Nov16

Refrigerant gas leak detection

The crew at MNK recently had a situation where a client’s coolroom was losing refrigerant every few months and affecting the operating temperature. We tried the conventional methods of detecting the source of the leak, such as electronic leak detectors to “sniff” for refrigerant in the air, UV dye additive to the system and examination with a UV light – still the exact site of the leak eluded us.
We suspected the leak may be in the evaporator coil but we could not get a definite and sustained indication of the site of the leak, the unit was only losing refrigerant every few months, so the leak was obviously very small.
In the past, this type of scenario might have been left to continue, causing inconvenience to the end user every few months, unnecessary cost and unnecessary emissions of refrigerant into the environment. Today’s refrigeration specialist needs to adhere to methods and practises that reflect consideration to the environment and adhere to the requirements of our refrigerant handling accreditation.
In a concerted effort to address our client’s dilemma, MNK went out and invested in the latest technology in leak detection, utilising trace gas to pressure test refrigeration systems. Trace gas is a mixture of Hydrogen and Nitrogen, Hydrogen is the lightest and smallest molecule in the atmosphere and will readily exit the system at any leak point. Specific equipment is required to detect the trace gas.
We found the source of our leak within seconds using the trace gas method, now allowing us to give our client accurate, informed, and definitive options for repair of his system with the confidence that we have identified the leak source rather than just operating on a “best guess”
If you have commercial refrigeration equipment that would benefit from the latest in leak detection methods to mitigate refrigerant loss costs and emission to the environment then give MNK a call.

Take a look at the video clip of how easily this leak showed up with Hydrogen testing, just prior to taking this clip we were testing with refrigerant trace only and could not identify the leak source