Halogen Leak Detector
Halogen leak detectors are used to detect and identify the specific location of halogenated refrigerant leaks. Gases containing halogen, such as chlorofluorocarbon and hydrofluorocarbon, are common in industrial, automotive and commercial cooling systems. The majority of halogen leak detectors use an automatic pump to sample the air surrounding equipment and detect gases containing halogen to identify the specific location of a leak. The air is drawn through a metal or plastic tube and compared to preset samples. These pumps are calibrated to different types of halogenated gases and can often be customized to fit the exact needs of a given appliance. Other variations involve a halide torch test. The flame, which is normally a blue, changes to have a green bias with the presence of halogens. This type of leak detector is not always permissible in certain settings. Both the pump and flame methods can give false results depending upon environmental contaminants near the test. Advancements in either technique constantly decrease the room for false positives.
Refrigeration and cooling systems often contain hundreds of feet of tubing, particularly in industrial settings. Even in smaller systems the tubing that must be monitored for leaks are commonly in inaccessible areas of equipment that may still be running while tests are run. Nevertheless, identifying leaks is essential to these systems as they can significantly decrease performance. If left unchecked, leaks can lead to appliance failure. For this reason many of the most popular halogen leak detectors are hand held and extremely portable. Hand held pump devices have two main parts, the body and the tubing. The tube is often made of bendable metal or plastic to fit into specific locations. The body likewise can be metal or plastic and houses the battery and testing components. Despite the benefits of portability, some large cooling and refrigeration systems may be continuously monitored with a fixed halogen leak detector. In some regions, constant monitoring is required as halogenated refrigerants increase ozone depletion. Although most halogenated refrigerants are not harmful to humans in small doses, large amounts can aggravate heart problems.