Measuring and testing – With fluid pressure – Leakage
Patent
1998-06-11
2000-02-29
Williams, Hezron
Measuring and testing
With fluid pressure
Leakage
73 493, 73 498, 210 93, B63B 2500, G01M 300, B65B 2100
Patent
active
060295031
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an apparatus for detecting leakage from the periphery of a cylinder valve of each of cylinders filled with a gas such as hydrogen, helium or a mixed gas thereof, and more specifically, to an apparatus for detecting leakage from thirty cylinders (for instance) at one time prior to their delivery.
PRIOR ART
In a conventional case of detecting leakage from the periphery of a cylinder valve of each of a plurality of cylinders filled with a gas such as hydrogen, detection is carried out by bringing a detection pipe, which is led out of a leakage detector, closer to the periphery of the valve of each cylinder, actuating a gas aspirator to suck gas around the valve, and checking a reaction in the leakage detector.
However, in the conventional leakage detection, it is difficult to detect a trace amount of gas leakage from the periphery of a cylinder valve of a hydrogen or helium containing cylinder, because the gas is mixed with air. Particularly, it is impossible to detect leakage from a cylinder placed outside, for example, on windy day. Furthermore, a long time and much patience are required for checking all the thirty cylinders one by one.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
As mentioned above, it is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus formed for detecting leakage from the periphery of a cylinder valve of each of a plurality of gas cylinders, non-manually in a short time without failure, in place of a conventional detection performed manually.
MEANS FOR ACHIEVING THE OBJECTS
In order to achieve the aforementioned object, the present invention is characterized by using a leakage-detection apparatus for detecting leakage from a plurality of gas cylinders, which is constructed such that one end of each of flexible hoses is connected to a cap put on the top of each of a plurality of gas cylinders; the other end is connected to one of the faces of an assembly panel; and another flexible hose is led out of the other face of the assembly panel and connected to a detector, and a gas aspirator for sucking gas from each cap is connected upstream or downstream of the detector.
Furthermore, the present invention is characterized by having a controller for actuating the gas aspirator, assembling the flexible hoses derived from the plurality of gas cylinders in the assembly panel, and operating the assembly panel to introduce a sucked gas into the detector separately depending upon gas cylinders.
MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 shows an apparatus of the present invention for detecting leakage from the periphery of a cylinder valve of each of a plurality of gas cylinders. This apparatus comprises: with gas; of each of the plurality of caps (1), and the other end connected to one (3a) of the faces of a flexible hose assembly panel (3); hose assembly panel (3) and connected to a detector (6); gas aspirator (5), and the detector (6), individually.
The flexible hose assembly panel (3) has an introduction port in one (3a) of the faces. To the introduction port, about 30 to 50 flexible hoses can be connected. From the other face (3b) of the flexible hose assembly panel (3), the flexible hose (4) is led out. The plurality of flexible hoses (2) can be connected to the flexible hose (4) sequentially one by one, by controlling the flexible hose assembly panel (3) by the controller (7).
As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the cap (1) is put on the cylinder valve attached to the top of each of the plurality cylinders (C). The cap (1) is formed of a thin plastic material in the form of, for instance, an upper-half bottle. If gas leakage occurs from the top of one of the plurality of cylinders under detection, the leakage gas can be sucked together with air, which is introduced from a slit between an lower portion of the cap (1) and the cylinder, by sucking through the flexible hose (2). As a result, no special force is applied to the cap. Whereas, even if no leakage occurs, air is sucked, so that no special force is applied. Accordingly, the
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Air Liquide Japan, Ltd.
Wiggins J. David
Williams Hezron
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