Brief description of the sealed closure of the vacuum of each of the materials of a stiffener elements of the hollow lead to in a collecting head, and its application for the detection of leaks

摘要

A method of temporarily sealing off the open ends of a plurality of fluid transport conduits that terminate in a common header space. A sealant material in the liquid state, preferably enclosed in a flexible envelope of non-permeable resilient material, is introduced through an access opening into the header space of, for example, a multi-tube heat exchanger. Sufficient sealant material is introduced to at least partially fill the header so as to close off the openings to the desired number of fluid transport conduits (e.g., heat exchanger tubes). The sealant is subsequently converted to the solid state, thereby providing simultaneously a firm, vacuum-tight seal for the end of each conduit to permit, for example, the identification of a leaking tube by conventional vacuum testing techniques. Following completion of such test procedures, the sealant material can be removed from the header by first reliquefying it, and then draining the sealant material from the header. If the sealant material is enclosed in an envelope, the envelope, containing sealant material in liquid form, is withdrawn through the access opening; thereby preventing any residue of sealant material from remaining in the header.