For industrial plants and facilities, compressed air, gas and vacuum systems are a vital source of converted energy. Easier to use than other resources such as electricity, compressors are everywhere in today’s factories. They run machines, tools, robotics, lasers, product handling systems, and much more.
Yet many compressed air, gas and vacuum systems are compromised by wear and poor maintenance practices, which contribute to the greatest waste of all—the ever-present leaks. These leaks can be hidden behind machines, at connection points, overhead in fixed pipes, or in cracked pipes or worn hoses. The waste adds up quickly and can even lead to downtime. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that an average of 20-30% of a typical plant’s total compressed air capacity is wasted through leaks. Leak management programs can greatly cut down on the waste and possibly even minimize downtime.
Typical methods for detecting leads are slow, time consuming, miss leaks, and often require the use of man-lifts and fall protection. Examples are performing audible inspections when the plant is not running (then using soap & water), or handheld ultrasonic leak detection tools. While ultrasonic is good technology for detecting leaks, conventional tools require training and experience – even in these cases it is a very time-consuming process. Fluke has introduced a game-changing implementation of ultrasonic leak detection technology that enables users to find and fix leaks in minutes versus hours, and perform inspections in hours versus days – all without the training and experience required for use of other conventional testers. With Fluke’s SoundSight™ technology, the ii900 Acoustic Imager translates the sounds that it hears into a visual representation so that you can quickly locate leaks and document them in the camera.