Patent ID: 6067844
Filing Date: 2000-05-30
Classification: G01M,G01N

Abstract:
A nondestructive method for detecting a defective polymeric liner that is contained within, but is not bonded to, a vented structural shell wherein said liner does not exhibit a viscous leak, comprising the steps of:obtaining characteristic solute permeation data with respect to time at a given temperature on virgin polymers under laboratory conditions using a volatile tracer or process gas;introducing into the process side of said polymeric liner of said vented structural shell said solute as a tracer or process gas which will permeate through said polymeric liner and into the annulus formed between said liner and said vented structural shell;detecting the mass flow rate of said solute permeation with respect to time at said temperature at a vent location or flange of said vented structural shell with a suitable gas analyzer; anddetermining the mass flow rate of excess permeation with respect to time of said volatile solute through said polymeric liner by comparing said detected solute excess permeation data with respect to time with said characteristic solute permeation data with respect to time obtained from said virgin polymer.