title: Implementation of ultrasonic sensing for high resolution measurement of binary gas mixture fractions.
abstract: We describe an ultrasonic instrument for continuous real-time analysis of the fractional mixture of a binary gas system. The instrument is particularly well suited to measurement of leaks of a high molecular weight gas into a system that is nominally composed of a single gas. Sensitivity < 5 × 10(-5) is demonstrated to leaks of octaflouropropane (C3F8) coolant into nitrogen during a long duration (18 month) continuous study. The sensitivity of the described measurement system is shown to depend on the difference in molecular masses of the two gases in the mixture. The impact of temperature and pressure variances on the accuracy of the measurement is analysed. Practical considerations for the implementation and deployment of long term, in situ ultrasonic leak detection systems are also described. Although development of the described systems was motivated by the requirements of an evaporative fluorocarbon cooling system, the instrument is applicable to the detection of leaks of many other gases and to processes requiring continuous knowledge of particular binary gas mixture fractions.
authors: SUPA School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Glasgow, G627QB, UK. richard.bates@glasgow.ac.uk.
authors: Richard
authors: R
authors: Bates
authors: CERN, 1211 Geneva 23, Switzerland. Michele.Battistin@cern.ch.
authors: Michele
authors: M
authors: Battistin
authors: CERN, 1211 Geneva 23, Switzerland. Stephane.Berry@cern.ch.
authors: Stephane
authors: S
authors: Berry
authors: SUPA School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Glasgow, G627QB, UK. Alexander.Bitadze@cern.ch.
authors: Alexander
authors: A
authors: Bitadze
authors: CERN, 1211 Geneva 23, Switzerland. Pierre.Bonneau@cern.ch.
authors: Pierre
authors: P
authors: Bonneau
authors: Centre de Physique des Particules de Marseille, 163 Avenue de Luminy, 13288 Marseille, France. nicolas.bousson@cern.ch.
authors: Nicolas
authors: N
authors: Bousson
authors: Department of Physics & Astronomy, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA. boyd@nhn.ou.edu.
authors: George
authors: G
authors: Boyd
authors: CERN, 1211 Geneva 23, Switzerland. gennaro.bozza@cern.ch.
authors: Gennaro
authors: G
authors: Bozza
authors: CERN, 1211 Geneva 23, Switzerland. Olivier.Crespo-Lopez@cern.ch.
authors: Olivier
authors: O
authors: Crespo-Lopez
authors: CERN, 1211 Geneva 23, Switzerland. enrico.da.riva@cern.ch.
authors: Enrico
authors: E
authors: Da Riva
authors: Department of Physics, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405 7015, USA. Cyril.Degeorge@cern.ch.
authors: Cyril
authors: C
authors: Degeorge
authors: Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron , Notkestraße 85, D-22607 Hamburg, Germany. cecile.deterre@desy.de.
authors: Cecile
authors: C
authors: Deterre
authors: CERN, 1211 Geneva 23, Switzerland. Beniamino.Di.Girolamo@cern.ch.
authors: Beniamino
authors: B
authors: DiGirolamo
authors: Czech Technical University, Technická 4, 16607, Praha Czech Republic. Martin.Doubek@cern.ch.
authors: Martin
authors: M
authors: Doubek
authors: CERN, 1211 Geneva 23, Switzerland. Gilles.Favre@cern.ch.
authors: Gilles
authors: G
authors: Favre
authors: CERN, 1211 Geneva 23, Switzerland. Jan.Godlewski@cern.ch.
authors: Jan
authors: J
authors: Godlewski
authors: Centre de Physique des Particules de Marseille, 163 Avenue de Luminy, 13288 Marseille, France. gregh@cppm.in2p3.fr.
authors: Gregory
authors: G
authors: Hallewell
authors: Department of Physics & Astronomy, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA. a.hasib@cern.ch.
authors: Ahmed
authors: A
authors: Hasib
authors: Konstantinov Petersburg Nuclear Physics Institute (PNPI), Orlova Roscha, RU-188300, Russia. Sergey.Katunin@cern.ch.
authors: Sergey
authors: S
authors: Katunin
authors: Centre de Physique des Particules de Marseille, 163 Avenue de Luminy, 13288 Marseille, France. nicolas.langevin.nl@gmail.com.
authors: Nicolas
authors: N
authors: Langevin
authors: CERN, 1211 Geneva 23, Switzerland. Didier.Lombard@cern.ch.
authors: Didier
authors: D
authors: Lombard
authors: Centre de Physique des Particules de Marseille, 163 Avenue de Luminy, 13288 Marseille, France. mathieu@cppm.in2p3.fr.
authors: Michel
authors: M
authors: Mathieu
authors: STFC Rutherford Appelton Laboratory-Harwell Oxford, Didcot, OX11 OQX, UK. steve.mcmahon@stfc.ac.uk.
authors: Stephen
authors: S
authors: McMahon
authors: SUPA School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Glasgow, G627QB, UK. Koichi.Nagai@cern.ch.
authors: Koichi
authors: K
authors: Nagai
authors: Department of Physics & Astronomy, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA. benpearson@ou.edu.
authors: Benjamin
authors: B
authors: Pearson
authors: SUPA School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Glasgow, G627QB, UK. dave.robinson@cern.ch.
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Robinson
authors: SUPA School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Glasgow, G627QB, UK. cecilia.rossi@cern.ch.
authors: Cecilia
authors: C
authors: Rossi
authors: Centre de Physique des Particules de Marseille, 163 Avenue de Luminy, 13288 Marseille, France. mathieu@cppm.in2p3.fr.
authors: Alexandre
authors: A
authors: Rozanov
authors: Department of Physics & Astronomy, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA. strauss@nhn.ou.edu.
authors: Michael
authors: M
authors: Strauss
authors: Czech Technical University, Technická 4, 16607, Praha Czech Republic. miguel.vitek@gmail.com.
authors: Michal
authors: M
authors: Vitek
authors: Czech Technical University, Technická 4, 16607, Praha Czech Republic. Vaclav.Vacek@cern.ch.
authors: Vaclav
authors: V
authors: Vacek
authors: CERN, 1211 Geneva 23, Switzerland. lukasz.zwalinski@cern.ch.
authors: Lukasz
authors: L
authors: Zwalinski
mesh_terms: D002623:Chemistry Techniques, Analytical / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D045424:Complex Mixtures / Q000032:analysis*; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D005740:Gases / Q000032:analysis*; D008832:Microchemistry / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D045424:Complex Mixtures; D005740:Gases