US 11,874,199 B2
Device and process for determining the size of a leak hole in a sample
Thierry Gosse, Villebon-sur-Yvette (FR); Philippe Lacarrere, Nangis (FR); and Eric Schaller, Varennes-Jarcy (FR)
Assigned to ANEOLIA, Moissy-Cramayel (FR)
Filed by ANEOLIA, Moissy-Cramayel (FR)
Filed on Nov. 8, 2018, as Appl. No. 16/184,037.
Application 16/184,037 is a division of application No. 14/653,613, granted, now 10,197,469, previously published as PCT/EP2013/077538, filed on Dec. 19, 2013.
Claims priority of application No. 1262680 (FR), filed on Dec. 21, 2012.
Prior Publication US 2019/0072453 A1, Mar. 7, 2019
Int. Cl. G01M 3/32 (2006.01); G01N 33/00 (2006.01); G01N 7/10 (2006.01); G01N 27/18 (2006.01); G01F 5/00 (2006.01); G01F 9/00 (2006.01); G01F 1/34 (2006.01); G01M 3/00 (2006.01)
CPC G01M 3/32 (2013.01) [G01F 5/00 (2013.01); G01F 9/00 (2013.01); G01M 3/007 (2013.01); G01N 7/10 (2013.01); G01N 33/0004 (2013.01); G01N 27/18 (2013.01)] 22 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A device for testing a sample via a gas stream, comprising:
an opening arranged to be linked to the sample, the sample being a closed enclosure,
a reference gas source that is distinct from external air;
a flow generator configured for generating a gas stream in the device along at least one flow path passing through the opening,
at least one pressure sensor, each pressure sensor configured to measure a pressure of the gas stream along at least one flow path, and
a thermal mass flowmeter configured to use thermal conductivity to measure a parameter representing the mass flow rate of the gas stream along each flow path,
the at least one flow path comprises an exhaust path originating from the reference gas source and terminating at the opening that is linked to the sample,
the flow generator generating the gas stream configured to exhaust a leakage gas along the exhaust path,
the at least one pressure sensor comprises an exhaust pressure sensor configured to measure a pressure of the leakage gas along the exhaust path,
the thermal mass flowmeter configured to measure a parameter representing the mass flow rate of the leakage gas along the exhaust path, and
calculation means configured to determine a dimension of a leak hole in a surface of the closed enclosure, based on a measurement of the parameter representing the mass flow rate along the exhaust path,
wherein the calculation means determine the dimension of the leak hole based on the measurement:
from the thermal mass flowmeter configured to use thermal conductivity, and
measured on the reference gas exhausted from the reference gas source and having a given thermal conductivity.