Apparatus and method for inspecting the tightness and / or measuring leaks of structural components

Abstract

To provide a method and device capable of efficiently testing sealability or leakage of channels formed in different components, particularly components.SOLUTION: A method is for the sealability testing and / or leakage measurement of a component with a plurality of channels. The method includes applying a predefined input state to an input configuration of channels of the component, measuring an output state at an output configuration of channels of the component, and determining a sealing state and / or a leakage rate of the component based on the measurement. The input configuration has at least two channels of the component and the output configuration has at least one other channel of the component, or the input configuration has at least one channel of the component and the output configuration has at least two other channels of the component.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a device for hermeticity inspection and / or leakage measurement of structural parts, and also to a method for hermeticity inspection and / or leakage measurement of structural parts. [Background technology]

[0002] Pipe-guided structural components (i.e., structural components having at least one pipeline) can be used in various applications. For example, the pipe-guided structural component can be a bipolar plate. A bipolar plate is a component of a fuel cell. In the context of the present invention, the term "fuel cell," as it is known per se, is understood to mean a device capable of directly converting part of the energy produced by the reaction of an oxidant (e.g., oxygen) with a reductant (e.g., hydrogen) into electrical energy. On the one hand, the tightness or leak-proofness of such structural components may be necessary to ensure their correct operation. On the other hand, leaks may pose a risk. For example, in a fuel cell, leaking hydrogen may combine with oxygen from the surrounding environment or with oxygen leaking from the fuel cell due to another leak, potentially causing an explosion. Technical devices that operate on media that are often easily ignited must comply with high safety standards and comply with the corresponding regulations.

[0003] Therefore, there is a need to reliably and efficiently test the hermeticity and perform leak measurements on such structural components.

[0004] In prior art examples of seal testing devices, each pipeline is measured separately, i.e., the seal or leak rate of each pipeline is determined or measured separately. Furthermore, when a leak is detected, it must be determined where the leak leads (i.e., to one pipeline, to another pipeline, or to the surrounding volume). Therefore, different types of structural components with different pipeline configurations, particularly different configurations of pipeline inlets and outlets, require different devices to perform seal testing and leak measurements. Therefore, prior art devices cannot test different structural components using a single device. Furthermore, in prior art devices, the separate measurement of each pipeline typically results in very long testing times. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The object of the present invention is to provide a method and a device that allows for efficient testing of different structural components, in particular of the tightness or leakage of lines formed in structural components. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] This problem is solved by a method for tightness checking and / or leakage measurement of a structural part having the features of claim 1, in particular by the method comprising the steps of applying a given inlet condition to an inlet arrangement of the lines of the structural part, measuring an outlet condition at an outlet arrangement of the lines of the structural part, and determining the tightness and / or leakage rate of the structural part on the basis of this measurement, wherein the inlet arrangement can comprise at least two lines of the structural part and the outlet arrangement can comprise at least one other line of the structural part, or the inlet arrangement can comprise at least one line of the structural part and the outlet arrangement can comprise at least two other lines of the structural part.

[0007] In this case, the leak measurement may consist of a measurement or determination of the leak rate (i.e., a quantitative measurement of the magnitude of the leak) and a measurement or determination of the leak path (i.e., information on whether a leak is occurring, for example, into another pipeline or into the surrounding volume, i.e., out of a structural component).

[0008] In this case, the leak rate is the measurement variable (i.e., measured directly or indirectly) and the tightness is the test variable (i.e., derived from another measurement). For example, if the measured leak rate for all lines or combinations of lines is zero, the structural component can be said to be functionally well sealed (i.e., tight).

[0009] For the sake of completeness, it should be mentioned here that in practice it is not permissible to specify a leakage rate of zero according to DIN-EN 1779. In practice, therefore, a structural part is said to be functionally sealed if it has a leakage rate lower than the maximum permissible leakage rate at the time, which in this case is a property of the structural part and is often specified as such.

[0010] The combination of an inlet configuration and an outlet configuration may be referred to as a measurement configuration. If the same conduits do not appear in either the inlet or outlet configuration, the measurement configuration may be referred to as "non-overlapping," i.e., the conduits do not influence each other in measurements based on such a measurement configuration on a defect-free structural part.

[0011] The inlet condition may be a common or identical condition for all lines of the inlet arrangement, for example a given pressure of a given gaseous substance, and the outlet condition may be a common measurement for all lines of the outlet arrangement.

[0012] In a leak-free structural component, the outlet state in the non-overlapping measurement configurations is independent of the inlet state. If a given inlet condition changes and the outlet state changes, it can be assumed that there is a leak, and in particular, a leak between at least one line in the inlet configuration and one line in the outlet configuration can then be detected.

[0013] In other words, a method is provided that allows for the measurement of the leak rate and / or the tightness inspection of the pipeline-guiding structural components and the pipelines of the pipeline-guiding structural components. In particular, it is possible to inspect whether the structural components have leaky pipelines or whether all of the pipelines of the structural components are tightly sealed. Furthermore, it is possible to determine where the leak is occurring, i.e., whether the leak is into another pipeline or into the surrounding volume, for example. Using the method according to the present invention, a quantitative and comprehensive tightness inspection of the inspection object guiding the pipelines is possible.

[0014] The method according to the invention can be used to significantly reduce measurement times. This is achieved, in particular, by measuring multiple lines simultaneously. If the lines as a whole are found to be sealed, then each individual line of the lines is also sealed. Instead, by measuring multiple combinations of lines, it is possible to check the seal of each individual line and / or to identify the leak rate and / or leak path.

[0015] These measurement configurations (i.e., each combination of inlet and outlet configurations) can be selected such that no structural component ducts are defined in the inlet configuration (i.e., as the inlet) and the outlet configuration (i.e., as the outlet) at the same time, so that among all possible duct combinations, only duct combinations that are suitable candidates for measurement are examined.

[0016] In one embodiment, the inlet condition is one or more of a given pressure, a given concentration, a given chemical element, a given chemical compound, and a given mixture of chemicals, and the measurement of the outlet condition is one or more of a pressure, a concentration, a given chemical element, a given chemical compound, and a given mixture of chemicals, i.e., in a structural component having an unsealed line in an inlet arrangement, the given inlet condition corresponds to a measured outlet condition, to the effect that a change in outlet condition occurs for the given inlet condition when the unsealed line in the inlet arrangement is not sealed to a line in the outlet arrangement.

[0017] In one embodiment, application and measurements are performed for a plurality of different measurement configurations, each measurement configuration comprising a predetermined inlet configuration (possibly different for the different measurement configurations) and a predetermined outlet configuration (possibly different for the different measurement configurations), and the sealing condition and / or leak rate of the structural component is determined based on application and measurements for the plurality of different measurement configurations, i.e., specifically, measurements are performed for the different measurement configurations.

[0018] In one embodiment, for a series of measurements, each inlet condition can be a different pressure, a different concentration, a different chemical element, a different chemical compound, and a different mixture of chemicals.

[0019] The use of different elements, compounds or mixtures allows for a series of rapid measurements, since in some cases the medium still remaining in the device or structural component does not have to be taken into account in subsequent measurements because a different medium (i.e., a different element, compound or mixture) is used.

[0020] The use of different pressures or densities allows a series of measurements to be differentiated based on differences in the pressure or density of the medium, thereby allowing a series of rapid measurements to be made.

[0021] These measurement configurations can be selected such that the lines in the inlet configuration are complementary to the lines in the outlet configuration (i.e., specifically, the same lines do not appear in both the inlet and outlet configurations). In this case, one implementation can test not the entire set of these possible measurement configurations, but only a subset selected to allow for measurement of all relevant leak paths.

[0022] In one embodiment, a plurality of different measurement configurations are identified such that each conduit appears in combination with another conduit in at least one measurement configuration of the plurality of measurement configurations, such that each leak path is included in at least one measurement configuration, i.e., each leak path causes a detectable leak in at least one measurement configuration. The combined appearance of two conduits means that one of the conduits appears in the inlet configuration while the other conduit appears in the outlet configuration.

[0023] In one embodiment, a leak rate is determined for each of a plurality of measurement configurations, and a leak rate between two individual conduits is determined based on the respective leak rates for the plurality of measurement configurations, thereby enabling the leak rate between two individual conduits to be estimated from measurements for different measurement configurations.

[0024] The problem of the present invention is also solved by an apparatus for tightness testing and / or leakage measurement of structural parts having the features of claim 7, in particular by the apparatus comprising an inlet, an outlet, a receiving device configured to receive the structural part and to connect the inlet with an inlet arrangement of the lines of the structural part and to connect the outlet with an outlet arrangement of the lines of the structural part, and a measuring device configured to apply given inlet conditions to the inlet, to measure outlet conditions at the outlet and to determine the tightness and / or leakage rate of the structural part based on this measurement, wherein the inlet arrangement comprises at least two lines of the structural part and the outlet arrangement comprises at least one other line of the structural part, or wherein the inlet arrangement comprises at least one line of the structural part and the outlet arrangement comprises at least two other lines of the structural part.

[0025] The device may further comprise a closure member, wherein the receiving member and the closure member are configured to form a common sealing surface and are arranged to be removably movable relative to one another, such that the device can be opened, the structural component placed in the receiving member, and then the closure member can be used to reclose the device.

[0026] The device may further comprise a pressing member that can be configured to connect the structural component with the housing member by applying a force to the structural component toward the housing member. For example, pressure acts on the pressing member, resulting in a force on the structural component. The pressing member may be configured in the form of a piston, thus allowing the structural component to be clamped regardless of thickness, and further, the pressing member may provide a variable force applied to the structural component by the pressing member and the housing member.

[0027] The device may include an adapter plate having a portion specific to the structural component that connects the conduits of the structural component with the inlets and outlets. In this way, the device can use various structural components that differ, for example, in outer geometric shape, location and / or number of conduits or conduit openings.

[0028] In one implementation, the apparatus is configured to apply pressure, vacuum, or both to an internal conduit of a structural component.

[0029] In one embodiment, the device can include valves configured to open and close connections between the inlet of the device and the lines of the structural component, and between the outlet of the device and the lines of the structural component. These valves can be located in or on an adapter plate, in or on a storage unit, or externally. These valves can be configured, when open or closed, to connect the lines of the structural component required in the inlet configuration with the inlet and to disconnect all other lines from the inlet. Furthermore, these valves can be configured, when open or closed, to connect the lines of the structural component required in the outlet configuration with the outlet and to disconnect all other lines from the outlet. In this context, "connect" can be understood to mean passing a medium (e.g., a chemical element, chemical compound, or mixture of chemicals), and "not connecting" can be understood to mean not passing a medium.

[0030] The measuring instrument may be one or more of a quadrupole mass spectrometer, a time-of-flight mass spectrometer, a sector field mass spectrometer, a pressure measuring instrument, a differential pressure measuring instrument and a flow measuring instrument, or one of these optical spectrometer groups, or may consist of a corresponding instrument.

[0031] This measuring device is -7 hPa to 5MPa range, 10 -6 hPa to 4.5MPa or 10 -4 It can be configured to measure pressure ranges in the range of 1000 psi to 4 MPa.

[0032] The measuring device can be configured to measure gaseous media, preferably selected from gaseous refrigerants, ammonia, hydrocarbons, fluorohydrocarbons, hydrofluoroolefins, water vapor, nitrogen, air, oxygen and test gases with molar masses of 4 u, 3 u or 2 u.

[0033] The pipe guiding structural component can consist of or be a bipolar plate, for example a graphite bipolar plate or monoplate.

[0034] The invention makes it possible to measure leaks and / or check the tightness of pipe guiding structural components.

[0035] In this case, the method according to the invention and the device according to the invention can be adapted to the structural part to be inspected, which may also be referred to as a specimen, by the use of an adapter plate and suitable valve positions, without the need for an entirely new method or an entirely new device.

[0036] The method according to the invention and the device according to the invention can be used for tightness testing and leakage measurement of bipolar plates. Further fields of application are monoplates, heat exchangers and all test objects with multiple test spaces, where process steps can be saved when using multiple test gases in succession, for example in applications related to post-vacuum and cleaning.

[0037] The aspects of the present invention described herein, i.e., the device for tightness testing and / or leakage measurement of structural components on the one hand, and the method for tightness testing and / or leakage measurement of structural components on the other hand, can advantageously be improved in all significant respects of the respective embodiments described with respect to the other aspects.

[0038] In the following, the invention will be explained by way of example only on the basis of schematic drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0039] [Figure 1] 1 shows a schematic diagram of the structure of a measurement setup using a device according to the invention; [Figure 2] 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the structure of an apparatus according to one embodiment; [Figure 3] 1 is a schematic diagram of a model of a pipe guidance structural component in an apparatus according to one embodiment. [Figure 4] 4 is a schematic diagram of a possible configuration using the pipe guidance structural component of FIG. 3 according to one embodiment; [Figure 5] Schematic diagram of all measurement configurations based on one embodiment of the pipe guidance structural components in a device configured for leak measurement [Figure 6A] Schematic diagram of a measurement setup according to one implementation showing only the known effects of leak paths. [Figure 6B] Schematic diagram of a measurement setup according to one implementation showing only the known effects of leak paths. [Figure 7A] A graph showing an example of finding non-overlapping measurement configurations [Figure 7B] A graph showing an example of finding non-overlapping measurement configurations [Figure 8] 1 is a flowchart of a procedure for the complete inspection of a pipe guide plate having three pipes and one surrounding measurement volume according to one embodiment. [Figure 9] Flowchart of the method according to the invention DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0040] FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of a measurement setup 100 using a device according to the present invention. An apparatus 102 for tightness testing and / or leak measurement of a structural component 104 having a plurality of conduits is shown. In this case, the structural component 104 can be, for example, a bipolar plate, and the conduits can correspond to two openings (e.g., an inlet and an outlet) of the bipolar plate. For example, the bipolar plate can have six openings for guiding a coolant (via inlet 112 and outlet 106), an oxidant (via inlet 114 and outlet 108), and a reductant (via inlet 116 and outlet 110) through the bipolar plate. Within the apparatus 102, a surrounding volume 118 can at least partially surround the structural component 104.

[0041] In one implementation, an inlet condition can be applied to at least a subset of the line inlets 112, 114, 116, for example, by applying pressure from a pressure source 120. Valves 122, 124, 126 can be used to connect selected line inlets 112, 114, 116 to the pressure source 120.

[0042] In one implementation, for example, a measurement device 128 may be used to measure outlet conditions at each of the conduit outlets 106, 108, 110 and / or at least a subset of the surrounding volume 118. Valves 130, 132, 134, 136 may be used to connect selected conduit outlets 106, 108, 110 and / or surrounding volume 118 with the measurement device 128.

[0043] The device for measuring and / or inspecting the tightness of at least one pipe guidance structural component may have at least a three-part structure including a receiving member, a closing member, and a pressing member. The receiving member and the closing member may be configured to form a common gas-tight sealing surface. The receiving member and the closing member may be arranged to be removably movable relative to one another. The receiving member may be configured to receive the at least one pipe guidance structural component in a form-fitting manner. The pressing member may be configured to connect the pipe guidance structural component to the receiving member in a pressure-clamping manner. The device may include at least two ports and piping suitable for guiding a gaseous medium, and at least one measuring device.

[0044] The measuring device can be configured to analyze the properties and / or the state of motion of the gaseous medium, where analysis of the state of motion can be understood to mean, for example, flow rate measurement, and analysis of the properties of the gaseous medium can be understood to mean analysis by a measuring device configured to determine the material composition of the gaseous medium, where for example a mass spectrometer can be used for this purpose.

[0045] In some embodiments, a suitable measuring instrument for determining the material composition is selected, and may be a mass spectrometer, particularly a sector field mass spectrometer, a QMS (quadrupole mass spectrometer), an OES (optical emission spectrometer), a ΔP (pressure change or differential pressure) measuring instrument, a flow measuring instrument with different inlet pressure ranges versus different outlet pressure ranges, the pressure ranges being in absolute pressure, e.g., 10 -7 hPa to 5 MPa, e.g., 10 -6 hPa to 4.5 MPa, e.g., 10-4 The pressure can be between 400 and 500 kPa.

[0046] In this case, the gaseous medium is advantageously selected from among ammonia, hydrocarbons, fluorohydrocarbons, hydrofluoroolefins, water vapor, nitrogen, air, oxygen and test gases having a molar mass of 4 u, 3 u or 2 u, where "u" stands for normalized atomic mass unit.

[0047] With the device according to the invention, in particular by using a pressure element, it is possible to achieve a thickness-independent clamping of the bipolar plate (BPP) and at the same time a sealing of the environment around the BPP, and it is further advantageous to be able to modularly adjust the force exerted on the BPP by the pressure element and the receiving element.

[0048] In one implementation, the internal conduits of the received bipolar plate can be pressurized and / or evacuated as desired, thereby allowing for targeted pressure application to each possible measurement configuration, and thereby also allowing for pressure application to the ambient environment of the BPP during measurement or testing operations.

[0049] 2 shows a schematic cross-section 200 of the device's structure according to one embodiment. In this case, a multi-piece structure is shown, consisting of a receiving unit 202 (which can serve as a seat for a structural component 204, e.g., a bipolar plate), a pressing member 206 (which can be configured as a piston), and a closing member 210 (which can also serve as a piston guide). For example, the conduit-guiding structural component 204 can have six openings for the passage of a cooling medium, an oxidizing agent, and a reducing agent. These openings are connected to each other in pairs via conduits. The pressing member 206 can be moved along a movement direction 208 to reliably press the structural component 204 against the receiving member 202 with a settable force, regardless of the thickness of the structural component 204.

[0050] To enable measurement of structural components 204 having different conduits (e.g., different numbers of conduits or different locations where the conduits enter and exit the structural component 204), an adapter plate 212 can be provided between the receiving unit 202 and the structural component 204. This adapter plate 212 can guide the inlet or outlet 214 of the receiving unit 202 to the respective conduit inlets and conduit outlets of the structural component 204.

[0051] FIG. 2 illustrates the different packings 216 that seal the individual components and structural parts 204 of the device.

[0052] The BPP can be placed flat in the adapter housing. The housing can have an opening and at least one gasket suitable for creating an airtight connection by pressure tightening. The opening in the adapter housing that contacts the opening in the BPP can pass through the adapter plate and rejoin an opening on the opposite side of the adapter housing. These openings are always the same for different adapter housings and can be called standardized adapter openings.

[0053] In one embodiment, the device includes a chamber bottom and a chamber lid. In this case, the chamber bottom can have openings that are mated to the adapter openings and match the nominal width of the standardized adapter openings. In one example, the nominal width of the openings is 1 / 4 inch, which corresponds to a diameter of approximately 6 mm.

[0054] In one embodiment, the pipe guiding structural component is realized as a flat component. For example, the pipe guiding component is a bipolar plate, which can also be referred to as a BPP. A bipolar plate is an essential component of a fuel cell. In the context of the present invention, a fuel cell, as it is known in the art, is understood to be a device that can convert part of the energy from the reaction of an oxidant (e.g., oxygen) with a reductant (e.g., hydrogen) directly into electrical energy. Technical devices that operate on media that are often easily ignited must comply with high safety standards and corresponding regulations.

[0055] Furthermore, by way of non-exhaustive example, monoplates are understood to be pipe-guiding structural components, from which bipolar plates are often assembled.

[0056] Existing systems for carrying out measurements and inspections based on currently valid standards are technically burdensome and often time-consuming in terms of technical evaluation.

[0057] No adaptable devices are known in the prior art. The subject matter of the present invention includes a mechanical adapter due to its modular design. In this case, the use of a geometrically modified pipe guidance structural component allows for easy replacement of the housing from the perspective of the subject matter of the present invention. This is advantageous because it extends the service life of the device in industrial applications. Furthermore, the modular design of the system reduces the maintenance and cleaning burden, since the adaptable housing can be cleaned or maintained separately from the rest of the installation.

[0058] The device according to the present invention can be used to variably set the clamping force of the device for sealing the pipe guiding structural components, which allows for continuous optimization of test parameters without the need for redesign. Furthermore, this variable clamping force allows for adapting to changing test conditions within the measurement path, thereby enabling testing that is particularly gentle on the bipolar plates. This reduces the possibility of material damage to the bipolar plates during testing.

[0059] Furthermore, the device offers the advantage that the environment surrounding the bipolar plate can be pressurized as well as evacuated.

[0060] Furthermore, this adaptable device allows inspection of test objects with wide tolerances without modification or other measures.

[0061] End plates are often thicker in construction and can be inspected in the same enclosure without additional modifications, set times, ejections or other measures.

[0062] 3 is a schematic diagram of a model 300 of a conduit guidance structural component in a device according to one embodiment. The conduit guidance structural component consists of conduits 1, 2, and 3 and a surrounding volume 4. Theoretically possible leak paths are labeled with the letters A, B, C, D, E, F, and G. In this case, A represents a leak path between conduit 1 and the surrounding volume 4, B represents a leak path between conduit 2 and the surrounding volume, C represents a leak path between conduit 3 and the surrounding volume, D represents a leak path between conduit 1 and conduit 2, E represents a leak path between conduit 2 and conduit 3, and F represents a leak path between conduit 1 and conduit 3.

[0063] Furthermore, Figure 3 illustrates a leakage path G between the volume surrounding the device and the environment surrounding the device, but this leakage path can be ignored if the device is sealed from the environment.

[0064] FIG. 4 illustrates a possible configuration 400 based on one implementation of the conduit guidance structural component 300 of FIG. 3. A pressure source 404 is connected to the structural component 300 using a valve. For example, the pressure source 404 is connected to the surrounding volume 4 using a valve 408. A measuring device 402 is connected to the structural component 300 using a valve. For example, the measuring device 402 is connected to the surrounding volume 4 using a valve 406. These valves 410 and 412 can be used to ventilate the device based on the illustrated structure 400. Depending on the appropriate valve settings (i.e., the valve settings for blocking or conducting / guiding), different measuring configurations can be measured. In this case, measuring a measuring configuration is understood to mean applying a medium at a given pressure to at least one conduit and measuring at least one other conduit that is not identical to the at least one conduit to which this pressure is applied using a suitable measuring device. In this case, the physical detection limits affect the applicability of the measuring means.

[0065] In one embodiment, a method for measuring leak paths and / or testing seal integrity of a pipeline guidance structural component includes: 1. determining all inlet or outlet configurations; 2. Selecting non-overlapping measurement configurations; 3. Measuring the selected measurement configuration; It has.

[0066] These measurements are combined to reflect different leak paths, and the following equation can be used to estimate the pipeline-specific leak rate, which cannot be obtained directly by measurement:

[0067] The non-overlapping measurement configuration can be converted into a matrix representation, where row and column symbols correspond to the numbers of individual conduits or cavities, respectively. In the non-limiting example below, as illustrated in FIG. 3, the leak paths are represented by letters A, B, C, D, E, F, and G. The letters A, B, and C represent the leak paths from one conduit to the surrounding volume, respectively, and D, E, and F represent the leak paths between individual conduits that do not pass through the surrounding volume.

[0068] In this case, the letter G represents the leakage path occurring between the measuring device and the surrounding environment, which is a property of the device used and is therefore ignored below.

[0069] Thus, the factor m related to the interaction between the pressurized line and the line connected to the measuring instrument ij The matrix representation consisting of

[0070]

number

[0071]

number

[0072] In the case of a non-overlapping measurement configuration, the coefficients of the elements of such a matrix are exclusively values ​​1 and 0. In this case, the value 1 is used for possible leakage paths, and the value 0 is used when no such path is definitely present.

[0073] In this case, the coefficients of the leak paths cannot be unambiguously assigned to the values ​​0 or 1 except in non-overlapping measurement configurations, since processes such as percolation can cause crosstalk between the leak paths.

[0074] It is not always possible to measure the leak paths individually (ie, A, B, C, D, E, and F, respectively) due to their interdependencies.

[0075] Only the leak path G can be determined individually, for example by a so-called background measurement, since this path is characteristic of the device. This leak path should be taken into account in particular if the surrounding volume is the volume being measured. In this case, the following equation holds for the entire leak path: L'=L+L(G) where L(G) represents the individually measured leak rate of leak path G.

[0076] There are always at least three leak paths assigned to each pipeline.

[0077] For example, in this introduced notation, the pressurization configuration per line in a non-overlapping configuration is expressed as follows: ●Pipeline 1 → Complementary set (1 → 2&3&4)

[0078]

number

[0079]

number

[0080]

number

[0081]

number

[0082] While none of the above configurations provide a unique measurement for each leak path, the present invention allows all six possible leak paths to be checked for leaks with a reduced number of measurements, i.e., a seal check can be performed with fewer than six measurements per leak path.

[0083] First, this measure will be illustrated for the present example of three conduits and one surrounding volume.

[0084] In this regard, three measurement configurations (i.e., combinations of these three leak paths) are investigated, for example, 14->23, 24->13, and 34->12, where the number before the arrow indicates the line to which the inlet condition is applied (i.e., the inlet configuration), and the number after the arrow indicates the line to be measured (i.e., the outlet configuration). That is, for example, "14->23" means that a common inlet condition is applied to lines 1 and 4, and measurements are made on lines 2 and 3.

[0085] Then, for these three configurations, the following matrices are obtained:

[0086]

number

[0087] In this case, the matrix element whose row number corresponds to one of the lines in the inlet configuration and whose column number corresponds to one of the lines in the outlet configuration each has a component of 1. It is therefore intuitively clear why only components of 0 can occur on the main diagonal (since non-overlapping measurement configurations cannot have common channels in both the inlet and outlet configurations).

[0088] So, for example, in measurement configuration 14->23, the following elements of the matrix are equal to 1: ●First row, second column ●First row, third column ●Fourth row, second column ●Fourth row, third column

[0089] Furthermore, the elements obtained by transposing (i.e., by "switching" the rows and columns) are equal to 1. In the example of measurement configuration 14->23, the following elements of the matrix are: ●First column ,second line ●First column ,Third line ●Fourth column ,second line ●Fourth column ,Third line

[0090] All other components are 0.

[0091] In this case, for the chosen measurement configuration, the sum of these matrices results in the following matrix:

[0092]

number

[0093] Therefore, the leakage rate of all leak paths is L=1 / 2·(2A+2B+2C+2D+2E+2F) This becomes:

[0094] Note that for this test method, each leak path has exactly two components in the resulting sum. Furthermore, all possible leak paths are covered by the three non-overlapping measurement configurations in this example. Therefore, all six leak paths are completely determined by measurements of the three non-overlapping configurations.

[0095] Further analysis of the constructed matrix shows that measurements based on two measurement configurations are sufficient to comprehensively measure all six leakage paths, which is symbolized by the fact that the components between the lines in the sum of the two matrices corresponding to the two measurement configurations are not equal to 0.

[0096] Therefore, two measurements (corresponding to two of the three measurement configurations 14->23, 24->13 and 34->12) are sufficient to be able to perform the test. In this case, in this example, two measurements can be considered as a sufficient test criterion, e.g.

[0097]

number

[0098] That is, these two measurement configurations (14->23 and 34->12) can be used to first check whether a leak has occurred. If neither of these two measurement configurations indicates a leak, it can be inferred from this that the structural part as a whole is not leaking.

[0099] If at least one of these two measurement configurations is leaking (i.e., if there is at least one leak from one line of the inlet configuration of the measurement configuration to one line of the outlet configuration), further determination and quantification of the leak path can be performed.

[0100] Then, for accurate determination and quantification of the leak paths, a measurement configuration can be found to account for the influence of the leak paths on each other, and ultimately determine the extent of each individual leak path.

[0101] For example, the following four measurement configurations can be considered:

[0102]

number

[0103] By appropriately combining these equations 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7, the contribution of the desired leakage path can be identified.

[0104] For example, but not limited to, here, the contribution of A should be identified. This can be done, for example, by the following three equations 8, 9 and 10: 8. The sum of equations 5, 2, 3, and 4, 9. The sum of equations 6, 7, and 1, and 10. Difference between Equations 9 and 8

[0105] And these formulas become:

[0106]

number

[0107] Here, Equation 10 contains only the component 4*A, which identifies the leakage path A. Similarly, for example (but not limited to), the contribution of E should also be identified here. For this purpose, the following equation can be used:

[0108]

number

[0109] Again, as can be seen from equation 13, the leakage path E is completely determined by 4*E.

[0110] It can be seen that one equation can be found for each leak path.

[0111] Generalizing from this matrix description, one can derive that a set of measurement configurations can be selected and that in the union of the selected configurations, each matrix element on either side of the line has a value of at least 1.

[0112] In this case, a useful selection rule involves generalizing to n conduits (n is a natural number greater than or equal to 2), where each two conduits are in the same state (e.g., pressure or measurement), and one of these conduits is always the peripheral conduit n, and the complementary conduits are in different states.

[0113] For example, but not by way of limitation, a series of lines 1, 2, 3, 4, . . . and n-1 are always subjected to a given inlet condition (eg, pressurized) along with surrounding line n.

[0114] The sum of the coefficient matrices for the measurement configuration is of the general form:

[0115]

number

[0116] Based on this measure, Generate one test method each using a minimum number (i.e., one set) of measurement configurations; • Find the individual leak rates of a system of n pipes by specifying a set of equations, respectively; It is possible.

[0117] Each step will be described in detail below.

[0118] 1. Determine all inlet and outlet configurations The number of all possible inlet configurations or all possible outlet configurations can be mathematically described by the number of combinations of k classes among n different elements without repetition, where n represents the total number of conduits including surrounding volumes. In this case, k classes are the number of conduits that can be pressurized and / or that can be combined into one measurement volume. This measurement volume can consist of all conduits (or a subset thereof) of the structural part that are directly connected to the measurement device and / or the surrounding volume (which can also be called the surrounding measurement volume). Therefore, the calculation of this number is performed using the binomial coefficient

[0119]

number

[0120] As a non-exhaustive example, for three (3) conduits and exactly one surrounding volume, we get n=4. Therefore, this value is for k={1;2;3}. From this, in this case, we get 4+6+4=14(=2) conduits. 4 The result is that there are (1 for 4) = 4, (2 for 4) = 6 and (3 for 4) = 4 possible combinations (4 possible connections for one pipeline, 6 possible connections for two pipelines, and 4 possible connections for three pipelines).

[0121] 2. Selection of non-overlapping measurement configurations Among all possible combinations of inlet configurations and outlet configurations, there are also combinations where the combination of lines to be pressurized is the complement of the combination of lines to be measured. These combinations are called non-overlapping combinations. In these non-overlapping combinations, all through-flow leak paths are directly connected to the measurement volume, i.e., all possible leak paths are directly measured simultaneously. Therefore, the measurement signal corresponds to the sum of the leak rates of the individual leaking lines.

[0122] To identify non-overlapping measurement configurations, all possible pipe permutations are interpreted as numbers and written so that the sequence of numbers represents the smallest possible number. A non-exhaustive example is the measurement configuration 431 -> 65, so the smallest possible numbers are 134 and 56. That is, the measurement configuration can be described as "inlet configuration -> outlet configuration."

[0123] All inlet configurations thus represented are plotted in a table in ascending order by row, avoiding overlaps. Similarly, the numerical values ​​(representing the outlet configurations) are plotted in ascending order by column, from left to right. The resulting table or matrix (each matrix element, i.e., each matrix element, represents the measurement configuration represented by the row and column) can then be evaluated. If numerical values ​​with the same number intersect (i.e., if a line is included in both the inlet and outlet configurations in the matrix element), it is not a valid measurement configuration. If numerical values ​​with different numbers intersect (i.e., if a line is not included in both the inlet and outlet configurations at the same time), it is an acceptable measurement configuration. This measure forms a diagonal line in the table, which is the longest diagonal line in the diagram at the same time. This diagonal line represents a non-overlapping measurement configuration in which each line and its surrounding volume are not included in either the inlet or outlet configuration at the same time. In this case, the row elements can represent the lines to be filled with the test gas, and the column elements can represent the measurement volume.

[0124] In this case, by way of example and not exhaustive, the leakage path to the outer measurement volume is advantageously always represented by the largest number, with particular emphasis being placed on leakage to the surrounding measurement volume, which is always represented by the largest number in the selected configuration within the measurement volume.

[0125] 5 shows a schematic diagram of a complete measurement configuration 500 according to one embodiment of a conduit guidance structural component in an apparatus configured for leak measurement, where the conduit guidance structural component has three conduits 1, 2 and 3 embedded in a volume 4. Such a structural component is shown, for example, in FIG.

[0126] Figures 6A and 6B show schematic diagrams of measurement setups 600 and 650 according to one implementation, illustrating only the known effects of leak paths. Figure 6A shows a first conduit 602 and a second conduit 604. In this case, the first conduit is shown leaking both into the surrounding volume and into the second conduit 604.

[0127] However, as in FIG. 6A, if a measurement device 610 is connected to the second conduit 604, it can only identify a leak 608 from the first conduit 602 to the second conduit 608, but cannot identify a leak 606 from the first conduit 602 to the surrounding volume.

[0128] As shown in FIG. 6B, when a measurement device 656 is connected to the first conduit 602, it can identify leaks 654 from the first conduit 602 to the second conduit 604 as well as leaks 652 from the first conduit 602 to the surrounding volume.

[0129] 7A and 7B show an example of finding non-overlapping measurement configurations. The row numbers represent the configuration of the lines to be filled with the test gas (i.e., inlet configuration). The column numbers, which should be read vertically, represent the lines that are connected together as the measurement volume (i.e., outlet configuration).

[0130] 7A illustrates a chart 700 graphically depicting possible measurement configurations for a system consisting of a conduit guidance structural component with three internal conduits and one external surrounding volume. This corresponds to an arrangement similar to that of FIG. 5, but with a different row and column order. In this case, the blackened areas represent combinations that will not be measured. The white areas represent paths suitable for measurement. In this case, the diagonal line extending from the lower left corner of the chart to the upper right corner of the chart (i.e., the second diagonal line of the illustrated matrix) represents non-overlapping measurement configurations in which each conduit appears in the measurement configuration.

[0131] FIG. 7B illustrates a chart 750 of possible measurement configurations for a system consisting of a conduit guidance structure having four inner conduits and one outer surrounding volume.

[0132] 3. Measurement of the selected measurement configuration For a system consisting of n-1 pipes and one surrounding measurement volume, the number of possible leak paths, L, is given by: L=0.5(n 2 -n) The number of non-overlapping measurement configurations K consisting of all the conduits and the surrounding measurement volume can be expanded as follows:

[0133]

number

[0134] Therefore, non-overlapping configurations will grow faster than the leak paths. Now, one can select another configuration from among these configurations, resulting in a joint measurement of all relevant leak paths.

[0135] In this case, the selection can be performed such that each conduit appears at least twice in a set of non-overlapping measurement configurations, each of which can include a surrounding measurement volume.

[0136] For example, but not by way of limitation, the following set can be envisaged for a system consisting of three conduits and one surrounding measurement volume: Test gas inlet Measurement volume 1&2 3&4 2&3 1&4 3&1 2&4 Here, "test gas inlet" can be understood to mean an inlet configuration, and "measurement volume" can be understood to mean an outlet configuration.

[0137] Now, using this set (i.e., in particular using this subset of measurement configurations as a subset of non-overlapping measurement configurations), an integrated leak rate multiple can be determined, thus replacing time-consuming individual measurements, as exemplified above for the case of three pipelines and generally described for the case of n-1 pipelines and one surrounding volume each.

[0138] FIG. 8 illustrates a flowchart 800 of a sequence for completely testing a conduit guide plate having three conduits and one surrounding measurement volume according to one embodiment. After starting the test at 802, first, predefined combination 1 according to the present method is measured at 804. If the measurement result exceeds a given threshold, the test is terminated at 812 with the result "nIO" (not normal, i.e., an unacceptably large leak). If the measurement result is below the threshold, predefined combination 2 according to the present method is measured at 806. If the measurement result exceeds a given threshold, the test is terminated at 812 with the result "nIO." If the measurement result is below the threshold, predefined combination 3 according to the present method is measured at 808. If the measurement result exceeds a given threshold, the test is terminated at 812 with the result "nIO." If the measurement result is below the threshold, the sum of all previous measurements is calculated at 810. If this sum exceeds a given value (e.g., twice the threshold), the test terminates at 812 with a result of "niO." Otherwise, the test terminates at 814 with a result of "iO" (normal, i.e., no unacceptably large leaks).

[0139] The method according to the present invention offers the advantage of achieving a significant reduction in measurement time compared to conventional procedures, which are characterized by the fact that each measurement checks one suspected leak path. In such procedures, for example, to identify the leak path with the highest leakage rate, a large number of possible leak paths must be measured. After such a leak path has been found using a suitable measurement configuration, the test can be checked for pass or fail based on the magnitude of the measured signal.

[0140] In a different embodiment, the targeted selection of measurement configurations and subsequent measurements with these selected measurement configurations in combination with the sequential application of different test gases to the test object, for example different concentrations of helium (substance 4), different concentrations of hydrogen (substance 2) and test gases consisting of different concentrations of substance 3, allows each subsequent test gas to act as a purge gas for the test gas used in the previous process step, i.e. the fast switching times of the detectors used replace the slow gas exchange times.

[0141] In an industrial environment, shorter cycle times or higher throughputs can thus be achieved, the latter being a major economic advantage, which is advantageous insofar as it allows for a high degree of economy to be generated, in particular because it allows for the often time-consuming inspection or determination of structural parts to be significantly accelerated, while also reducing the price of the products to be inspected.

[0142] In short, the method according to the invention does not rely on a test gas consisting of a given substance to improve the signal, but rather on the expectation of easily switching to a different measurement configuration using a different test gas.

[0143] 9 shows a flowchart 900 illustrating a method for sealing and / or leak measurement of a structural component having multiple conduits according to one embodiment. At 902, a given inlet condition is applied to an inlet configuration of the conduits of the structural component. At 904, an outlet condition is measured at an outlet configuration of the conduits of the structural component. At 906, a sealing condition and / or leak rate of the structural component is determined based on the measurement. The inlet configuration may include at least two conduits of the structural component and the outlet configuration may include at least one other conduit of the structural component, or the inlet configuration may include at least one conduit of the structural component and the outlet configuration may include at least two other conduits of the structural component.

[0144] In one embodiment, the inlet condition consists of or is one or more of a given pressure, a given concentration, a given chemical element, a given chemical compound, and a given mixture of chemicals, and the measurement of the outlet condition includes or is detecting one or more of the pressure, concentration, a given chemical element, a given chemical compound, and a given mixture of chemicals.

[0145] In one embodiment, these applications and measurements are performed for a plurality of different measurement configurations, each measurement configuration consisting of a predetermined inlet configuration and a predetermined outlet configuration, and the sealing condition and / or leak rate of the structural component is determined based on the applications and measurements for the plurality of different measurement configurations.

[0146] In one implementation, each inlet condition for a series of measurements consists of one or more of a different pressure, a different concentration, a different chemical element, a different chemical compound, and / or a different mixture of chemicals.

[0147] In one implementation, a plurality of different measurement configurations are identified such that each conduit appears in combination with a respective other conduit in at least one measurement configuration of the plurality of measurement configurations.

[0148] In one embodiment, the leak rate for each of a plurality of measurement configurations is determined, and the leak rate between the two conduits is determined based on the leak rates for each of the plurality of measurement configurations.

[0149] The different implementations of the device and method allow for adaptation to varying geometric shapes of the conduit guidance structural components, e.g., bipolar plates. Furthermore, pressure can be applied to the surrounding environment of the conduit guidance structural components.

[0150] For example, it is clear that all of the embodiments described with respect to the BPP can be generally applied to any pipe guidance structural component. The present application relates to the invention described in the claims, but also includes the following as other aspects. 1. 1. A method for testing the tightness and / or measuring leaks in a structural component having multiple conduits, comprising: applying a given inlet condition to the inlet configuration of the pipeline of the structural component (902); measuring (904) an outlet condition at the outlet configuration of the pipeline of the structural component; determining the sealing condition and / or leakage rate of the structural component based on the measurements (906); and The inlet arrangement has at least two conduits of the structural component and the outlet arrangement has at least one other conduit of the structural component, or the inlet arrangement has at least one conduit of the structural component and the outlet arrangement has at least two other conduits of the structural component. method. 2. In the method according to item 1 above, the inlet conditions comprise one or more of a given pressure, a given concentration, a given chemical element, a given chemical compound, and a given mixture of chemicals; the measurement of the outlet condition comprises detection of one or more of pressure, concentration, a given chemical element, a given chemical compound, and a given mixture of chemicals; method. 3. In the method according to 1 or 2 above, said applying and measuring being performed for a plurality of different measurement configurations, each measurement configuration comprising a predetermined inlet configuration and a predetermined outlet configuration; The sealing condition and / or leakage rate of the structural component is determined based on application and measurement of a plurality of different measurement configurations; method. 4. In the method according to the above item 3, A method in which each inlet condition for a series of measurements comprises one or more of a different pressure, a different concentration, a different chemical element, a different chemical compound, and a different mixture of chemicals. 5. In the method according to 3 or 4 above, The method further comprising identifying a plurality of different measurement configurations such that each line appears in combination with a respective other line in at least one measurement configuration of the plurality of measurement configurations. 6. In any one of the methods described in 3 to 5 above, determining a leak rate for each of the plurality of different measurement configurations; determining a leak rate between the two pipelines based on the respective leak rates for the plurality of measurement configurations; The method further comprises: 7. 1. An apparatus for tightness testing and / or leakage measurement of a structural component having a plurality of conduits, in particular an apparatus adapted to carry out the method according to any one of claims 1 to 6 above, comprising an inlet; The exit and This structural component is accommodated in the connecting the inlet with the inlet configuration of the pipe of the structural component; connecting the outlet with the outlet arrangement of the pipe of the structural component; A storage device configured as follows: Applying a given entry state to this entry, At this exit, the exit condition is measured, Based on this measurement, the sealing condition and / or leakage rate of the structural component is determined; A measuring device configured as follows: Equipped with The inlet arrangement has at least two conduits of the structural component and the outlet arrangement has at least one other conduit of the structural component, or the inlet arrangement has at least one conduit of the structural component and the outlet arrangement has at least two other conduits of the structural component. Device. 8. 8. The device according to claim 7, The device further comprises a closure member, the receiving member and the closure member being configured to form a common sealing surface, the receiving member and the closure member being arranged to be removably movable relative to one another. 9. 9. The device according to claim 7 or 8, The apparatus further comprises a pressing member configured to apply a force to the structural component toward the receiving member, thereby connecting the structural component with the receiving member. 10. 10. The device according to any one of claims 7 to 9, The apparatus further comprises an adapter plate having a portion specific to the structural component for connecting the conduits of the structural component with the inlet and outlet. 11. 11. The device according to at least one of claims 7 to 10, The apparatus further comprising valves configured to open and close connections between the inlet of the apparatus and the conduit of the structural component, and between the outlet of the apparatus and the conduit of the structural component. 12. 12. The device according to at least one of claims 7 to 11, The measuring instrument comprises one or more of a quadrupole mass spectrometer, a time-of-flight mass spectrometer, a sector field mass spectrometer, a pressure measuring instrument, a differential pressure measuring instrument, and a flow measuring instrument, or a spectrometer from this group of optical spectrometers. 13. 13. The device according to at least one of claims 7 to 12, The measuring device is -7 hPa to 5MPa range, 10 -6 hPa to 4.5MPa or 10 -4 The device is configured to measure pressure ranges in the range of hPa to 4 MPa. 14. 14. The device according to at least one of claims 7 to 13, The measuring device is configured to measure a gaseous medium, preferably selected from gaseous refrigerants, ammonia, hydrocarbons, fluorohydrocarbons, hydrofluoroolefins, water vapor, nitrogen, air, oxygen and test gases having a molar mass of 4 u, 3 u or 2 u. 15. 15. The device according to any one of claims 7 to 14, A device in which the pipe guide structural component is a bipolar plate or a monoplate. [Explanation of symbols]

[0151] 100 Schematic structure of a measuring device based on one embodiment 102 Apparatus based on one embodiment 104 Structural parts 106,108,110,112,114,116 Pipeline 118 Perimeter Volume 120 Pressure Setting 122,124,126 Valves 128 Measuring equipment 130,132,134,136 Valves 200 Cross-section of the structure of the device according to one embodiment 202 Containment Unit 204 Structural parts 206 Pressing member 208 Direction of movement 210 Closure member 212 Adapter plate 214 Entrance / Exit 216 Gasket 300 Model of a pipe guide structural component in a device based on one embodiment 1,2,3 conduit 4 Perimeter A, B, C, D, E, F, G Theoretically possible leak paths 400 Possible structure based on one embodiment using the pipe guidance structural component of FIG. 402 Pressure source, e.g., a vacuum pump to generate the pressure required for the measurement 404 Measuring equipment 406,408,410,412 Valves 500 All measurement configurations based on one implementation configuration 600 Measurement configuration based on one implementation configuration 602 First Pipeline 604 Second Pipeline 606 Leak 608 Leak 610 Measuring equipment 650 Measurement configuration based on one implementation configuration 652 Leak 654 Leak 656 Measuring equipment 700,750 Illustration for finding non-overlapping measurement configurations 800 Flowchart of a sequence for the complete inspection of a pipe guide plate having three pipes and one surrounding measurement volume according to one embodiment 802 start 804 Measurement Combination 1 806 Measurement Combination 2 808 Measurement Combination 3 810 Calculate the sum of all measurements 812 "abnormal" results 814 "Normal" result 900 Flowchart illustrating a method for seal inspection and / or leak measurement of a structural component having multiple conduits according to one embodiment 902 applying a given inlet condition to the inlet configuration of the pipe of the structural component. 904 Process of measuring the outlet condition at the outlet configuration of the pipe of the structural component 906 Process for determining the sealing condition and / or leakage rate of structural components based on measurements

Claims

1. 9. A method for leak testing and / or leak measurement of a structural component having a plurality of conduits, comprising the steps of: applying a given inlet condition to an inlet configuration of the conduits of the structural component; measuring (904) an outlet condition at an outlet configuration of the pipeline of the structural component; and determining (906) the sealing condition and / or leakage rate of the structural component based on the measurements; the inlet arrangement has at least two conduits of the structural component and the outlet arrangement has at least one other conduit of the structural component, or the inlet arrangement has at least one conduit of the structural component and the outlet arrangement has at least two other conduits of the structural component; said applying and measuring being performed for a plurality of different measurement configurations, each measurement configuration comprising a predetermined inlet configuration and a predetermined outlet configuration; The method further comprises identifying a plurality of different measurement configurations such that each conduit appears in combination with a respective other conduit in at least one measurement configuration among the plurality of measurement configurations; determining the sealing condition and / or leakage rate of the structural component based on application and measurement of a plurality of different measurement configurations; each inlet condition for a series of measurements comprises one or more of a different pressure, a different concentration, a different chemical element, a different chemical compound, and a different mixture of chemicals; method.

2. 10. The method of claim 1, the inlet conditions comprise one or more of a given pressure, a given concentration, a given chemical element, a given chemical compound, and a given mixture of chemicals; the measurement of the outlet condition comprises detection of one or more of pressure, concentration, a given chemical element, a given chemical compound, and a given mixture of chemicals; method.

3. 10. The method of claim 1, determining a leak rate for each of the plurality of different measurement configurations; determining a leak rate between the two pipelines based on the respective leak rates for the plurality of measurement configurations; The method further comprises:

4. An apparatus for tightness testing and / or leak measurement of a structural component having a plurality of conduits configured to carry out the method of claim 1, comprising: The entrance and The exit and This structural component is accommodated in the connecting the inlet with the inlet configuration of the pipe of the structural component; connecting the outlet with the outlet arrangement of the pipe of the structural component; A storage member configured as above, Applying a given entry state to this entry, At this exit, the exit condition is measured, Based on this measurement, the sealing condition and / or leakage rate of the structural component is determined; A measuring device configured as follows: Equipped with The inlet arrangement has at least two conduits of the structural component and the outlet arrangement has at least one other conduit of the structural component, or the inlet arrangement has at least one conduit of the structural component and the outlet arrangement has at least two other conduits of the structural component. Device.

5. 5. The apparatus of claim 4, The device further comprises a closure member, the receiving member and the closure member being configured to form a common sealing surface, the receiving member and the closure member being arranged to be removably movable relative to one another.

6. 6. The device according to claim 4 or 5, The apparatus further comprises a pressing member configured to apply a force to the structural component toward the receiving member, thereby connecting the structural component with the receiving member.

7. 6. The device according to claim 4 or 5, The apparatus further comprises an adapter plate having a portion specific to the structural component for connecting the conduits of the structural component with the inlet and outlet.

8. 6. The device according to claim 4 or 5, The apparatus further comprising valves configured to open and close connections between the inlet of the apparatus and the conduit of the structural component, and between the outlet of the apparatus and the conduit of the structural component.

9. 6. The device according to claim 4 or 5, The measuring instrument comprises one or more of a quadrupole mass spectrometer, a time-of-flight mass spectrometer, a sector field mass spectrometer, a pressure measuring instrument, a differential pressure measuring instrument, and a flow measuring instrument, or a spectrometer from this group of optical spectrometers.

10. 6. The device according to claim 4 or 5, The measuring device is 10 －７ hPa to 5 MPa, 10 －６ hPa to 4.5 MPa or 10 －４ The device is configured to measure a pressure range within the range of 0.5 hPa to 4 MPa.

11. 6. The device according to claim 4 or 5, The measuring device is configured to measure a gaseous medium, preferably selected from gaseous refrigerants, ammonia, hydrocarbons, fluorohydrocarbons, hydrofluoroolefins, water vapor, nitrogen, air, oxygen and test gases having a molar mass of 4u, 3u or 2u.

12. 6. The device according to claim 4 or 5, A device in which the pipe guide structural component is a bipolar plate or a monoplate.

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