Plate Leak Checks: Dye vs. Helium Testing

Tiny cracks or holes in your heat exchanger plates can lead to big problems (even cross-contamination, product loss, and expensive repairs).

It’s no secret that regular leak testing of plate heat exchangers is essential for your bottom line. Today, there are two common methods for detecting leaks: dye testing and helium testing.

So, which one is more effective?

What Is Helium Testing?

Helium testing involves flooding the unit with helium gas under pressure. From there, a specialized leak detector probe is used around the exterior to check for any traces of helium escaping.

While helium testing can indicate if leaks are present, it does not visually identify specific leak locations between plates. Therefore, finding the source of leaks still requires a dye test and then disassembly to inspect all of the plates.

What Is Dye Testing?

With a dye test, a bright food-grade fluorescent dye is added to one of the media side of the plates in the heat exchanger. Then, the plates are examined; if any leaks between the plates are present the dye will be seen on the product side of the plate. Dye tests can pinpoint exactly where any leaks are on the first attempt. 

Helium vs. Dye Testing: Why PlateCheck Wins Every Time

To put it simply, helium tests are good for identifying if your equipment has a leak — while this testing method can identify an issue, it can’t pinpoint the exact plate (or crack) that is causing the issue. And without identifying the exact plate that needs replacing, you can’t remedy your leak issue.

AGC's proprietary PlateCheck saves you the time and costs that would normally be associated with helium testing while giving you peace of mind that every plate has been thoroughly inspected to catch even the smallest hairline crack that could cause cross-contamination.

At AGC Heat Transfer, we start every PlateCheck service with dye testing to pinpoint any issues within your installed plate pack. On top of this, we also verify the streaming integrity is as designed, that all structural components are sound, and help plants budget for their preventative maintenance with a 1–5-year health forecast.

Dependable Dye Tests From A National Brand

Whether you need replacement plates, rental plate packs, or a PlateCheck to ensure that your current plate pack is safe and dependable to use, we are here to help.