JP4153825B2 - Leak inspection device and control method of leak inspection device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a leak inspection apparatus and a control method of the leak inspection apparatus, and more particularly to a leak inspection apparatus using a vacuum method and a control method of the leak inspection apparatus.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, a helium leak test method is known as a method for detecting the presence of a leak. In this helium leak test, helium gas is used as a detection medium (search gas), and a helium leak detector such as a mass spectrometer type is used. (Leak detector) is used to detect the amount of leak and the leak location.
[0003]
The helium leak test method is divided into a pressure method and a vacuum method. Specifically, in a helium leak inspection apparatus using a pressurization method, helium gas is sealed in an inspection object (work), and helium gas leaking outside is detected. On the other hand, in the helium leak inspection apparatus using the vacuum method, the inside of the work is evacuated and helium gas leak from the outside (into the work) is detected.
[0004]
In the pressurization method, when the vacuum container method (Bellger method) is used, the shape and dimensions of the work that can be inspected are limited because the vacuum container for housing the work is an essential component. In addition, helium gas sealed inside the work is not mixed with air and can be reused. However, helium gas remaining in the vacuum chamber was mixed with air according to the inspection, and had to be exhausted. (For example, refer to Patent Document 1).
[0005]
Further, even when a vacuum spraying method (spray method) using helium gas as necessary in the vacuum method is used, the helium gas and the atmosphere are eventually mixed, and thus must be exhausted (for example, , See Patent Document 2). In addition, when helium gas is difficult to reach at the test location, it was necessary to inspect using the vacuum envelope method.
[0006]
Therefore, the vacuum envelope method is preferable when the leak inspection is performed with as little restrictions as possible due to the shape of the workpiece. In addition, it is possible to reduce the capacity of the vacuum pump by adopting the vacuum method rather than the pressurization method as the inspection device, so that the equipment scale can be reduced and the equipment maintenance cost, running power consumption, etc. It was also suitable from the viewpoint of cost.
[0007]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-8-82569 (page 3-4, FIG. 1)
[Patent Document 2]
JP-A-8-75590 (page 3-4, FIG. 1)
[0008]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, when the pressurization method described above is used, helium gas that has not been mixed with the air remaining in the work can be recovered and reused. However, in the vacuum method described above, the helium gas can be reused. Could not be reused because it would mix with the atmosphere.
As a result, even when the vacuum method is selected in consideration of the shape of the workpiece and the running cost, the consumption of helium gas increases and the reduction in running cost described above is reduced. Reduction of consumption was desired.
[0009]
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a leak inspection apparatus having a recycling device that can be reused even if the concentration of the detection medium is reduced by mixing with air, and a control method for the leak inspection apparatus. In particular, there is provided a leak inspection apparatus having a recycle device and a control method for the leak inspection apparatus that can reduce the consumption of the detection medium of a leak inspection apparatus that employs a vacuum method in which the detection medium must be mixed with air. The purpose is to do.
[0010]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, according to the first aspect of the present invention, in the leak inspection apparatus, an inspection body storage portion for storing the inspection body, a vacuum pump for evacuating the inspection body, and the inspection body storage portion A detection medium supply means for supplying a detection medium having a predetermined concentration or more to the detector, a leak detector for detecting leakage of the detection medium in the inspection body, and the recovery medium collected and recovered from the inspection body storage section And a recycling device that recycles the detected medium and returns it to the specimen storage unit. The recycling device includes a concentration recovery means for recovering the concentration of the collected detection medium to the predetermined concentration or more. use with a plurality equipped, and a control means for selectively controlling whether to operate any concentration recovery means, at least one, the pressure swing adsorption method of the density recovery means That the concentration recovery means, at least one to employ a configuration which is the concentration recovery means using a membrane separation system.
[0011]
In the present invention, by providing a recycling device including a concentration recovery means for recovering the concentration of the collected detection medium to a predetermined concentration or more, the detection medium mixed with air and having a reduced concentration can be reused. The amount of detection medium to be discarded can be kept low.
In addition, since the plurality of density recovery means are selectively controlled, the detection medium can be reliably recovered to a predetermined density. In addition, by providing a concentration recovery means of a system having a suitable range of processing capacity and different purities, it is possible to flexibly cope with the required level of concentration recovery.
[0016]
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a test object storage unit that stores a test object, a vacuum pump that evacuates the test object, and a detection medium that supplies a detection medium having a predetermined concentration or more to the test object storage part. A supply means, a leak detector for detecting leakage of the detection medium in the inspection object, and the detection medium discharged from the inspection object storage part are collected, and the collected detection medium is subjected to a recycling process to store the inspection object A recycling apparatus that returns the unit to the unit, and the recycling apparatus includes a plurality of concentration recovery means for recovering the concentration of the collected detection medium to the predetermined concentration or more, and selectively controls which concentration recovery means is operated. And at least one of the concentration recovery means is a concentration recovery means using a pressure swing adsorption method, and at least one uses a membrane separation method. As the control method in degrees recovery means der Ru leak test apparatus, a supplying step of supplying the detection medium to the test medium storage portion for accommodating the inspected object, by the leak detector leakage of the detection medium in the test body Any leakage detection step to be determined, a recovery step for introducing air into the specimen storage unit to replace the detection medium after the leakage detection step, and discharging the detection medium mixed with air to the recycling apparatus, and any of the above methods A recovery step of selectively recovering the concentration of the collected detection medium to a predetermined concentration and a resupply for supplying the detection medium recovered to the predetermined concentration to the inspection object storage unit The recovery step employs a method of recovering the concentration of the detection medium using either or both of the pressure swing adsorption method and the membrane separation method.
[0017]
In the present invention, the recovery step of discharging the detection medium mixed with air to the recycling apparatus side, the recovery step of recovering the concentration of the recovered detection medium to a predetermined concentration, and the detection medium recovered to the predetermined concentration in the inspection object storage unit And a re-supplying step for supplying the sample to the test object, it is possible to restore the density of the detection medium, which has been mixed with air, to a reduced concentration and then return to the specimen storage unit.
Further, since different recovery methods can be selectively used, the degree of density recovery can be selectively controlled.
[0020]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, an embodiment of a leak inspection apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a leak inspection apparatus 1 that performs a leak inspection using a vacuum envelope method (vacuum hood method) according to the present embodiment. By adopting this vacuum envelope method, the leak inspection apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 1 has good quantification of the leak amount, can detect even a very small leak amount, and can test the whole at once. As an advantage. Further, helium gas was adopted as a detection medium (search gas).
[0021]
As shown in FIG. 1, the leak inspection apparatus 1 includes a gas replacement hood 11 that is an inspection object storage unit that stores an inspection object (workpiece) 2, a helium leak detector (leak detector) 12 that detects a search gas, The gas replacement hood 11 is provided with a helium gas supply device 13 serving as a detection medium supply means for supplying helium gas having a predetermined concentration or higher, and a vacuum pump 14 for evacuating the work, and is also recycled into search gas, which is a feature of the present invention. A search gas recycling device 3 is provided. In addition, as the workpiece | work 2 in this embodiment, the brazed heat exchanger, a hermetic compressor, etc. are mentioned.
[0022]
Here, the gas replacement hood 11 is a hood for covering the workpiece 2 and adopts a shield configuration that can replace air (atmosphere) introduced from the outside and helium gas while maintaining airtightness.
[0023]
Specifically, the gas replacement hood 11 is connected to the helium gas supplier 13 by a pipe 23 in which a valve 23a is inserted. This is because the helium gas can be filled in the gas replacement hood 11 so as to provide a gap so that the helium gas can reach the work 2. A helium gas having a concentration of 90% or more is used as the helium gas stored in the helium gas supply unit 13.
[0024]
Further, the gas replacement hood 11 is connected to the atmosphere introduction port 15 through a pipe 25 having a valve 25 a interposed therein, and is configured to be able to introduce the atmosphere into the gas replacement hood 11. In addition, you may provide the vacuum apparatus for pressure reduction which decompresses the inside of the gas replacement hood 11 as needed, and reduces the volume of gas inside.
[0025]
The leak detector 12 is a detector that detects helium leaking inside the workpiece, such as a mass spectrometer type, and is connected to the inside of the workpiece 2 by a pipe 22 in which a valve 22a is inserted. In the present embodiment, the pipe 22 is branched, and the vacuum pump 14 for evacuating the work 2 is connected to the inside of the work 2 through the other branch passage in which the valve 22b is inserted. Adopted.
[0026]
The branch type is considered in consideration of the reliability and ease of the airtight treatment at the opening of the work 2 to which the pipe 22 is connected, but is not limited to this pipe connection configuration. The present invention can be suitably implemented even when a configuration in which the connected vacuuming pipe and the helium detection pipe connected to the leak detector 12 communicate with the inside of the work 2 independently is employed.
[0027]
The search gas recycle device 3 collects low-concentration helium gas discharged from the gas replacement hood 11 as the air is introduced into the interior, and adds a recycling process described later to the recovered helium gas and returns it to the gas replacement hood 11. It is. The gas replacement hood 11 and the search gas recycle device are used such that the recovery is performed by the helium gas discharge pipe 20 having the valve 20a interposed therein and the resupply is performed by the regenerated helium gas introduction pipe 21 having the valve 21a interposed. 3 is connected.
[0028]
This search gas recycling device 3 realizes a recycling process for recovering the concentration of recovered helium gas whose concentration has been lowered by mixing the recovered air and the high concentration helium gas filled in the gas replacement hood 11 to a predetermined concentration or more. For this purpose, as shown in FIG. 1, a blower pump 31, a helium separation recovery concentrator 32, a buffer tank 33, a compressor 34, a helium concentration membrane separator 35, and a buffer tank 36 are provided as main components.
[0029]
These elements are connected in series by the pipe 37 in the order described above, and the gas recovered through the helium gas discharge pipe 20 connected to the gas replacement hood 11 is connected to the gas replacement hood through the regenerated helium gas introduction pipe 21. A closed circuit returning to the 11 side is formed.
[0030]
Further, the control means 38 performs the start control and rotation speed control of the blower pump 31, the flow rate control of the helium separation recovery concentrator 32, the start control and rotation speed control of the compressor 34, and the flow rate control of the helium enrichment membrane separator 35. . In the present embodiment, the search gas recycle device 3 includes the control means 38. However, the control device of the leakage inspection device 1 that controls the opening and closing of the valves 20a, 21a, 22a, 22b, 23a, and 25a described above. Thus, a configuration may be adopted in which these controls are performed.
[0031]
Here, the helium separation / recovery / concentrator 32 is a means for recovering the concentration of the recovered helium gas, but adopts a pressure swing absorption (PSA) system and utilizes the difference in adsorption power between helium and other elements. Then, the recovered mixed gas of air and helium is pressurized and passed through an adsorbent to separate helium, thereby obtaining helium gas having a required concentration (purity). In general, the adsorbed impurity gas is released and removed at atmospheric pressure or vacuum pressure.
[0032]
The helium-concentrating membrane separator 35 is a concentration recovery means for recovered helium gas using a method different from that of the above-described helium separation / recovery / concentrator 32, adopting a membrane separation method, Pressurize and permeate the polymer membrane to concentrate helium.
[0033]
In the present embodiment, the search gas recycle device 3 uses a plurality of helium gas concentration recovery means controlled by the control means 38 as shown in FIG. The pipes 37 were connected so that 35 could be provided in series. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a configuration may be adopted in which either one is employed in parallel and only one of them is adopted depending on the density reduction state, and which density recovery means is operated by the control means 38. Alternatively, a bypass connection may be provided in parallel with each helium concentration recovery means so as to perform concentration recovery by either or both of them.
[0034]
Hereinafter, the control operation concerning the leak inspection of the leak inspection apparatus 1 will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 2, in the control of the leakage inspection apparatus 1, as a basic control flow, a supply process (S 2) for supplying a detection medium to the inspection object storage unit 11 storing the inspection object 2, and the inspection object After the leak detection step (S3) for judging the leak of the detection medium in 2 with the leak detector 12, and after the leak detection step, air is introduced into the specimen storage unit 11 to replace the detection medium and detection mixed with air A recovery step (S4) for discharging the medium to the recycling device 3 side, a recovery step (S5) for recovering the concentration of the recovered detection medium to a predetermined concentration, and supplying the detection medium recovered to the predetermined concentration to the specimen storage unit 11 And a resupply step (S6). Each will be described in detail below.
[0035]
First, as pre-processing of the supply process in the leakage inspection apparatus 1, after removing unnecessary substances such as moisture that may affect leakage from the inner and outer surfaces of the workpiece 2 to be inspected, the workpiece 2 is replaced with the gas replacement hood 11. (S1). At that time, the pipe 22 is connected to the work 2 installed in the gas replacement hood 11 so as to communicate with the inside of the work 2, and the opening of the connected work 2 is hermetically sealed. However, the opening is treated with a material that can be removed immediately after the test, but a material that does not adversely affect the workpiece is selected as the airtight material. Then, the work is covered with the gas replacement hood 11 so that an opening to the outside is not formed in the space in which the work 2 is stored.
[0036]
Subsequently, the airtightly treated piping 22 communicating with the inside of the work 2 is connected to the leak detector 12 via the valve 22a and the vacuum pump 14 via the valve 22b, and then the valve 22b is closed with the valve 22a closed. Then, the inside of the test body 2 is evacuated by the vacuum pump 14 (S1). A calibration leak is performed as necessary.
[0037]
After performing these pre-processing (S1), the supply process which supplies helium gas which is a detection medium in the gas replacement hood 11 is performed (S2). Specifically, the valve 22b for evacuating the work 2 is closed, the valve 23a is opened, and a helium gas of a predetermined concentration is blown into the gas replacement hood 11 from the helium supplier 13, and the helium gas is surrounded around the work 2 Fill until is present.
[0038]
Subsequent to this supply step (S2), a leak detection step (S3) is performed in which the leak detector 12 determines the leakage of helium gas in the workpiece 2. Specifically, in a state in which the gas replacement hood 11 is filled with helium gas, the valve 22a is opened, the inside of the workpiece 2 is connected to the leak detector 12, and the workpiece 2 is detected by detecting the helium gas that has entered the workpiece 2. It is inspected for leaks. Regarding the amount of leakage into the workpiece 2, the indication value of the helium leak detector 12 is observed or recorded for a predetermined time from the completion of the introduction of helium gas in the supply process in which the gas replacement hood 11 inflates to some extent to some extent. Calculation is performed by an arithmetic processing device provided in the control means.
[0039]
Further, after the leakage detection step (S3) in the workpiece 2, the valve 25a leading to the air introduction port 15, the valve 20a connected to the blower pump 31 and the valve 21a leading from the buffer tank 36 to the gas replacement hood 11 are opened, and the blower pump A collection step for driving 31 is executed. Specifically, by opening the valve 25a, the helium gas filled in the gas replacement hood 11 is purged by the air (atmosphere) introduced from the atmosphere introduction port 15, and mixed with the search gas recycling device. 3 is discharged through the valve 21a (S4).
[0040]
Thereafter, in the present embodiment, in the recovery step (S4), the recovery step (S5) for recovering the concentration of the recovered helium gas whose concentration has decreased due to mixing with air during purging to a predetermined concentration is continuously executed. To do. In particular, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the process of recovering the recovered helium gas concentration to a reusable high concentration is performed using the two helium concentration recovery means 32 and 35.
[0041]
Specifically, first, the recovered helium gas mixed with air and having a low concentration is sent to the helium separation / recovery concentrator 32 of the search gas recycle device 3. Under the control of the control means 38, in the helium separation / recovery concentrator 32, the mixed gas of air and helium is passed through the adsorbent by the pressurizing operation by the blower pump 31, and the impurities are adsorbed and separated to reach the desired required concentration. Concentrate. The concentrated helium gas is stored in the buffer tank 33.
[0042]
Next, when the compressor 34 is operated by the control means 38, the helium gas is pressurized and sent to the helium-concentrating membrane separator 35, where gases other than helium are screened due to the difference in permeability and further concentrated. Then, it is stored in the buffer tank 36.
[0043]
The above two-stage process is a recycling process for recovering the helium gas mixed with air and having a low concentration to the same level as the helium gas stored in the helium gas supplier 13 in the present embodiment. . Even when the volume of the gas replacement hood 11 and the purity of the helium gas are varied by providing a plurality of concentration recovery means of different types of suitable processing capacity ranges and achieved purities, the required degree of concentration recovery It can respond flexibly according to. The concentration of the helium gas stored in the helium gas supply device 13 is not necessarily the same as the concentration of helium gas, and the helium gas having a concentration that finally matches the setting of the leak detector 12 can be supplied into the gas replacement hood 11. If present, the concentration may be higher than the stored concentration.
[0044]
Then, in parallel with or at the same time as the recycling process in the recovery process (S5) described above, a new workpiece 2 to be inspected next is installed, and before the above-described airtight processing of the workpiece 2 or internal vacuuming, etc. After the processing is completed, a resupply step (S6) is performed in which the helium gas recovered to a predetermined concentration stored in the buffer tank 36 is supplied again to the gas replacement hood 11 as a search gas.
[0045]
In detail, the control means 38 supplies helium gas of a predetermined concentration stored in the buffer tank 36 to the gas replacement hood 11 by the helium gas supply means 13 by opening the valve 21a as necessary. Prior to this, recycling is performed by supplying the gas replacement hood 11 from the buffer tank 36 via the valve 21a.
[0046]
The pressure of the valve 21a is adjusted by adjusting the pressure when the compressor 34 pressurizes the helium-enriched membrane separator 35 and increasing the pressure in the buffer tank 36 in which the permeated helium gas is stored. The supply amount to the gas replacement hood 11 can be adjusted by the opening degree.
[0047]
As described above, in the present embodiment, after the leak detection step (S3) is finished, the search gas recycle device 3 drives the blower pump 31 to introduce helium mixed with the atmosphere by introducing the atmosphere from the gas replacement hood 11. Is recovered, and is passed through the helium separation recovery concentrator 32, so that impurities are adsorbed from the recovered mixed gas, concentrated in a short time, and further passed through the helium concentration membrane separator 35 for re-concentration operation. Through this process, helium having a reduced concentration is restored to a high-concentration helium that can be used again for inspection, and helium recycling circulation processing (S4, S5, S6) is performed to return to the gas replacement hood 11.
[0048]
By adding a search gas recycling device 3 having a control means 38 for controlling the helium separation / recovery concentrator 32 and the helium concentration membrane separator 35, which fulfills the function of realizing this recycling, the helium consumption in the leakage inspection device 1 can be reduced. Since a significant reduction is possible, it is possible to provide a leak inspection apparatus 1 using a vacuum envelope method that is small, inexpensive, and has a low running cost.
[0049]
In the above-described embodiment, the control in which the helium separation / recovery / concentrator 32 and the helium-enriched membrane separator 35 are used in series corresponding to the high enrichment of helium is adopted. However, the present invention is not limited to this. Further, a pipe for bypassing the helium separation recovery concentrator 32 and the helium concentration membrane separator 35 is provided in the pipe 37, and helium separation recovery is performed according to the helium concentration of the recovered gas and the concentration of helium gas required in the supply process. A configuration in which either the concentrator 32 or the helium-concentrated membrane separator 35 is selectively passed to increase the concentration may be employed.
[0050]
For example, in view of the characteristics of the PSA method and the membrane separation method, the control means 38 uses the helium-enriched membrane separator 35 when the volume of recovered helium gas is small, and when the recovered helium gas exceeding a predetermined volume is recovered. Selection control such as using the helium separation recovery concentrator 32 may be performed. Further, according to the required purity, a method of switching between the helium enrichment membrane separator 35 single use control, the helium separation recovery concentrator 32 single use control, and the both combined control may be adopted.
[0051]
Further, in the present embodiment, the leak detection medium (search gas) has been described as helium, but the present invention is not limited to the leak inspection apparatus using helium, and the leak inspection apparatus using other search gas Even if it uses, it can implement suitably and the same effect can be acquired.
[0052]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, the invention according to claim 1 is provided with a recycling device including a concentration recovery means for recovering the concentration of the collected detection medium to a predetermined concentration or more, thereby detecting the concentration decreased by mixing with air. Since the medium can be reused, the amount of the detection medium discarded from the leak inspection apparatus can be kept low, and as a result, the running cost of the leak inspection apparatus can be kept low.
[0053]
Further, since the selectively operated control the concentration recovery means multiple, the detection medium to a predetermined concentration can be reliably recovered, can be reduced the amount of overall detection medium.
[0054]
Then, by providing the concentration recovery means different schemes, can select the degree of density restoration.
[0055]
In the invention according to claim 2 , the recovery step of discharging the detection medium mixed with air to the recycling apparatus side, the recovery step of recovering the concentration of the recovered detection medium to a predetermined concentration, and the detection of recovering to the predetermined concentration A re-supplying step of supplying the medium to the inspection object storage unit, and after returning the concentration of the detection medium mixed with air to a reduced concentration, the medium can be returned to the inspection object storage unit. The running cost for the detection medium can be kept low.
[0056]
Further, the recycling apparatus includes a plurality of concentration recovery means for recovering the concentration of the collected detection medium to the predetermined concentration or more, and has a control means for selectively controlling which concentration recovery means is operated, At least one of the concentration recovery means is a concentration recovery means using a pressure swing adsorption method, and at least one of the concentration recovery means using the membrane separation method is selectively used to select which of the above-described concentration recovery means to operate. controlled and, as they may have a recovery step for recovering the concentration of the recovered detection medium to a predetermined concentration, can select control the degree of concentration recovery can be widely recycled usable concentration range of recycled as the detection medium.
That is, in the first and second aspects of the invention, in view of the characteristics of the pressure swing adsorption method and the membrane separation method, the control means uses the membrane separation method when the volume of recovered helium gas is small, and recovers more than a predetermined volume. When helium gas is recovered, selection control such as using the pressure swing adsorption method may be performed, and depending on the required purity, the membrane separation method single use control, the pressure swing adsorption method single use control, both A method of switching the combination control may be adopted, and the concentration performance can be improved by combining both characteristics.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a leak inspection apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an outline of a control operation in the leak inspection apparatus shown in FIG.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 Leak inspection device 2 Inspection object (work)
3 Recycler 11 Gas replacement hood 12 Helium leak detector (leak detector)
13 Helium gas supply device 14 Vacuum pump 15 Air introduction port 20 Helium gas discharge piping 20a Valve 21 Regenerated helium gas introduction piping 21a Valve 22 Piping 22a Valve 22b Valve 23 Piping 23a Valve 25 Piping 25a Valve 31 Blower pump 32 Helium separation recovery concentrator 33 Buffer tank 34 Compressor 35 Helium-concentrated membrane separator 36 Buffer tank 37 Pipe 38 Control means

Claims (2)

An inspection object storage part for storing the inspection object, a vacuum pump for evacuating the inspection object, a detection medium supply means for supplying a detection medium having a predetermined concentration or more to the inspection object storage part, and the detection medium in the inspection object A leak detector comprising: a leak detector that detects a leak of the test object; and a recycling device that recovers the detection medium discharged from the inspection object storage unit, applies a recycling process to the recovered detection medium, and returns the detection medium to the inspection object storage part A device,
The recycling apparatus includes a plurality of concentration recovery means for recovering the concentration of the collected detection medium to the predetermined concentration or more, and has a control means for selectively controlling which concentration recovery means is operated, At least one of the recovery means is a concentration recovery means using a pressure swing adsorption method, and at least one of the recovery means is a concentration recovery means using a membrane separation method. An inspection object storage part for storing the inspection object, a vacuum pump for evacuating the inspection object, a detection medium supply means for supplying a detection medium having a predetermined concentration or more to the inspection object storage part, and the detection medium in the inspection object comprising of a leak detector for detecting a leak, and a recycling device for returning the inspection body housing part by adding recycling the recovered detection medium with collecting the detection medium discharged from the test body housing part, the recycling The apparatus includes a plurality of density recovery means for recovering the concentration of the collected detection medium to the predetermined density or more, and has a control means for selectively controlling which density recovery means is operated. at least one of a density restoration means using the pressure swing adsorption method, at least one of the leak test apparatus Ru concentration recovery means der using a membrane separation method A supply step of supplying the detection medium to an inspection object storage unit storing the inspection object; a leak detection step of determining leakage of the detection medium in the inspection object by the leak detector; After the detection process, the recovery process for introducing air into the specimen storage unit to replace the detection medium and discharging the detection medium mixed with air to the recycling device side, and which method of concentration recovery means is operated A recovery step for selectively recovering the concentration of the collected detection medium to a predetermined concentration, and a resupply step for supplying the detection medium recovered to the predetermined concentration to the specimen storage unit, The recovery process is a control method for a leakage inspection apparatus, wherein the concentration of the detection medium is recovered using either or both of a pressure swing adsorption method and a membrane separation method.

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