| 摘要 |
A test apparatus for the in situ, non destructive, integrity testing of hydrophobic filters and/or their housings that is less sensitive to error from system pressure leaks. The apparatus comprises a pressurizable system including a pipe having an upstream end and a downstream end and a hydrophobic filter housing disposed inbetween. The hydrophobic filter housing has a hydrophobic filter disposed therein. The hydrophobic filter housing has an inlet which is in fluid communication with the upstream end of the pipe and the hydrophobic filter housing is closed to the downstream end of the pipe, but a fluid pathway to the downstream end of the pipe exists through the hydrophobic filter. The system has a second inlet including a flowmeter and the second inlet is disposed upstream of the downstream end of the pipe. An overflow outlet is disposed upstream of the hydrophobic filter and second inlet and is in fluid communication with a flow measurement device. A gas pressure outlet is disposed upstream of the overflow outlet and is in fluid communication with the flow measurement device through a separate pressure equalization tube. The system may be used by filling the above described pressurizable system with water such that the hydrophobic filter is completely immersed in water, controlling the gas pressure in the pressurizable system to a predetermined pressure, metering water into the system through the second inlet at a rate that is no greater than the rate of flow achievable through the overflow outlet, measuring the rate of water flow from the overflow outlet and determining the difference between the water inflow rate and the water overflow rate.
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