Heat exchanger leak test - The proactive approach to safety and uptime
A heat exchanger leak test is a proactive way to secure product safety, prevent contamination, and ensure process reliability. By detecting even the smallest leaks before they cause downtime, you can plan maintenance more effectively and extend the service life of your heat exchangers. Alfa Laval’s integrity test helps identify hidden cracks and wear so you can maintain uptime, improve safety, and meet regulatory standards with confidence. The video introduces the Integrity Test procedure and what it can do for your business, as a proactive approach to securing uptime and product safety.
What is an integrity test for heat exchangers?
An integrity test is a diagnostic method designed to verify the mechanical and hygienic reliability of your gasketed plate and tubular heat exchangers. It detects leaks and identifies early signs of corrosion or fatigue before they develop into costly failures. Understanding what an integrity test is helps you plan maintenance, avoid contamination, and secure consistent product quality. This heat exchanger leak detection method provides the insight needed to maintain control over your process and safeguard uptime. In addition, the proactive approach gives you confidence in the reliability of your equipment.
How does Integrity Testing work?
Our Integrity Testing offers unmatched accuracy and safety. A non-toxic, non-flammable mix of hydrogen and nitrogen is pumped through your gasketed plate heat exchanger, revealing any microscopic cracks, corrosion or material fatigue. Our precision sensors pick up any discharge of gas and can even identify the type of flaw - micro-cracks, corrosion, gasket failure and more. The test can take as little as 15 minutes per section.
Integrity Testing method
In designing our Integrity Test, we chose a methodology that delivers accuracy, safety, speed and sustainability.
Accuracy
The hydrogen-nitrogen mix is the ideal substance for testing the condition of your gasketed plate heat exchangers, as it diffuses quickly and completely revealing flaws smaller than liquid can permeate anywhere inside your units. Since the hydrogen-nitrogen mix dissipates quickly after use and has a very low ppm in the atmosphere, it has a lower probability of false positives than other tracer gases such as helium. Our automated detection system minimizes risk of user error.
Safety
Our hydrogen mix is non-flammable (ISO 10156 classified), non-toxic and does not damage your plates and gaskets. It is approved for use in the food industry and does not contaminate your equipment.
Speed
Testing your gasketed heat exchangers is quick and convenient, as it does not involve opening the plate packs. We simply connect the gas pumps to a drained unit and the results can be seen 15 minutes later. It doesn’t require cleaning or any other post-test procedures and can even be used with hard-to-access units.
Sustainability
Unlike helium, which is a scarce and non-renewable natural resource, hydrogen and nitrogen are sustainable, non-scarce resources that can be used without environmentally harmful outcomes.
Environmental Friendliness
With this hydrogen test reduces the environmental footprint of chemicals, Helium or water compared to other test methods.
Compliance
The integrity test is a well-established method to fulfilling your regulatory demands. Accurate results from a fully automated system provide reliable documentation for audits supported by Alfa Laval recommendations.
