INFICON ISH2000 User Manual

Sensistor ISH2000

HYDROGEN LEAK DETECTOR

Technical Reference Manual

Publication: INFICON AB - nipa60e1-a (1202) - All information can be modified without prior notice

General content

A 100 Introduction to the Sensistor ISH2000 series ................................................ 5

A 300 Sensor Technologies working principle ......................................................... 6

A 400 Testing methods .......................................................................................... 7

A 401 About Hydrogen .......................................................................................... 9

A 600 Options ..................................................................................................... 10

A 700 Sensistor ISH2000 Components ................................................................. 11

A 701 Spare parts and accessories ........................................................................ 17

A 800 Sensistor ISH2000 - Technical specifications ............................................... 22

A 900 Dimensions ................................................................................................ 25

B 100 Safety instructions ...................................................................................... 29

B 110 Supplies and storage .................................................................................. 30

B 210 Connecting the detector to the installation ................................................ 31

B 300 Controlling the detector with the I/O interface ........................................... 33

B 310 Controlling the detector with a PC computer through the RS 232 interface 37

B 320 Connecting the detector directly to a printer or another device .................. 40

C 100 Getting started with the leak detector ....................................................... 45

C 200 Control panel ............................................................................................ 46

C 201 Menu system ............................................................................................. 48

C 210 Password ................................................................................................... 54

C 211 Operation of the leak detector ................................................................... 55

C 300 Calibration of the leak detector ................................................................. 57

C 304 Correlation value ....................................................................................... 62

C 305 Reference values settings ........................................................................... 63

C 410 Headphones .............................................................................................. 64

C 500 Factory configuration of the leak detector parameters ............................... 65

C 570 Date - Time - Language - Unit .................................................................... 67

C 580 Service mode och debug mode .................................................................. 68

D 100 Preventive maintenance ............................................................................. 73

D 200 General troubleshooting guide .................................................................. 74

D 300 Reference leak trouble guide ..................................................................... 76

E 100 Maintenance operations introduction ......................................................... 79

E 120 Sending the leak detection for repair to a service center ............................. 80

E 130 Functional verification ................................................................................ 81

E 140 Service menu .............................................................................................. 84

E 160 Software and documentation evolution ...................................................... 85

E 230 Sensistor ISH2000 Main board .................................................................... 86

E 410 Instrument maintenance ............................................................................. 88

E 411 Probe maintenance .................................................................................... 99

F 100 Service ...................................................................................................... 103

F 110 Disposal of product when taken out of service .......................................... 104

F 800 Tools ........................................................................................................ 105

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Introduction

Sensistor ISH2000 Technical Reference Manual

Detailed content

A 100 Introduction to the Sensistor ISH2000 series

A 300 Sensor Technologies working principle

A 400 Testing methods

A 600 Options

A 700 Accessories

A 800 Sensistor ISH2000 - Technical specifications

A 900 Dimensions

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Sensistor ISH2000

A 100

A 100 Introduction to the Sensistor ISH2000 series

Sensistor ISH2000 can be purchased in one of three versions. A desktop model (Sensistor ISH2000), a battery operated model (Sensistor ISH2000C), and a panel mount model (Sensistor ISH2000P).

Figure A-1: Sensistor ISH2000

Sensistor ISH2000 is equipped with a number of powerful functions making it very easy to integrate in a semi or fully automatic test system. The functions range from output of all necessary status signals and printer/communication port to an advanced Active Probe Control system (APC). This makes the detector capable of controlling advanced sample collecting devices down to simple test fixtures.

Sensistor ISH2000C

Sensistor ISH2000P

Figure A-2: Sensistor ISH2000C

The battery operated model, Sensistor ISH2000C, has all the Sensistor ISH2000 features apart from the APC system. This means that only passive probes (for example Hand Probe P50) can be used. The battery, a Li-ion battery at 14.8 V, can not support the current required to operate external probes. Sensistor ISH2000C will operate for 14 hours on a fully charged battery with screensaver and mute function. One hour charging will give about one hour of operating time.

Figure A-3: Sensistor ISH2000P

The panel mount model, Sensistor ISH2000P, has identical features of the Sensistor ISH2000.The difference is that the Sensistor ISH2000 can be installed in

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A 300

the operator’s panel or any other flat surface. Also it operates on +24 VDC. Mounting brackets and a panel rubber seal are delivered with the detector.

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Sensor Technology

A 400

A 300 Sensor Technologies working principle

The Sensistor ISH2000 leak detector is using SENSISTOR sensor technology inside. SENSISTOR sensor technology uses an extremely sensitive hydrogen gas sensor based on a microelectronic field effect transistor (MOS-FET).

The gas sensitivity appears when hydrogen absorbs into the sensor through a metal alloy (metal hydride) layer.

Only hydrogen can diffuse into the metal and this makes the sensors practically insensitive to other substances that do not contain free hydrogen molecules.

The signals from the sensors are processed by a microprocessor which also controls the sensor temperature with high accuracy, and other sensor diagnostics in order to ensure perfect functionality. It also automatically compensates for background gas.

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To Detect leaks

A 400

A 400 Testing methods

If all you wish to do is to detect the presence of a leak, that is, find out whether there is a leak or not, then use the Detection Mode (or use the detection bar in Combined Mode). The definition of Leak/No Leak will then simply be "A leak is a leak when it can be detected by the detector, set to a specific sensitivity".

To set up: The operation in Detection Mode is not quantitative. The audio and visual sig-

nal will increase and decrease with the gas concentration. Therefore, there is no actual calibration to be done, but rather a setting of the sensitivity to a desired level.

A typical set-up procedure for Detection Mode is:

• Set up a reference leak which corresponds to the smallest leak you wish to detect.

• Put the probe close to the reference leak and note approximately what reaction you get (no reaction, small, medium, high, full scale) within the first few seconds.

• Set the sensitivity. This can be done permanently under the menu Detection Mode Settings or temporarily as a Direct Sensitivity Adjustment on the display (unless you have set this function to OFF under the Detection Mode Settings menu).

There is also an Auto ranging function which can be selected under the Detection Mode Settings menu.

Note: If the Detection Mode is used and the alarm function is required to be activated at a particular calibrated level, then the unit must be calibrated in accordance with the instructions, see "Calibrate the leak detector" on page 17.

The reason for this is that the alarm is based on the Analysis Mode when the Detection Mode is displayed.

To Locate Leaks

Note: The Detection Mode (or use the detection bar in Combined Mode) is

used to locate leaks. This mode is semi-quantitative, that is, it gives an audio and visual signal which increases as a leak is approached (a higher gas concentration) and decreases as you move the probe away from the leak. It does not display figures. In this mode of operation leaks can easily be detected using a sensitivity which can be preset.

Leaks can be located very accurately, even when there are other leaks nearby. If, for example, you are trying to locate a leak on a product and the product has a major leak, then you will get an audio signal as soon as the probe is placed close to the product.

When the probe is moved around and over the product, the signal will increase as the probe approaches the leak. If the signal goes out of scale, simply reduce the sensitivity setting to bring the signal within the scale. Working with the sensitivity setting this way you will be able to locate multiple leaks that are in close proximity to each other.

Note: Working inside a confined space such as, for example, a cabinet or a narrow passage on a combustion engine there is a risk that the background concentration accumulates to levels close to the upper detection limit of the detector. In such case it will not be possible to locate leaks as easily as in open spaces.

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To Quantify Leaks

A 401

Hint: It is good practice to detect a leak, locate it, and immediately remove the probe to avoid saturation. The probe is not damaged by the exposure but it will recover more slowly. After excessive exposure it will be less sensitive for a short period of time.

The Analysis Mode (or use the analysis figures in Combined Mode) is used for measuring the size of a leak (or the concentration of a gas sample). To be able to do this measurement and obtain correct values, the instrument must first be calibrated using the calibration function.

In the Analysis Mode the detector determines the gas concentration from the change, as the probe goes from being exposed to background to being exposed to a certain gas concentration. The detector does not continuously monitor the gas concentration but takes just one reading instead. Another suitable alternative name for this mode could be Sampling Mode. It is important to keep this in mind when using the detector in this mode.

In Analysis Mode the probe should be moved directly from a background situation to the test point. The size of the leak in PPM, or any other selected units, is shown on the display. The probe can and should be removed from the measuring point as the measured value steadies and remains on the display. The period during which the measured value is displayed can be adjusted in the Analysis Mode Settings menu.

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A 401 About Hydrogen

When pure hydrogen gas is released in air its flammability range spans from 4% to 75% of hydrogen in air. Below 4% there is insufficient chemical energy available for a flame to occur. Above 75% hydrogen there is not enough oxygen left to support a flame. When, for example, a mixture of less than 5.5 % hydrogen in nitrogen mixes with air there is not sufficient energy to support a flame, irrespective of the ratio of air-to-gas. When a mixture of more than 5.5 % hydrogen in nitrogen is released into air there is a region of ratios of air-to-gas where the mixture is flammable. When, for example, a mixture of 10% hydrogen in nitrogen mixes with air there is still very little energy available. Only in exceptional circumstances can a flame be self-supporting. However, such mixtures cannot detonate.

Hydrogen can be stored and transported as either a gas a cryogenic liquid. The tracer gas is standard welding gas of industry quality, easy to obtain at low

cost. The generic name is Forming Gas.

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A 600 Options

Which options for which model?

A 700

Sensistor ISH2000

Sensistor ISH2000 C

Table model t Portable model t Panel model t Hand probe P50 tt 3 m C21 cable tt

Sensistor ISH2000 P

Power supply cable t

Battery recharger

Cary case

Probe control port

t t

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