Leak Test Tank

Kim Mosley

Summary:

The design problem at hand is based on a test that is run at EST Testing Solutions in Holland , MI. EST tests a few different sizes of Charge Air Coolers that go into large trucks and machinery. After so many cycles, the part must be checked for leaks in water. The current method of doing this at EST is to submerge the part in water in a children's plastic play pool. The goal was to design a tank that would require only one person to test the part, that would allow for easy draining, and that would be aesthetically pleasing to the potential customers who frequent the lab.

The principle requirements for this project tended to change throughout the design process as I received more and more input from different employees at EST. Some actually perform the test, and some have seen prototypes of tanks built to achieve the same purpose. The fundamental design feature was that it should be a stainless steel tank for corrosion prevention and durability.

Since my original design requirements were a bit different, so were the conceptual designs. All of them were upright, with the feature that they could attach to the stand that the part is being tested on, without unbolting the air cooler. Some were very solid, made of stainless steel and with wheels for easy movement. Most had a Plexiglas or Lexan panel to make for easy inspection on where to find the bubbles. One design was merely a transparent plastic lining that could be pulled up around the standing air cooler. Since the requirements have changed, the three most recent conceptual designs are a bit different. They are all horizontal, with one transparent face, and either fork pockets or casters on the bottom to move the tank.

The final design that was looked into in depth was the one finally chosen for the project. It consists of a horizontal tank, nearly 6'x4'x2' in dimension. The tank is quite large to accommodate the largest part EST could possibly have to test. It is broken into three sections, the largest in the middle. The sections are divided with stainless steel panels, bolted in. The advantage here is that most of the parts being tested are the same size or smaller than the middle section, so most of the time, only the amount of water needed for that section will be drawn into the tank. This will save on water and weight, since the tank itself weighs over 300 lb. There is a drain in the bottom of each section, with a ball valve to fill and release water.

The other components of the tank are its lid and cart frame. The lid consists of two pieces of Lexan held together by a piano hinge in the middle, and hinged on one of the long sides of the tank. This way the lid can be lifted completely out of the way like a folding door. The cart frame is made from 3”x3” steel angle, with heavy duty casters on the bottom to support all of the weight. The advantage is that the tank can sit right on the frame, and be almost to waist level, so that the tester does not need to bend to the ground. This also allows for easy mobility of the tank.

The final product has not yet been finished, so it is not certain yet if the objective in this project has been achieved.