Apparatus for detecting leakages in structural members

• US 5,523,569 A
• Filed: 12/14/1994
• Issued: 06/04/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: STN Atlas Elektronik GmbH (Rheinmetall AG)
• Original Assignee: STN Atlas Elektronik GmbH (Rheinmetall AG)
• Inventors: Grobecker, Helmut, Hornfeld, Willi, Meyer, Dietmar
• Primary Examiner(s): Fields, Carolyn E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Glick, Edward J.
• Application Number:
  US08/355,631
• Time in Patent Office: 538 Days
• Field of Search: 250/330, 250/338.5
• US Class Current: 250/330
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/38 by using light G01M3/02 takes precedence

Abstract

An apparatus for detecting leakages in structural members (8) is disclosed. The apparatus includes a device (2) for conveying gas through the structural member (8) to be investigated, a camera (14) having a narrow band filter characteristic matched to the spectral absorption of the gas and a device (16, 18) connected to the camera (14) for processing and displaying the recorded image of the structural member (8) to be investigated.

Claims

1. An apparatus for detecting leakage in structural components, comprising:

a gas conveying device provided to convey CO₂ gas through a structural member to be investigated;

an infrared radiation source disposed to irradiate the structural member;

a camera having a narrow band filter characteristic substantially matched to spectral absorption wavelengths of the CO₂ gas to obtain a recorded image; and

a device coupled to the camera for processing and displaying the recorded image.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the gas conveying device comprises a flowmeter.

3. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the gas conveying device conveys the CO₂ gas under pressure though the structural member.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the gas conveying device conveys the CO₂ gas under pressure though the structural member.

5. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the structural member to be investigated and the camera are movable relative to one another.

6. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the structural member to be investigated and the camera are movable relative to one another.

7. An apparatus for detecting leakage in a structural member, comprising:

a source of CO₂ gas;

a gas conveying device, coupled to the source of CO₂ gas to convey CO₂ gas from the source of CO₂ gas through the structural member;

a source of infrared electromagnetic radiation arranged to illuminate the structural member;

an imaging device, including a filter tuned to pass a narrow band of wavelengths substantially matched to a spectral absorption band of the CO₂ gas, the imaging device producing an image limited to the spectral absorption band of the CO₂ gas; and

an image processing device for detecting if CO₂ gas is leaking from the structural member and for determining an origin of CO₂ gas leaking from the structural member.

8. An apparatus as recited in claim 7, wherein a central wavelength of the narrow band of wavelengths is approximately 4.26 μ

m.

9. An apparatus as recited in claim 8, wherein an effective wavelength of the source of infrared radiation is approximately 4 μ

m.