TRANSLATE:
New Strix™ Hydrogen Sensor Improves Detection of Small Leaks
A new gas sensor and hand probe for leak detection in the manufacturing industry have been developed by INFICON. With improved performance, the detection of small leaks is now significantly easier. The new Strix sensor and hand probe connect to the INFICON Sentrac Hydrogen Leak Detector, making it the Sentrac Strix Edition. Designed for use with hydrogen tracer gas, the instrument enables easy leak detection for water, oil and fuel leaks.
The new sensor helps detect any presence of gas quickly. With significantly improved response and recovery times, it enables the operator to pinpoint leaks even in demanding environments. As well as helping operators find very small leaks efficiently, the sensor will also assist users to locate leaks of widely varying sizes, from the extremely small to the very large. The dynamic operating range covers 10 decades of leak sizes.
This improved performance has been achieved with the development of the new proprietary Strix sensor, where new features, combined with advanced signal processing, have resulted in easier locating of leaks, covering a wide range of sizes.
Easy detection
The Sentrac Strix Edition hydrogen leak detector uses non-flammable forming gas, containing 5% hydrogen and 95% nitrogen, as a tracer gas to find leaks. Diluted hydrogen in this mix is readily available in most countries as a standard shielding gas for welding, at a lower cost than helium. With forming gas injected into the product, such as a refrigerant circuit, the operator follows the outline of the product with the probe, detecting any escaping gas.
The new Strix sensor responds faster and gives a clear signal and intuitive guidance, helping the operator to easily pinpoint and quantify a leak. The new sensor also recovers faster, returning to its normal state rapidly, even after high exposure. With the signal clearing quickly, the operator can continue the search without delay.
Even very large leaks are identified without the detector becoming over-saturated. In addition, it handles high levels of hydrogen in the background, enabling the operation to continue even if the workstation should become momentarily contaminated with escaped forming gas.
Reduced cost of operation
The Sentrac Strix Edition is intended for manufacturers of automotive products who have a need to verify the integrity of systems and ensure that gas as well as liquid leakages are below specified limits. Finding leaks before fitting a component to a larger system reduces the cost of quality and prevents faulty products from reaching the market.
The hydrogen leak detector, Sentrac Strix Edition, does not draw gas into the unit for analysis. Instead, the sensor is placed at the tip of the probe, further improving response time. This also reduces build-up of dust in the instrument, thus requiring less maintenance. The sensor lifetime is expected to be a minimum of one year, which also reduces downtime and cost of ownership.
The new Strix Hand Probe is lighter than previous hand probes. The diameter of the tip has been reduced from 8 mm (0.31 in.) to 7 mm (0.27 in.) to further facilitate checking of complex geometries. The new Strix Hand Probe can be retrofitted to earlier versions of the Sentrac leak detector.
Learn more
More information about the new Sentrac Strix Edition can be found on the product webpage or in the Sentrac Strix brochure.