Traditionally gas concentration has been measured with a gas chromatograph, an invasive test device to analyze gas concentration within double and triple glazed insulating glass units. At the same time, quality control receives more attention than ever before, while the use of gas presses has become more commonplace. Hence, insulating glass manufacturers are looking for ways to be being able to verify the proper functioning of the gas press. Unlike with any other scanners, with gas presses, the possible flaws cannot be detected with a naked eye. Therefore, Sparklike developed Sparklike Laser™ device.
Sparklike Laser™ device is the only available device on the market for non-destructive insulating gas fill analysis for double and triple glazed insulating glass units, even through most coatings and laminated glasses. Sparklike Laser™ devices are based on technology known as TDLAS (Tunable Diode Laser Absorption Spectroscopy). By using this technology, the device measures oxygen and from there, the amount of argon, krypton or other insulating gas can be calculated. You might be interested to read why there’s no need to break the insulating glass unit in order to conduct insulating glass unit’s argon fill analysis.
ift Rosenheim’s tested argon gas concentration
Sparklike requested ift Rosenheim, a well-known test laboratory to perform a test to determine the argon gas concentration in insulating glass units by using a particularly challenging test specimen. This test specimen included samples with different constructions i.e., clear glass, triple glazed units as well as laminated glass with different coatings. The purpose of the test was to verify the results from measurements done with Sparklike Laser Standard™ analyzer, by using gas chromatograph as a reference device. The test report paper was presented at Engineered Transparency,
The samples tested with Sparklike Laser™ were measured 5 times from both sides. As for the gas chromatographs, 3 gas samples were taken from each IGU and analysed for argon concentration. Finally, the last two gas sample values were used for evaluation, according to both, ift Rosenheim and TÜV Rheinland processes. The test report clearly shows that Sparklike Laser™ can measure even the most challenging insulating glass structures’ gas concentration non-destructively and complying with the EN 1279-3 standard.
