the skin. surrounding air caused by gas or vapor leakage. It can then electronically convert those interruptions into a useful sound audible to a human ear.

The process by which an ultrasonic leak detector converts these interruptions into sound is called heterodyning, and it is essentially the same technology that is also used for radio transmission. Converting a sound wave into an electronic pulse allows the detector to be useful without having a tester create open flames or potential sparks. An ultrasonic leak detector is also an alternative to sensitive gas sniffing technology which often fails to detect the smallest leaks in a system due to other gases in the ambient air. Prior to the use of ultrasonic leak detectors, these sniffer-type leak detectors needed to be calibrated to detect certain gases or vapors, and could completely miss other potentially dangerous or costly leaks if not calibrated correctly.

Ultrasonic leak detection technology has changed the way businesses are able to maintain and repair their gas equipment. It has reduced downtime and hazardous exposure to chemicals. Technology has also increased the ability of any technician, even without specific knowledge and skills, to detect and tag a leaking pipe or other pressure vessel.




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