Finding Helium Leaks?

From: Chuck Smithhart <csmithrt_at_deltastate.edu>
Date: Thu, 30 Jul 2020 22:15:20 +0000

Hi AMMRL List-

The helium loss rate for our 14 year-old Oxford magnet (7 Tesla, 300 MHz) has increased to about 0.8 % LHe/day from a baseline of about 0.55% LHe/day.

I tried to chase down the leak with a TCD-based thermal conductivity leak detector (Restek Electronic Leak Detector, for GCs), but that instrument does not
seem to be stable enough when it is moved around the magnet’s fringe field.

I do not have access to a mass spectrometer-type sniffer. Does any AMMRL member know of a reliable, inexpensive way to detect helium leaks?

I was thinking that a sensitive IR camera might work. Or, I suppose that I could resort to soapy water. 😉

I would be interested in anything that works.

Thanks, and sorry if this has been covered before.

Regards,

Chuck

Charles B. Smithhart, Ph.D.
Delta State University
Division of Mathematics and Sciences
P.O. Box C-4
Cleveland, MS 38733

Received on Thu Jul 30 2020 - 12:15:25 MST

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