Abstract:
A method of nondestructive noncontact tightness testing based on gas discharge visualization. The invention relates to tightness testing methods and can be used for testing weld seams of articles inside of which there is a working medium (matter), for example, of chemical power sources. The method includes subjecting the article being tested to a high voltage pulsed electric field formed between the positive electrode and a metallized layer of the article casing, recording on a photo carrier, for which purpose the article is placed on a dielectric plate arranged on a positive electrode, and its surface area is selected in the ratio to the article surface area not less than 7:1, and is additionally subjected to an electric field of the preliminary polarized dielectric plate with a surface area ratio to the surface area of the positive electrode of 1.2:1, and is symmetrically arranged on the positive electrode relative to its center between the latter and the article being tested.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application claims the benefit of Ukrainian Application No. 2003077007 Filed on Jul. 25, 2003; now Patent No. 64623 issued on Sep. 11, 2003, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference.  
       FIELD OF INVENTION  
       [0002]     The invention relates to tightness testing and can be used for nondestructive testing of the quality of weld seams in articles that contain a working medium welded into a metallized dielectric casing (article jacket).  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     Known in the art is a method of the article tightness testing [ 4 ] wherein a closed space is formed in the testing zone that is formed by the outer surface of the article and the transparent electrode, whereafter the article and the electrode are subjected to a difference of potentials that corresponds to the threshold value of the gas discharge formation, and the inner surface of the article is blown by a testing gas that, while diffusing through the fault into the closed space causes the formation of a discharge electron avalanche. A recording device, for example a photo camera is positioned on the side of the transparent electrode to record the discharge. The information carrier in the known method is the photo image of the discharge electron avalanche whose shape allows to evaluate the spatial inhomogeneity of the gas emission through the surface of the article and to determine the tightness failure range and location.  
         [0004]     A limitation of the known method is the necessity to apply blowing by the testing gas that complicates the testing process and excludes its application for the articles whose inner volume is filled with a working medium featuring specified properties.  
         [0005]     At present there are known methods of nondestructive testing [ 2 ,  3 ] that do not require any testing gas usage and that allow revealing of article faults on the basis of gas discharge visualization. According to these methods the article being tested and the recorder in the form of a liquid crystal cell are placed between the electrodes, while a high voltage is applied to the electrodes, and the article is subjected to a formed electric field while its strength vector being normal to the article surface. The testing results are indicated by the image of the gas discharge process recorded by the registration unit.  
         [0006]     The fault availability is indicated by a change in the form of the gas discharge image caused by a distortion of the normal component of the electric field within the fault area. To improve the indicating potential of the testing the air gap between the article and the recording unit is maintained within the 50-100 μm range. The character of the gas discharge image is a function of the thickness and dielectric permeability of the layers that confine the gas discharge gap, while the shape is determined by the shape of the article and is comprised of separate film exposure spots whose quantity per surface area unit is determined by the amplitude and number of pulses during the exposure to a high voltage electric field. The film exposure is caused by the avalanche-like discharge processes that linearly propagate along the electric field lines of force from the separate points of the object to the image recording unit. The discharges appear at random points of the object uniformly over the whole surface area of the gap. The presence of faults on the surface or in the volume of the article results in a distortion of the electric field symmetry in the gas discharge gap. This is reflected in the shape of the gas discharge image. In such case an increase in the electric field strength causes a preferential and most intensive development of avalanche-like discharges in this field, while its decrease leads to discharge weakening. Therefore the faulty area will be exposed on the recording unit either lightly or stronger in comparison to the background, that is to the faultless areas. The testing sensitivity is a function of the electric field strength in the faulty and faultless areas.  
         [0007]     A common limitation of the conventional methods is their low sensitivity in testing of articles that have outer electroconducting layers that drastically reduce the indicating potential of the testing according to the value of the change in the normal electric field component within the faulty area of the article.  
         [0008]     There is a known method of recording air discontinuities in a solid body [ 5 ] wherein an article being tested is placed between the electrodes to which high voltage is supplied, while a glow is caused in the discharge gap, the character of the glow reflecting the inner structure of the article. The discharge glow is recorded on the photo carrier. To determine the size of the air space in the direction of the electric field lines of force the discharge photography is carried out in two stages: while a picture is taken at the threshold of the discharge ignition, the value of the applied voltage is recorded, whereupon the voltage on the electrodes is continued to be increased up to such a value at which a discharge occurs in the air volume of the fault that is reflected on the film. In this case the fault image will be brighter or such as in the faultless areas.  
         [0009]     By recording the value of the applied voltage and comparing it with the voltage at which the first picture was obtained information is achieved on the fault availability and location in the direction of the electric field lines of force.  
         [0010]     A disadvantage of this known method is the high error in determining the voltage values of the discharge ignition in the fault space that substantially lowers the testing sensitivity.  
         [0011]     There is also known a method of nondestructive testing for faulty adhesion in the thin layer metal-dielectric arrangement [ 6 ] in which the metallic substrate of the article is used as one of the electrodes. Over the dielectric layer the photo carrier is laid with the emulsion layer to the article surface. The whole system is pressed with a roller that is rolled along the article surface, while voltage is fed from a high voltage impulse generator to the roller functioning as a positive electrode. After exposure the photo material is processed using a conventional photographic printing method. In such case an appearance of a fault that is of an air interlayer between the metallic substrate and the dielectric coat of the article leads to a reduction in the field strength on the outer surface of the article and, correspondingly, to weakening of the discharge that appears in the faulty area. These areas will be brighter in comparison to the faultless areas. The sensitivity of the known testing method is determined by the character of the distribution of the normal electric field component above the surface of the article being tested and by the relationship between the faulty adhesion value and the dielectric coat thickness.  
         [0012]     A disadvantage of the known method is the necessity to form a gas discharge gap on the side of the dielectric layer of the article, thus precluding the possibility of its usage for articles with a metallized layer, and the sensitivity of this method will be low as only the normal component of the electric field will operate within the non-adhesion area.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0013]     The proposed method is based on gas discharge visualization of the inner structure of the article being tested by applying thereto a high voltage electric field. This phenomenon is known as the Kirlian effect. The studies carried out by several authors [ 1 ,  2 ,  3 ] showed that a necessary and sufficient condition for the realization of the gas discharge visualization is the provision of a discharge gap around the article, excitation and recording of the gas discharge image generated therein when the article is subjected to a high voltage electric field.  
         [0014]     The main purpose of the invention is to improve the method of tightness testing by means of gas discharge visualization through forming an optimum directed gas discharge process independently on the conductivity of the outer layer of the article being tested. This effect is achieved by subjecting the article to the action of a superimposed electric field having both normal and tangential components.  
         [0015]     With the purpose of obtaining a new useful result the proposed method of nondestructive non-contact tightness testing based on gas discharge visualization includes subjecting the article being tested to a high voltage impulse electric field formed between a positive electrode and a metallic layer of the dielectric article casing, and recording on a photo carrier of the image that appears as a result of the gas discharge process, wherein according to the invention an article is placed on a dielectric plate arranged on a positive electrode whose surface area is selected in relation to the surface area of the article in the ratio not less than 7:1, and the article is additionally influenced by an electric field of the preliminary polarized dielectric plate arranged between the positive electrode and the article being tested, while the ratio between the surface area of the dielectric plate and the surface area of the positive electrode is selected within 1.2:1, and the plate is arranged symmetrically of the center of the positive electrode. The dielectric plate is preliminary polarized by not less than three high voltage pulses of 100-120 μsec modulated by 200-300 kHz frequency.  
         [0016]     The different surface areas of the article being tested, the positive electrode and the dielectric plate provide conditions for the appearance of the tangential component of the electric field. It is this component that provides the formation of the discharge glow in the horizontal incomplete fusion areas, and in other horizontal faults of the article thus a new property of the proposed method is provided for achieving the useful purpose. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS  
       [0017]      FIG. 1 . Schematic diagram for tightness testing of an article with an operating medium welded in a metallized polyethylene casing.  
         [0018]      FIGS. 2, 3 ,  4 . Distribution of the electric potential on the colored image and of the electric field strength vector in the active zone ( 2   a,    3   a,    4   a ), and numerical distribution of the electric field tangential component on the dielectric plate surface when the lower electrode radius equals 2 cm ( FIG. 2 .), 4 cm ( FIG. 3 ), 6 cm ( FIG. 4 ) correspondingly.  
         [0019]      FIG. 5 . Influence of an increase in the lower electrode surface area on the tangential component value of the electric field on the dielectric plate surface.  
         [0020]      FIG. 6 . Gas discharge visualization image on an X-ray film showing the structure of the article being tested that contains artificial defects formed by 100-300 mm diameter steel wire pieces that were inserted in the welding zone of the casing and taken out of the weld seam area after welding. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0021]      FIG. 1  shows a schematic diagram for article tightness testing containing a high voltage pulse generator  1 , article metallized polyethylene casing  2 , article operating medium  3 , article weld seam area, discontinuity (faulty weld) air gap leading to tightness failure, X-ray film  6 , dielectric polarized plate  7 , positive electrode  8 .  
         [0022]     To prove the rightfulness of the accepted relations between the dimensions of the elements in the control circuit, we shall use the Laplace&#39;s equation in cylindrical coordinates while presenting all the circuit elements in the calculation circuit as cylindrical for that purpose. The circuit section shown in  FIG. 1 , seems to remain unchanged in such case.  
         [0023]     We write the boundary problem in conformity with the figure:  
                     ∂   2     ⁢       V   i     ⁡     (     r   ,   z     )           ∂     r   2         +       1   r     ⁢       ∂       V   i     ⁡     (     r   ,   z     )           ∂   r         +         ∂   2     ⁢       V   i     ⁡     (     r   ,   z     )           ∂     z   2           =   0.           (   1   )             
 
         [0024]     Equation (1) is Laplace&#39;s equation Δφ=0 written in the cylindrical system of coordinates taking into regard the cylindrical symmetry of the task accepted for the calculations. Values r,φ,z—are coordinates in the cylindrical system of coordinates, value ε is the dielectric constant, b, a, l are dimensions of electrodes and dielectric thickness respectively, V—potential value on the lower electrode, U is the applied difference of potentials.  
         [0025]     The boundary conditions required for solving the equation are listed below:  
         [0026]     equality of the potentials on the dielectric plate surface
 
 V   1 ( r,l )= V   2 ( r,l ), b&lt;r&lt;a V   1 ( r,l )= V   2 ( r,l ) r&lt;a   (2)
 
 V   1 ( r,o )= V   2 ( r,o ) r&lt;a   (3)
 
         [0027]     equality of the normal components of the inductions on the dielectric plate surface  
                     ɛ   ⁢       ∂     V   1         ∂   z         =       ∂     V   2         ∂   z                       ⁢       b   &lt;   r   &lt;   a     ,     z   =   l                     ɛ   ⁢       ∂     V   1         ∂   z         =       ∂     V   2         ∂   z                       ⁢       o   &lt;   z   &lt;   l     ,     r   =   a                     (   4   )             
 
         [0028]     conditions of potentials constancy and for the applied difference of potentials
 
 V   1 ( r,o )= V   2 ( r,o )= V   0   ,r&lt;aV   1 ( r,l )= V   2 ( r,l )= V   0   +U,r&lt;b   (5)
 
         [0029]     As it is impossible to obtain analytical expressions the task is solved numerically. The calculations are performed for the dimensions of the upper electrode b=2 cm, while the dielectric layer thickness is 3 mm.  
         [0030]     The calculations were performed for the values of dielectric constant ε5 and 20, and in this case there was not found any substantial dependence of the field on that value. All the data is given rated to the value of the applied difference of potentials U. This allows obtaining the true field strength value (its radial component) as a function of the applied voltage.  
         [0031]     If the article being tested has no faults in the weld seam area, the electric field is equipotential in the active zone. Therefore the distribution of the electric potential per special programs was calculated for the active zone section and is shown in colors in  FIG. 2 , 3 , 4  where the lines are drawn with a vector of equal potentials. Lower in the same figures the results are shown of the numerical calculation for the tangential component of the field along the radial coordinate for  
         [0032]     r=b on the dielectric plate surface. The designations on the axes of  FIG. 2 , 3 , 4  are identical for a) and b) and are shown on b).  
         [0000]     An estimate of the input of the macroscopic polarization P 0  of the dielectric plate into the radial component of the electric field strength tangential component.  
         [0033]     In this case the dependence of the value P 0  on the applied field is supposed to be known (of course, it does not depend on the value of the dielectric constant ε in the dielectric, and moreover, the input of the inducted polarization part in P 0  should be neglected).  
         [0034]     The potential of the polarized dielectric is known to be determined by the expression (taking into regard the cylindrical symmetry):  
               φ   ⁡     (     r   ,   z     )       =     ∫     ∫     ∫       PR     R   3       ⁢           ⁢     ⅆ     V   1                       (   6   )             
 
         [0035]     where R=r−r 1 , r and r 1 —the points of monitoring and outflow. By writing this integral in the cylindrical system of coordinates and integrating one time with respect to z′ we obtain logarithmically divergent integrals:  
                     φ   ⁡     (     r   ,   z     )       =       ⁢     P   [         ∫   0     2   ⁢   π       ⁢       ∫   0   a     ⁢         r   ′     ⁢           ⁢     ⅆ     r   ′       ⁢           ⁢     ⅆ     ϑ   ′               r   2     +     r   ′2     -     2   ⁢     rr   ′     ⁢   cos   ⁢           ⁢     ϑ   ′       +     l   2               -                         ⁢       ∫   0     2   ⁢   π       ⁢       ∫   0   a     ⁢         r   ′     ⁢           ⁢     ⅆ     r   ′       ⁢           ⁢     ⅆ     ϑ   ′               r   2     +     r   ′2     -     2   ⁢     rr   ′     ⁢   cos   ⁢           ⁢     ϑ   ′                 ]     ,                 (   7   )             
 
         [0036]     where 1—is the dielectric plate thickness. Using rather robust mathematical regularization methods that contain quite numerous simplifications we shall obtain an expression for the radial component of the field rated to the initial polarization value P 0   
                 E   r     ⁡     (     r   ,     z   =   l       )       =     δ   ⁢           ⁢     r       r   2     -     a   2     +     β   ⁡     (   z   )                     (   8   )             
 
         [0037]     where δ is a constant of the order of unity, and value β(z)&lt;&lt;1 As it is seen, when r approaches r to a the field value drastically increases. It should be noted that the set task was solved in the simplest version in order to show the principal growth of E with the distance increase between the point of value E evaluation and the source where, as it is shown, it equals 0. As it is seen from (8), when r approaches a, the field value increases much, while on the axis of the polarized plate it equals 0. Such behavior of the field is in full conformity with the task symmetry and proves the correctness of the obtained functional dependence.  
         [0038]     The physical mechanism of forming the tangentially directed discharge in the tightness failure area is based on the article and polarized plate emission analysis of such charged particles as electrons and ions that induce the discharge microchannels. The type of the microchannels is determined by the operation of the electrons output, article geometry and the surfaces ratio of the polarized plate, positive electrode and the article being tested. The latter ratio is chosen experimentally for each article type, on the basis of the 7:1 criterion.  
         [0039]      FIG. 6  shows artificial defects  1  and actual faulty fusion defects  2  but with an opening below 100 μm. These defects were not rated according to their size, but when their conventional diameter is below 100 μm it is characterized by the absence of a discharge that causes an exposure of the X-ray film. In the photo picture light traces of air are seen proving that it leaked through these faulty fusion areas into the preliminary evacuated welded volume.  
         [0040]     Due to the proposed invention the tightness testing method that is being applied permits to reduce the testing labor content, to expand the range of its usage for the articles for which any introduction of foreign matter into the working medium is inadmissible (for instance, gas purging), and to provide a new useful quality—the possibility of a gas discharge visualization of tangentially oriented faults with little opening in thin layer weld seams.  
         [0041]     The method of nondestructive non-contact tightness testing based on gas discharge visualization is practiced in the following manner:  
         [0000]     Mode One:  
         [0042]     the surface area of a flat controlled power source is calculated and a flat metallic positive electrode is selected taking into regard that their surface areas to have the ratio 7:1.  
         [0000]     Mode Two:  
         [0043]     a dielectric electrode is selected proceeding from the ratio of its surface area and the metallic electrode surface area to be 1.2; 1, and it is placed on the metallic electrode symmetrically to the center of the positive electrode so that the positive electrode is to be completely covered.  
         [0000]     Mode Three:  
         [0044]     the electrode is subjected to a series of high voltage pulses that polarize the dielectric plate.  
         [0000]     Mode Four:  
         [0045]     the polarized plate is covered with an X-ray film placed in a black paper pack with the emulsion layer facing the surface of the article being tested.  
         [0000]     Mode Five:  
         [0046]     on the X-ray film in its center the article to be tested is placed, its metallized surface is earthed, and a series of high voltage pulses is applied to its positive electrode.  
         [0000]     Mode Six:  
         [0047]     subsequently the film is taken out of the pack and subjected to conventional photoprocessing.  
         [0048]     In accordance with the above listed operations and modes the method was tested on samples of the articles containing inside a multiplayer working medium in the shape of rectangular briquettes welded into a metallized polyethylene film. The width of the weld seam was 5 mm, the film thickness was 0.2 mm. Faulty tightness was imitated by welding in the weld seam of 100-300 mm diameter steel wire pieces which were then taken out of the weld seam. A practical study permitted to optimize the process parameters of the preliminary polarization of a dielectric plate, and it was found that the most optimal is polarization of the dielectric plate by not less than three pulses of 100-120 μsec duration modulated by a 200-300 kHz frequency.  
         [0049]     The presence of defects on the photographic picture ( FIG. 6 ) was determined by an expert appraisal performed by certified flaw detection operators. The diameter of the minimum detectable faulty fusion exposed by avalanche discharges was 100 μm.  
         [0050]     Thus, the proposed method permits to detect ≧100 μm faulty fusion discontinuities in thin layer weld seams, thus providing tightness testing of articles with a working medium welded into a metallized polyethylene film in the process of manufacturing, during finalizing of technological processes, storage and operation.  
         [0051]     The basic modes and operations of the proposed method will permit to determine the tightness of self-contained chemical power sources and other devices of similar design concepts thus allowing to obtain a new useful effect.  
       REFERENCES  
       [0052]     1. Korotkov K. G. Studies of physical processes during gas discharge visualization of various objects./Abstr. Diss Cand. Sc. (Physics).-Leningrad.:1982/. (In Russian).  
         [0053]     2. Ziunov V. G., Korkin Yu. V. Analytical review of literature on gas discharge visualization (Kirlian method), NPAN USSR, dep. VINITI, 1985, No. 4117-85. (In Russian).  
         [0054]     3. Bankovsky N. G., Korotkov K. G., Petrov N. N. Physical processes of forming images during nazodischarge visualization.//Radiotekhnika I electronika.V.31, issue 4, 1986. (In Russian).  
         [0055]     4. Method of tightness testing of articles.-N. G. Bankovsky and K. G. Korotkov.-Inventor&#39;s Certificate USSR No. 1290120, 1987, G 01 M 3/40, 15.02.1987.-Bull. No. 6. (In Russian).  
         [0056]     5. Method of nondestructive testing.-S. F. Romaniy.-Inventor&#39;s Certificate USSR No. 781687, G 01 N 27/24, 23.11.1980.-Bull. No. 43. (In Russian).  
         [0057]     6. Method of nondestructive testing.-S. F. Romaniy, Z. D. Cherny.-Inventor&#39;s Certificate USSR No. 949484. G 01 N 27/82, 07.08.1982, Bull. N. 29. (In Russian).  
         [0058]     7. Method of high frequency recording of blow-holes in a solid material.-S. F. Romaniy, V. S. Karpenko, V. V. Burminov.-Inventor&#39;s Certificate USSR No. 1091106, G 03 B 41/00.-1984, Bull. No. 17. (In Russian).  
         [0059]     8. Romaniy S. F., Cherny Z. D. Nondestructive testing of materials using Kirlian&#39;s method. Dnepropetrovsk, DGU Publishers, 1991, 144. (In Russian).