Vacuum Engineering and Leak Testing
Vacuum Engineering and Leak Testing
Vacuum and Sealing Solutions for the Most Demanding Nuclear Projects
Ensuring equipment integrity and process control requires a thorough understanding of vacuum technologies and leak testing.
With decades of experience in demanding nuclear and industrial environments, Axima Nucléaire provides customized solutions combining vacuum engineering, control systems, system installation, and performance testing.
Our goal: to provide our customers with reliable, high-performance systems that meet the most stringent safety and quality requirements.
Design of turnkey vacuum systems: primary, secondary, and ultra-high vacuum systems, including pumping units and associated piping systems
We can handle the entire process: design, manufacturing, assembly, and testing of complete primary vacuum, secondary vacuum, and ultra-high vacuum systems.
- Design studies (nuclear or conventional industry) covering pumping systems (primary pumps, turbomolecular pumps, cryogenic pumps, dry pumping, etc.), piping systems (diameter, wall thickness, conductance calculations), gauges, pressurization to atmospheric pressure (including greasing if necessary), automation, and control systems.
Design, fabrication, assembly, and commissioning of the primary vacuum system for the LMJ laser hall (CEA Cesta)
- Manufactured from stainless steel or aluminum using TIG welding,
- On-site installation,
- Leak testing,
- Maintenance and operation.
VAS 2 Piping Fabrication - SVS Skid
Waterproofing Inspections and Assessments
Whether in vacuum applications, the nuclear industry, or traditional manufacturing, sealing can be essential:
- Experience and expertise provided by COFREND LT staff; we perform an average of more than 800 tests per year and have over 30 years of combined experience
- We have the expertise and equipment to handle virtually all methodologies in accordance with the following standards:
- ISO 20485 partial/full helium leak testing, vacuum chamber testing, accumulation testing, etc.
- ISO 13184: pressure variation, flow rate measurement.
- ISO 10648-2 or NF M 62-210/211: containment vessel, nuclear, all methodologies possible
- Leak detection in networks and containment structures using methodologies tailored to the desired tolerance
- Drafting and review of leak-tightness procedures by a COFREND 3 LT
Partial and full helium leak tests on the LMJ chamber nose and SID, with a tolerance of 5 × 10⁻¹⁰ Pa·m³·s⁻¹, performed by a COFREND LT.
Design of a test kit for leak testing the various circuits of the PHENIX arm as part of the reactor decommissioning program.
Note: We can also perform visual and penetrant inspections using COFREND-certified personnel
Design and fabrication of specialized equipment or specialized test setups
- Degassing measurement with electrical tracing on various systems (pipes, cables, etc.)
- Cold shock test on cryogenic lines, complementing mechanical testing and helium leak testing
- Manufacture of a vacuum generation system for nuclear maintenance and a pressure switch controller
- Leak Test Kit (Standard 10648-2, methodology for classes 2-3-4)
- Vacuum aging test bench
Our Value-Added Services
For example, we have carried out
- Primary vacuum systems (DN500 – length > 1 km) on chambers of various volumes;
- Test benches for equipment qualification;
- Control checks for vacuum systems;
- Leak tests on 35-bar Process Helium piping networks;
- Leak tests on sealing plugs,
large-volume chambers and transport containers; - Leak testing of ventilation duct sections, including in nuclear ventilation systems.
They trust us:
Do you have a need? Let's talk about it!
Do you have a need? Let's talk about it!