Premier Control Technologies Fluid Solutions
Leak detection underpins compliance, safety, and product quality across UK & Irish analytical laboratories, environmental monitoring networks, OEM test houses, and process sites. Whether you’re proving component integrity with pressure or vacuum decay, validating helium tracer methods, or auditing ambient PM samplers in the field, success depends on accurate, repeatable control of pressure, vacuum and flow—often in harsh weather, hazardous areas, or ultra clean UHP environments.
This page curates proven solutions drawn from PCT’s portfolio and experience supplying nationwide programmes, from local authority air quality networks to OEM leak test benches. You’ll find clear explanations of each application, a product by application area and an at a glance selection guide to help you choose fast. Where appropriate, we reference ATEX/IECEx options for UK sites, UHP builds for cleanliness, and non intrusive flow options to avoid downtime. Helpful resources and application notes are linked at the end to accelerate specification and commissioning.
Pressure decay methods are widely used for rigid and semi rigid parts, enclosures and assemblies. A component is pressurised to a setpoint and isolated; the rate of pressure drop over a defined interval indicates leakage. To reduce cycle time while improving repeatability, the controller should hold setpoint tightly and resolve small changes in pressure with minimal overshoot. Remote sense capability allows the setpoint to be controlled at the part, compensating for restrictions and plumbing losses. For UK labs and production lines, digital comms simplify automated pass/fail logic and traceability. With good fixturing and a stable pressure controller, pressure decay can detect very small leaks and is straightforward to validate and document for QA.
Vacuum decay suits flexible packs, small volumes and structures that cannot be pressurised positively. The test volume is evacuated to a defined vacuum; pressure rise indicates leakage. Compared with simple vacuum breakers, precision vacuum regulators deliver high resolution, frictionless control, enabling rapid stabilisation and fine measurement, even when flow demands change. For glove friendly operation and cleanrooms, polymer or 316L stainless bodies may be specified. UK sites benefit from compact regulators that integrate easily within existing chambers or manifolds while maintaining repeatable control across widely varying flows.
Helium tracer methods—sniffer or vacuum—offer high sensitivity for small leak paths in analytical assemblies, gas panels and instrumentation. Beyond the mass spectrometer, you need field ready standards to validate sniffer probes, confirm purge rates and check joints after maintenance. Portability, long battery life, and multi gas capability help UK service teams cover multiple sites efficiently, while a very wide turndown lets one device verify minute flows without re rigging hardware. Rugged casings and fast start up minimise downtime in outdoor or on tool checks.
When you must measure the true leak rate of a sealed volume, both precise pressurisation and sensitive, stable metering are required. Dual valve controllers excel because they can fill and vent in closed systems, holding a setpoint without overshoot while you monitor make up flow over time. This approach is common on instrument housings, sealed electronics, and analytical subassemblies where volumes are small and thermal effects must be minimised. Digital averaging and remote operation further improve repeatability in automated characterisation sequences.
Analytical gas manifolds must maintain purity and stable pressure to avoid baseline drift and false positives. Integrity testing typically combines pressure hold/decay with tracer gas where appropriate. The cylinder head regulator is critical: two stage designs keep outlet stable as bottle pressure falls, avoiding nuisance drift that can masquerade as leakage. For UK labs using specialty gases, clean UHP construction and push to lock handles improve safety and repeatability.
Leak test methods frequently require precise tracer gas concentrations for calibration and validation. On demand mixing avoids the cost/lead time of premix cylinders and lets you adjust recipes quickly for method development. Accuracy, repeatability and logging are essential to meet QA and accreditation requirements. Industrial mixers should offer rapid step response to minimise gas wastage during ratio changes and provide IoT/automation interfaces for recipe control.
Ambient air monitoring networks in the UK & Ireland rely on accurate PM10/PM2.5 sampler flow audits in all weather. Field technicians need to verify actual and standardised flow, barometric pressure and temperature—even in wind, rain or sub zero conditions—without the calibrator disturbing the measurement. Bluetooth control can cut ladder time during BAM/TEOM checks, while IP rated construction and quick equilibration keep audits on schedule.
Checking for losses across process lines or DMAs (district metered areas) benefits from non intrusive flow metering to avoid shutdowns, drain downs and contamination risks. Clamp on transit time ultrasonics measure bi directional flow and, when paired with RTDs, can compute energy for hydronic loops. For UK utilities and campuses, multi protocol comms aid BMS/SCADA tie in and long term trending to evidence leak remediation.
During chamber leak evaluation and bake outs, you must stabilise low pressures and sometimes perform controlled backfill steps. High flow, fast response pressure controllers let you regulate chamber pressure or back pressure to the test article while the vacuum system runs. A single device that integrates easily with PLCs and offers large bore connections helps when you move from benchtop prototypes to larger fixtures.
When quantifying minute seat leakage, the measuring instrument must add negligible pressure drop and resolve very low, often pulsation free flows. Portable verification accelerates root cause analysis on rigs and installed assets. Low ΔP meters are especially useful for vacuum, sub atmospheric or delicate systems where a conventional meter would alter the flow regime. For UK field teams, long battery life and simple connectivity speed up in situ checks across multiple sites.
Life science incubators and gloveboxes rely on stable, defined atmospheres; small leaks drive drift and increase gas consumption. During integrity checks and commissioning, engineers often need programmable multi gas blending to hold precise setpoints while observing decay or recovery. Industrial duty mixers with quick response, 24/7 operation and simple panel integration help OEMs and labs maintain conditions while testing for ingress/egress through gaskets and feedthroughs.
Leak test benches using calibration or tracer gases rely on ultra clean pressure regulation to protect detectors and avoid false positives. UHP two stage regulators with electropolished wetted paths, VCR® connections and controlled surface finish are preferred for environmental & analytical labs across the UK & Ireland. Consistent outlet pressure across cylinder run down protects method accuracy and reduces rework.
| Application | Recommended Technologies | Why It Helps |
|---|---|---|
| Pressure decay leak testing | Alicat PC3/PCR3 | Remote sense single valve controller holds setpoint at the DUT for faster, more repeatable decay measurements. |
| Vacuum decay leak testing | Equilibar EVR | Frictionless diaphragm, high resolution vacuum control across changing demand; multiple sizes/materials. |
| Helium tracer leak testing | Alicat MB portable | Field ready multi gas flow, P & T with 10,000:1 turndown for tracer verification and documentation. |
| Closed volume leak characterisation | Alicat PCD dual valve | Fill/vent capability holds pressure without overshoot while you integrate make up flow for leak rate. |
| Manifold integrity testing | Drastar 2000 | Two stage cylinder regulation stabilises outlet as bottle pressure drops—baseline stays steady. |
| Calibration gas blending | Fusion Flow MXM | ±0.6% mixes, up to 10 channels, 25 ms step response; scale from 0.2 SLPM to 50,000 SLPM. |
| PM sampler audit & verification | Alicat FP 25/FP 25BT | Outdoor capable, low ΔP calibrator for FRM/FEM audits; Bluetooth option reduces ladder time. |
| Pipeline/process leak balance | Dynasonics TFX 5000 | Clamp on, bi directional ultrasonic with logging and energy options—no shutdown required. |
| Vacuum chamber stabilisation | Alicat PCR (high flow) | High flow, fast response controller for chamber backfill and pressure stabilisation. |
| Seal/valve seat leakage | Alicat MWB portable | Ultra low pressure drop meter captures minute leakage without disturbing the regime. |
| Glovebox/incubator verification | Fusion Flow IMX | Industrial gas mixer provides rapid, accurate atmospheres for decay/recovery checks. |
| High purity cylinder regulation | Drastar 2200 UHP | Electropolished, UHP two stage regulator with VCR® connections for clean, stable supply |
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