Halogen Leak Testing

HALOGEN
LEAKAGE TESTING
Prepared By
Amit Kaushik
HALOGEN GASES IN PREODIC TABLE
FLUORINE
Atomic number 9
Atomic mass 18.998403 g.mol -1
Density 1.8*10-3 g.cm-3 at 20°C
Melting point -219.6 °C
Boiling point -188 °C
Isotopes 2
•Fluorine is highly reactive gas

•The gas is highly explosive so generally free fluorine is rarely
preserved. It is always preserved in a compound form
CHLORINE
Atomic number 17
Density 3.21*10 -3 g.cm -3 at 20 °C
Melting point -101 °C
Boiling point -34.6 °C
Isotopes 4
•Chlorine is a greenish-yellow gas that combines readily with
nearly all other elements.
•Chlorine is a highly reactive gas
•In nature it is only found combined with other elements chiefly
sodium in the form of common salt (NaCl).
Bromine
Atomic number 35
Density 3.1 g.cm-3 at 20°C
Melting point - 7.2 °C
Boiling point 58.8 °C
Isotopes 10
•Generally found in liquid form. It is the only non-metal in liquid

state at atmospheric temperature & pressure.
•The color of this element in pure form is brown.
• Bromine is not highly reactive.
IODINE
Atomic number 24
Density 4.93 g.cm-3 at 20°C
Melting point 114 °C
Boiling point 184 °C
Isotopes 15
•Found in solid form in earth’s crust as compound salts.
•The color of this non-metal in pure for is purple.
•Not highly reactive.
•Iodine 131 is one of the radio nuclides involved in atmospheric
testing of nuclear weapons
•Iodine is highly toxic.
Why use halogens for leak
testing?
1. Halogens like chlorine & fluorine are very small in size
2. Halogens like chlorine & fluorine can form compounds of
relatively smaller size
3. Halogens like chlorine & fluorine can be easily ionized by
splitting the elements from organic compounds
Halogen leak testing is one of the most sensitive leak
testing methods and many of critical equipments designed
for specific application are subjected to this leak test on
completion of fabrication. Halogen testing can detect
leakages as small as 0.1 oz/year .
This test can detect leakage up to 10-5 std cc/sec but

extendable up to 10-9 std cc/sec under some limited
situations.
It is a semi-quantitative method used to detect & locate the

leaks & shall not be considered as quantitative
Instruments make possible detection of halogen gas flow from
lower pressure side of a very small opening in an envelope or
barrier separating the two regions at different pressure. Instrument
can be any or combination of the following: -
(a) Meter or a probe or both
(b) Audio devices
(c) Indicator light
TRACER GASES
COMMERCIAL CHEMICAL CHEMICAL SYMBOL
DESIGNATION DESIGNATION
Refrigerant -11 Trichloromonofluoromethane CCl3F
Refrigerant –12 Dichlorodifluromethane CCl2F2
Refrigerant –21 Dichloromonofluoromethane CHCL2F
Refrigerant –22 Chlorodifluoromethane CHClF2
Refrigerant –114 Dichlorotetrafluoroethane C2CL2F4
Refrigerant –134A Tetrafluoroethane C2CH2F4
Methyl chloride Dichloromethane CH2Cl2
Sulfur Hexafluoride Sulfur hexafluride SF6

Concentration of tracer gas
Unless specified by the code concentration of tracer gas shall be
at least 10% by volume at test pressure
Standard leak size.

Maximum leak rate Q for the leak standard containing 100%
tracer concentration can be calculated as
Q = Qs (%TG/100)
Where Qs is 1x10-5 Pa m3/s unless specified.

%TG is concentration of tracer gas that is to be used in testing .
Warm Up
The detector is allowed to warm up for minimum time specified
by the manufacture prior to calibration.
Scanning rate
Instrument shall be calibrated by passing the probe across the orifice
of leak standard by keeping the same within the scanning distance;
the scanning rate shall not exceed that which can detect the leakages
(Probe should be moved at a speed of 1inch per second along the
seam/joints suspected of leaking)
Response time
Time taken by the probe to detect the leakage from orifice of
standard leak during the calibration. It is desirable to keep this time
as short as possible.
Frequency of sensitivity check

The sensitivity of the detector shall be determined at a time interval
of not more than 4 hours during the testing.
Soaking time
Prior to examination, the test pressure shall be held for a minimum of
30 minutes.
Scanning distance
It is the distance of probe from the surface to be checked. It should not
be more than 3.2mm
Scanning direction
The scanning should commence at the upper most portion of the
system while progressing downward.
Test temperature
The leak test shall be carried out at room temperature unless
specified otherwise.
Acceptance criteria
Leak rate obtained shall be compared with the permissible leak rate
as described in the drawing / specification. When a leak rate of more
than acceptable limit is revealed, the location of leak shall be
identified by local leak detection method and marked for repair
Pre-Requisites Of Halogen Leakage Testing
The object under test is totally closed by sealing all openings with
flanges, covers, plugs and silicon vacuum grease. Sealing material
shall be tracer gas free.
Prior to Halogen leak testing, the vessel / test object shall be subjected
to any other simple leak test (air or halogen) to ascertain gross leaks, if
any
The areas to be tested shall be free of oil, grease, paint and other
contaminations, which might mask a leak.
External & Internal surfaces shall be thoroughly and carefully cleaned
with suitable halogen free volatile solvents such as acetone or triple
solvent mixture of ethyl alcohol, benzene and acetone in equal
proportions & thoroughly dried.
Types of halogen leak test
Alkali-ion diode method Electron leak capture halogen
(heated anode) leak detectors
 The electron capture halogen detector

 This specific instrument uses
probe instrument uses the principle of
principle of heat platinum element the affinity of certain molecular
as anode & an ion collector plate as compounds for low energy free
cathode. A current proportional to electrons usually produced by
the rate of ion formation is indicated ionization of gas flow through an
on the meter. In this test any of the element with a weak radioactive
above mentioned gas could be tritium source. When the gas flow
selected. contains halides, electron capture
occurs causing a reduction in
concentration of halogen ions present
as indicated on a meter. Non-electron
capturing nitrogen or argon is used as
background gas.
 The tracer gas used in this test is SF6.
APPLICATIONS
1. Tube examination:-
To detect leakage through the tube walls when testing a tubular
heat exchanger. The test should commence from the top most
tubes & progressively scanning downward.
2. Tube-to-tubesheet joint examination: -

Tube to tubesheet joints may be tested by the encapsulator
method. Encapsulator is a kind of funnel with small end
containing the probe & larger end placed over the tubesheet.
INSTRUMENT USED FOR HALOGEN LEAK
TESTING
Type H-10B halogen leak detector
Power supply 240 volts. 50/60Hz,20 Watts
Parts Details
Power supply A power input cable connected to control unit through a chord.
Control unit Power switch, plug in sensor, air pump, power transformer, and a
speaker & Calibrate reference
Probe nozzle It consist of transparent tip, air flow ball, filter & neon signal
lamp connected to control unit with a flexible tubing
Calibrate A leak bottle, leak size switch, balance control

reference
LEAK SIZE LG MED SM
SWITCH (CAL)
SENSTIVITY, 5.0 0.5 0.1

oz/yr
Response time : approx. 1 second

Reference leak : approx. 0.5oz/yr, r12
Approx. life: : 6 months, refillable with R11.
Warm-up time : approx. 2 minutes
Temperature : Operating 0º to 45º
Storage 60º (max.)
CAUTION
Do not use the leak detector in a combustible or explosive
atmosphere. The ambient atmosphere is drawn through the
probe & over the sensor, which operates at approximately
540ºC. The resulting hot mixture of air & combustible gas
could explode.
Avoid placing the probe directly in a stream of concentrated
halogen, as this will drastically reduce the sensor life.
Operate the H-10B only in proper supply voltage, as given on
the rating plate; otherwise it could be damaged.
Do not use the leak detector in places where excessive
halogens are present as the probe may get damaged.
Testing Technique
The equipment is filled with Halogen / a mixture of Halogen
and nitrogen/ argon to a positive pressure as specified by the
specification or equipment drawing.
The sniffer probe of the Halogen leak detector is brought
closer to the joints / connections/area of interest on the object.
Halogen gas under positive pressure passes through any tiny
and tight passage, which can be detected by the sniffer near the
area of interest, Thus the indicating the presence of Halogen /
leakage.
Calibration & Testing Procedure: To be explained personally

ARRANGEMENTS FOR HALOGEN
LEAK TEST
Limitation of Halogen Leak Test
Can detect leakage up to 10-5 std cc/sec but extendable up to

10-9 std cc/sec under some limited situations.
It is critically dependent on operator judgment if the leak rate
is below 10-5 std cc/sec.
Requires constant flow of fresh air in the test area because of
the tendency of tracer gas to “hang” in the area.
Halogen leak detector is sensitive to a variety of gases from
external sources such as cigarette smoke and solvent fumes.
Thank You

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HALOGEN

•Fluorine is highly reactive gas

•Generally found in liquid form. It is the only non-metal in liquid

This test can detect leakage up to 10-5 std cc/sec but

It is a semi-quantitative method used to detect & locate the

Refrigerant –12 Dichlorodifluromethane CCl2F2

Refrigerant –21 Dichloromonofluoromethane CHCL2F

Refrigerant –22 Chlorodifluoromethane CHClF2

Refrigerant –114 Dichlorotetrafluoroethane C2CL2F4

Refrigerant –134A Tetrafluoroethane C2CH2F4

Methyl chloride Dichloromethane CH2Cl2

Sulfur Hexafluoride Sulfur hexafluride SF6

Standard leak size.

Where Qs is 1x10-5 Pa m3/s unless specified.

Frequency of sensitivity check

 The electron capture halogen detector

2. Tube-to-tubesheet joint examination: -

Calibrate A leak bottle, leak size switch, balance control

SENSTIVITY, 5.0 0.5 0.1

Response time : approx. 1 second

Calibration & Testing Procedure: To be explained personally

Can detect leakage up to 10-5 std cc/sec but extendable up to

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