Method and device for locating leaks in a heat exchanger

摘要

876,476. Locating leakages. SULZER FRERES S.A. June 24, 1960 [July 24, 1959], No. 22292/60. Class 99(2). In a method of locating leakage points in a heat exchanger 6, comprising conduits 7, connected in parallel and surrounded by a first medium, a second medium under a higher pressure flowing through conduits, a tracer is added to the second medium after traces of the latter have been detected in the first medium. A gas is drawn through a duct 1 by means of fans 2 and is conveyed by sets of guide vanes 3 and 4, through a nuclear reactor 5 and a heat exchanger 6, from which the gas flows back into the duct 1 through a set of vanes 9. The heat exchanger 6 comprises looped conduits 7 formed into panels mounted in vertical planes whereof the inlets are connected to header 91 through shut-off valves 8 and the outlets to a header 11 through shut-off valves 10. A sampling tube 13 provided with several suction points 14 is mounted above each looped conduit 7. The sampling tubes are connected to moisturedetecting instruments 16, the outlets of which are connected to a blower 18, driven by a motor 19, which delivers the gas back into duct 1 through a purification unit 20. A tracer, e.g. an amine, is stored in a container 25 which is connected to a distribution pipe 27, through a pressure reducing valve 26, from which connections may be established with the various conduits 7 through valves 28. A collecting pipe 31 is connected to the pipes 15 through solenoid controlled shut-off valves 30 and opens into a tracer detector 32. When a leakage occurs in one of the conduits 7, working fluid seeps into the gas and enters one or more of the tubes 13 through openings 14, such leakage being shown by detecting instruments 16. The corresponding valves 30 and 28 are then opened and closed again one after the other to admit the tracer into the respective conduits sequentially. The detector 32 then indicates which of the conduits is leaking, this conduit then being isolated by closing valves 8 and 10. The apparatus may be made to operate automatically and a movable sampling tube having one or more suction openings 14 may be provided. A tube 13 need not be provided over each looped conduit 7.