RE: Today18 Dec 2025 08:38
It is standard industry practice for manufacturers to perform rigorous testing on helium compressors at the source before shipping to a customer. This ensures quality, reliability, and compliance with performance specifications and international standards.
Standard Manufacturer Testing Procedures
Leading manufacturers such as Sauer Compressors test every unit on a specialized helium test bench under operational conditions. The typical tests performed include:
Performance Verification: A running test, often lasting for several hours (e.g., 16 hours), to confirm performance data at the final operating pressure using helium gas.
Tightness Checks: Comprehensive checks for gas leakage using highly sensitive mass spectrometer leak detection methods to ensure a minimal leakage rate.
Quality Assurance: The compressor undergoes a thorough final inspection, which may include visual examinations of all components to ensure they are present, correctly fitted, and in good working order.
Certification: The manufacturer provides a 3.1 Inspection Certificate of Performance Data & Leakage Rate to certify that the equipment meets quality and safety standards. These certificates are crucial for documentation and compliance.
Specific Compressor Requirements
Gas-Tight Design: Helium compressors are specifically designed to be gas-tight, featuring special seals, gaskets, and components to minimize the escape of the valuable helium gas.
Shipping Preparation: The units are typically delivered filled with helium to prevent purge losses and protect internal components during transit. Shipping supports are often installed to protect the pump, which should be removed upon installation.
Compliance: Testing ensures the equipment is built and tested according to relevant specifications for pressure containers in the destination country (e.g., PED or ASME standards).
The process confirms that the compressor is leak-proof and ready for operation upon arrival, provided proper installation procedures are followed.