Acoustic emission, an innovative diagnosis tool for therapeutic hyperbaric chambers: or how to requalify safely using pneumatic pressure test

Therapeutic hyperbaric chambers require continuous monitoring and maintenance, including periodic requalification. The primary aim is to verify the suitability for continued safe service. Maintenance is regulated in Europe, and in France requalification is mandatory where a hyperbaric chamber operates above pressures equal to or greater than 4 bar gauge. French requalification requires a hydraulic (hydrostatic) pressure test to determine the absence of deformation and leaks during the test. However, in such cases, it is often necessary to move the chamber if the combined mass of the chamber and water may exceed the allowable floor loading strength. In 2009, an innovative alternative to a hydraulic pressure testing was authorised in France. It consists of carrying out a pneumatic pressure test simultaneously with a non-destructive monitoring technique called 'acoustic emission'. This can be compared to a microseismology technique, where sensors are applied to the pressure retaining boundary of the hyperbaric chamber, and signals emitted by the vessel under load are captured. These signals are analysed, prioritised, and classified, to determine the physical position of any sources (artifacts) through triangulation calculations. This technique makes it possible to assess the behaviour of the vessel very accurately in real time and, a posteriori, to assess its fitness for continued service. This technique reduces the unavailability time of the chamber to two days, compared to potentially several weeks when a hydraulic test is performed. Over and above financial considerations and availability of facilities, this technique provides a baseline of the integrity of pressure vessels and allows monitoring over time of any potential deterioration.