Chillventa 2024: New Multi-Gas Sniffer Leak Detector Ecotec 4000 Enhances Test Reliability with particularly High Gas Flow
Chillventa 2024: Inficon Showcases Industrial Refrigerant Leak Detectors
Cologne, August 20, 2024 +++ Inficon GmbH from Cologne, one of the world's leading manufacturers of instruments and devices for leak testing (www.inficon.com), will present their new multi-gas sniffer leak detector for industrial production lines in the refrigeration and air conditioning industry at Chillventa in Nuremberg (Oct 8-10, 2024, hall 8, booth 8-412): the Inficon Ecotec 4000. The enhanced device replaces the successful predecessor Ecotec E3000. The new Ecotec 4000 is the most sensitive multi-gas sniffer leak detector on the market. It detects up to four different refrigerant gases simultaneously, identifies leaks down to a size of 0.05 g R600a per year, and is suitable for demanding production environments – such as end-of-line tests on fully filled refrigeration and air conditioning systems, refrigerators, heat exchangers, or heat pumps. Two other highlights at the Inficon booth are a fully automated robotic leak testing system with intelligent 3D image recognition and the new sniffing line SL3000EX, suitable for use in ATEX Zone 2 – making it ideal for natural, flammable refrigerant gases.
Robotic Sniffer Leak Detection with the Ecotec 4000
While the predecessor of the Ecotec 4000 was designed for a low gas flow of 160 sccm, the new device can also operate with a medium and even a high gas flow of 3000 sccm. Such a sniffer leak detection with strong suction allows for reliable testing even in hard-to-reach places. Its inherently high sensitivity enables the Ecotec 4000 to reliably test against the industry-standard rejection leak rate of 0.3 g refrigerant/year even at high gas flow. Another advantage of the high gas flow is that it also enables robotic and fully automated sniffer leak detection. For this purpose, Inficon has equipped the Ecotec 4000 with a side connection for the sniffing line, which can be rotated by 180 degrees at any time – as integration into a robotic testing system requires all connections and interfaces to be oriented towards the back. Thanks to the 180-degree rotation, switching to manual sniffer leak detection when needed is a matter of a few quick adjustments.
Detect Up to Four Gases Selectively – and Eliminate CO2 Interference
The new device can detect up to four gases simultaneously, selectively identifying each. This makes the Ecotec 4000 ideal for mixed production lines where multiple refrigerants, such as R600a and R290, are used. At the same time, the Ecotec 4000 features an advanced IGS mode (Interfering Gas Suppression). This means that interfering gases from insulating foams, such as blowing agents like cyclopentane and isopentane, do not affect the accurate detection of the refrigerant gas – be it R600a or R290. Additionally, the Ecotec 4000 uses an innovative gas modulation technique, where a specially designed sniffer handle with an integrated valve is employed. This valve alternates between different states multiple times per second to determine the background gas concentration. The device’s software can then effectively filter out interference signals caused by high background concentrations of refrigerant gases at the test setup. This is a significant advantage when using CO2 as a refrigerant, as any CO2 clouds are recognized as such by the signal evaluation algorithms and no longer cause false leak alarms.
Convenient Touch Display, Modern Interfaces, Lower Maintenance Costs
A colored 7-inch touch display simplifies the operation of the new Ecotec 4000. For example, the detected values for four different gases can be displayed simultaneously on the screen. Selecting the required gases from the extensive refrigerant library of the multi-gas leak detector is very quick and easy with the new interface. Inficon has also equipped the new Ecotec with all modern communication interfaces: Ethernet, HDMI, USB, BM1000, and I/O1000. Last but not least, a newly designed ion source for the mass spectrometer integrated into the device significantly extends the filament's lifespan and reduces maintenance costs of the Ecotec 4000.
3D Image Recognition for Fully Automated Robotic Leak Detection
In addition to the new Ecotec 4000, Inficon has more highlights for visitors at its Chillventa booth. These include a robotic leak testing system where intelligent 3D image recognition guides the sniffing tip fully automatically to all connection and weld points to be tested. This test, which takes place after assembly but before refrigerant filling, uses the XL3000flex leak detector, for instance, which operates with either helium or hydrogen – specifically forming gas. Commercially available forming gas is a non-flammable mixture of 5 percent hydrogen and 95 percent nitrogen. Alternatively, Inficon uses the Sentrac Strix hydrogen leak detector in this system, which also uses forming gas as the test gas. Inficon is showcasing the particularly compact refrigerant leak detector HLD6000 for the first time in conjunction with a CO2 test leak and a new calibration adapter – expanding the application range of the HLD6000.
New ATEX-Compliant Sniffing Line for Propane and Isobutane
Another important highlight at the Inficon booth is the sniffing line SL3000EX, which can also be used with the new Ecotec 4000. Inficon has designed the new sniffing line specifically for use in ATEX Zone 2. The background: natural hydrocarbons like propane (R290) and isobutane (R600a), which are becoming increasingly popular as sustainable refrigerants, are flammable and pose stricter safety requirements on industrial production and leak testing environments. The design of the sniffing lines must account for the flammability of these new refrigerants.
Contact:
INFICON GmbH
Emre Germen
Bonner Str. 498
50968 Köln
Deutschland
Phone: +49(0)221-56788-632
Email: emre.germen@inficon.com
Internet: www.inficon.com
Press contact:
Möller Horcher Kommunikation GmbH
Julia Schreiber
Heubnerstraße 1
09599 Freiberg
Deutschland
Phone: +49(0)3731-2070-915
Email: julia.schreiber@moeller-horcher.de
Internet: www.moeller-horcher.de
About INFICON
INFICON GmbH in Cologne is one of the world's leading developers, producers, and suppliers of instruments and devices for leak testing. The leak detectors are used in demanding industrial processes in production and quality control, covering a wide range of applications. The main customers of INFICON are manufacturers and service companies of air conditioning and refrigeration equipment, the automotive and automotive supplier industry, the semiconductor industry, and manufacturers of leak testing systems. Almost all manufacturers of refrigeration and air conditioning equipment and their suppliers are among the customer base. Technology from Inficon is used for testing e.g. refrigerators, air conditioners and their components, heat pumps, drinking water dispensers, hot water storage tanks, or gas boilers for hot water generation or heating.
Embedded in the INFICON Holding based in Switzerland, the company relies on essential components from its own production for its devices, such as mass spectrometers or vacuum gauges. In 2006, INFICON revolutionized leak detection technology with sniffing gas through the patented INFICON Wise Technology™. In 2011, INFICON acquired the hydrogen leak detection business (formerly the Sensistor business unit) from Pfeiffer Vacuum.
INFICON now looks back on more than 50 years of experience in leak detection technology. INFICON handles worldwide sales through production facilities in Cologne (Germany), Balzers (Liechtenstein), Linköping (Sweden), Syracuse (USA), and Shanghai (China), as well as sales offices in all major industrial countries and an extensive network of distributors. With its more than 1,600 employees, INFICON AG achieved worldwide sales of 674 million USD in the fiscal year of 2023.
