Research News

ultrasonic bubble detection
offers

• feasibility studies and analysis of ratiopotentials,
  
• experiments to get the boundary conditions for the ultrasound system,
  
• conception of automatic testing equipment,
  
• construction of leakage testing systems.

Is your leakage testing economical and reliable?

benefits

The cooperation of the Fraunhofer-lnstitut BIOMEDIZINISCHE TECHNIK (IBMT) with the TECHNOLOGIEENTWlCKLUNGSGRUPPE (TEG) offers you an automated leak detection system based on the principle of gas bubble detection with ultrasound. The following system features are in effect:

• reliable detection of gas bubbles in less than a second,
  
• fully integrable into automatic manufacturing processes,
  
• high sensitivity, even in cases of cloudy or dirty test fluids.
  
• exact leak location with position indication (option),
  
• simultaneous processing of e.g. corrosion protection
  
• implementation as robust, real time process control unit,
  
• Iow investment- and operating costs,
  
• increase of inspection reliability through objective measurement technology.

state of the art

Leakage testing of systems or system components is usually a very time consuming and costly process. Using the water bath leakage test the object to be tested is sealed and pressure inside the test body is raised. Bubbles will appear whenever the object is leaky and the worker is able to recognise them.

Now ultrasound gas bubble detectors can be utilised in any application where the component to be tested can be immersed in a liquid.

physcal approach

If a fluid contains particles such as solids or gas bubbles which scatter incoming ultrasound waves, a portion of this scattered acoustic energy can be used to detect the particles in the medium.

The amount of returned energy depends not only on the size of contained particies, but also on their acoustic properties. This makes it possible to distinguish between gas bubbles and other particles (Impurities).

Knowing the time of flight of the detected signals the position of the bubbles can be localised. This gives the option mark the leak.

At the moment it is possible to detect bubbles down to a diameter of 10 µm.

Applications

• heating elements
  
• heating radiators
  
• pumps
  
• compressors
  
• gas vessels
  
• driving gas vessels
  
• cast iron housings
  
• tanks
  
• shock absorber housings
  
• tins
  
• valves
  
• accoutrements
  
• filter housings
  
• ....

done projects

Fraunhofer TEG and IBMT have successful completed the following feasibility studies by mean of applying automated ultrasound gas bubble detection for tightness testing:

• heating elements for pipe radiators
  
• whole heating radiators
  
• heating radiators for bathrooms
  
• driving gas vessels
  
• housings of fuel injection pumps
  
• fittings for pipeline systems

Another possible applications are the detection of gas bubbles in a pipeline system.

automation

A custom designed ultrasonic sensor system for your testing task is required for a reliable detection of leaking objects. By means of optimised adapted signal processing the automation of the testing procedure is possible. Using existing handling technique or constructing a handling system including control software leads to the fully automated system. By this you receive the benefits of ultrasonic gas bubble detection in a fast, economical and solid way.

you don't know us?

We are a team of Fraunhofer TEG and IBMT:

we like to introduce ourselves:

• our team consists of qualified professionals: Scientists, Engineers and technicians..
  
• we further strengthen our know-how through the expertise gained at other Fraunhofer facilities.
  
• Project success is assured through the use of procedures that have been proved through experience. Absolute confidentiality is our major concern.
  
• our great experience with technical and economic judgements and the further development of manufacturing technologies and process control is at your disposal.
  
• we have proven ourselves many times through the development. of innovative and efficient production monitoring systems and the development of manufacturing technology for various industrial sectors.